Love at first howl

It was spring again. Cherry blossoms bloom along bustling street, their pink petals adorning side walks. The colour of bright green trees contrasts those of the colourful flowers in parks. People stroll in typical spring clothes, a sleeveless top and a Jean or a pretty flower coloured dress. Sidewalk cafes hum with chatter as people soak up the warm sunshine.

This would have been the perfect spring for Ava. She would have spent the days with her friends taking a walk or just enjoying the warm sun. They could go for ice cream or go to the movies. They were so many things to do during spring.

She wore her Sneakers and pulled her bike out of the sidewalk. Pretty pink petals had fallen on it. She picked them one by one.

“Will I be lucky today or unlucky” she says as she picks the flowers from the black seat of her bike that was starting to ache her butt because they were old and shrunken already.

She picks up the last petal with her dainty fingers as her lips part and whisper the word “lucky”.

She didn’t think much of it because she never believed in luck, she believed in hard work as grandma always taught her.

She puts the boxes of cake gently at the basket of her bike and mounts it. Pedalling away not too slowly but not too fast either.

The scent of freshly baked vanilla and chocolate cakes filled her nostrils.

“Hard work” she murmured to herself as she tried to steady her pedalling pace.

Everyday at night, after a day filled with deliveries, she wondered what hard work has gotten her or her grandparents. They owned this family bakery for a decade now and they still couldn’t afford a fancy vacation.

She would often tell grandma as they whisked the butter and eggs every morning

“If I ever see a way to get rich quickly, I’d take it as long as it isn’t illegal”

Grandma would often smile revealing a set of white tooth. “You’ll understand why hard-work can be so fulfilling someday”

That’s how the conversation went most days, today was no different.

Ava arrived at the office. The big glass doors stood like a giant in front of her face. She parks her bike at the sidewalk and the security men let her in with a smile. They knew her now.