There really was nothing worse than being alone in the shop. Why did mom and dad insist on being open for as long as they were…when half the time during the day…for literal hours, they didn’t get a single person coming in to buy candy.

Sure there were online orders to fulfill, but…Evie thrived off of being seen, at least she thought she did…and idly she wondered if that made her a narcissist…most likely not, it just meant that she liked being social but…

There was nothing social about sitting at a counter and staring at the front door, hoping and praying the little bell would tinkle.

She had texted Aria in the hopes that maybe her friend would be able to stop by, but she hadn’t yet heard anything…it…was fine. But…she was really lonely.

Pulling out her sketch pad, she began idly doodling some new candy ideas. The silhouette of a horse, with maine and tail blowing in the wind…it would be tricky but…

Honestly, if she could get it to work, it would be beautiful. Simple and elegant.

Getting up, Evie stretched and gave a little laugh when she felt several joints in her back and shoulders pop. Damn, she needed to start stretching more. She was getting old and creaky!

Walking to the back, Evie brushed out her hair. It was getting so much longer now, down to her mid back, and she began to slowly braid it up before clipping it and putting her hair net and hat on top.

She could do this…and maybe…since Aria wasn’t answering and most likely wouldn’t come in…maybe she could film this one for social media content.

Normally she didn’t like filming when she was alone…but. Honestly, what else was there to do?

Setting up the tripod took longer than she had wanted, and she put the extra GoPro on the strap that fastened on head and tested both cameras before beginning to get everything else laid out so that she wouldn’t have to hunt as she filmed.

When Evie was sure that everything was set out, and the cameras were in the perfect angle, she turned the tripod on and gave a little wave. “Hey my Sweet fans! This is Evie at Sweeties! We’re doing a making video for all of you to enjoy, and I hope you do. It was a little slow today in shop, and I designed a new image for our hard candies! I’ve been bored so felt like horsing around a little bit!”

She laughed and poured the bag of sugar into the copper pot, then made a great show of adding the glucose syrup, shaping it into a ball. Everyone always loved that part, and she could see why, it was something that was clearly a liquid but she could control it by just moving…it was neat.

As the glucose plopped into the pan, she turned on the heat and began stirring at once, not talking, but letting the sound of the flames and the stirring, melting sugar take over the audio. Asmr was always popular, and though she might have to edit things…a lot…it was still good to at least get that recorded for the future, if it was ever needed.

Spoiler alert…it would be.

She was quiet and careful and then made her way over, pouring the molten sugar onto the cooling table and making sure to get every bit of it with her offset spatula. It was liquid gold, it was. And honestly? If Evie could have a super power, it would be heat resistance so that she could taste the hot, bubbling sugar and not…you know. Die from it.

It was a silly desire, but one she had been holding on to since she started helping out in Sweeties when she was nine. Her parents refused to let her come in the back or watch any of the candy making live since when she was very young she had made some kind of a comment about wanting to play with the melted sugar while watching a video of it…and that just…

Well it put her parents off of letting her in the back until they could be sure she would take care of herself.

Chuckling as she worked on coloring the bits of the sugar, enjoying as it bubbled up when the coloring hit it, and putting in some root beer flavoring, as well as some cherry. Right now, and if all went well, the outside white border would be cherry flavored and the middle would be root beer…she honestly…didn’t think if those two flavors went together but…it was too late now…perhaps she should have made the outside vanilla…

Oh well. Next time!

She worked hard, cutting and shaping the candy into blocks, then worked the hook, aerating the colorful stuff until it became lighter and glossy.

The pulling was exhausting, and she was often very happy that they weren’t a store that made taffy…because if they had been, and she knew her parents, they would do everything by hand and she would end up with the shoulders of a linebacker...and that just…

That wouldn’t work.

When all of the blocks were pulled, she began putting everything together, rolling and shaping and when it was ready to really be rolled, she brought the log…for it was a log. Heavy and hot. The heat lamp was on and she began to roll the candy out, smaller and smaller, thinner and thinner. When it was finally the width she wanted, she began to cut two foot long cylinders out and put them aside to get firm. When everything was measured and the log was nothing more than a large nub, she pulled the first of the sticks and began to break them into small round candies. This part was always so satisfying…and the image had worked out perfectly.

When she was done and all cleaned up, she took a photo of the horse silhouette and grinned, sending it to Aria.

A job well done.