Page 48 of Cloud Storm

“Sure, but at this rate, we’ll need a new counter specifically to display the themed day.” Rolling my eyes, I’m giving her excuses not to do it.

However, this could be good for business, maybe a mid-week day to surprise our customers.

My assistant Katie leaves the kitchen and closes the door, giving us the privacy that I feel we are going to need, looking at Oliver and Roselynn’s faces.

Shit.

“Ariel, you’re amazing at this,” Oliver announces. “This will be breaking over the news in the entire country. The Sweet Tooth will be everywhere.”

“Okay…” I say hesitantly, afraid this isn’t the whole truth, that they have evil plans, something more up their sleeves. “But whatever you’re up to, no, no, and no again. I’m doing my part already, go and draft some numbers or something. Just leave me the heck alone.” I have enough to think about, that’s a problem of administration, not of production.

He and Roselynn look at each other and from their faces I know they’re hiding something, something they have hatched between them and I don’t like it.

I don’t like being blindsided.

“What?” I insist. This is becoming bigger than I can manage right now and I need to focus on work. Two brides are coming this afternoon and after that, I have to start with the decorations for the cakes ordered for the weekend.

Never a dull moment at the bakery, we’re always busy.

They look at each other again and I’m about to take my rifle from under the counter. Yes, it’s imaginary. Of course, I don’t have one, besides, I’m a pacifist to the core.

“Ariel,” Roselynn speaks gently, like someone trying to get close to an injured and angry wounded animal, “Oliver and I have been talking, and we think you should tell your story. Nobody knows the whole story, and we both agree that the world should know how much of a fighter you are, and just how much you’ve had to overcome.”

Of course I’m a fighter, but I’m not doing this just for me. This is a debt I have with my brothers. They sacrificed so much for me. They gave me this.

But I’m not ready to open up, and truthfully I don’t know if I ever will be.

“No, I can’t. Of course not!” I answer automatically. “Not even for all the tea in China. My answer is no.”

“Ariel,” Oliver says. “Several prestigious publications are interested in you. As your publicist my recommendation is…”

I’m furious.

Fuming.

“I’ve never wanted pity, NEVER! And I’m not starting now!”

“It’s not about pity, Ariel. You’re the strongest person we know, and as your publicist I want the world to know that about you.”

“As my publicist you have to do what I ask you to do. I don’t want this. I don’t want to be exposed to the entire nation’s microscope. I’m not a circus freak, and if it’s because of my hair color, it’ll be blonde again by tomorrow.”

I should warn you, by the way, that’s my natural color.

“Ariel, we really want you to just be you,” Roselynn insists, approaching me to take my hand.

As if that would work.

I already said no.

And when I say no, there’s no way to get me to change my mind. My friend may be stubborn, but when God called the stubborn I was already fighting with the mules.

“The problem is that I don’t want to. I’ve never wanted to be in the spotlight, it’s not the way I want to live my life, Roselynn, you more than anyone else should know that.” I’m fine as I am, thank you very much.

“You said the same thing when I proposed starting up the company, Ariel.”

Ah yes, going to play dirty now, are we?

I scratch my forehead and take a deep breath before answering, because I’m about to lose my temper and I really don’t want to fight with my friends.

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