Lana was having the worst day ever. EVER. Her cookie shop wasn’t doing good, but this weekend had been the worst. She had burned two batches of chocolate cookies already to a crisp, and with expenses sucking money down the drain this wasn’t looking good at all.

She sighed and prepped another batch, her moves mechanical, her fingers deft, her mind elsewhere.

How was she supposed to keep this business afloat if nobody ever bothered to come in the shop?

She opened a window, waving the smoke away. Coughing and billowing with a towel, she looked at the franchise across the street. Cookie Coo was taking up all of the customers. She wouldn’t mind some healthy competition, but this wasn’t healthy at all, it was killing her.

The bell at the door rang and a customer came in.

“Hey, Walter, nice to see you here! The usual?” she said, holding the cough down.

“Yes, Lana. But… Cut it in half, okay? I want your cookies but my son demands that I bring him those Cookie Coo with vanilla he saw on TV. I’m sorry, but you know how kids are.”

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Lana cleared her throat and smiled at Walter. She weighed the bag and decided not to cry.

No, sir.

“I understand,” she said, accepting the cash.

“Don’t feel bad, Lana. Your customers love ‘ya. I’m sure the cookies are flying off the shelves!”

“They sure are!” Lana chirped, grabbing her apron. It had ducks on it and it was her favourite.

Walter took his bag of cookies, then slowly crossed the street to get his son the Cookie Coo vanilla bitter extra, buy-one-get-one-free, this week only!

Cookies weren’t flying off the shelves. In fact, Mr Walter was the only client who walked in this entire day.

She decided not to cry.

She took a bite of her favourite cookie, chocolate mix. It always used to make her feel better, even if everything was terrible around her.

Lana chomped it down.

She decided not to cry.