ArchivedLogs:Blooming Cupcakes

Blooming Cupcakes
We specialize in awkward encounters, cupcakes, and hope!
Dramatis Personae Corey, Hanna, Jayna	2013-05-13 Corey stops by Happy Cakes for a late night snack, only to discover a blooming barista and a deal on desserts.
Location Happy Cakes Bakery
The evening is drawing to a close, and most of the customers of the Happy Cakes Bakery have made their way home for the night. Although the shelves still bear an impressive variety of baked goods, though only one or two of most of them - there are a few spots that are entirely empty, apparently the more popular treats for the day. Near the espresso machine, Jayna, the flower haired barista, is working on cleaning out the grinders and filters on the massive espresso machine - emptying the pressed coffee into a compost bin with a rhythmic clinking. Hanna is swinging back and forth occasionally between the kitchen and the serving area, her infectious humming and smile defying the later hour, taking the empty trays and bins of dirtied plates into the back. The door is still showing an open sign, with a cheery little pink and yellow cupcake beneath the word Open, the cheery swing music is eeking out through the windows just a bit, beconing people in. Out and about the city, Corey makes his way into the bakery to the little jingle noise of the bell. Wearing an olive drab jacket over top a grey teeshirt and a pair of jeans, he is not out to make an appearance, but to be comfortable. The place draws his gaze to the scenery and signage, and a smile crosses over his lips. It was lovely and warm and welcoming, and he brought his own life with him as well. He is taking his time and looking over everything in cases for awhile, having trouble making a choice. The jingle of the bell causes Jayna to turn her head curiously, and Hanna pops her head back out of the kitchen, a cheery smile on her face as she looks around. "Hi! Welcome to Happy Cakes. We don't really have our full selection right now, seeing as it's getting close to closing time, but no worries. We've got a two for one deal going on the cakey stuff," Hanna chirps with a smile, finally look at Corey. "Oh! You're the young man from the coffee shop the other night. Glad you managed to wander this way," the bubbly woman says as she steps the rest of the way through the swinging doors, "If you've got any questions, let me know, or if you'd like suggestions, I can offer those as well." Smiling to the bubbly woman, Corey inclines his head in part a greeting, and in part an affirmative to her statement. "Indeed I am, I figured if I visited all the bakeries around I'd eventually find it. And lo and behold I didn't even need to hit them all." Patting his stomach with a grin, he says "I would have ended up looking like Santa Claus eventually if I kept it up. Not exactly good for one's health." Though as he says it, it doesn't really seem like the man had an ounce more of fat on him than necessary. "Since you're the baker here, I'll leave it to your expertise, pick two things you think are most enjoyable, and I'll go with that." Glancing over to Jayna and the cleaning, he smiles and shakes his head. "And just water to go with it, no need to dirty it up after its been cleaned." Hanna regards him curiously, settling back on her foot and stroking her chin with her hand and pondering, "Hmm... now, are you more of a chocolate type guy, cupcakes, cookies, or, hmm..." She narrows her eyes, which seem to glitter with a flash of gold in the bright lights of the bakery, and then goes to grab a large China plate from the counter, quickly plating a cupcake that appears to be a dark chocolate, with a pale creamy chocolate swirl of icing, topped with a single sugared blackberry. She then ponders for another moment, before ducking to another of the large glass cases, selecting a lovely cream and fruit tart in a flaky chocolate shell, a drizzle of white chocolate on the top of it. She happily hands over the plate, "Alrighty then. You seem to be a chocolate kinda guy. But, you're in good shape, so the fruit is totally healthy," she says wigh a giggle, sticking her tongue out. "Would you like them for here, or wrapped up to go?" Chuckling and shaking his head, "Well how about one to take home, and one for now. The tart I'll take for now, fruit can be hard to keep well," Corey says as he watches her work. "Its a nice place you have. Definitely different than the others. Which is a good thing, you are only competing on food and beverage, not atmosphere. Different audiences and such." Nodding his head at that, he does at least take the time to finish up the looking at the counter. "So is it just you two working here then?" he asks, before looking to Jayna a moment. "Ah forgive me, I'm Corey by the by." Nodding, Hanna sweeps the plate back behind the counter, and boxes up the cupcake in a peftectly sized little cardboard box with a little window in it to see the cupcake. The side bears the smiling cupcake logo, and the whole thing goes into a neat little paper bag, with a sticker on the side. She then returns the plate, now with just the tart, a fork, and a neatly folded little napkin, "Here you go. One chocolate fruit tart. The cupcake is a chocolate blackberry cupcake - it's got a blackberry lemon curd at the center. Should likely be refrigerated when you get home, just to be safe." Her demeanor, even though it is getting late, is unfailingly chipper, even though Jayna is starting to look a bit droopy. Jayna responds to the question, "Yeah, it's just the two of us for now. We occasionally have another baker who comes into help, but," she shrugs, her hair rustling, "Sure you want water, no tea or coffee? And I'm Jayna. Nice to meet you." Hanna is bustling about around the antique cash register, humming merrily as she does so, "We are pretty new, so there hasn't been too much interest in the hiring yet. People are odd like that." "Waters just fine. Don't want to be an inconvenience or anything." Corey accepts the plate from Hanna with a nod as he moves closer to Jayna bringing her more into the field of life. "I know how big a pain it can be to get things cleaned out. Specially if its close to closing." He gives her a return smile for hers before he heads over to the cash register pulling out the cash. "I'm sure you can put in an ad in the paper, or just put a help wanted sign up. The economy the way it is, you'll still get a lot of bites quickly." Janya nods as Corey approaches and talks to her, her thin tendrils of grass like