by Rosie Sams
Returning to the bakery, Melody was out of breath. “Did you see what just happened?” she asked Leslie, who had come up to the counter to investigate the commotion. “I can’t believe the Swans would treat Jake that way. I can’t imagine that he could have done anything wrong.” Shaking her head in disbelief, she went to take a moment to recover in her office.
Back in the kitchen, Leslie pulled out her phone to video call Kerry. It was about time that she filled her in on the bakery’s new neighbors and all of the events that had been going on in Kerry’s absence. Taking a moment to admire the new creme colored case with blue roses on it that she had just bought at the town’s market, she became inspired to create a new blue frosted cupcake. Adding blue food coloring to her bowl, she mixed away while she waited for Kerry to answer.
Kerry’s voice was happy and relaxed when she picked up the call. Behind her suntanned face, Leslie was jealous to see miles of pure white sand and endless blue waters. It was evident that Kerry was having the time of her life, and she deserved it. Working away, Leslie filled her friend in on all of the new gossip that Port Warren had to offer and the pair continued chatting and laughing for a good half hour.
Melody left work that day feeling tired and defeated. It wasn’t often that she had a bad day at work; days like today were thankfully few and far between. Arriving home, she sat on the couch, staring into space. Even little Smudge, despite all of her efforts, couldn’t seem to cheer her up. Thoughts of her new competition, combined with the day’s events, were consuming her, and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t seem to get them out of her mind.
“Well, hello there!” Alvin’s voice startled Melody out of her daze. She hadn’t even heard him open the door. “I had such a busy day today, I’m so glad that you invited me for dinner! I’m absolutely famished!”
“Oh, Alvin. I completely forgot that we had plans tonight. I haven’t even started cooking yet. I’m so sorry.” She rose to give the sheriff a hug, and he could immediately sense that something was wrong. It wasn’t like Melody to be forgetful and even less like her to sound so down.
“Don’t worry about dinner, Mel. We can always order something in.” Alvin gave her a squeeze. “What’s up? You don’t sound like yourself tonight?”
“Oh, Al.” She sighed in frustration. “This new bakery has got me really worried. They have only been in town for a short time, and already their website is filling up with positive reviews from all of their customers. I took a look at my recent sales figures today and Decadently Delicious isn’t doing so well. We’ve had a significant drop in profits. I don’t know what to do.” Melody was obviously disheartened.
Placing a finger under her chin and tilting her head up to meet his gaze, Alvin spoke reassuringly. “Everything is going to be just fine. I promise you. It’s to be expected that people will be excited about a new shop in town and of course, your sales may drop a little at the beginning while people try out the Swans’ products. Soon the novelty of Swan’s Sweets will drop off and the people of Port Warren will flock back to what is familiar to them. Just give it a little time.”
“So basically, you’re calling me a comfortable old shoe, eh, Al?” Melody said, smiling for the first time that evening.
“Something like that.” He laughed back.
“Oh, I don’t know. I’ve just worked so hard to get Decadently Delicious where it is. I’d hate to see it fail now, especially at the hands of people like the Swans. I think I just need to go for a quick stroll to clear my head.”
“That sounds like a great idea. The fresh air will do you some good, and while you’re out, it’ll give me the chance to change out of this uniform and rest my feet for a few minutes.” Alvin knew that giving Melody the chance to walk off some steam was always the best way for her to work through her problems.
“I promise I won’t be long.” She reached up and gave him a peck on the cheek and grabbing Smudge’s leash, Melody and her four-legged friend were out the door.
Making their way through the evening’s growing twilight, they wandered towards the city park, where Melody found the nearest bench and slouched down on it.
“Oh, Smudge. What am I going to do? I really thought that I had a place in the hearts of this town’s people, but now I’m not so sure. I feel like I’m being replaced and I don’t know how to fix it.” She sighed, and sensing her despair, Smudge jumped up into her lap. Nuzzling her face, she comforted Melody and then proceeded to smother her face with kisses. Always knowing just the right thing to do, Melody’s frown quickly turned into a smile.
