The Note

The voice outside the door was calm, almost casual. But she didn't trust it

"Hello?" They knocked again. A man's voice. "Look, I just need the restroom. You good in there?"

Her breath shuddered out of her. Just a customer.

She closed her eyes, gathering herself. "Occupied," She said, trying to keep her voice steady.

A pause. Then footsteps fading away.

She stayed back for another minute, just to be sure, then cracked the door open and peeked out. The hallway was empty.

With a deep breath, she stepped out, smoothing her apron like nothing had happened. But her hands were still trembling.

She made her way back to the bakery floor, heart thudding in her chest. She needed to act normal. Musa and Maya were still working, handing out orders like it was any other day.

Then she saw Maya, she was standing behind the counter, holding a small folded note. She looked up, spotted Asha, and frowned.

"Hey," Maya said, voice cautious. "Some guy left this for you."

Asha's stomach dropped.

She reached for the note, her fingers unsteady as she unfolded it.

Just three words.

"We need to talk."

No name. No details. But she didn't need them. She already knew. "Richard"

Asha stared at the note, her pulse a steady roar in her ears. The words felt heavier than they should, like they carried the weight of everything she'd tried to leave behind.

Maya leaned on the counter, studying her. "You good?"

Asha forced a nod. "Yeah. Just… who gave you this?"

Maya shrugged. "Some guy. Tall, kinda formal. Looked like he knew you. He didn't say much, just asked me to pass it along." She paused, lowering her voice. "Who is he?"

Asha crumpled the note in her fist. "I don't know."

Maya raised an eyebrow but didn't push.

Musa, wiping his hands on a towel, walked over. "You disappeared for a while. Everything okay?"

"Yeah," Asha said too quickly. "Just needed a minute."

Musa's eyes flickered to the note in her hand. "What's that?"

"Nothing," she said, shoving it into her apron pocket. "Just ... .just a supplier update."

Lying came too easily. She hated that.

Musa agreed, but there was a hint of suspicion in his eyes.

Maya sighed, tossing a dish towel onto the counter. "Well, mystery man or not, we're swamped. You wanna help or keep sneaking off?"

Asha exhaled, shaking off the unease. "I'm here."

She forced herself back into the rhythm kneading, baking, and serving. But her mind wasn't in it.

Asha slid the note back into her apron pocket, her fingers trembling slightly. She forced herself to move, taking the doughnuts out to the front counter, but every step felt heavier than the last.

Her mind kept circling back to that note. "We need to talk."

What did he want? Why now?

She glanced at Maya, who was busy arranging pastries, but she caught her eye for just a moment. Maya's gaze flickered to the pocket where Asha had hidden the note. She didn't say anything, but her silence was louder than any question.

Asha didn't know what to do. Should I confront him? Would that make it worse?

The door chimed again, but Asha barely noticed. Her heart was thumping in her chest, her throat tight. She was on edge, like she was waiting for something…anything. A phone call. A knock. A sign that this was all just a bad dream.

But it wasn't.

"Asha?" Musa's voice pulled her from her thoughts. He was standing next to her, eyes soft, but there was a hint of concern there. "You sure you're okay?"

She forced a smile, "Yeah, just… tired."

Musa didn't seem convinced, but he let it go, going back to his work.

Asha stiffened.

She stood by the counter, hands shaky as she wiped them on her apron, but it wasn't the flour that had her feeling like this. Her eyes flicked, she still felt the weight of Richard's note pressing on her chest.

Asha took a deep breath and walked over to Maya, her voice quiet, almost too calm. "Hey, Maya… I think I'm gonna head home."

Maya turned, her brow furrowing immediately. "What? You're leaving already? Everything okay?"

Asha nodded, though it didn't feel convincing. "Yeah, I'm just… not feeling great." She paused, looking at her hands, not quite meeting Maya's eyes. "Just… I need to get out of here for a bit. I'll be fine."

Maya set the tray down on the counter and crossed her arms, studying her friend closely. "Asha, what's going on? You've been weird all day. Is it about the note?

"It's nothing. Really, I just need some space. I'll be alright. Asha said"

Maya was still watching her, eyes narrowed, lips pressed together in concern. "You sure? We're pretty slammed here, you don't have to go just yet."

Asha shook her head, trying to sound more convincing. "Nah, I'm not feeling ok, I'll be back later. You know where to find me." She gave a soft shrug, trying to lighten the mood. "Just need a little time to clear my head, that's all."

Maya hesitated for a second, but then nodded. "Okay, If you say so… Just don't shut me out, alright? We'll talk later. You know I'm here if you need anything."

"Thanks," Asha said, forcing another smile, but this time it felt even faker. She reached for her bag, her fingers trembling just a little as she grabbed it. "I'll text you later."

"Alright. Be safe." Maya gave her a quick look, then turned back to the counter as Asha stepped out.

She had to figure out what the hell to do next.

The streets outside the bakery felt different. The usual hum of customers and the traffic was there, but for Asha it felt like everything was muted. She could still feel Richard's presence, like a shadow following her.

A car had just pulled up across the street, black, sleek, too expensive looking to be just a random vehicle.

She recognized it. "Is it for Richard? "Is he still around?" A lot of questions in her mind.