Chapter 2 - A tall cappuccino, Love

Ivette spent the few minutes before her  shift greedily sipping on freshly brew coffee. It was not normal for her to drink so early, but she felt restless and annoyed from her dream last night. 

She gazed absentmindedly from the counter towards the clear glass windows. Although still dark, Ivette could see Hank Junior begin to open the doors of his family's flower shop. The one, if Ivette remembered correctly, that was only passed down to each eldest daughter in Hank Junior's family.

As Hank Junior finished opening his store, Ivette couldn't help but smile remembering the day that Hank Junior, a very tall man with bright brown eyes and mousy brown hair covered in both a mountain of freckles and a huge nose opened the store. It was quiet a shock to the small street of Welcome when Linda Vace, Hank Junior's cousin, didn't open the doors after Widow Nancy had died. It was expected by all that since's only one of Widow Nancy's sons had a daughter, she would be the one to uphold the Vace's flower shop legacy. Although a painfully awkward man, Hank Junior insured everyone in both Welcome and the rest of the people in Banks, Washington that he was enough woman to uphold the Rhododendron Flower Shop legacy. 

Not soon afterwards, Ivette could hear the extremely green rustic Toyota of Mr. and Mrs. Zabini. It wasn't long before the Zabini got off their ancient piece of junk and began to open the doors of their own business, a little, but superb Italian-Chinese restaurant named Chinese Pasta. 

Ivette smiled to herself remembering the first day she went to visit the Zabini couple. For years, both she and her boss were placing bets on the little close shop in front of theirs. Although denied by both the realtor and landlady, Ivette and her boss knew that the little shop was a death trap. Not literally, of course, but figuratively because over the years after receiving  so many bad reviews and foreclosures  the little shop in front of the cafe have become a street joke for all the business on Welcome. As a result, the shop would stay open, at best, for seven months. 

This is how, thought Ivette, how their betting game was born. At first, it started as a simple game of "I think it's going to be a burger place" to "I bet my whole f*****g paycheck this week that it's going to be a Italian place." At the time, it wasn't the smartest thing for Ivette to do, but after losing so many bets against Hank Junior she h ad become desperate. 

Over the course of the month, Ivette, tried to no avail, to find anything that would tell her about the shop's business. She stared for hours on ends looking out the window at the restaurant equipment and decorations, but it was useless. Her lack of concentration only caused Ivette a dozen spilled drinks and wrong orders. At least, she remembered, everyone on Welcome were acting the same way. A few town regulars complain to the city for the businesses' poor service. 

When the shop finally open, it came as quiet a shock when it turn out to be a fusion restaurant that sold both Chinese and Italian dishes. It was, as explained by the Zabinis, a testament of their love.  Truthfully, Ivette believe that their shop was a testament on how different they really were. It was interesting how Mrs. Zabini's, or Ms. Chang's, meek birdlike personality, a result from her harsh upbringing from China, was able to control her over zealous bull like Italian husband. It still baffled here to no end how they were still together when they were always arguing with each other. 

Ivette heard the roar of the Zabini's truck die after a few minutes. It was peaceful for only a second, before the arguing started. 

"How could you forget the coasters?" yelled Mrs. Zabini. 

"Me?! Forget them? I told you to tell Robby to get them." he retorted. 

Ivette snorted in annoyance. "How can such an old couple still yell that loud?" she thought. It was a few minutes of ear-cringing and coffee sips before the Zabinis finally entered their own shop. As Ivette began to  enjoying her early-morning peace, the small bell at the top of the door began to ring.  

"Good morning, Ivette!" smiled her boss, Elizabeth Stuckman, a tall curvy woman with long brownish-blonde hair and a out-of-breath freckly completion, who began to set down some coffee supplies on the table. 

"Did the bakers come in yet?" she asked as she started to remove her black coat and fuzzy ball hat. 

"No, not yet. I haven't seen the truck past by." I replied. 

"That's great! Call me when they come in, I need to negotiate a few new prices with them." yelled Elizabeth from the back storage room.

"Will do," was Ivette's only reply as she busy herself with the pre-opening preparations. It wasn't long before she heard the comforting cries of pains from Elizabeth,  who once again, knocked into something. 

Ivette fought  a snickered as she downed the last precious gulps of her coffee. Maybe, she thought, this wouldn't happen as much if she remember to keep her head duck down in the storage room. Although beautiful in both appearance and personality, Elizabeth was both very tall and very clumsy. This, of course, was not the best combination when working at Coffeeology. 

