Page 11 of Just Desserts

I had to find out what else Alyssa had on me. I could delay the divorce, I had a few tricks up my sleeve and hopefully would know the judge assigned to our case. Isla may think a few pictures are enough to prove adultery in court but it isn't, and there's no way I'm going to let her walk away from this marriage easily.

I would do whatever it took to get my wife back, and in the interim I would make sure Alyssa was happy, while I slowly took down any ammo she may have. With that thought comforting me I texted Alyssa back.

"You look sexy as hell in that picture. I've thought a lot about what you said and you're right. Why don't I come to your place tomorrow night so we can have dinner and maybe some dessert?"

I never gave Alyssa's apartment much thought outside the areas we fucked in it, but now without having to worry about Isla tracking my whereabouts I could spend some time in there, dig around. Alyssa may have caught me unprepared earlier, but this wasn't over, I was just building my case.

Chapter 11

Isla

The next morning, when I woke up and reality hit, the pain wasn't as overwhelming as usual. It was still there, like a throb throughout my body increasing depending on how much pressure I put on the wounded area. Today though, it was more of a twinge. I was excited about the apartment, excited to break free from the shackles of my marriage.

After a long shower and a coffee from the small cafe attached to the Inn, I decided I should go and check on the bakery. My employees had been covering for me for almost two weeks now and the guilt was starting to creep in. I was the owner, at the first sign of an issue I completely abandoned the ship. Guilt burned in my stomach, quickly morphing to anger.

I was not going to let Jonathan or Alyssa take anything away from my shop. The bakery was my baby, my responsibility. It was my job to make sure there was no blowback from my personal life. I mentally put on my big girl panties, dressed with care and headed to the shop for the first time since before Thanksgiving.

I walked through the shop and said hello to everyone, thanking them for covering for me during my 'sudden' flu. I did a thorough walkthrough of the kitchen and storage rooms before walking into the main area. Rage, hot and boiling rose to the surface when I looked at the photos on the wall.

That stupid wedding portrait was mocking me. The same oneI so carefully straightened the night I walked in on my cousin fucking my husband. In our house. Some sort of sound, a cross between a shriek and a sob, must have come out of me because Carrie, my manager, looked at me with alarm.

Carrie was in her early 60s and had worked as a pastry chef all over the world. She moved to our town to be closer to her grandbabies but said she was too young to retire. She was perfect as my manager, well informed, experienced and was able to maintain calm which was required especially during our busy hours.

Carrie gave me a once over and gently steered me up the stairs to my office. Without a word she helped me sit down at my desk then turned on the kettle I keep up there. I mutely watched her as she prepared two cups of tea then patiently sat down across from me.

"Tell me what's really going on my Isla, I can see you are unwell but it is not sickness. Let me take some of the burden from you my friend." She calmly took a sip of her tea and waited silently. Another gift of hers, I always felt the need to fill silence with aimless chatter but I didn't even have the strength for that anymore.

"I'm going to be doing some redecorating in the main room. I want all the personal photographs, anything unrelated to local artists or the bakery to go. Oh and I'm moving out of my house, and getting a divorce." I tacked on before taking a hearty gulp of scalding tea.

"Is that all?" She asked, arching an eyebrow. No judgement, no anger, just listening.

"Jonathan and Alyssa are having an affair."

"Ah." She nodded her head like that last piece of informationexplained everything.

"Ah? What doesAhmean? I just told you my life is in ruins and all you have to say is Ah?" I snapped at Carrie.

Carrie let out a soft chuckle. "What would you prefer I say my dear? Do you want me to defend him? Do you want me to get my pitchfork and hunt them down? I'm sure you've heard plenty of unhelpful offers already. What I have to say doesn't matter, it's what you need to say. I'm just offering to be a helping ear. I care about you, I care about this place. Although I may not be a part of your family, all things considered that's probably a positive in this situation now - anywho, I still consider you family. I just want you to know I will support you, in whatever way that looks like."

I put my cup down and closed my eyes. Unaware I was crying until I tasted salt. Carrie reached over the desk and clasped my hand.

"You're still looking a bit under the weather, why don't you stay up here and drink your tea, go over the inventory list and once we're closed for the day you and I can start redecorating the main room?"

Afraid if I opened my mouth I wouldn't be able to contain my tears so I just nodded at Carrie, squeezing her hand to convey my gratitude.

"I'm gonna go rustle up some soup for you - you stay up here now - those are my orders! I'll come and get you when it's time to take the trash out." She replied with a wink before letting herself out of the office.

I spent the rest of the afternoon getting lost in paperwork and planning for the upcoming holidays. I had a few new recipes I wanted to try out and a few seasonal treats I would startadding to weekly menus. Before I realized it there was a knock on the door after 5pm and Carrie was waiting there, sans apron with a toolbox in her hands.

"Ready to take a hammer to that smug piece of shits face?"

She asked and I laughed, a full belly laugh for what felt like the first time in forever. I let Carrie pull me into a hug then we climbed down that stairs. She had a bottle of wine open and two glasses perched near the register. She had already pushed the tables away from the walls and had brought over a step ladder from the back up.

Together, we made quick work of taking down every single photograph. I didn't want any reminders in here, this was my safe space, all confetti dreams and frosting swirls. I didn't want them to taint this space. The photos were on the ground leaning against the wall, all images facing the corner.

We spent an hour mixing and moving some of the other art around to make the empty spots less noticeable. I would have to buy some more pieces to put up but a huge weight felt lifted now that I no longer had that wedding portrait mocking me. I sat down and finished the last of my wine, letting out a long sigh.

"Thank you Carrie. For helping me, for listening, just thank you."

---