THE MOMENT
Andrea was only a girl, but she had the drive to do her best for her family. Her parents had been running a small bakery since before she was born, and over the years, she spent more and more time helping the business.
She was a curious girl and experimented with the variety of ingredients freely available to her. Her parents trusted and encouraged her to create or seek out new items for their menu, and she'd invented something she called the hole-roll. It was a sweet yeast batter formed into pucks with a hole in the middle, then fried.
It'd become a popular item, and Andrea was preparing a batch to fry when the front door bell jingled, and a customer walked in.
“He looks exhausted…,” Andrea mumbled to herself before she recognized him. She was constantly on the lookout for ways to help the customer. The reputation of her family's bakery had become paramount. If the customer left, they might come back. If they left pleased, they definitely would return.
The young man stood there in all grey. He wore sweatpants and an oversized hoodie with the hood pulled up, but Andrea noticed the deep bags under his eyes. It was the Prince! Her father sold him a hole-roll and instead of taking it to go, he shambled over to a dim corner and began eating it dry. Andrea was faced with an opportunity, and she sprang into action immediately. She would’ve helped out any of their customers, but the fact that it was the Prince meant she couldn’t waste the chance to really make an impression.
In her quest to improve the bakery’s offerings, she’d stumbled across something unusual in a market. It was a black, bitter drink brewed from a bean crop. It wasn’t the hit she assumed it would become, but there were a couple of regulars who seemed to need it to start their day. She prepared the coffee with cream and sugar to sweeten it, and her father asked what she was doing.
“I’m gonna wake up a handsome prince,” Andrea giggled and glanced toward the corner where he sat. Her father, a rotund man, bald but with a full silver beard, chuckled and shook his head.
“No royal weddings yet, I hope,” He grinned with the gentle tease. “You’re still my little girl.”
“Dad, he’s a customer,” Andrea rolled her eyes playfully. She finished preparing the coffee and carried it out to the Prince’s table. He looked up at her with tired eyes. He was about a quarter of the way through the hole-roll.
“Hi, my name’s Andrea. On behalf of our bakery, I’d like to give you this cup of coffee to enjoy with your hole-roll,” she set the saucer and cup down on his table and pushed it toward him. “Be careful, it’s hot,” she said. He looked at the cup, then at the girl.
“Why?” he asked. He hadn’t lowered his hood, and he was hunched over facing down at the table as Andrea approached. Was he trying to keep himself hidden? As if everyone in the Kingdom couldn’t identify him on sight. Fortunately, she was quick.
“New promotion, free cup of coffee with a hole-roll,” she said. “It’s so new my dad forgot about it,” she smiled. He looked down at the creamy brown drink and noted the steam rising.
“What’s coffee? Is it like tea?” he asked.
“Yeah, it’s a lot like tea, but it gives you a huge boost of energy too,” she said. “It’s really bitter, so I put cream and sugar, and I can get you more if you need it,” she added.
“Thank you, Andrea,” he nodded at her, and he was relieved to see she left right away with a smile.
“You’re welcome!” she chirped and returned to work. She’d finished organizing the front area and moved to the back while business continued as usual. Customers came and went, and the Prince remained in the corner for over an hour. Finally, he rose to leave but he stopped at the counter to talk to the baker.
“That coffee drink is marvelous,” he smiled at the heavyset bald man behind the counter. “I feel invigorated, and the hole-roll was delicious as well; together, they’re perfect. I’ll be telling everyone I know about your promotion.”
“I’d appreciate that,” the baker nodded. “My daughter’s the genius behind it all.” Coincidentally, Andrea emerged from the kitchen carrying a fresh tray of hole-rolls while they were talking.
“Andrea, come over for a moment,” her father encouraged her closer, then he stood behind her proudly with a hand on her shoulder. “This polite gentleman was just telling me how delicious your creation was.”
“You really came up with these all by yourself?” The Prince asked her, and she nodded.
“It was mostly accidental, but it worked out!”
“You’ve got a good attitude and a fair bit of talent,” the Prince said with a smile. He was feeling a lot more awake now, and it was nice to see the citizens doing well. “And all at such a young age. How old are you?” he asked her directly. She met his eyes and smiled.
“I’m 11!,” she said.
“Only 11?” the Prince asked with a smile and looked up at her father. “I’m sure you’re very proud. I wouldn’t be surprised if she’s ready to take the whole thing over in another year.”
“Are you kidding?” the baker laughed. “Why do you think I’m out here at the counter? I’m already the helper.”