Bunny

17

Isaiah was driving us somewhere else again.

"What is it this time?" I wondered.
"Don't worry about it."
"I have to for my safety."
"Well..." He pulled into a parking lot. "We're here now." he stated and parked.
It was some brightly lit place.
"Is this..."
"Come on." He hopped out of the car.
I looked at him as he walked inside then I unbuckled my seatbelt to follow.

I was right.
This was a bakery.
He brought me to a bakery.

It smelled really good inside though.

"This is where you wanted to go?" I asked him as I looked around.
"You think this just a normal bakery?"
"Isn't it...?"
"Nah."
Now I was concerned.
"This is heaven on Earth." he continued.
I looked at him.
He was staring longingly at the desserts behind the glass.
"What you want?" he asked.

I looked too. "I don't know."
I didn't even have the money for it.

"Um...Actually, I'm okay." I decided.
I walked away from him and looked closer through the glass.

This stuff was so pretty. The building itself was a bit iffy but I didn't expect much based on the town it was in.

"We are closed-..." said a tired voice.
I looked up and saw an elderly woman walking in from the back.
"Mrs. Tran, I've missed you, doll face. How's it goin'?" Isaiah asked the woman. He leaned against the counter as he spoke to her.

She squinted before she put on her thick glasses.
When she could finally see, the most joy shown on her face.

"Isaiah, my handsome boy..." she smiled and gently held his face in her hands.
"Hey, sweetheart." he smiled at her. "What you got for me today?" I watched him hop over the counter and go into the back.
"I've made crepe cake just for you. I figured you'd come sooner or later."
His head peaked back into the doorway so he could look at her as he said, "You know me so well." He disappeared again while she giggled.

I continued looking at her delicacies.

"Can I help you, dear?"
I shot up. "Oh...No, I'm sorry. I was just looking while I wait on Isaiah."
"Oh, girlfriend?"
"No, no, just um..." I didn't know actually.
"I understand. He is a very handsome boy, isn't he?" she asked.
I nodded.
"Yes, you are very pretty too, it's okay, dear. You have a shot, don't be afraid. But you can look as much as you like." she permitted with a sweet smile.

As I looked back at her items, I was startled when a face appeared on the other side of the glass.
We'd looked at the same thing. He stood up straight.

"Mrs. Tran, how much is this?" he asked and pointed at the same dessert I was looking at earlier.
"It's...three dollars."
Isaiah looked disappointed in her.
"What?" she asked.
"Linda." he called.
"It is! Three dollars. Yes."
"That slice is the size of my head, don't lie to me."
"Four...?" she corrected.

He sighed. "I'll take two of 'em, and this crepe cake slice." He walked to her fridge then pulled out two drinks. "This too."

She began grabbing small boxes to put everything in.

I watched as he kept looking at everything like an overgrown, tatted, curious child. It was cute. He clearly wanted to get much more than what he ordered.
He looked at me and I had to pretend like I wasn't already staring at him.

"You want somethin' else?" he asked.
"No, I'm okay." I answered. I refused to tell him I didn't have the luxury of being able to buy things I didn't absolutely need.

"Isaiah, get the rest of the cake." Mrs. Tran commanded.
"I can have all of it?"
"I made it for you, boy. You are lucky you're pretty. Take this and put the cake in one of the bigger boxes."
"Aww fuck yea," he said to himself as he took the slice and began to walk to the back.
"Watch your language in my store!" she shouted behind him.
"My bad!" he replied and it made me snicker.

"You." I heard and looked at Mrs. Tran.
She gestured for me to come closer so I did.
"You do not have any money, do you?" she asked.
I shook my head softly.
"You don't want him to know?"
I shook my head again.
"I see. I used to be the same way, you know. My husband's parents were both upper class, wealthy, while my parents owned a seafood stand. Not a lot of money. When my husband and I first started dating he used to pay for everything and I'd feel terrible because I never had any money but he would just spend and spend on me. I had to hand make every gift I gave him while he bought me jewelry and clothes. He later told me that the money didn't matter. He wanted to give to me so he did. He wasn't looking to receive and if he did, whatever I gave him was perfect because it was what *I* gave him. He said it could've been a piece of tissue with my signature and he would have cherished it forever."

That story was very sweet.

"I know he wasn't lying because he's kept every gift I've given him since the beginning, in a little box, for 55 years. Isaiah's a sweet boy..."

I don't think we know the same Isaiah.

"He used to be in the same circumstance as you if not worse-..."

We could hear him rummaging with things in the back.

"DO NOT BREAK ANYTHING BACK THERE!" Mrs. Tran yelled at him.
"I'M NOT! CHIIILL!" he replied and I snickered.
She rolled her eyes. "Not very smart, that one. Sweet boy, very stupid."
I laughed softly.

"Alright, how much is it?" Isaiah came back and asked.

"Fifteen." Mrs. Tran replied.
Isaiah sucked his teeth then put the cake box down and went through his wallet.
He pulled out a bill then slapped it on the counter and took the bag Mrs. Tran packed and the cake that he did.
"Keep the change, gorgeous." he stated and walked towards the door. "Let's go." he told me.

"Isaiah, this is a 50!" Mrs. Tran replied. "I said 15!"
"I know what you said! Raise your damn prices!" he commanded and we walked out.

We hopped in his car but he didn't take off.

"Here." he stated and handed me a small box from the bag.
I was confused and held it. I figured he was getting situated so I held it and waited for when to give it back.
He took out another small box, plastic utensils, and the drinks then put the larger box in his back seat.
He reclined his seat just a bit then handed me a fork.

"Is this mine?" I wondered.
He looked around for some reason. "Who else would it be for?"
"I don't know. I didn't know you were buying me something..."
"Surprise!" he said in monotone. "Eat." he commanded.

I opened the fork and the box then took a forkful of the cheesecake slice I had.

I took a bite as I noticed the lights from the bakery turning off, signifying her close.

I looked at the cheesecake slice.

This was delicious.

It was so fluffy and soft. The top layer was melted white chocolate and had a drizzle of some kind of strawberry jam along with a large and dark red strawberry. It tasted just as amazing as it looked.

"It's good, ain't it?" he stated and finally put the car in drive.
"It's perfect."
"That woman's a wizard." he snickered to himself.