It was not long before her pre-shift break was over. Almost immediately, Ivette began to go through the motions. She tighten the deep purple work apron before she dove into her shift. She cleaned the last remaining tables from last night, refiled all the sugar and creamer containers , and started all the kitchen appliances. 

Ivette quickly woke up from her stupor once she heard Elizabeth start up the day's playlist. Elizabeth was obsessed with the cafe's music. It had become a well-known secret that Coffeology was "the" place to go if you wanted to check out the newest music. It wasn't uncommon to see a band play during the weekend. 

"Ivette!" Elizabeth shrieked from the back of the store, "Alfred's here!" 

Ivette tidied herself up before leaving her the front. She quickly made her way to the back, entering through the kitchen and out to the back door. There in the alleyway was a large truck with a giant cupcake with both a cape and a sword printed on its side. Cake Knights was the town's go-to bakery. Alfred Eaton was known as a giant foodie since he was a kid. He begged his parents for a easy-bake oven when he was seven, he begged his teachers to make a cooking club in high school, and he begged culinary schools around the U.S. for an acceptance letter. It wasn't hard to believe that Alfred Eaton was gifted when it came to cooking, his ambitions fell into baking cupcakes and other pastries.  It seemed to the small town that Alfred would become the town's born and bred celebrity. 

Ivette, once she was out the small cafe, couldn't help and smile at Alfred. He, in a better word for it, was hot. He had broad shoulders and a perfect physique. His eyes were like a deep sea blue and his hair was like golden thread. However, the one thing that kept Alfred so popular in town with the ladies, besides his orgasmic chocolate cupcakes, was his smile. He smiled, it felt like the sun in a warm summer's day. His deep, but boyish laugh made any girl swoon. Alfred's charm was affecting Ivette as well. It was not until Alfred began to pull up the loud It was no difference for Ivette, once Alfred opened the back of his truck. "Hey, Ivette. Hey Elizabeth," Alfred smiled at them, "Are we getting the usual?" 

Although a bit daze, Elizabeth answered "Yeah, the usual for today Alfred, but I was wondering if you had anything new?"

Alfred's smile drooped a bit at that, but it wasn't long before it widened with the challenge. "Let me see" he climbed onto the back and open his godly pastries. "I made a dozen of Flan cupcakes, tres leches cupcakes, and apple pie cupcakes."

"Where do you find the time to make these?!" Ivette asked from the doorway. 

"It's because I'm an angel," Alfred exclaimed seriously. 

"Yeah, sure buddy, and I'm the f*****g Queen of Shiba," Ivette answered with a complementary roll of her eyes. 

"Ooh," Elizabeth squealed, "I'll take the apple pie ones." 

"Apple pie-cakes coming right up," laughed Alfred as he began to go into his truck. It wasn't long before he came out with a pan filled with miniature pies.

As Alfred jumped off the truck with his pastries in tow, Elizabeth couldn't help but stare in confusion. "Alfred, those are baby pies."

"Huh?" Alfred looked down at his creation with a mix of worry and amusement. "Nope, guess again," he smiled with glee as he handed Elizabeth a mini pie. 

Ivette could only look at them with both annoyance and exasperation. "It's like this every morning," she thought. "Why can't they just ask each other out already?!" 

Elizabeth looked at the hybrid creation with worry, she wasn't sure if this was the right choice. Although she pride herself for taking Alfred's newest creations into her cafe, she was not the most open person when it came to her taste buds.  

"Elizabeth!" moaned Ivette from her uncomfortable door frame, "Hurry up, the customers will be here soon!" Elizabeth quickly took a bit out of the pie-cake in her hand. She was surprise to find that the crust on the pie was not crust at all! It was a gritty-bread like frosting covering a moist and fluffy cupcake. Elizabeth was surprise to taste that the cupcake was filled with an apple filling that wasn't overpowering. Elizabeth moaned. Alfred, already passing the trays of delicious hot pastries to Ivette, was snickering. 

"Hey Ivette," called Alfred from the truck, "That's the reason why I don't watch porn".

Ivette laughed at both Alfred's terrible joke and Elizabeth tomato-red face. As Elizabeth try to collect her bearings, Alfred was already pulling out of the back alleyway towards his next destination. 

"See you guys tomorrow," he smiled from the driver's seat. Before they could respond, Alfred was already driving away.  Before the girls entered their cafe, both wondered if Alfred was extremely into his baking to compensate for something else.