All that is skin-deep

Petra pouted as she glanced over to the front door of their pastry shop, it not only had been a slow day but a very long one. A smile brightened through her pout once that ringing bell sounded in her ears. She glanced over to the customer but her eyes lowered a bit more as a child about five or six shyly walked up to her. A knee length jacket covered his tiny Frame. She never got used to the cold weathers of England much less leaving in the burning sun of Kenya, England was just too cold and it would take a lot more than a few years to get used to it. She wasn’t complaining either way, she loved it here. Straightening her posture she beamed at the little boy. “Hello, what can I get you kid?” she asked in a polite tone. He was certainly a hungry little fellow as his eyes stayed glued on the goodies on display through the glass. Not once did he tear his gaze away as he said: “A muffin.” With a hum she proceed to conversate with him even if he was not going to look up, at least their treats were mesmerising. “What type?” “A chocolate muffin?” he questioned no sure if they did have that and for the first time since he walked in he looked up. He was smiling really hard at just thought of the muffin and boy was his dimpled smile gorgeous. Smiling herself Petra held out her hand anticipating the money in his right hand, a few bucks short but it wasn’t something she could not cover for the little boy. He might have forgotten he had money in the first place as he high fived her hand rather then paying up. Surprised? That she certainly was. Giggling she shook her head. “I meant money little man.” With blush creeping up his pale cheeks he stood on his toes inorder to rightfully place the money in his hand. § “Time to close up!” she rejoiced locking up the door, from a far she watched as the last customers faded into the night hands interlocked. “You shouldn’t be so happy.” Her mother’s voice pulled her attention. Turning she tilted her head, hands mimicking her mother they rested on her hips. “Why not?” Ms Akinyi glared at her daughter while she dropped her arms to her side. She did not enjoy the mimicking card Petra always pulled. “No customer, No money.” With a giggle Petra untied the apron while walking up to where her mother was. “It’s closing time, mama. We rest then make money tomorrow.” neatly folding the purple fabric she placed it on top of the counter. “We? I think you forgot you are starting school again tomorrow, it is just going to be me.” the woman pointed out pursing her lips together. Tomorrow was going to be a dull day in the pastry shop, alone. Not necessarily though she would have her customers, fun ones to talk to and well—the annoying ones. Not alone at all but then again it was her daughter, who was going to be more than a couple of feet away in class learning and doing what she loved. While she would be stuck here, trying to avoid the same conversation from that obnoxious married man. How lucky Petra was. “And Frank your other employee.” Petra pointed out skeptically looking at her mother. Snorting Ms Akinyi folded her arms. “He didn’t come today.” “I told you mama, he got sick so tomorrow please don’t scold him.” “I am not a scolding parent. No, you will not see me talking without action, I am cutting from his salary like a good employer.” Petra couldn’t help but giggle. “But mama if you keep that up the boy will have no salary at all.” It was already not much to begin with but hey, it was something he could live off. “He takes off days like a married man with an important wife emergency. Since marriage difficult I’ll let the income way difficult.” “You treat him like your own son, you could never let your poor son suffer.” “No?” she questioned glaring at her daughter. “Of course no!” Petra laughed. “Fine. I just miss that little man, it has been a week since I saw him. He keeps me company here when you are there at school—learning.” she whined vigorously blinking as though something had entered her eye. “Video call him.” Petra suggested grabbing herself a cookie that earned her a glare from her mother, typical she ignored it shoving the cookie into her mouth. “You know technology is not for me.” “Do I? Mama you still use a flip phone.” she mocked with a stuffed mouth. It was all fun to her not her mother, a mouth full of food was not attractive. Her nose wrinkled as she showed her total disgust at the lack of mannerism. “It is for calls and that it was it does. It is not like that phone of yours that has too much things and my time we never posted every picture on—what is that thing again?” her mother asked curving her eyebrow. “**?” “Yes, we had places to take pictures!” Conversations with her mother were certainly the best as another laugh escaped her. “Old fashioned ways, it’s a new dawn!” the girl aged wiggling her eyebrows. “Whatever, I don’t understand the use of those box things in your phone!” the woman frustratingly sighed. Before she decided to stick to old fashioned ways, Petra did get her a smart to use and to no avail the woman was back to her old flip phone. She still had the smart phone though and Petra believed whole heartedly her mother used it for f******k. Scrolling down for countless hours gaining the gist. Even if the next day she would deny she laughed at all the pervious night, too loudly. Petra knew that smart phone would soon replace the flip phone and boy would she dance. “You mean apps? Social media apps?” she corrected before shoving another treat into her mouth. This time a vanilla iced cupcake. One that her mouth did not stop glaring for, even as she chewed it down. “Exactly, talk to people in person.” “It’s cheaper and less tiresome then planning or walking there. Saves time!” It was definitely the introverted Petra speaking. Pinching the bridge of her nose, the woman shook her head. “You worry me.” “How?” Petra amusingly asked licking the icing off the outline of her lips. “When are you going to date someone?” The atmosphere completely took a drift and not the good kind. With a sigh she stared down to her fingers. “Mama you know I try but all the boys freak out once I tell them I am trans. You don’t see the look, the way they are disgusted by—” Her mother’s gentle touch cut her off. Cupping Petra’s face she pulled her gaze back to her, staring into those lovely brown eyes. “You are a woman, a beautiful one at that and have always been a woman. One person will love you my sweet flower.” she mumbled before placing a kiss on her forehead. “Mama...” “Shhh, let mama love you little sad thing.” throwing her arms around Petra’s body she rocked them gently back and forth, a soft hummed sounded from her lips. And that made Petra smile quickly recognising what song she was humming.