Tucked up in bed.
With light rain falling outside the window.
Lily begins to stir from a beautiful night's sleep.
It's Ali.
Very early.
Rain clouds above are only just beginning to reveal themselves in the dim light of dawn.
Lily lets out a grateful sigh as she rises out of bed.
Despite the early hour,
Her body and mind feels restored and content,
Ready to face the day.
She tiptoes softly into the kitchen.
She likes to be quiet at this time of the morning.
It just feels right,
Not to disturb anything.
She pours herself a cup of strong black tea and adds in a little milk.
As she stirs the liquid,
She watches the milk froth and swell for a moment,
Before it blends with the tea.
Setting the steaming cup down in front of her.
She sits on the wooden bench beneath the kitchen window,
If the sun broke through the clouds,
She'd have a clear view across the street.
To the neighbor's house.
He likes to keep his front lawn trimmed neatly.
Is often out there early in the morning on the weekend.
Clipping stray blades of grass to form a perfect edge by the path.
He's probably still asleep now though.
Most people are.
Save for a few night hours.
Lily sips her tea slowly,
Savoring the warm sensation on her tongue.
A small cloud of steam floats above the mug in a wavelike motion.
Cupping the tea in both hands,
She holds it just below her chin,
Letting the steam warm her face.
She starts every day the very same way.
And she adores it.
Once finished,
Lily washes the mug in the sink and leaves it to dry on a bamboo rack.
It's nearly time to set off and head to her bakery.
Back in her bedroom,
Lily dresses for the day.
It looks chilly outside.
So she makes sure to remember the thick woolen scarf and the felt hat.
That she received as a gift last year.
She pulls it snug over the tops of her ears and wraps the scarf twice around her neck.
Two tassels hang loose over the front of her coat.
She pulls on them to tighten the collar as she walks to the front door.
With the rain still drizzling outside,
Lily grabs her favorite umbrella to keep dry.
It's a sunny yellow colour,
With a curved handle that resembles a trombone.
She loves how it brings a spot of brightness to an otherwise dull,
Grey morning.
The daylight is steadily brightening,
And the occasional birdsong in the nearby trees begins to echo through the neighborhood.
With the umbrella sheltering her head.
Lily wanders out through her small front garden and on to the pavement beyond.
The long,
Straight road that runs past her home stretches over a steady hill that Lily descends each morning.
She hears the twinkling raindrops patter softly on the waterproof fabric above.
Lily watches as the droplets form on top.
They slide down the fabric,
One by one,
As her footsteps create small jaunts and vibrations in the umbrella.
Lily treads carefully,
Avoiding puddles that dot the path.
Her breath is visible on each exhale as it drifts into the cooler surrounding air.
From the window of a house on her right,
A small white cat watches as Lily ambles along the sidewalk.
It blinks slowly,
As if wondering why she's out so early.
Lily smiles as their eyes meet.
But the cat's blank expression doesn't budge.
As sweet as they are,
Cats don't seem too fussed about politeness,
She thinks.
As she continues on,
The light drizzle turns to rain.
The drops fall heavily on her umbrella now.
Thankfully,
It's wide enough to keep her dry.
Nevertheless,
Lily quickens her pace,
Longing for the warmth of her beloved bakery.
At the bottom of the hill,
She turns left and crosses a small parking area.
From her pocket,
Lily pulls out a set of bronze keys.
She inserts the smallest one into the lock of a brightly painted door.
It's still too dark to see the intricate patterns painted on the wood.
But Lily knows that they're there.
The door opens with a creak.
She shakes off her umbrella and leaves it to dry in a holder.
Thankful to be back in the warm.
Feeling for a light switch on her right,
She flicks it on with her fingertip and watches the overhead bulbs blink to life.
Lily walks through toward the back of the shop.
Each and every day,
She feels a sense of joy and pride.
As she strolls into her beautiful bakery.
She pulls off her coat and hangs it on the colourful pegs by the back door.
To her left,
There's a display counter with polished glass sides.
On the back wall,
There's the espresso machine,
With its rows of mismatched cups lined up on top.
The room extends outward to reveal a modest seating area.
There are just six tables,
With two or three chairs each.
Looking out from behind the display counter.