“You’re right, Smudge, no matter what, I’ll always have you.” She gave the dog a grateful kiss back on her wet, little nose. “And Alvin too.”
Sitting up suddenly at the thought of Alvin, Melody realized that they had been gone far too long. “Geez, Smudge! We’d better get back to Alvin before he starts to worry about us!”
Racing home, Melody and Smudge were out of breath as they threw open the front door. The smell of something wonderful cooking filled their noses as they stepped inside and making their way to the kitchen, Melody giggled at the sight of Alvin, wearing one of her flowered aprons, cooking at the stove.
“You two are just in time!” he announced at their arrival. “Dinner is ready!”
Sitting down at the table, Alvin served up the most amazing meal of stir-fried chicken and vegetables and fluffy, white rice. Everything looked delicious, and the meal, combined with the amazing man who had cooked it for her, did wonders to lift her mood.
Pouring the pair a glass of wine, Alvin raised his glass. “I would like to propose a toast. To Melody, the most wonderful woman I know. You will always be the best to me, in every way imaginable.”
Clinking their glasses, Melody thanked Alvin and leaned in to give him a well-deserved kiss.
I sure hope he’s right, Melody thought to herself. I suppose that worrying about things won’t do me any good right now. The best thing to do is to wait for the Swan’s Sweets craze to die down and just hope that one day soon, both bakeries can coexist in harmony.
Chapter One Hundred Eight
"Leslie, hurry! I need to have the van packed and ready to go in 15 minutes, or else I'm going to be late!"
Packing up the remaining boxes of baked goods, Melody shut the van doors and headed out to the Port Warren High School for their annual business fair. The gymnasium was already filling up with tables and displays as businesses from all across the region were getting ready to display their goods to the people of the town. Decadently Delicious had the perfect corner booth that would give them the best visibility for those passing by. It didn't take long for Melody to set up her displays of cakes, cookies and pies along with brochures outlining her catering options. The shop banner, with its famous logo, was strung above the table. Melody inspected her work, made a few adjustments and then smiled, certain that this fair, like all the ones in past years, would be another great success.
When the doors opened at 9am, there was a huge surge of people that came through the doors. Many were familiar faces but there were quite a few newcomers as well. It was one of the best turnouts that Melody had seen in quite a number of years. The first few hours kept her extremely busy and her booth was buzzing with visitors. Everyone was interested in her goodies and many were inquiring about her catering service as well. It was looking as though the day would be a huge triumph, which was exactly what Melody needed to boost her spirits.
Smiling and chatting away to her visitors, Melody was pleased to see Dorinda Mitchum approaching her table.
“Hello, Dorinda!” She smiled as she greeted her friend. “It's so nice to see you! How have you been?”
Dorinda, who had been through quite an ordeal on her wedding day, some time ago, was finally looking like her old self again. “Well, all things considered, I’m doing pretty well. After Robin’s tragic passing on the morning of our wedding, it took some time for life to get back to normal. I still love him dearly, but I’m doing a
lot better now and,” she leaned in a little closer and dropped her voice to a whisper, “I even have a date with Joe tomorrow evening!”
“Joe Reuben, the gym teacher!” Melody’s voice was excited. “That’s fantastic news, Dorinda, I’m so happy to hear it, Joe’s a fantastic guy! I’m sure the two of you will hit it off!”
Dorinda was glowing, and it made Melody smile to see her friend finding happiness again.
Just then, their conversation was interrupted by the school principal, Ernest Brownlow, who gently pulled Dorinda aside. If Melody knew any better, she was sure that the principal seemed smitten with Dorinda and it appeared as though he was asking her on a date as well. Chuckling, Melody watched the scene unfold. Well, it looks as though Dorinda really is back on the dating scene. She seems to be the most sought after bachelorette in Port Warren at the moment, she thought to herself, smiling. Unfortunately for the principal, it appeared that Dorinda had turned him down and he walked away, head hung low.
