The Skye Trilogy: Isle of Skye, Isle of Night, and Isle of Dawn. * Bonus: Scrumptious Skye Confections Cookbook* (2 page)

“What in the world are you doing?" she asked

“Just wondering what my chances are at getting struck by lightning and being put out of my misery."

Eyes narrowing, or as much as her Dermatologist allowed; Suzy gracefully jumped out of her chair.

“Willa you are drowning,” she pronounced dramatically.

Oh God, no, please. I can so not deal with this right now. I thought as my head started pounding to epic proportions.

“You are drowning." she repeated. “All our life I have watched you squeak by and I just don’t get it. You're smart, amusing, have an okay body, better if you worked out of course. You're pretty in an old fashioned kind of way. I see a great deal of potential being wasted by your inability to spread your wings."

“Take chances on what? Spray tanning every two weeks and caking on five pounds of makeup every single day? So that some guy with whitened teeth, in an overpriced, phallic symbol of a car, will sweep me off my feet to a suburban fantasyland? Guess what? I’m good thanks. I enjoy my little life, which may not be your idea of perfect, but it’s mine.”

"I’m not talking about that. Although a little color and touch, more makeup would go a long way. I’m talking about the fact that you live at home with your parents, even in college for goodness sake! You rarely date; you spend all your time here at your little bakery or home sleeping. You need to get out more, get a new wardrobe, and get a life.” Suzy proclaimed.

I mentally steeled myself not to use the f-bomb every other word. “Number one, I do not live at home with my parents. I live in a lovely cottage, which just happens to be located on their rather large property. Number two, I rarely date because most dates involve dinner. That could be a little hard for me since I am up at five every morning and have to go to bed early. The availability of men in our area who that works for are on Social Security."

“I love my little bakery, I love my little cottage, and I love my rather impressive shoe and boot collection. Frankly to have you of all people judge me is highly amusing. Look beyond your tanning, expensive clothes, and Botox, and what do you have Suzy? A plastic existence who’s highlight in her life will be her over the top, pink wedding and lowlight, her devastating divorce."

Suzy stood a little shell-shocked for a minute and then in true fashion she plastered a fake smile on her face and replied. “Darling don’t shoot the messenger, I was trying to help. I know it may be hard to watch your oldest and dearest friend get married. That’s why I asked you to create my wedding cake, so you can be a part of my wedding, in some way."

“My oldest and dearest friend? Seriously?" I asked. “To be honest with you Suzy, nothing, and I mean nothing, would give me greater pleasure than to see you of all people get married. Then you’ll be too busy to stick your pert little nose into my business. Now can we please get back to talking about your cake?"

“Well, I don’t know if I can continue Willa. I’m upset by your outburst towards me.” Suzy said as she reached into her Coach bag for a tissue.

“Oh my Lord, it just gets better and better,” I muttered. “Suzy I’m sorry for responding to your criticism of my life, or lack thereof in your view, with a less than grateful manner. I realize this is a happy time for you and in your own messed up way you were trying to help.”

“Thank you Willa." she responded. “I forgive you."

“There are no words right now.” I said in amazement.

“This is why I came to you Willa. You are one of the few people I can be myself with."

“I feel a little sorry for you."

“Very funny, now I would like to meet with you about your designs for my cake in about three or four weeks? I’m sure they will need tweaking so best if we can get started on it immediately.”

“I can’t wait.” I said

“Now don’t forget, pink, pink, pink and of course Passion to Purity."

“How could I ever forget?" I asked. “It’s seared into my brain.”

“Fantastic! Thanks a bunch Wills,” Suzy said as she glided out of my office leaving behind a trail of Beautiful perfume.

She just had to get in the last dig. I said to myself, before laying my head down on my desk.

An hour later I was shutting down my computer when my assistant Polly popped her head into the doorway of my office.

“So is Yuma Barbie gone?" she asked smiling. Polly was the opposite of Suzy in every way. She was petite, with multicolored short punk hair, and skin that was pale as a ghost. She also had a pierced eyebrow and nose. Her black clothes were strategically shredded and torn. Polly was literally the embodiment of a Goth chick.

Although her appearance had initially shocked my mom, she quickly, proved herself to be a wonderful employee. Much to everyone’s surprise, including her own, she had also caught on to be an amazing designer and cake decorator.

"Yes, Susannah is gone, leaving behind a trail of perfume and glitter.” I answered. “Apparently she is trying out a new spray tan. It’s called ‘Fairy Sparkle.' So you can glow and shimmer with your unnaturally artificial color."

Laughing, Polly grabbed a water bottle out of the mini fridge and drank deeply before saying. “So let me guess, she wants her cake to be pink and sparkly as well, just like her charming personality."

“Oh yes, pink, pink, pink." I said feigning sweetness. “She even has a theme."

"Oh, this has got to be good." Polly said

“Passion to Purity, like her and Drake’s love,” I answered

Mouth gaping and looking nauseated. Polly had taken a few seconds before she asked “Really? Are you going to make me do this?"

"Yes, it’s payback for you dragging me to that punk rock, loosely called, freak show of a concert.” I answered

“The Screaming Creamins’ weren’t that bad."

