The Christmas Baking Contest

"Waffles are just like pancakes with abs." - Not gonna lie but, it's really true.

7:30 in the morning

Alarm clocks. How annoying. You would usually start your day as to how other people you think would normally do like: Pray, Fix the bed, Eat, Take a shower, and so on... But what I do is different.

"Good Morning, Chefs!" In the living room, I screamed. And yes, that is the first and most important thing I do. My family consists of only four members: my mother, father, myself, and my younger sister. When you're just four in the house, shouting isn't a big deal. However, in my house, I am the one who always wakes up first, making me the alarm clock in our family instead of my mother.

With just three weeks before Christmas, people are beginning to deck their halls with decorations. Still, food is the thing we never forget during holidays. We still cook together on holidays 'cause it runs in the blood, and it became a family tradition for us to cook together and even cook a special recipe, and now that it's Christmas, my grandmother's Gingerbread Christmas Cake is still at the top of the list.

Because of our tradition, my parents decided to make a business out of our family's recipes. It's the best-selling bakeshop in the town! Mom wished that what we did is that we made our family proud, and I know they are.

My name is Diana Mignonette Hadley, and I'm a 23-year-old woman who enjoys cooking. Anne Smith Hadley, my 18-year-old sister, enjoys cooking as well. It runs in the blood, okay? Our parents want me to be a model, and Anne to be a ballerina... As a result, I began to enjoy both, and I'm now an expert at juggling my time between cooking classes and photoshoots. It's exciting. How could that be boring, when that's what I want to pursue too?

While my parents are at the bakery preparing, Anne and I are getting ready for breakfast; She decided to prepare the meal while I clean and set the table, and of course, we always fight about who will prepare the meal. I love teasing her so much: when we were kids, I always wake up early to take my place as the "Head Chef" in our play kitchen. I would never forget how Anne cried when I always take place.

*DING! DONG!*

"Eric and Allison! Please come in!" I gave them a warm welcome. Eric is my cooking partner; we compete together and do a lot together. Allison on the other hand, is my childhood best friend, and we've been living together for 18 years, so our neighbors seem to recognize us all. She's a model like me, and we've worked together on several shoots, but she doesn't want to be a chef, so she just continues on modeling leaving cooking as a chore, and I think all of my friends took the cooking class because they got the inspiration from me. Haha, it's true.

"Diana and Anne, good morning! We'd like to stop by because my mother baked some cookies, and I want to remind you that I had a surprise photo shoot today, and Eric is going to see her grandmother. So if you need me, just call me directly than going to our house" Allison noted.

"Okay, but his grandma died 5 years ago..." I said.

"Uhh... Yes! I just had to buy flowers..." Eric said as he's looking up every word.

"All right... Have fun! Thank you" I exclaimed. I know... Something isn't right about Eric. I just let him go because I want him to believe I'm not all-knowing... It is obvious. I don't have any special justifications... Okay, you may hate me.

1:30 PM at the bakery shop

My parents went to the supermarket to buy some ingredients for this Christmas while Anne went to her class. Eric and I are selling pastries at the bakery store.

I was at the counter where I receive their orders and you know, cashier's work. Our shop is crazy when it's the Holiday season especially, Christmas.

The smell of the fresh newly baked cookies makes my eyes closed and customers looked at me. Some of them are asking if that's Eric's cookies, it's the always best-seller during the Holiday season.

"Diana, the cookies are baked, and I need your help getting them here," Eric said quietly.

Customers began to line up as soon as we got the cookies, making the cookies sell out quickly. People really enjoy the cookies that Eric made.

"It looks like the cookies are the best-selling today!" Eric said. The cookies are his recipes, he even loves to make cookies because the people loved them as to how he wished them to be.

"You have, without a doubt, the best Christmas Cookie recipe in the world. And because of this, you're a fantastic baker," I patted his back and said.

