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 Posted: Thu Nov 09, 2006 4:03 pm
The bright smile faded somewhat. Not up for sale? Nonsense. Everyone had their price.
"I'm an artist, commissioned to find the perfect spot for my work. And your bakery is the perfect spot. Of course.." She snapped her fingers, and the man with the ledger scribbled down a number quickly. He ripped the paper off and handed it to the hand extended in wait, and Alania snatched it up quickly. "I'm willing to offer handsomely. I'm sure that I can pay you for your trouble, many times what this place is worth.."
She slipped him the paper, face down. The paper had several hundreds of thousands of dollars written on it, which really just looked like a whole lot of zeros on a piece of paper. Once might hardly even realize there was a positive digit at the beginning of it. But there was. A 5, in fact.
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Posted: Thu Nov 09, 2006 4:33 pm
"Ah!"
Audley blinked uncontrollably at the sum offered to him. Was she for real? Since when did artists have this much money to throw around for murals, anyways? He smiled at her uncomfortably. If she was willing to offer so much, then another no would likely not be able to dissuade her. But it was good to try at least.
"Although I am quite flattered by the offer, I am afraid I cannot sell the bakery. If it were any other building I would sell it in a heartbeat, for I do love murals but-! Most unfortunately I must say there is no sum you could offer me that would change my mind."
He spoke with a sort of unmistakable firmness, although he masked it in a sweetened tone meant to make the point both undeniably clear yet gentle. Unfortunately he was not so great at being the latter, but he was at least sure she understood what this meant. Though if she tried another offer he would undoubtedly be impressed by her persistence, if not the amount of money she was going to offer.
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Posted: Thu Nov 09, 2006 4:40 pm
Bennu grimaced...looked like this was going to be ugly...
So she did the one thing she could in that situation. She walked up to the counter, next to the lady and her men, smiling despite the traces of her home improvement activities still visible on her.
"Hello, Audley! What kinda cheesecake do you have today?" The sapphire-eyed girl looked over to the woman, looking completely oblivious as to the happenings. "Hmm? You here for something too? This place has the best sweets ever! Even my Mum would go nuts for 'em, and she's a caterer."
Anything to avoid a conflict. And Bennu certainly didn't want this place to disappear for a mural! Yeah...she herself was an artist...But...This woman had no concept of respecting the place you're working in.
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Posted: Thu Nov 09, 2006 4:47 pm
The man holding the ledger; whose name was Troy, not that it mattered; finally looked up from his scribbles. The constant sound of the pencil scratching against paper stopped.
There was a flash, that would likely blind anyone looking in the direction of Carl, who suddenly felt the need to take a picture of the man who had just said no to Alania. He also felt the sudden need to giggle, but kept this urge abated.
Alania blinked. She stared at the man unmoving, for a good minute. What kind of person says no to that amount of money for a small, unknown little corner of society such as this? For a bakery shop? She doubted he would ever see that kind of money again in his life. She had no qualms spending it; it was the city's money. She was only too happy to overwhelm the man with it, and yet.. he says no?
No, to her?
There was only one question left to ask.
She parted her lips, but was interrupted from her query by some cheerful little sprite who started going on about cheesecake. She looked as though some of her chatter was directed at Alania, but she couldn't be sure. Or she couldn't care less. Either or, they were interchangeable.
Alania returned her gaze to Audley, and firmly asked the question she was dying to know the answer to.
"Why?"
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Posted: Thu Nov 09, 2006 4:59 pm
Audley was waiting for hell to break loose, since he now had his picture being taken - assumably so that the police would know who it was when they got around to identifying his mangled body - when one of his regulars was kind enough to ease the situation some with small talk.
"Bennu," he smiled warmly, secretly quite relieved, "good to see you! I have it with raspberry today. Have you been well?"
But just as quickly as he asked the question the woman called Alania (although he did not know this) with a positively precious expression upon her fair face asked 'why'. With a confident, although hopefully not arrogant smile, he replied: "Because as much as you, as an artist, must love painting, so I love this bakery. It is something I will never give up." And of that he was certain.
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Posted: Thu Nov 09, 2006 5:12 pm
Bennu nodded brightly, secretly pleased that her favorite place wasn't going anywhere.
"Great! The house is proving difficult, but I'll manage. And rasberry sounds yummy!" Digging her wallet out of a back pocket, she stifled a giggle at the woman's face. "How much?" She was still in search of a job, but she also still had quite a bit of money set aside to support herself. And she had sold a couple of her drawings online, so she had added to the money-pool. She suddenly noticed something. "Hmm...Oh, is it Laurence's day off?"
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Posted: Thu Nov 09, 2006 5:13 pm
Troy went back to writing in his ledger with a sigh. Carl returned to looking bored. And Alania.. well, her expression didn't change much. However, internally she sighed.
He was one of those.
Did she love her art? She loved being paid for it. She loved the recognition. She loved the attention she was handed when someone realized who she was, or was paid to act like they did. But when was the last time she could truly have said she loved her art?
At the moment, she couldn't recall. There was a time, though, she was sure.
"Never, you say." She challenged, with a soft voice. Everyone had a priced, she reassured herself silently. Even if it didn't involve money.
"I think perhaps I will have something from your shop then, since it's clear I cannot persuade you. Perhaps you can surprise me by making this trip worth my time, after all. But of course.. after this young lady." She turned to Bennu, as though she'd only just realized the woman was there, and ushered her forward so politely that it was unnerving.