Lily takes in a deep breath.
The scent of fresh white flour mixes with nutmeg and ginger.
She can still detect the faintest aroma of citrus from yesterday's batch of lemon squares.
Which proved to be a big hit with her customers.
The bakery in the morning is one of her favorite smells.
It's slightly different every day,
But always so comforting.
Despite the chill outside,
It's nice and toasty in here.
The overhead light is soft and muted.
Complemented by several antique wall lamps.
That glow with a warm hue.
Just one final touch,
Thinks Lily.
As she walks over to the far corner of the seating area.
Reaching down behind a chair,
Her fingers brush against a long,
Twisted cord.
As she pushes a plug into its wall socket.
With that.
Scatterings of fairy lights twinkle all around.
Climbing across the upper walls and ceiling like the vines of a wisteria plant.
Now,
The look and feel of Lily's bakery is just right.
She looks out from the front window for a moment.
Watching and listening as the raindrops plunge into a few small puddles.
The glow of the fairy lights subtly reflect off the wet surface outside.
Above the entrance,
A gentle thud and patter of raindrops can be heard as the small canopy softens their fall.
Lily walks back behind the counter.
The display case is empty for now,
But she'll soon have it filled with fresh bread,
Cakes and pastries.
She has a couple of hours before opening time,
So she heads into the kitchen to prepare.
Here,
The first thing to do is switch on the large oven.
Letting it heat up while she prepares a variety of delectable items.
Savory baguettes,
Ciabattas,
And crusty rolls are all prepped to go.
Plus,
Sweet croissants,
Donuts,
And her signature chocolate brownies will all be on today's menu.
As well as this.
Lily has a batch of dough on the worktop that's been rising overnight.
Every evening,
She mixes it in a large white container.
And leaves it covered on the side.
To let the yeast do its work.
She removes the tea cloth covering the top of the large bowl.
The warm,
Sticky dough has doubled in size.
And nearly reaches the top of the container.
Already it smells delightful.
But she knows that once it's baking in the oven,
It will be even better.
Lily scatters some flour across the surface of her wooden work table and pours out the mass of dough.
She starts to work it with the palms of her hands,
Pulling and kneading it into shape.
From beneath the worktop,
She pulls out her heavy rolling pin.
With some carefully applied pressure,
The pin spreads and flattens the dough across the tabletop.
Lily opens up her cupboard of spices and flavourings.
For this batch,
She prepares a mixture of cinnamon,
Along with a pinch of nutmeg.
And some cane sugar.
She uses a fork to blend the ingredients together.
Breathing in the sweet scent of the cinnamon as it reaches her nostrils.
Slowly,
She dusts the powdery mix across the rectangle of dough.
Then,
Using just the tips of her fingers,
She begins to roll it into a long,
Fat rope shape that stretches across the length of the table.
By the time she's done rolling it.
It's as thick as her arm.
Has a perfect swirl of cinnamon sugar spiraling through it like a pinwheel.
Lily then pulls out a large dough knife and cuts the roll into generous wheels.
She lays each one flat on a few silver baking trays,
Finishing them with an extra sprinkling of sugar.
She places them carefully in the oven to bake.
After just a few minutes,
The rich aroma of cinnamon rolls begins to fill the bakery.
They smell earthy and sweet,
And have just the slightest hint of spice as they start to cook.
From outside,
Lily can hear the pitter-patter of the rain hitting the roof of her little shop.
It's even stronger now.
Perfect weather for ducks.
But not anyone else.
She feels all the more grateful to be in her bakery.
With the soothing warmth of the large oven emanating through the kitchen.
Now the cinnamon rolls are baking.
It's time to start on the muffin.
Today,
She's making two kinds.
First and most popular,
Blueberry muffins.
Which she bakes every day and often sells out of before noon.
To accompany these,
Today's other flavour is raspberry and cream.
A new recipe that she's been fine-tuning at home.
Lily measures out some flour into a deep metal bowl,
Then adds baking powder and salt.
In her large yellow mixer,
She blends sugar,
Butter,
Eggs,
Vanilla,
And a splash of milk.
Stirring slowly,
Being careful not to end up with a cloud of flour,
She mixes the bowl of dry ingredients into the wet ones.
