Chapter 32

Hello my dear.

Read it slowly. The whole thing.

You won’t regret it if you read it till the end.

Baked Love Chapter 32

[Chip]

It was nearing the end of October, and Xander’s exams were due.

I had to admit, it was a perfect day.

The sky was clear—not a single dark cloud, and customers came over to the Honeycutt’s bakery for cakes and pastries.

Gretel and Giselle were out getting the ingredients for tonight’s dinner.

I was in the back kitchen, piping cupcakes, humming a forgotten tune.

There was a silent prayer at the back of my head, hoping that the question Xander was facing this very second was one that he could do—

Hoping that he would breeze through his exam.

With every impending second, Xander clouded my mind.

Did he revise that topic yesterday?

Would he overlook that question I pointed out to him?

How about the formulas that he asked a couple of days ago?

Will he be alright?

Will he be okay?

Is he stuck now?

Is he stressed?

Was there—

Anything I could do?

Any way for me to be by his side now?

“Chip,” Coco called from the doorway, “could you take over the counter for a mo’? I need to help Rose with the cakes.”

I nodded lightly, wondering why her voice seemed so far away.

Entering the Bakery, I took my place behind the cash register, waiting as a customer approached to order a box of cupcakes.

She pointed to her choices through the display case as I picked out the cupcakes and placed them in a pink box.

“Dear, the sign outside the bakery has fallen,” Said the middle-aged woman gently as she passed me a ten-dollar bill.

“Oh!” I glanced outside and confirmed her observation, “Thank you, I’ll fix that.”

“You do that my dear,” She smiled, taking her purchase and lifting it off the counter.

I waited till the queue thinned and disappeared, then rushed outside to straighten the sign.

There was a sharp screeching of hot tires—

And then a scream from a distance.

I frowned in confusion, wondering what the commotion was.

Taking quick steps down the road, I turned the bend and instantly noticed a group of people huddled in the middle of the crossroad.

The familiar hem of a dress peaked out from the crowd, and I recognized it as Gretel’s floral pattern.

“Gretel?” I called, picking up my pace and making my way towards the group of people.

She didn’t make a sound.

Or perhaps she did—

And it was drowned by the murmuring of the crowd.

“Gretel?” I called again, craning my neck to catch a glimpse of what was in the middle but then I remembered I was too short.

Pushing past some of the passers-by, I tried to make my way to the front—just to ask Gretel what was going on—

But then I realized that Giselle was gone.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

-Slowly-

[The one who saw from above]

Giselle held on to Gretel’s pinky, fiddling with the strap of her sling bag as she stared at the ground.

“Come on Giselle! The light’s green, let’s go,” Gretel smiled, tugging Giselle along as she lunged the groceries.

The petite girl made no response, but followed the person she thought treated her like her own sister.

Giselle never had a sister before.

But she was sure—

If she had one, she would be like this; A kind witch who refused to give her cupcakes until she had brushed her teeth.

Perhaps witches could be kind after all?

Giselle wasn’t entirely sure. She never related to the fairytales her brother had told her.

How do you determine the villain?

How do you determine the hero?

Do villains always wear black?

Do they always look ugly and inferior to the hero?

Are the heroes always the ones who look more physically attractive?

If so, Giselle felt that she herself could pass as an ugly villain.

Other kids would understand.

They could point out the villain from the hero—

Tell the Prince and the Princess—

Tell how they fell in love—

But Giselle couldn’t.

Her eyes followed a ball that bounced past her, rolling behind.

“My ball!” A boy exclaimed from opposite the sidewalk.

Giselle knew how to be a hero.

She knew that they would always come to the rescue when others needed help.

Without hesitation, her grip on Gretel’s pinky loosened, and she ran after the red ball that rolled further and further away on the rough road.

Giselle squatted down, hands closing in on the ball.

She felt the rubbery surface of the toy,

The way it squeaked when she squeezed it.

And then she rose in triumph for being the hero—

The hero everyone would be proud of—

Her brother would be so proud of her—

She would be loved by everyone—

FOR ONCE BUT—

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

[Xander]

No.

No—

This is not happening.

Heavy…my legs are so heavy. I can’t hear Rose over the phone.

I didn’t even have enough money in my wallet to take a taxi to the hospital.

Running—

I’m running as fast as I can, but it’s just not enough.

It’s not enough.

Fuck…I’m pathetic.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

-Slowly-

When our eyes met—I saw the fear.

How did I appear?

The fear in his eyes,

Nothing will suffice.

“Chip?”

His gaze sought everywhere but mine—

Will he be fine?

But I,

Cannot lie—

For there is no time.

“Where is Giselle?”

“D-Did you run here?”

