The Tiny Bakery

"I'm opening a bakery." Amkele said, voice trembling. 

Her mother giggled and her father choked on his tea. They were sitting outside in the family garden on a Sunday afternoon. Amkele hated Sunday tea. She didn't much like being around her parents. It's not that they were bad people but they had too much control on her life, mostly her mother and her father just went along with whatever she said. He never had much interest in her or the family for that matter. Always working, when not, at the country club or sailing or golfing. Anything that kept him out of the house. Which left Amkele with an overbearing, controlling mother. 

"Kay, you're not opening a bakery." her mother said looking her dead in the eye. 

Amkele never understood why she insisted on calling her Kay. It was one her mother's microaggressions she figured. "Call me Am instead," she'd said as a little girl. "No," her mom had said and they never talked about it. 

Amkele was a qualified chartered accountant and had been with her company for 6 years. Lately, she had been having several panic attacks. Including 4 at her work. She knew what was the cause. She never really wanted to be an accountant. But her mother had chosen the career for her after high school, even getting her a scholarship. She didn't want to seem ungrateful and at the time she hadn't figured what she wanted to do with her life, so she just went along with it. Even liking accounting. Liking it enough to graduate and get a job in a top company. 

She'd always loved baking though. One of the things her father actually engaged with her in. He even used to help her when she baked as a teen if he came home in time. She naturally became good at it, creating her own recipes and everything. She'd make cupcakes and cookies for the neighbours and bring some to school at times. Once she got to college, she had no time for making new creations. 

A year ago, her friend Cindy called her frantic. "Am, you've got to help. The baker triple booked themselves and they won't get around to doing Abby's cake in time. Please, please help me."

"Of course, what would you like?" she'd said without hesitation. 

"The ball is in your court, I trust you" 

She made a vanilla marshmellow igloo cake, inspired by Abby's playing Fort which was an igloo. The guests went crazy for it. And that ignited the fire in her. She was getting requests for cakes and other baked goods every weekend. 

When she had her last panic attack, she knew it was from her dissatisfaction with the job. She served a resignation letter the following day. 

With a solid list of clients smd referrals, enough on her savings to rent out a space and renovate, she got to work.

"So you're just not gonna tell your parents that you're changing career paths?" Cindy asked when they were at a friendsgiving dinner. 

"Absolutely not, you know how they are. Well, how she is. She'll be so disappointed and then condescending and then mean. I just don't need the negativity, thank you very much." Amkele replied. 

"Shun, Shun. Come over here" Cindy called out. 

"Who are you yelling for? We are in the middle of a conversation" Amkele asked, confused. 

"Someone to knock some sense into you" Cindy said. 

Shun was tall and broody. His hair was uncharacteristically long for a man in his 30s. Amkele pegged him for a man in his 30s. She hoped she wasn't wrong. The hair suited him though. He also had a nice build to him. Attractive, maybe more if he smiled a little. 

"Shun, this is my friend Am. She's opening a bakery and refuses to tell her parents. Shun is an ex chemical engineer, now coffee shop owner. She doesn't want to "disappoint" them." Cindy said. 

"Oh wow, so we're just telling my business to everyone are we?" Am said staring daggers into her friend. 

Shun chuckled. He really was more attractive when he smiled. Very handsome indeed. 

"Well, as someone who has experience disappointing parents, I'll say this. It's okay to disappoint your parents. You're not in charge of their happiness. Living for their approval is not healthy." 

"Exactly. She used to have panic attacks at work." Cindy chimed in. 

"Really?" Am said looking frustratingly at Cindy. 

"I'm sorry." She mouthed. 

"See, not healthy. Everyone disappoints their parents at some point." Shun said. 

"Well, I've never" 

"Then this is the perfect time to start." 

"What if I'm making a mistake?" she asked worried

"Then, you made a mistake. You pick yourself up, you learn from it and keep going." He said, smiling at her. 

"Damn Shun. You're smart" Cindy said. They all laughed. 

For a moment, she'd forgotten Cindy was there. She made her mind up to tell her parents the following day while she still was pumped and the thought of backing out hadn't crept in yet. 

"Yes I am mother. I already have a space. It's been renovated and furnished. I have a menu. I have a good plan. And we're opening next week." she said, heart pounding. 

The conversation was very monotone but they definitely in a fight. She could feel her mother's eyes on her. 

"So you're really throwing your whole career away for what? Cookies?" her mother spat. 

"Yes" she replied without hesitation. 

He father chuckled. Which made her chuckle. Soon, they were both laughing. 

"What is wrong with the two of you? It's your fault Gerald. You encouraged this behaviour when she was younger" her mother said furiously.

"Fine, if you wanna throw the future I worked hard for you to build, go ahead. See if I care" her mother said standing up and walked away. 

Amkele's heart was hurt. She knew her mom would be harsh, but it still stung. She fought the urge to go after her, that's what she always did if she made a her slightly upset, even when it wasn't her fault. Which it mostly never was. But she set down and focused on her father who was still sipping tea. 

"Meridith, come on." her dad said, making a faint attempt at calling after his wife. 

"Well, congratulations. I'm proud of you." her father said. Shocking Amkele. 

"We'll definitely be there. Just send the details to me, okay?" 

"Thank you father." she said, relieved that one parent was excited for her. 

Amkele opened the doors to her new shop. It wasn't a big space. Well, the name of the place spoke for itself, The Tiny Bakery. She thought it was smart. It was fully stocked, everything neatly in its place. The special of the day was on the menu board outside and everything was set. Today was the first day to the test of her life. She was ecstatic.