Separating the mixture into two bowls.
Lily adds the finishing touches to both.
In one,
She pours a generous serving of fresh,
Rich blueberries.
Supplied by her friends at a local farm shop.
A bit of juice leaves some of the berries.
Making deep blue streaks in the cream-coloured batter.
In the other bowl,
She repeats the same steps.
But this time.
.
.
Juicy red raspberries turn the mixture to a pinkish color.
She spoons in a few dollops of thick cream and gives everything a final stir.
One by one,
Lily fills the cups of a muffin tin with the sweet-smelling batter.
She puts an extra blueberry and raspberry on top of each one.
And slides the trays into the oven.
This time,
Lily lets herself have the smallest taste of the raspberry and cream batter left on the spatula.
After all,
She wouldn't want it to go to waste.
She smiles as the sweet,
Silky-smooth mixture sits on her tongue.
It's delicious.
And she's sure her customers will love the new flavour.
By now,
The cinnamon rolls are just about ready to come out.
She puts on a set of big puffy mitts and pulls the trays out of the toasty oven.
They smell absolutely divine.
She always adores the smell of freshly baked dough,
Particularly when it's infused with cinnamon.
After ten minutes cooling down,
Lily uses a set of tongs to place the rolls on some plates.
She lays them out in a well-presented formation and carries the first batch out to the serving area.
As she places the cinnamon rolls into the display cabinet,
The glass fogs up a little.
That's how you know they're fresh,
Thinks Lily.
The blueberry muffins come out next.
And the raspberry and cream ones are just behind.
Lily sets them out in elegant rows beneath the cinnamon rolls.
Blues,
Reds and browns fill the case and the delectable aroma of warm berries and cream wafts up from the shelves.
Finally,
She adds her brownies,
Croissants,
And other breakfast treats.
Filling the display cabinet to full capacity.
Alongside the espresso machine,
She has several baskets holding the baguettes and various other breads for those who prefer something savory.
Lily smiles,
Looking at everything she's made from scratch.
She's confident that her customers won't be able to resist these tasty options.
The buzz of excitement washes over her as she wonders who will come into the bakery on this wet and windy day.
It's time to open the shop.
She walks over to the front door and turns the sign in the window.
Open for business,
It reads.
Her first customer of the day is already outside.
Waiting under the shelter of the canopy.
He's a kind,
Elderly gentleman.
Who wears a flat cap.
Distinctive leather shoes.
And,
As always,
A cheerful smile.
Just like every other day.
He is clutching a newspaper in his right hand.
As Lily welcomes him into the cozy bakery.
He comes every weekday morning for a cinnamon roll.
And a coffee.
He doesn't even need to order anymore.
Lily knows exactly what he likes.
With the man's regular order comes the day's first brew of coffee.
To add to the delightful aroma of baked dough,
The shop becomes immersed in the intense smell of Colombian coffee beans.
Lily always finds that the fragrance alone gives her a lift of energy.
Just what she needs at the start of the day.
The man thanks her as she hands over his mug and plate.
They exchange their regular pleasantries and talk about the dreary weather.
He takes his usual seat in the back left corner of the shop.
And opens up his newspaper.
Lily thinks of that seat as his seat now.
He's one of the people that makes this bakery a second home to her.
In fact,
Her regular customers are like an extended family.
After all,
She sees most of them every day.
She knows their routines,
Their likes and dislikes.
And it's her duty.
To help them start off their morning just right.
Next through the door.
Is the woman who always wears a purple scarf.
Even on summer days.
She orders a blueberry muffin.
And an espresso.
And sits one table away from the man.
She's brought a book along with her.
Which she takes out of her small handbag.
And opens up to a page with a folded corner.
Throughout the first hour,
The shop fills up with Lily's morning regulars.
A dad and his young daughter pop in.
The little girl enjoys Lily's famous brownie whilst Dad sips on a cappuccino.
Couple who live just over the road stop by for a light snack.
And purchase a baguette to accompany their lunch and dinner for the next two days.
Lily knows each one of them by name.
And love seeing them return time and time again.
That's when you know you're doing something right.
A small bell on the door signals the arrival of every new customer.
Today,
Each one enters with a flustered expression.
