Abdicatin' Royalty

My charity case

"A navy blue spaghetti-strap tank top partnered with a high-waisted denim skirt with a matching belt and a sheer navy blue throw over," Renée stated. "Makeup, nonexistent. Hair, tied in a twisted bun. Shoes, a monstrosity!"

Rolling my eyes, I corrected, "black Converse high tops." Renée gagged in disgust, making me giggle. "Renée, I can't help paint walls in designer outfits! Okay? The sheer jacket was already an overstep."

Renée had this crazy idea that wearing customized designer outfits to help would better my self-esteem. I still don't understand why she'd think that there's something wrong with my self-esteem in the first place. Nonetheless I some how let myself be talked into this.

I'm helping Christian and his family paint the bakery and move all the new equipment and decor. The de Sousa's are surprisingly very opened minded to new ideas. With that being said, I twisted my dear Taiwanese friend -whose online blog made enough millions to be developed into a television network and magazine- into spreading the word of the grand reopening.

Yip, Missy Yukamora the once high school blogger had millions on her online community and developed her tv network, 'Miju Network' and her gossip magazine, 'Miju Gossip' weekly. Her network is available around the world in every existing language and she is the host of the English and Mandarin channels.

Marco's driving felt so amazingly slow, like we couldn't get to Charcoal Boulevard quick enough. Fortunately when we did get there, everyone was waiting patiently as if I was the only one who was being impatient. Nonetheless, we got there and I couldn't be more thrilled to finally get my hands dirty after nearly... How long ago was I making mud pies in grandma Hilly's backyard?

Twelve years! No wonder my life has no color in it.

The bakery's windows were covered with newspaper and tape. From outside, it was clear that the tape was taped on in the shape of an 'X' and each corner had a piece too. The outside walls' paint was white with cream by the exposed parts and it looked kind of gross. The smell of fresh paint my nose tremble and the large buckets of paint that I saw inside the bakery made all this more exciting to me.

The de Sousa's, Marco and I went inside and I barely recognize the interior. The tiles were uprooted, a wall and three steps were built to segregate the bakery from its dessert bar -or what used to be the dessert bar. Near the back corner of the new room, there was a pair of glass doors -also taped with newspaper.

I was so impressed by the progress that the only thing I could say was "whoa." Most of the family turned to me -some chuckling and other smiling. "In a matter of two weeks you've managed to remodel the entire service area?"

Christian was next to me and he was smiling wildly, "that architect you sent? He's really good."

"As is that interior decorating gentleman of yours," grandma de Sousa added with very broken English. She so cool, I think grandma Hilly would love her. They're both that crazy grandmother that finishes the Brandy before they get the chance to make the fruitcake. She hurried over to the two of us. "You should invite her grace over for dinner, Christian."

Just like that, grandma de Sousa vanished to the back, leaving an immensely red Christian next to me. "Ignore my grandmother, she tries to set me up with every girl I talk to." Smirking at himself, Christian handed me a rolling paint brush. "The de Sousa curse. All the women play match maker with the men yet all the women are single because they chase away other men."

I dipped the brush into the pretty ocean green paint that was intended for the dessert bar's walls. As for the rest of the service area, those walls are going to be turquoise. The all skirting will remain cherry red and the new tiles are going to be black. Yeah, real colorful.