Toxic Relationships
Encounter

...Happy Reading's...

Clara was now staring at her watch, now at ten in the morning. After he fought this morning with some visitors. Now Clara stretched her body and looked around. The place was already so dirty, even some of the bread stocks had started to empty. Today exactly where one of the employees who should have replaced himself to welcome visitors during the holiday, there were only about two employees in the production section. And now he has to clean the shop alone. Having a small business is not easy. The work is so much but he must save the budget in hiring employees.

But as Clara was about to move on to do the cleaning, a man who looked to have the middle age of three heads seemed to enter the store. Clara just looked at the man with a smile.

But Clara could see so clearly the man seemed to stare around with a condescending look. Clara clucked, she should have cleaned her shop earlier, the man looked so uncomfortable. Especially winter makes some floors wet because of the shoes of the customers.

“Welcome.”

Clara smiled widely, the man seemed to not respond and chose to look at some bread in the glass window. Clara took a deep breath and threw it away slowly. What kind of customer does he have to deal with now?

“What is the best seller menu in this store?”

The man's baritone voice rang out, Clara swallowed her saliva. He was also quite uncomfortable with the arrival of this customer, but he had to be professional. There are so many customer traits that he has faced.

“Brioche bread and baguette bread Sir, if I may know, who are you buying for?” Clara was still smiling looking at the man in front of her.

“My son.”

“If for children, french toast is quite suitable for children Sir, especially with hot chocolate. Kids love it so much in this weather.”

The man did not budge and was still looking at the storefront. Clara started to come out of the cashier's desk and approached the man.

“Or we also have sweet melon bread. The kids loved it too.” Clara said and pointed to one of the loaves in the storefront.

“I know better my son's taste.” The man's reticence made Clara quite snapped. Secretly Clara clenched her hands tightly and took a breath. Patience, he needs to be more patient.

After seeing how the man's unfavorable response was to her, Clara now preferred to stand still and look at the man walking around. Instead of running out of patience, he just had to serve her at the cashier's desk. Nearly fifteen minutes later the man looked around and ended up carrying three packs of chocolate cream bread at the checkout table. Clara took a deep breath for the second time.

“This is it, sir? No extras?”

The man only shook his head, after paying and entered several packs of bread into the box. Clara is now handing it over to her customer who for her is quite annoying.

“This is your order, thank you very much and welcome back.”

Clara smilingly looked at the man, the man only nodded at a glance and walked towards the exit. But before he actually reached the door, quite hard he fell down and hit the floor. Clara who saw him only flinched and quickly ran towards the man. Clearly, several bread packs seemed to fall.

“A.. You okay Mr?”

Clara asked nervously and tried to help the man stand up. Clara knew it must have been so painful, the man was seen falling down. He was really scared if his tailbone hit hard enough.

Shouted the man loudly. Clara felt her heart beating fast. Quickly the man stood up and looked at Clara very sharply. Clara swallowed her saliva.

“Ma.. Sorry sir, a. I'll change your bread and-“

“You must be in charge!”

Clara gasped as she was about to pick up the dropped bread, the man quickly stepped on her. Come on, even that bread is neatly covered in plastic. The dirt won't go in either, the man shouldn't step on her like that. He will also be responsible for replacing it.

“Sorry, forgive me.”

Clara said and bowed her head many times. He hasn't been in a position like this for so long. How someone shouted at him so loudly.

“See! All my clothes are wet! I have a meeting in a minute, you jerk!”

Hearing the mockery from the man, Clara clenched her hand tightly. Of all the customers who were here, only this man said such a painful thing.

“You're pretty stupid for falling there. It's not all my fault.” Shouted Clara and came looking at the man sharply.

“How dare you!”

The man now began to raise his hand that would slap him, Clara closed her eyes firmly. It was as if all the shadows of the past were ringing in his head. It felt like a dejavu.

Plaque!

One slap now hit right on Clara's right cheek, Clara just fell silent and looked at the man in disbelief. But a mysterious man wearing a hat somehow came from nowhere grabbed the man's hand and twisted it, making the man who had slapped him moan in pain.

“Si..who are you?! How dare you do this to me! Crazy guy! You don't know who I am?!”

The man who was still in pain shouted loudly, as he was about to hit with one hand the other. Quickly the man in the hat kicked his body and made him topple forward.

“Take this money for your clothes cost and never come here again!”

Shouted the man in the hat and threw some dollar bills on the man's face. The man just exhaled an annoyed breath and walked away. Seeing how the dollar bill was scattered just like that, he knew, he was not dealing with ordinary people and chose to leave.

Seeing the man's departure, the mysterious man looked back at Clara. It was clear that Clara was just speechless looking at how the fight happened. The mysterious man started to take off his hat and smiled faintly.

“Sorry because again I came late, Challa."

To be continue...