//------------------------------//
// Chapter 2: Sleepless Nights 
// Story: Diary of a Baker 
// by Wildebeest 
//------------------------------//

Chapter 2: Sleepless Nights

I didn't get any sleep that night.  Or the night after, for that matter.  Or the night after that, as I recall.  Night after night after night, I lay awake, staring at my ceiling fan, replaying that twenty- minute encounter in my head over and over again.  I had always been nervous around mares, but there was just something about that lady that absolutely terrified me.  Those twenty minutes were, quite possibly, the most uncomfortable minutes of my life.  

So why did I want her to come back so desperately?  Why did I see that baby blue coat, those magenta eyes and that sultry smile every time I closed my eyes?

I hadn't a clue.  But every day, my work hours were either devoted to napping (to make up for all the sleep I had lost during the night) or vigilantly watching the windows and praying to Celestia that I could catch one more glimpse of that bouncy, cotton candy- colored mane.  Oh, and baking, I suppose.

This went on for weeks.  Or months.  I can't be sure.  I had lost all conception of time, and all my days seemed to blur together.  At one point, I looked at my clock and I swear I saw it stand still.  

Anyway, this went on for... some amount of time, when finally, one night, just before closing time, my prayers were answered.  I was in the middle of one of my naps when I was awoken by a familiar soprano...

"Wake up, sleepyhead."

I opened my eyes, looked up, and immediately met her gaze.  She came back.  

I quickly propped up my head and shook myself awake.  "Oh, sorry about that, miss!  Welcome to the Sugar Shack!  May I take your order?"

"Sure," she said.  "I'll have the same thing I had last time."

"The same thing?"  I asked.  "You mean the... the..."

Damn it, why can't I remember it NOW?  Was it a chocolate chip muffin?  A raspberry danish?

"You mean you don't remember?" she asked indignantly.  She reared back onto her hind legs, crossed her front legs and pouted at me.  "You don't remember me at all, do you?"

"I do!" I cried rather defensively.  "It was...it was a..."

Think, Carrot, THINK!  She showed up at your door, you let her in, she tickled your neck, and then she ordered a... a...

"...cinnamon scone?" I guessed.

She smiled contently.  "Good boy," she cooed, giving me a condescending pat on the head.  

I blushed, and immediately got to work.  I normally hate being called a 'boy', but I was too intimidated to say anything.  This lady had absolute power over me, and I think she knew it.

As soon as I completed the pastry, I wrapped it in plastic and shoved it across the counter into her hooves, in the exact same manner as last time.  And just like last time, she took a seat at one of the tables and started to eat it in front of me.  This time, I had managed to work up the courage to say something to her.

"So... where you from?" I asked, as casually as I could.

"Baltimare," she replied.  "I moved here a couple weeks ago."

So that's why I had never seen her before, I thought.  "Well, what do you think of Ponyville?"

"It's nice, I suppose.  Air's a lot cleaner than Baltimare, I can tell you that.  Met a lot of interesting characters, too.  I even met a baker who stripped for me."

I blushed again, and let out some nervous laughter.  "Eh heh... eh heh... good one, ma'am."

"So are you gonna tell me your name, or do I have to tip you first?"

"N-no, ma'am, not at all.  I'm Carrot.  Carrot Cake."

"Small world," she quipped after swallowing another bite of scone.  "I'm Cup Cake."

"Cup Cake?" I repeated.  "That...that's a pretty name.  Pretty good name, I mean.  Good name."

"I'm glad you like it," she said with a giggle.  "You know, I have to say, Carrot, you've got an awfully nice place here.  Clean, neat, friendly atmosphere... do you run this place all by yourself?"

"Sure do," I responded with a hint of pride in my voice.  

"No assistants or partners or interns?"

"None at all."

She finished off her pastry, threw out the wrapper and strutted up to the counter.  "Don't you think you could use a couple of extra hooves?" she asked, batting her eyes.

YES!  Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, a thousand times YES!

"No thanks, Cup Cake.  I appreciate the offer, but I think I'm all right."

Sweet Celestia, why doesn't my tongue ever do what I tell it to?

She rolled her eyes.  "Suit yourself," she said as she turned around towards the door.

"WAIT!" I cried just before she walked out, desperate not to let her get away again.  

She turned back towards the counter.  "Yes?"

"I hope you don't mind my asking, but are you... doing anything this saturday?"

"Nope.  Why?"

"Do you think... maybe you'd like to get some lunch?"

She smiled sweetly.  "I'd like that."

"Ponyville cafe, 1:30?"

"Sure," she said, stepping back out the door.  "I'll see you there."

My heart raced in anticipation as I was both terrified and excited for what was to come.  What the heck have you gotten yourself into, Carrot?