Friday, 10 April 2020

(Vegetables) Chapter Six: Sometimes A Friend In Need Needs Cake



19

When Morwen got home that evening, she was anticipating a nice hot bath and time to relax before meeting Richard for a movie and pizza later that night. What she got was Rosa in floods of tears in the kitchen, staring helplessly at a stack of cookery books.

“We’ve got a cake sale at work tomorrow,” wailed Rosa. “And everyone has to bring something, and I’m rubbish!”

Morwen gave Rosa a quick hug and put the kettle on.

“It’s ok, flower,” she said.

Over tea, and the big guns of the emergency stash of chocolate biscuits, she patiently managed to pull out the real reason why Rosa was so upset. The paper had been clinging onto sales by the skin of its teeth over the past few months, and the hard-nosed new editor who had started work a month ago had given the staff an ultimatum that day: they had three weeks to make the paper profitable again, or it would be wound up and shut down (the more likely scenario).

Rosa had also been in the direct line of fire that day for selling advertising space next to a feature on the health benefits of blueberries to a shoe shop, instead of to the local big health food chain, which would have paid a lot more for the privilege.

All around Rosa were the remains of tissues. Even in her distressed state, and with the limitations of the raw material, she still managed to twist and turn them into small tissue flowers20.

Rosa sniffed, and wiped her face with another tissue.

“And now,” she whimpered, “we’ve all got to do a big relaunch of the paper tomorrow, and there’ll be balloons and cakes, except we’ve got to make them and I’ve got to make 150 fairy cakes by tomorrow and they have to look professional and I don’t want to lose my job!”

She dissolved into tears again.

“Ok,” said Morwen, ever practical. “We can do this. You have a look through the cookbooks, and find a good fairy cake recipe. I’ll audit the store cupboard, and we can do a shop run if needed. I’m just going to make a quick call.”

She went upstairs to her room.

“Sissy, call Richard please.”

“Calling Richard,” Sissy acknowledged.

“Hey you,” he said.

“Hey,” Morwen replied. “Look, I’m really sorry, but Rosa’s having a crisis, and it’s a real one this time.”

“Oh.”

Morwen could hear the disappointment in his voice, before he swallowed it and said:

“Anything you need my help for?”

“Unless you’re capable of baking 150 cupcakes in the space of an evening, no, not really. Thanks for offering though. So, movie tomorrow night instead?”

“Can’t, sorry. Got to go away for work tomorrow – won’t be back for a week.”

“Oh,” said Morwen. “Well, I guess I’ll see you when you get back then.”

“Ok. Good luck with the cakes.”

“Have a good trip.”

“Bye.”

“Bye.”

Morwen hung up, and slumped on her bed for a moment. Then she sighed, wiped her eyes and straightened her shoulders, and went downstairs.

Rosa, still snuffling, was sorting out the post.

“There’s a piece of paper here with just an address on it – any ideas?” she asked.

“No,” said Morwen quietly.

Rosa looked up. It was her turn to hug her friend.

Morwen wiped her eyes again.

“Come on,” she said. “Let’s make some cake.”

___

19 Who are you kidding? Everyone needs cake.
20 There were several roses, some carnations, a daisy or two and even one large sunflower.

No comments:

Post a Comment