Without much else to say, she turned around, and her polite smile vanished. She snapped angrily at Carl and Troy, pointing them towards the counter. "Get something for yourselves, too." She ordered, before moving towards a table far from the counter and flopping down in a seat. In one fluid motion, she had sat down and flipped out her cell phone, dialing with a single digit fervently. Within minutes, she was murmuring into it.
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Posted: Thu Nov 09, 2006 5:19 pm
Elizabeth walked into the shop, which she had earlier fallen in love with. Before, she was buying some bread for her mom. This time, she had come in to get something for herself. She took a small bag and filled it with treats. Looking around, she noticed no one was at the cash register.
Elizabeth saw that Audley was talking to another person. She couldn't see their face, but she hoped that no trouble was being caused. She clasped her hands together, placing them on her white ruffled dress. Slowly, she went around to them. "Hello."
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Posted: Thu Nov 09, 2006 6:59 pm
Azure eyes watched this whole...ordeal play out in front of her. Still standing off to the side, the task of deciding on what to buy had gone out the window when that woman and her two "pets" walked in.
She flicked her gaze from one speaker to the other, arms folding over her chest subconsciously as she did so. Mentally she began talking to herself, telling herself how someone had to have some nerve to just waltz right into a store and offer to buy it, espeacially when they radiated an aire that everyone had to just stop, shut up, and bow before them when they entered an facility or room...
This was an interesting place indeed.
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Posted: Thu Nov 09, 2006 7:48 pm
((Wow, well that moved fast!))
Having recieved his own treat, Adam had backed away from the counter, allowing the unexpected negotions to take place. Listening in, he lost that perfect, fixed smile. The woman sounded so entitled, didn't she? So convinced. And maybe she was. Mother and Father and Drake and the twins would all think so. And he would say he thought so as well. But...
No, matter, that. He took a bite of the scone knowing that the physical act would erase the mental turbulance, and return him to center. Mmm... a soft, contented sound from the lanky blond student, as he enjoyed the perfectly made maple scone.
It was well worth the walk then, coming here.
But speaking of walks, he had class again, and soon. He could not afford to let the professor down by being late. With a quick, regretful look at the old fashioned and comfortable (if busy) scene, he navigated back to the door, and walked out.
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Posted: Fri Nov 10, 2006 2:50 pm
"Yes," Audley said sadly, as he pulled the whole pie out of its spot in the display to cut a piece for Bennu. "Normally it isn't, but I told him he could have the day. I shall tell him you asked about him, though. Even if he doesn't seem to, I'm sure he likes to know people are thinking of him."
Meanwhile, crazy artist with gangster-style lackeys was pondering buying from the shop. Which was better than buying the shop itself, better by far. He supposed she'd be back soon, though. From the way she spoke, he was almost guaranteed of it. That was alright though, he would just have to deal with the problems that life (or strange foreigners) threw at him. No need to get upset about it.
"$3.00," he responded much more mechanically now, placing the slice in a bag. He heard the door open again, and with all the business he was getting now started to regret giving Laurence the day off.
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Posted: Sat Nov 11, 2006 12:33 am
Before Elizabeth could finish actually saying 'hello', though, she began to choke on a piece of chocolate. Quickly turning the corner, the had hoped no one had noticed her. Audley still seemed to be watching Alania, while others just picked their treats, occasionally looking up at the other customers.
Lizzy quickly grabbed a few treats and put them in a tiny bag. She seemed to almost be in a daze. Why, she couldn't figure out. Maybe it was because before no one was in the bakery, and now there were many people. Or maybe she was recalling her meeting with Laurence and Audley. Say, where was Laurence, anyway? Elizabeth looked around, sometimes even looking over her sholder. He seemed to be the type of guy to quietly walk up behind people, whether he meant to or not.
Slowly, she took a few steps towards the cash register. "Hello, Audley. How are you today? The bakery seems pretty busy. Is Laurence not here?"
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Posted: Sat Nov 11, 2006 9:51 pm
Wondering if there would ever not be people at the counter, Erin shifted in the coushiony chair, resting her head flat on the table next to it, hazel eyes staring despondently off in the distance. She had mastered zoning out, finding it easiest to do when she was depressed, not that anyone could tell when she was. Erin was the "glass if half full" girl.
Not that she felt that way, since she no longer had a place to live.
People sucked.
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Posted: Mon Nov 13, 2006 8:29 pm
After some time, Carl decided he would be the one to order.
He stepped up and looked at all the sweets, before choosing one for himself and his companion. They were lackeys, surely what fit one would fit the other.
"Two creme puffs," He asked Audley, when the man had a second of attention for him. "Oh.." He leaned in and whispered quietly. "And a slice of lemon meringue for the woman. Maybe it'll make her change her mind about this place."
"AND GET IT TO GO." Alania barked out loudly at Carl, who jumped and turned around. She had snapped her phone closed, and looked about ready to bolt.
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Posted: Tue Nov 14, 2006 7:57 pm
Elizabeth was still gathering candy when she noticed the shop was getting much more quiet. She looked around, quickly finding why. There were less people than before. Quickly, she grabbed a handful of candy and placed it in a bag.Before she went over to the check-out, some shiny chocolates caught her eye. She walked over to them, and took out a few. She placed them in the her bag gently, then quickly spun around. However, she didn't notice Erin sitting there, and bumped into her. "Oh my, pardon me!" she gasped, covering her mouth.
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