HEARTS & FLOURS

”9000 Euros!!! ”, she murmurs, her eyebrows raising.

”Yes mam, hire us for the build-up and on-the-day coordination for a completely stress-free wedding for your daughter ”, the receptionist at the front desk said into her phone.

”Okay, yes, we are fully booked for the time being but you can just give us an email with the venues address if you change your mind.

”Thank you for calling our service! Please let us know if theres anything else we can help you with ”

”Its so costly ”

”Our package ranges from 9000 Euros to 14,000 Euros, including our signature wedding cake ”

”Ive been hearing that since I started working here ”

”What? ”

”We offer the best services in the town, and our clients are very wealthy ”

”Yeah….but ”

”Mam, it is a decent package but its up to you ”

”Oh, okay we will contact you soon ”

The woman on the other side of the call hangs up and the line goes dead.

The receptionist sighs deeply stretching her back and putting her phone back on her table before returning to work. After what seems like an eternity, the receptionist speaks once more.

******

The sound of clicking stiletto heels on concrete was all too familiar to her.

”Good morning, Mam Tasse ”

”Hmm… ”

A 5 feet 6 inches lady walked into the office, wearing a Louis Vuitton D-Ring Trompe Loeil sweater dress along with an LV monogram embossed Coussin BB handbag and a gold wristwatch that screamed ”Redefining Impossible ” at you like you were looking at its real face.

She looked about twenty years old, with long blonde hair and big hazel eyes.

It was just another day at work for the wedding business. She was walking straight up to the receptionist who sat behind the counter and handed her two pieces of white envelopes with gold embossing.

”You have my number! If there are any problems call me immediately.

”Don entertain anyone, got it ”

She sounds apologetic but it doesn quite hide a smirk.

”Okay, mam ”

The receptionist saw the ladys eyes lit up as she looked at her cellphone.

”Have a nice day, Mam ”

The lady seemed to be engrossed in the phones screen like glue as she made her way in another direction.

”Your account is credited with 18000 dollars, and you have a bank balance of 12.23 million. ”

She read as heading to her office in the lobby, her hand brushing past the glass doors before they slid open on their own. She turned down the long hallway that lead up to the elevators and everyone nodded at her because she was the boss here.

Vivienne Tasse is a famous wedding planner in Nanville town and she has her own company called ”The Merry Pixy ” famous for holding exotic weddings at exotic locations.

One thing that makes The Merry Pixy famous was its wedding cake.

Vivienne was now 30 years old cold woman in her mid-twenties when she first started working for the company. The companys headquarters were located in Nanville, which was only a few minutes drives away from her home in the south suburbs of Montausart. She had a lovely life as an artist and writer.

Vivienne is the creative lead who lends this business a distinctive flair, and she delights in doing justice to her big-day role. Allowing her clients to feel at ease, she harnesses her expertise to ensure that each destinations wedding wish comes true in the best way possible.

The company had 100 staff and one famous chef who bakes the famous wedding cakes in the whole town ”Cukkeocory Cake ” which he calls ”Cukkeroycake ”.

The name was very uncommon and didn come up in any of the brochures or magazines, and no one knew why he named such a cake.

Her fingers paused mid-air and then resumed typing again, but this time without any intention whatsoever of finishing.

”Oh I must meet him ”

she murmured to herself, a slight flush settling into the bridge of her nose.

”Im going to meet him ” she mumbles out loud, smiling lightly as she walks out through the large building.

”Excuse me, mam, we have a call for you ”, her staff followed her.

Instead of listening, Vivienne sat in her car and drove away.

*****

”Love of Loaves ”

She stopped her car in front of a shop that makes the cake she loves so much.

Its her favorite place to eat because its close by and there were few people on the street.

She turned the key off before opening the door, leaving the keys in her purse. She opens her door and gets out before entering the bakery.

