by Olivia Devon
There were two more cake appointments, and she could barely stand the thought. Her stomach growled in protest and demanded protein. Luckily she spotted a bank of food trucks parked in the block ahead.
A meatball sandwich would set her right. She placed her order and was just contemplating adding a second sandwich to take home to Wyatt when someone shouted at her.
“Aiko! Hey babe! You’re in luck, I’ve got your favorite today!”
Jinx whipped her head around and saw a dimpled blonde woman waving at her from a nearby truck. Bright teal with white polka dots, the truck’s sign was a drawing of a pink frosted cupcake, with the words Sweet Cake scrawled beneath it.
“Wrong twin,” she called back to the woman. “I’m not Aiko.”
The woman squinted at her in confusion and Jinx sighed, paid the meatball guy for her sub, took the bag, and walked over to the cake truck.
“Happens all the time,” she said with a smile. “Aiko and I are identical twins.”
“Oh!” The woman slapped a hand over her mouth and laughed. “I thought you, or she, or you, looked a little different. The hair?”
Jinx nodded. “Yeah Aiko still has the stripes. Hot pink this week.”
“Pretty! Well sorry about the mix up. I uh–”
“No worries. Jinx,” she said, holding out her hand. “This your truck?”
“Yes! It is, as a matter of fact, and Aiko is one of my best customers.” The blonde woman took Jinx’s hand and shook. “Lissa,” she said. “Lissa Sweet.”
“Nice to meet you Lissa Sweet.” Jinx let her gaze roam over the display of baked goods. Lots of cupcakes, tons of flavors, brightly colored frosting and adorable, artistically applied decorations. “I think I’ve had some of your cupcakes,” she said. “They’re really good.”
“I’d be surprised if you haven’t,” said Lissa. “Honestly Aiko is one of my best customers. This one’s her favorite.” She picked up a cupcake and presented it on her palm. “PB and J. Vanilla cake with grape jam filling and peanut butter frosting. Here, try it, on the house.”
Jinx took the cupcake reluctantly, and then lifted it to her mouth. Just a small bite, she didn’t want to be rude but the very last thing she needed today was yet another mouthful of sugary–
“Oh my God,” she said, trying to talk around the mound of moist cake that was sticking to the roof of her mouth. “That is heavenly.”
“Thank you,” said Lissa. “I’m so glad you like it.”
Jinx devoured the rest of the cupcake and set her meatball sub bag down on the counter, leaning over the trays to get a better look at the selection.
“You do weddings?” she asked. “Wedding cakes I mean?”
“I do,” Lissa said, beaming. “I can do wedding cakes, and a selection of cupcakes to accompany the main cake, in flavors that complement. That’s really popular these days.”
“Yeah I’ve heard that.” Jinx smiled, thinking of Wyatt’s cupcake request. “So um, any chance you’d be able to make a wedding cake, and cupcakes on short notice?”
“How short?”
“This weekend,” Jinx said, grimacing. “I’m getting married at the Walton Ballroom on Saturday and we don’t have a baker lined up.”
“That’s not a problem,” said Lissa, tugging a cell phone from her apron pocket. “I have one other job this weekend but it’s just a cupcake order. I could do a cake for you, and cupcakes.”
“That’s amazing.” Jinx grinned. “Seriously you have no idea. That’s fantastic. I can’t thank you enough–” She stopped talking when she saw the other woman frown. “What is it?”
“You said the Walton Ballroom on Saturday?” Lissa asked.
“Yes.” Jinx nodded. “Why?”
Lissa moved a tray of cupcakes and leaned over the counter to hand Jinx her phone. She tapped a button, and a webpage popped up. “That’s a cake artist blog,” she said, scrolling down the page as Jinx held the phone. “They just posted a feature on another bakery in the city, they’re doing the cake for Senator Blakely’s daughter. Her wedding is at the Walton Ballroom too–”
“Holy shit,” Jinx said, staring at the phone. “This Saturday. What the hell?”
“No idea,” said Lissa, taking the phone back. “But the Walton is a one-event-a-day venue, and apparently somebody thinks there’s another wedding there this weekend, so–”
“So I have a few phone calls to make.” Jinx grabbed the meatball bag, and headed to the curb to hail a cab. “Thank you!” she called over her shoulder. “Please don’t book another job, I still want you to make my cake. I just have to figure out where we’ll be eating it.”