"Mr. Brownlow!" Melody called the man back, in an attempt to cheer him up. "What another successful business fair! Thank you so much for offering up the gymnasium again this year."
The principal nodded, his thoughts were still obviously elsewhere.
"Would you be interested in trying Decadently Delicious' newest cupcake? It's a recipe we just created last week, and I think it's going to be our new best seller." Melody offered the man one of Leslie's blue-iced creations, and his face brightened at the wonderful looking treat.
"Now, just wait a minute, Mr. Brownlow!" Drusilla's voice could be heard above the crowd. Striding over, she confronted the portly principal. "Perhaps if you stopped indulging in such unhealthy snacks and spent a bit of time managing your weight, you will have better luck snagging a date. Maybe Dorinda wouldn't have been so quick to turn you down if you were a few pounds lighter." With that, she crossed her arms, looking down her nose at the man like a mother might look disapprovingly at a naughty child.
Ernest’s plump face turned a bright shade of crimson. Embarrassed, he grabbed the cupcake out of Melody's hand and tossed it into a waste bin. He strode away as fast as his pudgy legs could carry him and made his way to the stage to make his annual announcement. Clearing his throat into the microphone, he waited for the room to silence until he had everyone’s attention.
“Good afternoon, everyone.” His voice was lacking some of its usual friendly tone and his face was still red from Drusilla’s remarks. “Thank you all so much for showing your support for our local businesses and for attending this year’s business fair. It is obvious that it is going to be another success.”
He paused, waiting for the cheers from the audience to die down.
“I would like to take a moment to introduce the town’s newest business, which has only been with us for a few short months. Swan’s Sweets is a fantastic addition to Port Warren and is finally offering us all the opportunity to eat healthier while still indulging in amazing tasting desserts. It is my opinion that this shop should be everyone’s go-to place for any type of treat or baked goods as it is obviously superior to anywhere else in this town. If any parents out there need to send a snack to school or need to purchase birthday goodies for your children, I sincerely hope to see only Swan’s Sweets entering this school.”
Melody was thunderstruck by the principal’s declaration. Ernest had always been one of her most loyal customers, and she couldn’t believe that he would turn his back on her business in such a public display.
“Excuse me! Mr. Brownlow!” Melody stood on her tiptoes and called out above the crowd. “I disagree with your comment.” All eyes were on her now, waiting for her to continue. “My bakery, Decadently Delicious, has been a staple in this town for years. We have worked hard to build up its reputation as a place where people can come to occasionally indulge in high quality sweets. Even you, yourself, have frequented our shop time and time again.”
Drusilla and Alexander had already made their way to the stage and were gently moving the principal out of the way so that they could have the microphone.
“Good people of Port Warren.” They addressed the crowd. “It is time that you put your past behind you and move into the future with us. A healthier and brighter future, filled with nutritious and wholesome foods that will leave you feeling great and will not be detrimental to your wellbeing. We at Swan’s Sweets believe that healthy eating should begin at a young age, and we offer you and your children alternatives that will be both satisfying and safe for you to eat. Stop filling your body with sugar and poison and commit to making our shop your go-to location for all of your baked goods and dessert needs. Nowhere else in town, including Decadently Delicious, can offer you the promise of good health and quality products like we can.”
The crowd, swept up in Drusilla’s enthusiasm, began to applaud.
“Wait!” Melody cried out, silencing the clapping. She was offended and hurt by the Swans’ words. “The Swans may be offering a different type of product than Decadently Delicious does, but our treats are made of the highest quality ingredients, and we promise you that we will continue to provide our goods to the people of Port Warren. Swan’s Sweets is just a fad that will die down soon enough!”
“You may want to watch the tone of voice you use with us.” Drusilla’s voice was matter-of-fact. “Next time, perhaps, you should choose your words more carefully or we may be forced to sue you for harassment.”