With a smile, he said, "Thanks to you, I discovered this". He was afraid that people wouldn't like his cookies, so he didn't sell them, but because I always encourage him to sell his cookies at our bakery, they're one of the best-sellers.

*RING! RING! RING!*

Eric answered the phone call

--------

"I'm afraid I'll have to leave you here, Diana. I need to get Hannah from Lucy," Eric said. Hannah is Eric's niece, and he is looking after her while their parents are in Paris for business. Hannah seems to get along well with Eric; she doesn't seem to mind that her parents aren't there; I think she prefers hanging out with Eric than with her parents. What a terrible situation for her parents to be in.

"Sure, why not? Please be careful" I said to him. I'm alone at the shop now that he's gone to get Hannah. I don't know how I'm going to do this without him. Allison or Anne would be here while he was taking care of Hannah... However, it appears that I will be alone here. Oh well, it can't be that difficult, can it?

*DING!*

An hour later, Eric sent me a text. My eyes and mouth widened as I read the message. The customers looked at me cluelessly because I just randomly screamed while looking at the phone. Hannah!

AT THE HOSPITAL

As I hurried to Eric, I saw him pacing back and forth in the waiting room with his hands on his head and crying, and also with bandages wrapped around his body. This is not at all what I had expected.

"Eric!" I called him. As he returned my gaze, he ran up to me and embraced me tightly, whispering, "I made a big mistake, Diana. I didn't protect Hannah". I slowly drew him away from me and looked into his tear-streaked face. I tried to comfort him, and he eventually calmed down. "Shh... It's okay. Let's just pray that Hannah will be okay," I said to him softly.

...

"Did you make a phone call to Mrs. Mayers?" I asked. He gave me a friendly nod and smiled. Hannah's mother is unable to return home because their clients do not want them to, so they give money to Eric for Hannah. Hannah is only a kid, so she doesn't understand what's going on. I'm sorry for her.

They were driving back from Lucy's house when they were involved in a car accident. The accident was caused by a drunk driver in a van; how unfortunate that it occurred so close to Christmas. The people maybe hadn't seen his family in a long time, they must've gone home today... That's what Eric said. Mom gave me a call and said, "Hello, sweetheart! Don't worry, Anne and Allison are at the shop". I then told Eric about the store.

"Eric, is the driver okay?" I asked.

"Oh, I haven't heard about the driver yet, I've been pretty busy waiting for Hannah," Eric said.

"I hope they're both doing well, they can't just go away..." I said. Eric took a deep breath and relaxed. It was hard for his mind to be in a panic when his body was relaxed. As he embraced me, I can feel his heart beating faster and faster until I slept.

TOMORROW AFTERNOON AT THE HOSPITAL

Eric took me home after we heard the news about Hannah that she's fine and now in the recovery room. We told the whole family about Hannah and had to visit her tomorrow.

I arrived at her room and saw her lying down and Eric beside her holding her hands and leaned his head. I carefully wake him up as Hannah just woke up.

"Well, hello, Hannah! How do you feel?" I asked her.

"I'm okay but, my head still hurts. I can't... Talk right now..." Hannah said.

"Yes, talking hurts her head, so she can only write if she wants to communicate or sleep. It'll be fine next week" Eric remarked. Since I had a shoot to prepare, I left the fruits and Hannah's favorite cookies on the table. And as I walked out of the room, we all waved goodbye. I will be back.

ERIC'S POV

Diana was extremely helpful today... She paid all of current Hannah's hospital bills, and I have her to look after Hannah when I'm at work. She never leaves Hannah alone because she adores children. So it comes as no surprise to me that she treats them so well. As a result, people adored Diana's kindness for children, which inspires others to be like her. A lot of kids more likely to be like her.

"Uncle Eric, can you give me some water, please?" Hannah said. I rescheduled all of my appointments today because no one can look after Hannah, people seem so busy these days... It's Christmas, family time, right?

