CHAPTER FIVE – PASTRY CREATIVITY

As the last customer left, shaking his head in disappointment, Catherine turned to Rebecca with a stern expression. "Rebecca, do you understand the seriousness of what's happened here today?" Rebecca nodded, unable to meet her mother's eyes. "Yes, Mom. I'm really sorry." "Sorry doesn't bring back our lost business," Malcolm interjected. "Sorry doesn't repair our reputation in the community." "I know," Rebecca said quietly. "What can I do to fix this?" Catherine sighed, exchanging a look with Malcolm. "You'll stay late tonight and remake the entire batch. Every loaf we lost today needs to be replaced for tomorrow's sales." Rebecca's heart sank. She had been planning to meet her friends that evening, but she knew there was no way she could ask for time off now. "Okay," she agreed. "I'll stay as late as I need to." As her parents left to handle the cleanup in the front of the store, Rebecca set to work. She mixed, kneaded, and shaped loaf after loaf, her arms aching from the repetitive motion. The sun set outside the bakery windows, but still she worked on. It was well past midnight when Rebecca finally pulled the last tray of bread from the oven. She surveyed the cooling racks, now full of perfectly risen, golden-brown loaves. The sight brought a small sense of satisfaction, but it was overshadowed by exhaustion and lingering guilt. As she cleaned up her workstation, Rebecca couldn't help but reflect on the day's events. She knew she had messed up, and badly. But a small part of her resented the harshness of her parents' reaction. Couldn't they see how hard she was trying? With a sigh, Rebecca hung up her apron and prepared to head home for a few hours of sleep before the next day's work began. She made a silent promise to herself to do better, to focus more on her responsibilities. But even as she made this vow, she couldn't quite silence the part of her that longed for something more than this life of constant work and expectation. A few weeks later, Rebecca found herself once again in the bakery kitchen, this time facing a different challenge. The annual Gilda's Bay Founder's Day celebration was approaching, and the Harrison bakery had been tasked with providing pastries for the event. It was a big order, one that could significantly boost their reputation in the town. Rebecca knew how important this was to her parents, and she was determined to prove that she could handle the responsibility. The kitchen was a flurry of activity as Rebecca and her family worked to prepare the large order. Trays of delicate pastries filled every available surface, waiting to be baked to golden perfection. Rebecca was in charge of the final baking process, carefully monitoring the ovens to ensure each batch came out just right. She felt a sense of pride as she pulled out tray after tray of perfectly baked goods, their sweet aroma filling the air. Just as she was sliding another batch into the oven, the bell above the bakery door chimed. Rebecca glanced up to see her friend Sarah entering the shop. "Becca!" Sarah called out, waving enthusiastically. "I haven't seen you in ages!" Rebecca smiled, wiping her hands on her apron as she moved to greet her friend. "Sarah! What are you doing here?" "Just thought I'd stop by and say hi," Sarah replied, leaning against the counter. "You've been so busy lately, we've barely had a chance to talk." Rebecca glanced at the clock, then back at the ovens. She had a few minutes before the next batch needed to come out. Surely a quick chat wouldn't hurt? "Well, I've got a moment now," she said, moving closer to Sarah. "What's new with you?" As they fell into conversation, catching up on the latest town gossip and Sarah's recent adventures, Rebecca felt herself relaxing. It was nice to have a moment of normalcy amidst the chaos of bakery life. "Oh, and guess what?" Sarah said, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "Jake asked about you the other day." Rebecca felt her heart skip a beat. "He did? What did he say?" As Sarah launched into the details of her conversation with Jake, Rebecca found herself completely engrossed. She leaned in, hanging on every word, her mind filled with thoughts of the boy she'd been crushing on for months. It wasn't until she noticed a strange smell in the air that Rebecca remembered where she was and what she was supposed to be doing. "Oh no!" she gasped, spinning around to face the ovens. A thin trail of smoke was seeping out from behind the oven door. Rebecca rushed to open the oven, coughing as a cloud of smoke billowed out. The pastries inside were beyond saving, blackened beyond recognition. "Oh, Becca," Sarah said sympathetically, waving away the smoke. "I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have distracted you." But Rebecca barely heard her. She was too busy trying to salvage what she could, her mind racing with the implications of this disaster. Just then, Catherine walked in, her eyes widening at the scene before her. "Rebecca! What on earth happened here?" Rebecca turned to face her mother, her face pale. "Mom, I'm so sorry. I got distracted and forgot about this batch. But don't worry, I can remake them. We still have time before the event, right?" Catherine's expression was a mix of disappointment and fury. "Rebecca, do you have any idea how important this order is? The entire town will be at the Founder's Day celebration. This was our chance to show everyone what the Harrison bakery is capable of!" As Catherine continued to berate her, Rebecca felt a strange urge to laugh bubbling up inside her. The situation was so awful, so perfectly disastrous, that it almost seemed comical. Here she was, standing in a smoke-filled kitchen, covered in flour and facing her mother's wrath, all because she'd been daydreaming about a boy. She bit her lip, trying to suppress the inappropriate laughter. "I know, Mom. I messed up. But I promise, I can fix this. Just give me a chance." Catherine looked at her for a long moment, then sighed. "You'd better. And Sarah," she added, turning to Rebecca's friend who was trying to inch towards the door, "I think it's time for you to go home." As Sarah left with an apologetic wave, Rebecca set to work. She was determined to turn this disaster into an opportunity. Over the next several hours, Rebecca threw herself into remaking the ruined pastries. But this time, she didn't just recreate the original recipe. Instead, she decided to experiment, adding subtle tweaks and improvements to each batch. She infused the apple turnovers with a hint of cinnamon and nutmeg, giving them a more complex flavor. The cream puffs were filled with a lighter, fluffier cream than usual, whipped to perfection. Each éclair was carefully glazed, the chocolate shining like polished glass. As she worked, Rebecca found herself enjoying the process in a way she hadn't before. This wasn't just about fulfilling an order or meeting her parents' expectations. It was about creating something truly special, something that reflected her own creativity and passion.