Glad to be in the dry and out of the rain.
There's a slight chill in the air that comes in through the open door.
The warm air from the ovens and the comforting smells of bread,
Cakes,
And coffee beans soon make up for it.
Lily watches as her bakery plays host to dozens of smiling faces.
The glass shopfront gradually steams up as the warm air within counteracts the cooler air outside.
Children sitting with their parents by the window draw smiling faces in the steamed glass and peer out at the pouring rain.
On days like this,
There's a particularly homely atmosphere here.
Everybody seems even more grateful to be sat in the snug armchairs.
Enjoying a tasty treat.
While the rain patters on the roof.
And Lily herself.
Is especially grateful.
Despite the weather.
Her loyal customers have still ventured out to her bakery.
And made all her efforts worthwhile.
As the day goes by,
She continues to bake sweet treats and fresh breads.
There's olive and rosemary focaccia and sun-dried tomato and basil flatbread.
There are chocolate chip cookies and delicate sponges with jam and cream centers.
By the afternoon,
Lily is making pies and sausage rolls.
It's fun work playing with different ingredients and baking such a variety.
She enjoys keeping busy.
And ensuring there is something fresh for every customer throughout the day.
Not to mention,
Nothing beats the smell of all those treats in the oven.
One by one,
Each visitor delights in the experience of Lily's charming bakery on this rainy day.
They take their time to sit,
Relax,
And savor every mouthful of their favorite treats.
Many of them try the raspberry and cream muffins.
And all approve of the new recipe.
There aren't many better places to be on days like this.
Lily feels proud to bring her local community together,
No matter the weather.
By the time Lily turns off the oven for the day.
It's nearly evening.
The rain has finally eased off outside.
And there's even a glimmer of sunlight breaking through the clouds.
A few customers are still sitting inside,
Enjoying a late afternoon tea.
She sells off some final items and packs up the rest for tomorrow.
As she waves goodbye to her last customers,
Lily wanders outside to the front of her shop.
Remnants of the earlier downpour continue to drip from the awning above.
The smell of rain-soaked pavements mixes with the sweet aromas of her bakery.
She feels the sun on her face as it begins to set over the trees and buildings opposite.
With a deep breath in,
Lily stretches her arms above her head.
And feels her muscles relax.
Another successful day in her quaint little bakery.
Before she can close up and stroll home,
There's one last thing to do.
Lily heads back to the kitchen to prepare the sticky dough for her cinnamon rolls tomorrow.
She mixes up the few ingredients she needs and leaves it to rest in the large white container.
Then,
She has a quick clean and sweep around the seats and tables.
She switches off the espresso machine and stacks the newly-cleaned cups back on top.
Finally,
She unplugs the fairy lights in the corner.
Then,
With the flick of the light switch,
The bakery falls into darkness for the night.
Lily grabs her yellow umbrella and locks the door behind her as she heads out into the cool evening air.
On her return journey,
She doesn't have to worry about opening the umbrella.
The skies have cleared,
And the setting sun illuminates the damp,
Shiny rooftops all around.
Up the hill she goes.
Past the house with the white cat.
And ever closer.
To the comfort of her home.
At the top of the hill,
She turns towards her house and wanders inside.
Her legs are tired and her feet are achy.
As she takes off her shoes for the first time since leaving this morning.
Lily feels a sense of relief.
She loves everything about her work as a baker.
But she's always glad to get home and rest her legs.
Just like all of her wonderful customers,
Spending some time to relax in her shop.
This was Lily's chance to unwind.
After enjoying a hearty dinner,
Lily feels herself beginning to drop off on her cozy sofa.
Struggling to keep her eyes open,
She decides that it's time for bed.
She'll be up before most once again tomorrow morning.
She'll see the same white cat as she descends the hill.
The same elderly man with his morning paper.
And the same lady with her purple scarf.
She'll see all of the loyal customers.
That she thinks of as her extended family.
For now,
It's time to rest and recharge.
As the night fades in,
A gentle drizzle falls once more outside.
Lily switches off her bedside lamp and closes her eyes.
With a soft,
Comforting patter of raindrops falling on the roof.
She drifts into a soothing,
Deep sleep.
You you you
