Welcome to Gaia! ::

Once she had parked, Phedre safely crossed the street and paused to admire the A&H Bakery’s storefront, noting how much it reminded her of the cafe she and Zac usually frequented before he’d been sent away on his mission.

The bakery boasted a cozy, homely look typical of a welcoming American bakery, featuring a small outdoor patio area to the left of the main entrance. Above this area, an awning extended over three tables and six chairs, offering shade and comfort to a couple who were enjoying a pastry and, what she assumed to be, a cup of coffee or tea.

The storefront alone had such character and personality with wooden side-by-side doors that supported eight glass panels each and were flanked by large wood-framed windows that sat atop a base of white bricks which added to the bakery’s rustic aesthetic.

Peering through the left window, Phedre could see the checkout counter and a display case filled with what seemed to be mostly bread; which, given the time of day it was, made sense. On the right side, there appeared to be more tables, larger than the ones outside that could accommodate groups of possibly four to six.

Aware that she might seem like she was loitering, Phedre quickly collected herself before opening the door. The bell above jingled softly, announcing her arrival, as the inviting smell of fresh baked goods welcomed her.

Behind the counter stood a young man who looked to be somewhere between his late 20s and early 30s. His hair, a warm honey-brown that was cut about shoulder length, framed his face nicely as he seemed to be busying himself wiping down the counters.

“Hello,” Phedre greeted him with a warm smile.

“Hi,” Phedre approached the display case to see what was already made and available but did not see what she was hoping to find. “I hate to be one of those people who come in with a last-minute request.” She winced, her expression looking like someone guilty of a crime.

“I was wondering what your availability was for a small custom cake.” Her purse was shifted to a more comfortable spot on her shoulder so she could use both hands to indicate the size. “I’m looking for a 9-inch round cake, two maybe three layers.”

“One of my close friend’s birthday is on Monday. I planned to make one myself, or try to anyway.” Baking desserts was not really one of her strengths since she didn’t often eat sweets outside of a cinnamon roll every now and then or a chocolate croissant. Decorating it with anything more than a simple layer of buttercream frosting was beyond her capabilities, and that was something she was unashamed to admit.

“However,” because there was always some caveat with these kinds of situations. “I had a family emergency come up today and will not be able to make something for him in time.”

“I didn’t want to go to a grocery store and pick something out of a book,” Zac wasn’t some grade school child that’d want a picture drawn or printed on it. “I was hoping to find a bakery that could give it a more personal touch, if that makes sense.” A little more unique, and not basic vanilla or chocolate.

“I’m not sure what the technique is called, but I saved a short clip of someone making the design.” Phedre pulled her phone out of her purse, searched through her gallery for recent videos, and then turned the screen towards him before pushing play.

The short 16-second video showed a cake elevated on a rack and someone pouring a glaze on top of the frosting to give it a marbleized appearance, “I was thinking something like this but with dark blue. If it’s not too much trouble I’d like also to include three roses, two yellow and one blue.” Zach would understand the meaning of the two off-colors. The other, however, would be new.

“As for flavor…” She paused to ponder her choices. “I’ll be honest, the only desert I’ve shared with him was a cinnamon roll on a couple of occasions. I was thinking perhaps a spiced cake, if that’s a flavor you offer.”

Upon entering his shop, Phedre had prepared herself to be turned down due to short notice, or because the design she had in mind was too complex or that they might not have the ingredients or tools necessary to achieve the desired aesthetic. However, the confidence he exuded removed any reservations she had about taking a chance with a Bakery she’d found online and hadn’t learned of through word of mouth.

The tension in her shoulders eased even more as Arias took detailed notes and even complimented her preparedness; a skill she had to develop as she took on more responsibilities within her family's real estate LLC’s and the sheer amount of meetings that came along with the promotion to owner of several local properties.

Phedre gladly accepted his business card with a quiet ‘thank you’ and stowed it away in her purse when he kindly offered her a service that was not typically extended to all custom orders.

Her lips parted as if to respond but gave his offer thoughtful consideration. Although she didn’t want to impose upon him further, especially since her request was so last minute, a part of her was concerned that the request might look too busy between the pattern and roses. Phedre feared that this would be one of those moments where imagination and expectations do not align with reality.

“If it’s not too much trouble, I would like to see how the glaze looks before you add the flowers. I understand that there can be a lot of variances in the pattern since there is no way to control the pour. But there might be a small chance that the roses won’t be needed, or perhaps not as many.” She reasoned though still thankful for the kindness he extended to her.