A Pocketful of Gems

Chapter 5: to set before a king - Part 3

Friday 5:45 AM

Its hot for so early in the morning. There's no breeze and the smell rising up from the baked earth is crisp and sweet. I'm tempted to say like fresh pressed linen, but we don't press our linen, so I have no idea how that smells.

My sketchpad felt awkward under my arm and my boot rubbed my left ankle, its uncomfortable now, but tolerable. Later, it'll be raw.

I hurried along, the decision was made late so I'd miss the first rays of sunrise, but I'd catch the part that I really wanted.

I've reached Spencer's block; I can see the Sunshine Bakery snuggled up between the taller more modern structures just up ahead.

A silver SUV zoomed past me ruffling the hair piled on my head in my new neon-glow-in-the-dark yellow ponytail, and skidded to a stop in front the bakery. Eve and Abel jumped out and ran for the door. I stopped, Eve did the same and looked straight at me.

"Gemma?" I turned back the way I'd been coming from. "I have a S4 chica, if I throw it at you you'll be comatose for days."

I turned around and said brightly, "hi, Eve."

"Don"t 'hi Eve' me with that expressionless look on your face." Her hands went to her hips. "What the hell are you doing on the street at this time of night?"

"It's morning actually and I could ask you the same thing."

Abel folded his arms, "no lip young lady, answer the question."

"Sorry, sir," I lowered my head. "I'm going to paint the sunrise."

"Uh, huh," Eve looked up at him.

"Do your parents know where you are?" he asked. His eyes narrowed at me and I changed my nod, yes, halfway through into a head shake, no. He pulled the bakery door open. "Get inside, now."

I glanced up the street and Eve held her phone up for me to see. The phone was massive in her hands.

"Fine," I whimpered.

Inside the bakery groups of people sat around in varying stages of wakefulness.

"Spencer!" Abel bellowed. Everyone turned and stared in shock. Spencer came out the back with his hair pulled back into a ponytail and covered head to toe in flour.

"Why did you bring her?"

"It wasn't my idea to come," I sassed.

"We found her walking on the street," Abel glared at me and I sunk into my hoodie. "Claims she was going to paint the sunrise."

"At this time of day?"

"This is when the sun rises."

"Do your parents know where you are?" He came around the counter and stood in front of me. I glared up at him.

"Ok, lets all calm down," Eve stepped between us. "Let's look at it that we have more hands to plough the till."

"Shes sick!" he snapped the same time I asked, "what till?"

"Dad has stomach flu." Spencer told me.

"Okay," I nodded. He stared at me.

"Just okay?"

"I feel badly for him, but that he's sick and you guys are running the store for the day, I gathered the moment I walked in." I shifted my sketchpad and turned to leave, "I'm gonna leave y'all to it –gya! I'm gonna bald!"

"I'm sorry, reflex," Spencer apologized, still gripping my pineapple.

"Let - it - go." I growled. He released me.

"I'm sorry, but I can't let you go." His brows knitted together, "I'd be worried sick."

"Fine, Abel can drive me home," the Bakery fell into a hush.

"She's gonna sneak out as soon as he's gone," several of the Bakerys occupants whispered.

I glared at them, "shut up, am not, the sun would have completely risen by the time I make it back out," I blanched and looked back at my friends, "not that I had any intentions to... who are these people, anyway?"

"Classmates. As a precaution we sent home all of the main staff," Spencer said. He smiled at me softly, "if you'd not been sick I'd have called you."

"Right," I looked around for a place to sit. "Don't let me hold you up."

"You look tired," he took my arm and led my behind the counter. "Why not go upstairs and lay down. Gunter will be happy to see you."

"At least someone will be."

"Gem- "

"Spencer," we looked back at Eve. She smiled and steeple her fingers against her lips. "Just an idea, so stop me at anytime. If she's out and about she's obviously better or doing better to some extent, so why not let her assist, ah, in a job that does not bring her into contact with the products or the customers."

"Like answering the phone," Abel told him.

"That was going to be Eve's job."

"Gem is more familiar with the products to be taking orders via the phone. I dont know the difference between bran and whole wheat; I'd be more comfortable at the register or fixing orders."

"Not with your nails, baby."

"Then register it is."

Spencer looked at me. He slid his hand down my arm to intertwine our fingers.

"You okay with that?"

"I'd rather go do my thing, but that's not an option, is it?"

He kissed my cheek and turned to the crowd. I touched my cheek where he'd kissed.

"You guys finish sterilizing everything?"

"Yea," the crowd droned.

"I'll start sending out trays to pack into the displays. Abel and I will man the ovens, most of you have part timed here before so you know how things work, assist the noobs," he turned back to me. "You, my lady, will be the manager, dictate what needs to be done, remember not to touch any of the products, answer the phone and take orders and coordinate the deliveries that need to come or go. And... design the window display. Its time for it to change, but we never got around to it."

My eyes widened. I whipped around and stared at the window display like it was Johnny Depp on his knees asking for my hand in marriage.

"Yes! Forever and ever yes... but I'll cheat on you with Spencer."

"You said that out loud," Eve pointed out. I waved her off.

"You imagined it."

"Who are you cheating on with me?" Spencer frowned.

"No one, I'd kill her first." Abel assured him. Spencer nodded appreciatively. I shivered at the dangerously serious look Abel gave me.

                           ***
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