DIANA'S POV

KITCHEN STUDIO (SHOOTING)

"Diana, can you do something with the whisk, please?" The photographer said. I gave her a friendly nod and started to fancy pose the whisk. Our shoot today was a baking contest held by a cooking company and I'm the model for the cover. Cooking Masterpiece is the name of the company, I became a model or ambassador? — for them after the CEO noticed my cooking skills.

And yes, even the shoots I attend to are related to cooking. We're friends with the photographer, so it's not a problem for me to find another place to shoot. And my modeling agent is the son of the owner of Cooking Masterpiece.

MOMENTS LATER...

"Good job, everyone! Thank you!" I said. We're done at the shoot but instead of going to the dressing room and change, I help them wrap things up. "Din, go change your clothes, you don't have to help here," Quinn said.

I didn't push them to let me help, so I stopped and went to the dressing room to change. After I got to change, people want me now to go home because it's getting late, it's 9:30 PM by the way. And there's a snowstorm this night.

AT HOME

"I'm home!" In the hallway, I said.

"Hi!" Brian, my boyfriend said. We've been together for 1 and a half years. I smiled and hugged him.

"Why are you here? It's late" I said.

"I'm about to go home, I just stopped by," He said.

"Oh, okay" I replied.

He then left. He's getting cold nowadays, and I think because I'm not there when he hosts a date, and I noticed him jealous when I'm with Eric having fun at the contests we attend.

*DING!*

- MESSAGES - (Eric)

ERIC: Hey, I saw Brian earlier with a girl *sends photo*

As I saw the photo, it's like I was about to explode. He's in the shop with another girl and he kissed her hands and her... LIPS. Now I know why...

ERIC: And they're at the shop right now

DIANA: He's at the shop right now?

ERIC: Yes, can I punch him and throw them out?

DIANA: No, we can't do that to our customers. I will go there and confront him.

ERIC: Just confront him like you don't care, okay? I know it hurts but we'll be here.

DIANA: Okay, I won't smash both of their heads and throw the girl out by her hair and hit a chair on Brian.

ERIC: Diana... Do it.

DIANA: Call Allison and Anne. Let's do this.

AT THE SHOP

"Diana, what are you doing here? You should be sleeping 'cause you have a shooting tomorrow" Eric said. I looked at the mirror above to see the two and Brian start to cover his face. You are doomed.

"Miss Diana, can we take a picture? And an autograph, please?" A kid said. Costumers started to line up to get an autograph and pictures from me as the store is closing. Little did I know, Brian's "new girlfriend" wants to have an autograph and picture too! This is an opportunity.

She's the last of the line and it's time for this girl to take a picture, I asked her, "What's your name?". And she replied, "Daisy".

I looked at her and smiled. She also smiled back. What an idiot. She was in front of me while I signed my picture so I said, "Is that your boyfriend? He seems to want to get you out of here". She nodded and said that his boyfriend's name was Brian... And he even pointed him without Brian knowing. And I asked, "Do you know that she has a girlfriend?".

"No, he told me he was single" She replied. Wow, cheaters are very careless...

"She has a girlfriend, Daisy. And you're talking to her right now" I said. She stopped and stared at me and Brian, while pointing both of us she said, "You? And Brian? Are you kidding me? He doesn't even like you! He even talk bad about you saying, she's not that even hot. And you two are together?! What a joke". I'm about to rip her head off. That's the most annoying reply I've ever heard.

Allison and Anne arrived and Eric pointed me and Daisy. Allison turned Daisy to her and said, "And you think you look cooler, saying that? You're just a gold digger!" And slapped her right in the face. Anne pushed me away from them. She said, "Where's Brian? Brian? Brian! Oh, there you are...". As Brian tried to escape from Anne, Eric then ran and got Brian. Anne started to shout at him and hit him. Allison starts to throw the girl out while holding her hair. And they also throw Brian away with Anne saying," You and my sister, Diana are done!! Get out of here you cheater!". Costumers from outside started to take pictures of them. This is a good day.

To be continued...