'Why is your nose swollen?' Lydia is wide-eyed on seeing her boss and friend, Mahdia walk into the work station. The right side of her nose red and swollen, there is something glistening on it too.
'Nothing.' Mahdia said and tried busying herself checking the dough in the oven. Lydia watched her as she bent down and peeked into the oven, she straightened pretending to not notice Lydia is watching her.
'Joe, this dough isn't rising. Check it.' she ordered one of her employees who nodded and hurried towards the oven she had been standing at.
Mahdia walked into her cabin which is very tiny yet cozy. It has everything that is needed in an office. A wooden desk, few chairs, a heater, a table fan, a book shelve with recipes to delicious baking items and in the corner, is a coat hanger. On the table, there are few books, pen, notepad, and a laptop. Also, there are few frames and in them are photos of her and Mariam and her mother, only her and Mariam, and a collage of wedding pictures of her brother Mazin and his wife, Sadaf. Mahdia needed these photos to positively charge her and motivate her.
She removed her overcoat and muffler and hung them on the coat hanger. She removed her cap and placed it on the table. She looked at her reflection on the glass of the book shelve. The right side of her nose has swollen little, it isn't as bad as Lydia's expressions. She had been thinking about it many times, ever since Jennifer, the famous stylist in Paris had looked at her and suggested she get her nose pierced, the small nose stud will make her look sexy. Every time, she decided to take the step, thinking about the pain she used to back out. But then, Jennifer's words encourage her again. Finally, her words won over her fear.
She touched her nose with the tip of her finger and winced, it hurts bad. The artist had said it will take some time to become normal, she had also been given ointment to avoid infection.
Mahdia took a deep breath, 'Ouch!' it hurts to even breathe deeply. She combed her hair with her fingers and tied it in a quick bun, adjusted her pink chiffon top and pulled up her black jeans. She turned around and walked out from the cabin.
'Lydia, Apron?' she asked.
'Here!' Lydia threw an apron at Mahdia. She smiled victoriously as she caught the apron gracefully.
'What you are going to make?'
'I have decided to make some cookies, I have an idea for a unique recipe...Johan is handling the sandwich and Jasmine with the beverages.' Mahdia said wearing her chef's hat.
Mahdia had been working in this café since her brother had started this café ten years ago, she, in fact, was the very first employee. And even now, she hasn't compromised with her duty as the baker in the workstation while handling the boss's position. It gets messy and tiring many times but Mahdia has her brother's vision and her sister-in-law motivational words encourage her through those tough times.
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'Uff! What a day.' Lydia said sighing. Mahdia nodded removing her apron off her. She glanced at her watch and her eyes widened. Lydia is startled when Mahdia smacked her forehead hard.
'What happened?'
'Nothing, I got to go. Please wind all this time.' Mahdia said rushing into her tiny cabin.
Lydia watched her rush, a small smile playing on her lips.
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'Madam, you haven't paid.' The cab driver yelled as Mahdia hurriedly got down the cab and began walking without paying. Mahdia shoved her hands into her coat's pocket, she cursed when she found no money there, she searched inside her purse and luckily found some cash. She paid the driver and clumsily walked, ran, towards the school.
How can she forget? Today was Mariam's extra classes, Mariam loves to paint and hence have taken up classes that are once a week, on Thursdays, and today is Thursday. How can she be so careless and forgetful?
The entire school is empty with only a few staff members. She frantically rushed towards Mariam's class. To her horror, she wasn't there.
Mahdia panicked, what if Mariam had waited for her and when she didn't come for long she decided to return home herself. Mariam is a very smart and sharp girl, she knew her way. But she is just nine, what if something wrong happened to her.
Mahdia thought she will faint when she got negative replies from people she had asked about Mariam.
Finally, she found Mariam in the playground sitting on the swing, alone. Her school bag resting on her shoulder and she held her water bottle with one hand and the swing with the other. Mahdia found her breath and heartbeat return to her.
'Baby?' Mahdia said sitting on the swing beside her. Mariam didn't respond, she kept staring at her feet drawing circles on the snow.
Mahdia hesitated for few seconds before placing a palm on her shoulder. Mariam still didn't look up. Mahdia held her chin and tried making her look at her but Mariam held her face tightly.
'Mariam, bacha! Won't you even look at your Maddy?' she asked, her tone soft and gentle.
Mariam looked up, her small face peeked from in between a heavy grey muffler and woolen head cap. Her cheeks red with the cold.
'You remembered you had a niece also, Maddy?' she asked staring into her Aunt's eyes. Mahdia's heart dropped feeling the pain in her voice and seeing the sadness in her eyes.
'Bacha, I am sorry.' Mahdia said teary eyed.
'Don't be.' Mariam huffed climbing down the swing, and without any other word she began walking, her head lowered and her shoulder droopy. Mahdia looked at her back feeling terrible. Her niece is just nine, yet she has seen so much in life. Mahdia always prays that someday she can give Mariam all the happiness she deserves. But how? Mahdia is trying her best juggling everything but it isn't easy.