“Wait!” Lissa called back, then came popping out of the back doors of the truck, her business card in one outstretched hand. “Take this,” she said, handing the card to Jinx through the cab’s window. “I hope it all works out, and let me know as soon as you can. I’d love to bake your wedding cake.”
“I’d love that too,” Jinx said, frowning. “Let’s just hope there still is going to be a wedding.”
“I’m sorry Ms. Yoshida.” The woman on the other end of the phone was terse, as if having to explain to a bride-to-be why her wedding was cancelled out from under her was a chore well below her pay-grade. “As I explained when we last spoke, while the Walton Ballroom regrets the error and the inconvenience, we must honor our commitment to Ms. Blakeley. There is nothing we can do.”
There hadn’t been a booking error, they’d just bumped her. A Senator’s daughter was more valuable to the venue’s advertising than the manager of a nightclub, but there was no point in arguing.
“When we last spoke?” Jinx asked. “When was that?”
“Yes,” the woman’s voice grew more impatient. “I called your office first thing Monday morning, as soon as we realized the issue, to give you time to find another venue.”
“Right,” Jinx said. “Monday. Sure. Thanks for that.” She hung up the phone.
Time to find another venue? Was she kidding? Wedding locations were hard enough to find in New York City, let alone on less than a week’s notice. She’d already missed out on valuable hunting time, and she could guess who to blame for that. Jinx hadn’t been in the office Monday morning. She’d been at her chiropractor getting a much needed back crack. That meant Aiko had taken the call, and for some reason had decided not to tell Jinx about it.
By the time the cab pulled up to her apartment building she’d sent a dozen un-answered texts to her sister, eaten the entire meatball sub, and had already rolled up the sleeves of her jacket in anticipation of the tremendous sisterly ass-whooping she was about to throw down.
The interior of her apartment was suspiciously quiet when she walked in. Usually she was bombarded by a horde of excited doggies, but not this time. Nothing. No lights, no sound, no dogs…she walked down the hallway to her bedroom, suspicions mounting, and threw open the door. No Wyatt.
Whipping her cellphone from her pocket she dialed Wyatt for a video call. He answered, but the screen was dark and fuzzy. She heard her sister hiss “Are you crazy?!” and then the call ended.
“Son of a BITCH!” Jinx roared to the empty apartment, then quickly felt bad. Wyatt’s mom was lovely, she didn’t deserve that. She texted him.
Jinx: Answer the phone or I will destroy you. This I swear.
Wyatt: Aiko won’t let me. She says she’ll destroy me too and right now she’s here and you aren’t.
Jinx: No sex ever again.
Her phone rang, and she picked up. “This better be good.”
“Kitten,” Wyatt began, his tone sheepish. “I love you. Aiko made me.”
“I assume you no longer have kidney stones?” Jinx demanded.
“Er, yeah no. Sorry babe. Little white lie.”
“Why Wyatt?” she said. “Why did you need to lie to me?”
“Because,” her sister’s voice came on the line. “Your wedding plans have gone to total shit and since we all love you, we’ve been trying to fix it before you fo
und out and went all Bridezilla on half of Manhattan.”
“I already know about the venue,” Jinx snarled. “I found out when I met your friend Lissa today. She…ugh, long story, just yeah, I already know. Maybe, you fucking busybody, if you’d told me when it happened I’d have a hot chance in hell of booking something else. But now it’s Wednesday, and there’s absolutely no way.”
“Oh!” Aiko squealed. “You met Lissa. I love Lissa. Hey…you know what? She should do your cake!”
“No shit, Mistress Obvious, she and I already worked that out. But guess what?” Jinx held the phone up and shouted. “I don’t have a fucking ballroom to have the fucking wedding in!”
“No,” Aiko said mildly. “That’s true. But you do have a ton of wealthy friends with very expensive tastes.”
Jinx massaged her forehead with one hand and sighed heavily. “What are you talking about?”
“I’ll explain in person,” said Aiko. “Pack a bag--everything you need, Sis--because you won’t be back to the apartment for a while.”