“Yes, but where is Giselle?”

“She’s in the emergency room right now, they said she’ll be okay—“

“What happened?”

“Gretel can’t talk. I think she’s in shock—“

“Okay, let’s go.”

He brought me away from the entrance, into white washed walls containing air with the pungent smell of hand sanitizer—

The smell of clean fear.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

He clutched my hand in the elevator, but was silent.

For what was there to say?

He looked at me in dismay.

What did my face say?

It must be as ugly as fear.

He spoke, I couldn’t hear.

The floor reached with a screech.

He led me through corridor after corridor, passed door after door of darkness.

And when I saw them—my family, Giselle’s family—eyes red, an ice-cold hand over their hearts, I broke.

Giselle was right.

I’m just the dog of the family.

Rose embraced me with a strong smile but I knew she cried.

Coco glanced at the door five times in a minute.

Loki spoke to Gretel.

Gretel was shaking.

Hansel couldn’t sit.

My angel wrapped his slim arms around my waist,

Spreading his wings in haste.

Chip thought himself protected through,

But protect he does, protect I fool.

“Gretel?”

Her head turned in fear, lips cracked like ice.

“Can you please tell me what happened?”

“I need to know.”

She gulped, reached for the glass of water with trembling hands.

“There was a ball…and she let go of my hand to… to retrieve it—the light was green, I swear!” She cried.

“When she let go I turned around and she was getting up from the ground then that…she was getting up and then…getting up…and then…”

And then?

“It was…and then…the car…the bumper hit her…in her face as she was getting up—“ Her voice rose to a scream.

“It wasn’t strong—I promise, the hit wasn’t strong, I swear, I SWEAR, she’ll be alright—“

Rose held her, for she couldn’t hold herself—

And my angel held me, for I couldn’t hold myself.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

-Slowly-

The door hit Hansel in the face when it opened, but he didn’t seem to care.

A man dressed in white emerged, barely showing any skin except for his eyes.

We drew towards him, reluctant and eager at the same time—afraid to ask the question.

“Giselle’s family?”

Yes, I opened my mouth to say when—

“Yes,” They replied in unison.

A sour sensation twisted at the back of my throat and I knew they were coming.

Family?

I have…a family?

“Giselle is breathing. She is a very strong girl. She will get through this, I can assure you,” And with that, I let them out—the fucking things people call tears.

She’s alright—she’s really alright.

“The bumper of the car hit her square in the face. Fortunately, it wasn’t going too fast. On one hand, she is lucky that her lungs were not crushed. However…”

“What?”

“W-What is it doctor?”

“I’m afraid we have to perform an operation—her eyes…might not be in a good condition.”

Shit.

Operation?

I felt like punching myself for the first thought that came to my mind.

“How much?”

The words tasted bitter, and I knew I was a monster.

But I had to ask.

“A few hundred. Might be more—“

“Sure,” Once again, I heard the six voices that weren’t mine, and my mind couldn’t seem to process any information.

What?

Why?

How could they say so?

Without any hesitation?

They can’t be…

“No, no you’re not paying for this no—“

My angel tiptoed, planting a butterfly kiss on my cheek. “Shh…”

No, I’m no dog.

I’m worse than that.

Was everyone useless without gold?

When will we pay with love?

“The operation will be done by tomorrow. I suggest you come in the noon. I’m afraid I cannot let you see her now,” The doctor said kindly, and everyone nodded, saying their thanks again and again.

“Let’s go home.”

Home?

I had a home?

That’s…nice.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

“I’ll take the sofa today,” I told Hansel, but his eyes widened immediately and he shook his head.

“Nah, it’s fine, really! You just sleep in the room—“

“No, please don’t make me feel bad, I can’t possibly be sleeping on a bed that’s yours when you’re here. That’s just rude…” I found myself saying; pleading.

I was reduced to a fucking piece of crap by the time we got back home.

Drained, I wanted to sleep—

But I couldn’t.

A veil of moonlight slipped through the window in the living room, and I stared at it blankly.

There was a creak of the door, and light footsteps.

The steps on an Angel.

“X-Xan?” I heard him call softly in that sweet voice of his, and the crack in my soul seemed to heal.

“Angel? What’s wrong? Can’t sleep?” I sat up.

He approached the couch carefully, clutching his pillow in his arms. “O-Of course not…I’m so worried,” He collapsed in my arms.

“Can we…stay like this for just a little longer?” He asked adorably, and I laughed.

“Sure,” I ran a hand through his soft hair, and suddenly I felt like I didn’t deserve this beautiful being. “Don’t you worry…Giselle is strong.”

“I…I know…but she’s still human,” And then after a moment, he added quietly, “And so are you.”