The inside was decorated like the outside, with beautiful designs and colors of flowers and vines covering the walls in a soft, inviting light.

its is known to make the tastiest, freshly baked Mille-feuille a French pastry classic)and the pastry chef or Pâtissier even won awards too.

There were several sweet items on the display shelves, Macarons, Profiterole, Mille Feuille, Madeleine, Kouign Amann, and many more.

”Im so excited ”

A few employees are walking around but none pay attention to her. She scans the shop until her eyes meet with the employee.

”What can I do for you? ”

”Nothing, can I have your famous recipe? ”

Vivienne pointed at the food she loves the most that was missing from the display and only the name tag was left.

”Lime Genoise ”

”Yeah… yeah ”

”But…. ”

The employee stared at her with blank expressions before looking behind her and giving instructions to someone else.

Vivienne watches as two women walk through the small hallway separating the kitchen from the display area, talking softly.

The woman beside the tall one with long brown hair wore a blue dress while the shorter one dressed in a black dress. They seemed close, probably friends.

After a few minutes, they approached together with folded hands and looked at her face.

”Mam, we don have that now ”

”What..? ”

”Mam, that flavor is not made today ”

”Oh…why? ”

”The chef told us that he will be not making that anymore, so we will be removing this recipe from today ”

”Can I meet the pastry chef! ”

”Sorry mam, he is quite busy today ”

Vivienne saw they took out the name tag from the display and struck off the flavor from the menu too. She tried not to sound sad and nodded slowly.

”Oh…I see.. ”

”Mam, do you want to try any other flavor? ”

”No…No…I don want that ”

*******

Vivienne just felt bad, it was the last thing that dragged her to this place every morning before work. She slowly made her way, dragging her feet across the floor, to get her coffee and sit in a chair outside.

It was almost November in Nanville, the sun was hiding behind a Grey storm cloud over the horizon, but that didn make it any less beautiful. The light breeze brought with it the scent of fresh fallen leaves and the sounds of nature around town were muted by trees swaying side to side.

It was cold there so she sat under a tree. She looked at the time on her watch and realized it was almost 9 am.

A couple walked down the street, their hands linked and laughing happily.

”Why I am like this? ” she mumbled quietly.

Vivienne closed her eyes and leaned her head against the tree trunk and banging her head softly. She couldn understand how she ended up being like this, in this situation.

She wished she wasn so stupid to deserve her life to be like this.

Even be mean to someone she loathes for a day.

She bows her head down sadly, as she watches the ground below. Her hands are clenched into fists, and staring at her feet tracing a circle with her index finger.

”There are lots of zeros in my life, but right now it just feels like theres one left… ”

******

The black shoes of the man came closer to her feet, making her raise her head and look up at the person that just appeared out of nowhere.

”Here it is ”

”Hey…. Take this ”

A manly scent struck her nose and she looks up, seeing a mature man, carrying a tray full of pastries. He smiles at her and hands her the box of baked goods.

”Thank you, Chef ”

Vivienne takes the box from him and puts it between her legs. She opens it quickly and starts munching.

”They look delicious ”

”Im glad you think so, Miss Tasse ”

Vivienne freezes in her movement and looks at his face. His dark eyes look at her intently and smile. She feels goosebumps spreading on her skin, and she realizes she hasn eaten anything since yesterday afternoon.

The Pastry chef, Daniel Rousselle was 34 years old mature man and owner of Love of Loavess Bakery and Café.

He was a successful chef and baker during his youth and he was proud to be associated with both those professions. In high school, he graduated as Pâtissier and entered the culinary industry in France.

It was then that he met his wife and decided to marry the beautiful and amazing Rosalie Gouin, a woman with a great career, family, and good sense.

He spent three years preparing their wedding cake with all his heart.

It was the signature cake of The Merry Pixy wedding business and he didn know that it would become so famous within its world, but he knew what to expect.

He was a firm believer in the fact that the most important part was his superior sense of taste and smell which went into the mixing process.

No, thats why it was such an achievement to be able to create such a beautiful, colorful thing out of simple flour.