“Aiko,” Jinx warned. “I’m in no mood for your nonsense–”
Wyatt got back on the line. “Babe, pack the bag, and go downstairs. Malcolm’s waiting for you, he’ll bring you here.”
“Where’s here Wyatt? What is going on?”
“Jun. Honey. My precious control freak, I love you, but just do it.”
The helicopter arrived at dusk, blade’s slicing with a soft whoomp, whoomp, whoomp through the cool air that breezed inland over the beach. Wyatt walked outside. Lifting a hand to shield his eyes from the setting sun, he watched as Jinx emerged from the chopper, an angry scowl marring her beautiful features.
Aiko came up behind Wyatt and squinted in the same direction. “How’s it looking?” she asked.
“Defcon two,” he said. “We are just shy of nuclear as far as I can tell.”
Aiko tilted her head and stood on tiptoes. “Meh, she’ll get over it in a minute. The Moms are making dinner. Fried chicken and coleslaw, that’ll cheer her up.” She slapped him on the butt. “Go get her bag, asshole, you don’t want her getting any madder.”
Wyatt met his beloved halfway across the lawn, took the suitcase from her, and leaned in for a kiss. Jinx swerved and dodged, and glanced up at him with another scowl.
“I’m not ready to be unmad at you,” she said.
“Unmad?” Wyatt chuckled. “That’s not a word.”
“Really?” she arched a brow. “You want to argue with me now, cowboy? If I say it’s a word, it’s a word. Unmad. Because I definitely have no plans to be happy with you any time soon, so the best you can hope for is unmad. Got it?”
“Yes m’am.” Wyatt held open the patio door and waited as Jinx and Malcolm filed inside. “Our Moms have been cooking, babe, so I hope you brought your appetite.”
“Mom is here?” she said, spinning around. “Our parents are already in town? I thought they weren’t coming until Friday.”
“Yeah well in light of recent events, Aiko thought it’d be best if they came in early. So they’re all in the kitchen. Let me show you the way. Need GPS to find your way around this freaking house.”
They traipsed down a long hall and rounded a corner into Bryce’s enormous kitchen, which was bustling with people, conversation, and the enticing smell of Mom-cookin’. Jinx’s parents rushed to greet her and Mama Mimi did, too. Wyatt stole off to the bedrooms to drop off Jinx’s suitcase, and when he came back, she was sitting at the long marble kitchen island, nursing an enormous glass of wine.
“Right,” she said casually when she spotted him. “Now that the gang’s all here, and I’m three fingers into this glass of Shiraz, will somebody please tell me what is going on?”
“Oh honey,” Jinx’s mother smiled sadly. “I’m so sorry about the Walton, that was so unprofessional of them to–”
“It’s fine Mom,” Jinx waved a hand and took a sip of wine. “I have a feeling that’s the least of our problems.” Jinx caught Wyatt’s eye and narrowed her gaze.
He saw the silent question there –It’s all fucked isn’t it? – and nodded in response.
“Alright then,” said Jinx. “Let’s have it folks. You know how I hate being out of the loop.”
“She does!” Wyatt spoke up, crossed to a tub of ice and beer on the bar, and grabbed one. “I told them that babe, I said this was a bad idea. You like to be involved. I reminded them of that, I–”
“Chicken shit,” Aiko sneered. “You’re such a coward. Jeez, haven’t even got the ball and chain around your ankle yet and you’re acting like a whipped dog.”
Wyatt choked on his first sip of beer and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “Hey! I resent that–”
“Enough!” Mr. Yoshida raised his voice. “Aiko, enough. Stop teasing.”
“Yes, Daddy.” Aiko nodded and looked the most chastised Wyatt had ever seen her. It was awesome. “Okay so look,” she continued. “Monday, The Walton called and said they were finking out.”
“Right.” Jinx sipped her wine. “I know that. Carry on.”
“Tuesday,” said Wyatt “I found out that our caterer is being shut down for severe health code violations.”
Jinx visibly inhaled, and lifted her glass for another sip. Wyatt was starting to get nervous.