I brought him closer.

“Worried about me?” I joked, smirking a little to show that I was okay.

“O-Of course I am!” Chip pouted.

“Shh, not so loud, don’t wanna wake everyone up yeah?” I put a finger on his lips.

We laid on the couch in a comfortable silence, watching the wisps of moonlight enter through the window.

And then Chip said shyly, “Xander? Y-You know, I like you a lottle,” He blushed and buried his face in my shirt.

“What?” I laughed.

“A lottle. I-It’s like a little but a lot. I learnt it from the internet,” He fidgeted in my arms.

Crap.

I really don’t deserve him do I?

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

“Hello?” It was a woman’s voice.

“Uh—hi. Can I speak to Mr. Jaxon?”

There was a soft scuffling.

“Mr. Jaxon is busy at the moment—“

Busy sleeping with you, yeah.

“—could you, mm…call back later?” She moaned mid-sentence and I felt my blood boil.

“Yeah. Yeah ‘kay.”

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

“Hello?” It was another woman’s voice.

“Hi. Is Mr. Jaxon there?”

“He is sleeping.”

“Can you wake him up?”

“What? Um…is it urgent?”

“Yes.”

“Alright.”

There was a moment of silence, and I faintly heard the woman saying ‘babe, wake up’.

Then a light scuffle, then for the first time in eleven years, I heard my Father’s voice.

“The hell? Who’s this?”

Way to greet your son, ass.

“Xander.”

“Huh? I don’t know any Xander.”

“I’m your fucking son you asshole,” I hissed into the phone.

There was a moment of silence.

“Which son?”

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

“I need money.”

“Please…please.”

I hate him.

Loathed him to the extent that I wished I was never born—never his son.

But I had to step on my pride, and beg.

…And beg.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

[Three days later]

“Giselle!”

“Xandie?”

“Yes, yes it’s me,” I brought her gently into my arms, afraid that she will break.

“Giselle, I brought you your teddy,” Chip said softly, guiding the teddy bear into Giselle’s arms.

“Chocolate Chip! Teddy!”

“Giselle! Oh thank Heavens,” Gretel broke, sobbing.

It was just the three of us at the moment—they didn’t allow too many at once.

Gretel insisted. She went on her knees, begged to be the first to see Giselle.

She’s breathing.

She’s breathing—

It’s okay.

I watched as my sister felt the ears of her teddy bear, and she cuddled it.

“I smell cupcake,” She said suddenly, and we all laughed.

Gretel grinned, wiping her tears away as she brought up a cupcake holder filled with red velvet cupcakes.

“The doctor said only one for today alright? When you’re better, you can eat all the cupcakes you want! And the evil witch won’t stop you,” She laughed, choking on her tears.

“Okay! Get better!” Giselle giggled. “Cupcake where?”

Chip’s sister broke a piece of the cake, making sure to dip a little of the cream cheese and white chocolate.

Then she told Giselle to open her mouth, and she sent it in.

My sister beamed like she was the happiest girl in the world.

Then she said, “I can’t see the cupcake.”

And then we broke—

Into a silence.

Broke—

Into a million pieces.

“Xandie?”

“Y-Yeah? Are you hurting anywhere Giz?” I leaned down, resting my hands on her shoulders.

“No, no hurt,” Giselle shook her head, “But I can’t see the cupcake.”

“H-Here Giselle, more cupcake,” Gretel tried to smile, sending another piece of red velvet into my sister’s eager mouth.

She chewed slowly, then said, “Xandie?”

“Yeah?”

“Lights—

Turn on the lights.”

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

“And so, Mr. Sun is on a holiday!” Chip smiled, telling Giselle a story.

“Oohh!” Giselle clapped her hands, missing them every time. “Holiday!”

“Yes, that’s right,” Chip lied, trying to sound as happy as possible for Mr. Sun who went away.

Giselle was quiet for a moment, a silly smile on her face.

Then she thought of something.

“When will he come back?”

“I…I don’t know,” My angel stammered, speechless.

Giselle took a while to process, then she felt around for Chip’s hand, and with her other hand, she felt for mine.

“It’s okay,” She giggled, “I can still feel Mr. Sun’s warmth.”

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

A/N: Thought I’d do something to Chip or Xander? ^^

Didn’t think it’d be worse if it was Giselle instead?

Giselle isn’t able to think how normal people think. What others are able to understand easily, she is unable to.

But the way she thinks lets her see the light—when people see the dark.

Yes, she is blind now—but she doesn’t feel sad at the loss of light, she feels happy for the presence of warmth.

Is this chapter for the better? Or for the worse?

-Cuppiecake.