Greg leaves Zach. Zach doesn't let this stop him from going to the 4th store, Alexander's Grocery Store. The store's parked on a hill. On the side of the store is a red, white and blue Grand Opening sign. Zach is feeling confident that this store has what he wants. It's a new store, so they have to have it. New stores carry new items is his reasoning. Once in the store, he finds cupcakes, cookies, crackers, honey buns and an assortment of sweets, but no crumb cake. Maybe he overlooked it, so he asks the owner who's flirting with a woman. He acts like he doesn't want to be bothered and treats him like a pest.

"Hey, hey I see you putting your resume in with Honey, but, do you have Brendan's crumb cake?" Zach asks, as a swarm of buyers surround the aisles. A few line up at the deli to order sandwiches.

The owner's upset at what Zach said but, he's powerless to do anything about it because Zach's a kid.

"Who's Brendan, Brendan's crumb cake, buy something else, what, you don't like donuts, we got donuts, and we have cake, like coffee cake, you ever have coffee cake, it's good for you, you can eat it with almond milk, tea or coffee.

"Nah."

"Then leave my store and stop wasting my time."

"Don't get mad because you don't have what I want".

Zach throws a coffee cake and donuts at him and runs out the store.

Outside the store, Zach talks himself into going to Drew's. Once inside, he observes the shelves and grabs Brendan's lemon crumb cake. A new item by the company. He's a little leery because he doesn't know if it's going to be just as good or better than the regular crumb cake.

Zach decides to give it a shot. He hasn't eaten sweets all day and his sweet tooth is bothering him something serious. Brendan's lemon crumb cake is $2.99. He buys three and talks himself into believing that he can eat the crumb cakes for dinner. Zach examines the back of the wrapper for nutritional value.

"2% vitamin c, it has milk, so that's vitamin d, it has wheat, carbohydrates, flour, cinnamon, sugar for energy".

Zach starts feeling guilty as he moves to the counter. He's reconsidering buying the lemon crumb cake. He understands that he will get into trouble for not following his mother's orders. But this could be the last time he sees these or what if he has to wait a few weeks. He can't wait a few weeks for both cakes. Then, Zach could possibly become addicted to both. If he offers his mother one then maybe she'll lay off of him because she loves sweets especially those that aren't too sweet like the crumb cake. His mother, Anastasia would love him for introducing it to her.

This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.

"How are these, they must be good because people been buying them like its going out of style", asks the counter person.

"Haven"t tried it, I tried the original and it was good".

"I haven't seen them".

As he says that a Brendan's Crumb Cake employee stuffs more lemon flavored crumb cakes on the shelf".

"You have original?"

"No, we're taking it off the market."

"Why's that?"

"Revamping the recipe."

Moving along, Zach takes a trip to the soul food restaurant to pick up an order of stewed chicken, collard greens and candied yams for his mother. But, he can only buy the stewed chicken and candied yams since he spent money on three lemon flavored crumb cakes.

Later that day...

"I specifically told you to buy one crumb cake and to buy you and me dinner, simple instructions, and instead, you buy not one, but three, you're something else, now what are you suppose to have for dinner and I had a taste for collard greens, no collard greens", says his Anastasia.

"I have the crumb cakes, take one, you can substitute it for your collard greens".

"Collard greens are much healthier than crumb cake, man what are you talking about and the thing about it, is it wasn't even your money, how can you be so selfish and inconsiderate, you s'pose to always eat veggies with dinner, let me see how that crumb cake taste and I'm still mad at you, and don't ask me for any money for snacks. When school ends you come home and eat whats here, since you don't want to listen and do your own thing, just break me off a small piece of the crumb cake, it breaks into smaller pieces, I don't want too much, I don't want to spoil my dinner, and I'm trying to cut back on sweets."

Zach breaks off a small piece.

"Your hands clean, you just came outside, you didn't go to the bathroom, didn't put any hand sanitizer in those palms and I'm suppose to take that, let that be your piece, break me off a piece from one of the other ones, wash your hands first."

Steamed. Zach goes to the kitchen and drops a bit of dishwashing liquid in his hand and turns on the hot and cold water. He lathers his hands and washes the soap off. Zach, then proceeds to take the second crumb cake from the package. His mother accepts it and slowly eats it. Her facial expression changes.

"Too lemony, not enough cinnamon and it isn't sweet enough for me, I don't like it and how much was it again?"

"$2.99, you have to try the original, now that one is really good, but its hard to find and the place where I bought it said they won't have it until next week, so I had to buy this as a replacement"

"Why couldn't you just wait?"

"My sweet tooth was triggered, I had to get something".

"And don't ask for any chicken or candied yams, that's what you wanted for dinner, so that's what you'll eat, I hope you like it, that's why I told you to buy one just one, but you had to get three, now you'll have to wait to we go shopping tomorrow to get some real food."

Casually slipping a crumb cake into his hands, Zach takes a bite. He chews and chews. Zach takes the last piece. His mother waits for him to say how it tastes.

"It's alright, not bad".

"We'll you just sit there and eat it, enjoy your dinner."

"Ma, can I please have some chicken and candied yams."

"No boy."

"That's for me and me only."

"It"s a bit bitter, gotta be the lemon, and you're right it is a bit lemony and it breaks easily, I guess the baker didn't use enough egg, I dunno."