“You’re right, they were just the appetizer. The cherry on top of the fun filled evening was the creep you tried to set me up with who I found pouring some date rape drug into my beer."

Polly rolled her eyes. “We don’t know that it was a date rape drug. He said it was an herbal enhancer designed to give your beer more flavor."

“Uh huh,” I smirked. “I am so not revisiting this conversation for like the millionth time with you. As your boss, yes you have to do Suzy’s cake and if you don’t, you don’t get paid."

“Meanie Pants," Polly said before she stuck her tongue out at me.

“Meanie Boss pants to you." I said as I walked around the desk and flipped off the light to my office. Stepping into the kitchen, I spied my mother and let out a sigh. Even after working all day, she still looked beautiful. Thick, lustrous dark red hair waved around her face, and her porcelain skin that seemed age defying glowed with health. Average height, but curvy in all the right places, my mother had taken the phrase growing old gracefully to new heights.

“Hello girls,” she said in her cultured British accent.

“Hey Mom, are we all closed up for the day?" I asked as I did a quick glance around the spotless kitchen.

“All closed up. Eric, Jon and I were just having a spot of tea." Cecily said as she walked to the fridge to put away the small container of cream. “Would either of you like a cup?"

“What kind of tea?" Polly asked. “Because if it doesn’t have a little hair on the dog, I’m all set."

“Chamomile tea would do wonders for you dear,” my mother said. “You have such high- energy, you need to learn to relax, and cut your sugar intake."

“No way!" I said. “I need her to be jacked up at all times. How do you expect anything to get done around here? Speaking of which, Polly, want to do some Dew?" I asked as I took a bottle of Mountain Dew, Polly’s drink of choice, out of the fridge and handed it to her.

“Don’t mind if I do,” Polly said as she set down her water bottle and took a soda. She took a long sip before saying. “Thank you very much boss lady."

“Willa, you shouldn’t encourage her. Do you realize how much sugar and caffeine is in that Polly?"

“Yeah,” Polly answered. “Not enough."

I chuckled and headed out of the kitchen into the front room of the bakery. Even after three years I still felt a sense of pride and happiness whenever I walked into the shop. Light orange walls that I had painted myself gave the small space a deceptive feel of expansiveness. On the walls, artwork that was for sale by local artists were sprinkled in between black and white photos that showed off some of our best creations.

The L-shaped display cases gleamed, and the little wooden tables that were painted in varying shades of rainbow colors seemed to be wiped down and ready to go for tomorrow.

“Does everything pass for inspection Mademoiselle?" asked Jon, my cashier/coffee barrister/ front room manager.

“Everything looks wonderful as always.” I answered. Jon gave me a mock curtsy and smiled. Short, stocky with brown spiky hair, Jon was almost indescribable. He wore ruffled shirts, flowing scarves and was always decked out with large, unusual jewelry. Today was no exception, as I took in his aqua colored shirt, accented by an orange ascot, and large diamond drop earrings.

“I would hate to disappoint.” he replied cheekily. “Speaking of disappointment, did I see Susannah slink in here toting last year’s Coach? What’s wrong? Is daddy cutting off the allowance now that she is going to be marrying a new sugar daddy?”

“I guess she didn’t think us peasants were worthy of gazing upon the new collection.” I replied with a breathy sigh.

“Peasants, why I never, do you know I can trace my roots back to Marie…?”

“Marie Antoinette. We know honey." Jon’s partner, Eric, finished. While Jon was flamboyant, Eric was downright conservative. Tall and lanky with short blond hair and clean shaven face, Eric could have passed for an accountant, rather than a baker. His buttery, flaky pastry, to die for brownies and funky flavored cookies had created a little sensation in our community. Already featured in a few local papers, we were all excited for a visit by a large food magazine at the end of the month.

“Who ironically said ‘Let them eat cake’ and here I am a few hundred years later working in a bakery." Jon said with a flourish

“Irony at its best,” I agreed

Polly and my mother came into the front room and had stopped their bickering. “So I saw Susannah earlier. Did she come in to discuss her wedding cake?" my mother asked

“Oh yeah, she came in all right." I quickly caught my mother, Jon and Eric up on all the details of the visit.

“Oh Gawd, can she be any more fake?” Jon groaned

“Don’t groan, you're coming as my cake set up boy toy for her wedding." Eric smiled

“OH, I have just the thing, to wear." Jon replied

“I’m going to have to go now just to see your outfit.” I said as an image of Jon in a pink, sparkly ball gown popped in my head.

“I’m sure it will be lovely, the wedding, not your outfit Jon." my mom said graciously. “I am assuming Eric and I will be doing most of the design considering your history with her."

“That was the initial plan but now I’m thinking of taking over the design process." I replied with a grin

“Oh goodness Willa,” Cecily said alarmed

“I had an epiphany. What do you think of a six- layer, pink, sparkly cake on the outside with a delicious red velvet cake on the inside? Thick black pudding filled in between the layers so when we hack into it will look like Barbie road kill."

“That is MY dream wedding cake." Polly said excitedly. “Can you make me a smaller version for my birthday?"

“You got it sister." I said