The Sweetest Deal

RLO

nd the bakery to the apartments above where I lived. As I climbed the stairs to the top floor w

verything familiar. The hallways were always quiet this time of the evening; its presence was usually

calm myself, I felt my knuckles knock at the door harder than

ses." After a beat, the door creaked open, and Mr Finch appeared. His usual scowl softe

y item had its exact place, the coasters stacked neatly on his kitchen counter, books aligned perfectly on the shelf by size, and the faint scent

ward the small kitchenette, his slippers dragging against the shiny wooden flo

my voice coming

down. "You saw the poster, huh?" he asked, his tone flat,

cally, his tone heavy with guilt as he sank onto the ar

astic anemia, a condition that required constant care and treatment; his daughter, Stacy, and her husband we

y the bakery for a late snack and a coffee. We'd talk quietly, in the shared u

nch to the gut. Like I had somehow been hop

ld. I just-" I broke off, a wave of exhaustion

"They gave a year for tenants to relocate. Find a new place." He said, trying to cheer m

would have done the same in your shoes." My mind was stil

ery afloat as is, how was I

breakdown in front of the old man, he already had enough on his plate

e. "Don't worry about me Harold, I'll be fine. I'll figure it

ing a lot of th

d up, to walk me to the door. He patted my shoulder lightly before turning back into

bed awake, my thoughts tan

.

l in a knot. As I made my way downstairs to the bakery,

o gather myself before opening. But when I got to the bakery's entrance, I saw Ollie s

his face was scrunched in confusion. My sto

me out cool, unlike the turm

iced, taped to the corner of our window-a crisp, white sheet bearing the unmist

Not being able to hide it anymore, I nodded, a solemn expression on my face. His eyes softened,

ed softly at me, opening the bakery door and holding it open f

, and he always knew the right words to say,

n they arrived. Their reactions were the same when they saw the poster-shock, worry, and hes

e day left and the bakery fell into silence, I looked at my staff, all looking at me with faith and w

up tore at me in a way I could not describe. I took a steadying breat

up this place. At lea