Melody, fuming from the Swans’ arrogant words, was unafraid of their threats. “I want everyone here to know,” she spread her arms wide, gesturing to the entire auditorium, “I have spent my entire life devoted to my shop, and I am not going down without a fight.”
Chapter One Hundred Nine
Sitting in her office, her head in her hands, Melody was filled with despair. After spending the morning reviewing her monthly sales reports, she had determined that her profits were continuing to plummet. Her store was currently filled with baked goods but was lacking in customers to purchase them. Some of them were even at risk of being wasted. Maybe she would give them to charity, but that wouldn’t help her in the long run.
“What am I going to do, Smudge?” She looked at her faithful companion, hoping to find a solution to her mounting problem, but unfortunately, Smudge was fast asleep. The little dark grey or blue Frenchie was lying upside down. Her paws waving in the air, her tiny pink tongue sticking out. She was no help but so cute that it brought a smile to Melody’s face. Looking away, she solemnly shut the lid to her laptop, straightened up her mess and made her way to the front shop where Leslie was sitting behind the counter.
“Any customers?” she asked the girl, hopeful that they had made at least a few sales today.
“Nope, not a single one.” Leslie shook her head, frowning. “All of today’s baking is complete, and there isn’t much else to do here except sit and wait. It doesn’t look like the Swans are having the same problem that we are, though,” she said gesturing out the window to the store across the street.
Looking through the glass, Melody could see a stream of customers waiting outside the door and lining up down the sidewalk.
“It’s been like that all day.” Leslie shook her head in dismay at Melody’s questioning look. “But listen, I’ve had a lot of time today to do some thinking, and I think I have a plan. It’s too early to lose faith yet. There’s still time to win back Port Warren and I think I know a way to do it. Mel, we need to fight fire with fire.”
Melody’s eyes widened, and Leslie held up a hand as if to calm her.
“Not that sort of fire. The reason our neighbors have been so successful is that they brought something different and exciting to this town… that’s exactly what we need to do! We need to come up with a recipe unlike any that we have ever tried before. Something that will blow everyone away!” Leslie’s voice was growing with enthusiasm and Melody couldn’t help but become excited as well.
The ladies put their heads down for the rest of the afternoon, flipping through
cookbooks and scrolling through the internet. With their goal of something delicious and original at the forefront of their minds, they were able to find four top contenders.
“One of these has to be the one!” Melody said, tying her apron around her neck and getting ready to start her trial bakes. Without another word, she set to work, turning on the ovens and grabbing all of the supplies that she would need. In a flurry of flour, she had started the creative process and was in deep concentration, reading recipes and measuring out ingredients.
“Hey, Mel, I think Smudge needs to take a bathroom break. Since you’re busy, why don’t I take her for a little walk and let you keep working in peace?” Leslie was already clipping the dog’s leash to her collar.
“Hmm?” Melody questioned, so engrossed in her work, she barely heard the words. “Yes, sure, whatever you say, Les.”
Things were turning out wonderfully with the new recipes she was trying out, and she knew that one, if not all, of them were going to be huge hits at the bakery. It was exactly the thing that she needed to boost her sales and increase her popularity again, giving her an edge over her competition.
Mixing everything up, she grabbed a clean spoon from the counter to sample the batter before popping it into the oven. “Delicious!” she exclaimed. “But it’s missing something. I think just a hint of cinnamon will do the trick.”
Rummaging through the cupboard, she heard footsteps behind her. “Hey, Leslie! I can’t wait for you to try this, it's absolutely amazing! Just a sprinkle of cinnamon, and it will be ready to bake!”
Grabbing the spice, she spun around excitedly, eager to have Leslie critique her work. As she did so, however, she was smacked square in the face with a metal cake pan, knocking her off balance and causing her to collapse, unconscious, on the floor.
Chapter One Hundred Ten