hair, seem to fluff up from the braid she keeps it pulled back in, tiny white and pink flowers seeming to pop out of her hair as she talks to him. After just a few moments of this, she looks mortified, a deep green blush coloring her bark colored cheeks. She ducks under the counter rummaging around for a cool bottle of water, popping back up a moment later to hand him a chilly bottle of water. "Hereyougo, pardonmeplease," Jayna says, blushing and retreating into the back - her braid showing as she spins, to be suddenly awash in little pink and white flowers, like a field blooming after a rainstorm. As she vanishes into the back, they seem to be closing up and retreating, though. Hanna raises an eyebrow, her mouth agape as Jayna vanishes into the back suddenly, "Jay, what..." A flash of concern crosses her round features, her eyes deepening to a slightly reddish tinge for a moment. Shaking her head, Hanna turns back to Corey, "Sorry about that. It's be a bit of a long day, I suppose." Hanna accepts his money, giving him back his change in crisp bills and shiny coins. "We will in time. Didn't want to get someone's hopes up and find out this place wasn't going to work out so well." The normally bubbly woman offers a kind smile, "Feel free to stay as long as you need, there's extra napkins over near the tables. Just give a holler if there's anything else you need. Enjoy." Watching the other girl go off in concern, Corey has a look on his face of guilt that he did something wrong yet again. Shaking his head he looks to Hanna and says "I hope she's alright. I'll finish up the tart and head on out." Thinking a moment, he adds "And if I've done something wrong, please apologize to her for me." He lets out a sigh as he heads over to a table to eat the tart and drink his water. Pursing her lips slightly, and looking briefly into the back area of the shop, Hanna shakes her head and goes over to grab a seat near Corey's table, grabbing herself a soda on the way. She pulls out a chair nearby, and settles her ample frame into the wrought iron chair, regaurding Corey with a curious look, just watching him for a moment. "You didn't do anything wrong, sweetie," Hanna says, her tone even and calm, almost comforting, "Jayna's, not always in the greatest control of her mutation, and sometimes it gets a little bit, surprising, even to her. Occasionally, her hair in particular has a mind of its own, and, she's still getting used to it." She continues explaining, "Trust me, she isn't upset with you, and neither am I. I hope this hasn't put you off coming here. We try to make it a comfortable place," she shrugs and offers a kind smile, her eyes having faded to a deep blue green. Hanna takes a pull from her soda, falling quiet and letting Corey eat in peace, her body posture saying that she will go away if he asks her to. "No, no. I'm not surprised by the mutations. I mean, most people don't understand half of what happens to people when the x gene expresses itself." Corey shakes his head, and opens the bottle of water to take a drink. "I just have been having bad luck in New York lately, upsetting people without meaning to. I'm sure I'll get over it, just been extra careful of late." Shrugging he takes a bite of the tart, relaxing abit and smiling. "This is really good. Nice choice." Hanna smiles and relaxes back, drinking a little more of her soda, nodding slowly as Corey talks. "New York is an," she pauses, as though considering the word, "Interesting city, to say the least. People have been a bit jumpy, from my understanding. A bit more tense than normal, even for this city. There seems to be something up. Group was in here looking for a lost kid, felt bad for them, but I got the feeling they didn't want to trust anyone." Another frown flickers over her face for a moment, erased when she drinks her soda once more, "Everyone just seems... tense." Hanna does smile broadly when Corey compliments the baking, "Glad you like it. Hope it at least makes you not want to run away and never come back?" "Nah I'm stubborn," Corey replies with a smile. "And I don't have enough money to travel anyway. I may as well spend the warm months up north before worrying about that." Chuckling, he shakes his head. "But yes, things have been pretty bad over all since I've gotten to the city. Well, it swings rather oddly. People are either super nice like you, or they spew vitriol." Shrugging, he noms through the tart cleaning off the plate. "If nothing else there are some nice people to spend time with over all. I'm no Buddha or Christ, I can try my best to be a good person, but eventually something will make me snap." "Stubborn isn't always a bad thing. Sometimes it is what is necessary to survive in this city, I think," Hanna says, frowning slightly, "It's one of the reasons I opened this place. New York City needs one hell of a pick me up right now. So, now I'm here, improving the outlook of New York, one cupcake at a time." She offers a wry smile, her amber-green eyes twinkling a bit as she looks around her shop, quite pleased with herself. "Things will get better. They have to," Hanna states, finishing off her soda. She leaves unsaid what she thinks, that none of them can really afford to have it get worse, even if, according to the news, it very well might. No need to bring that into the cheery place that is Happy Cakes. "Thats what I am attempting to do at least. Just keep trying." Corey nods at that, washing down the tart with the rest of his water. "And I hope you have luck here with it. If nothing else, baked goods are probably a far better message than anything I can give." Standing and stretching a moment, he glanced towards the back where Jayna went, then looks back to Hanna. "And hopefully all is well with her as well. Have a good evening Miss Hanna. Maybe I'll stop by again some evening." Nodding at that he starts to make his way towards the door. "Have a safe trip home, Corey. Thank you for stopping in. Enjoy the cupcake," Hanna says with a kind smile and a wave. As Corey exits the building, she follows to lock up, switching the Open sign over to say "Closed" - the little pink and yellow cupcake shown with closed eyes and a series of Zs coming from its head... apparently asleep. She resumes her evening duties, neatly boxing up the leftover baked goods for sale as seconds tomorrow, and others for drop off at the local shelters. Eventually, Jayna comes back out, her grass green hair still a bit overly full, looking rather confused - a shrug is all she offers in explanation.