“Yeah, and when Wyatt told me that,” said Aiko. “I decided to just double check on all your other stuff, the florist, quartet, officiant and–”
“And let me guess, it’s all gone to hell.” Jinx set her glass down and folded her hands calmly in her lap. Okay, now Wyatt was starting to get scared.
“Basically, yeah,” said Aiko.
“At least the dress–”
“No.” Aiko held both her hands up as if she could physically stop her sister from even having the thought. “Nope, the dress is totally craptastic too. Mix-up, totally wrong dress. I went to the boutique and checked, and it’s Cyndi Lauper on crystal meth, and not in a good way.”
Jinx inhaled again, smoothed her hands over her lap, and rose elegantly from her barstool. “Please excuse me,” she said quietly, crossed to the patio door, and exited, disappearing into Bryce’s garden before anyone could react.
“Oh shit,” said Wyatt, his gaze locking with Aiko’s.“Whatdowedo? Defcon one Aiko! Defcon one!”
“Relax,” Aiko said, frowning. “I’ll take care of–.”
A sound like a thousand velociraptors screeching for their supper erupted from Bryce’s back yard. Through the large picture windows they could see a small flock of birds take flight, soaring over the garden in search of safety.
Aiko shoved Wyatt through the door ahead of her. “On second thought, you first.”
Chapter Three
He found her on a stone bench under a wisteria tree. Elbows propped on knees, her head in her hands. There was no sound, but Wyatt knew from the way her shoulders where twitching she was crying. Or worse, trying not to.
“Babe,” he said, sitting down beside her. “It’s gonna be okay.”
“I wanted it to be perfect,” she whispered, raising her head to peer up at him. “I worked so hard and had everything so perfect, and it just…” she held out her hands, palms up, fingers spread open, as though all her dreams were slipping through them like sand. It broke his heart.
“Jun, baby, come here.” Wyatt gathered her in his arms and pressed her head to his chest. “I know you worked hard, and you did a beautiful job. And–”
“But it’s all gone now, all that work, for nothing.” She sniffed and pulled away, her gaze searching his. “It’s ruined.”
“Aw honey, c’mon now.” He smoothed a lock of hair behind her ear. “That’s not true. All we really need for this wedding is you and me. Right?”
“You’re right” She nodded. “That’s what really matters.” Jinx threaded her fingers through Wyatt’s and smiled faintly. “Still, it’s disappoint–”
“Alright, enough.” Aiko stood in front of them, one hand on her hips, and the other pointed
and ready for a sisterly lecture. “Look. I did this to you, and it was fun for a while, but now it’s just annoying, so I agree with Dad. Time to fix it.”
“What?” Jinx sniffed and turned to look at her sister.
“The whole ‘jinx’ and ‘unlucky’ thing.” Aiko made little air quotes with her fingers. “Dad’s always hated it. You know him. MIT statistician, can’t handle anything he can’t express in numbers. And your bad luck isn’t statistically accurate–”
“What?” Jinx said again. Turning fully around in Wyatt’s arms, she squinted at her sister and shook her head. “What are you talking about?”
“It was funny when we were little. Was the only way I could ever make a dent in that iron clad self-esteem of yours.”
“Aiko,” Jinx said, wiping the tears from her cheeks. “I really have no idea what you’re–”
“Sis,” Aiko sighed and sat down next to her sister, took her hands and held then in her own lap. “This is hard for me— nearly impossible— so just please, let me power through, and then we can all go back to normal.”
“O…kay?”
“Look, when we were younger, I thought it was fun to tease you that you were bad luck. It was the only edge I felt like I had over you. You were smart and charming, and always so together. Everybody liked you.”
“Everybody liked you too,” Jinx began.
“No,” Aiko said. “They thought I was funny. They really liked you. Big difference.”
“If you say so.”
Aiko patted her sister’s hands and continued. “The fact that you embraced the shitty nickname I gave you, that you started using it as your professional name, well that alleviated some of my guilt for a while.”
“Guilt?”
“Yeah, guilt okay?” Aiko sighed. “Because the truth was there was an element of nastiness to my teasing. You did genuinely seem unlucky to me sometimes, kind of like you attracted chaos or something. And when I was feeling petty, or jealous, I would kind of revel in that.”