Yet Penelope was too shy and meek to say a word when customers would complain. They would whine over prices, claim the bread was stale, and shout over how long it took for her to make a cake. Though she knew they were entitled and blabbing about nothing, she couldn’t bring herself to oppose.

    Penelope would lower her prices, give them new bread, and try to speed up her cake baking. She didn’t like doing this, it was embarrassing and not a good business practice. But what else was she supposed to do? The customers were right weren’t they? Did it matter that their words stung like needles pricking her skin? She guessed it didn’t, her business kept running and that was all that matters.

     It had been an average day at her bakery, and for the most part she had her regular, lovely customers. But of course it couldn’t be all nice, Elenor had to come today. She was the rudest person Penelope had the displeasure of knowing. She was impossible to please and always had some outrageous demand.

   “Penelope! Darling,” Elenor began, stepping through the door and before Penelope could say a word she said. “I need fifteen fresh baked loaves of sourdough bread by the end of today and I only have eight Glifa on me. But I know you can do that for me can’t you? Especially since the last time I was here you did make a mess of my order.”

   “Oh- uh.. Elenor you- you do know a loaf of bread is two Glifa… and uh.. sourdough is three each.. bread also-” Penelope tried to explain quietly but Elenor cut her off.

     It had been an average day at her bakery, and for the most part she had her regular, lovely customers. But of course it couldn’t be all nice, Elenor had to come today. She was the rudest person Penelope had the displeasure of knowing. She was impossible to please and always had some outrageous demand.

   “Penelope! Darling,” Elenor began, stepping through the door and before Penelope could say a word she said.

    It had been an average day at her bakery, and for the most part she had her regular, lovely customers. 

“I need fifteen fresh baked loaves of sourdough bread by the end of today and I only have eight Glifa on me. But I know you can do that for me can’t you? Especially since the last time I was here you did make a mess of my order.”

   “Oh- uh.. Elenor you- you do know a loaf of bread is two Glifa… and uh.. sourdough is three each.. bread also-” Penelope tried to explain quietly but Elenor cut her off.

    As Elenor continued to berate her, out of the corner of her eye she saw a new figure enter. Penelope’s breath caught in her throat when she saw the woman with a red hair scarf and dressed in silks so fine nobles would be jealous. In that moment she realized she had never seen anyone as gorgeous in her life. She was snapped back to reality when Elenor clapped her hands in front of Penelope’s face. 

    “Are you listening to me girl? Are you stupid too? You are incredibly lucky I still want to buy bread from you! My whole family is coming today and I must have those loaves of bread. Will you bake them for me or are you too incompetent?” Elenor sneered. 

    “I um… I will do it…” Penelope answered, looking down towards her feet. 

    “Good, I will be back here in three hours and they better be fresh. Do you understand me?” She said with a smug smile.

   “Yes miss Elenor, I understand,” She muttered. With that Elenor left the bakery, a skip in her step. 

   Penelope cleared her throat and looked to the woman who had walked into the store only a few minutes before. “I apologize about that, ma’am. How may I help you today?” 

   “Oh it’s fine, I was going to ask for a loaf of normal bread but it seems you’re busy-” 

   “It’s no problem, really ma’am it’s no trouble, it’ll be two Gilfa please.” Penelope cut off the woman. The woman smiled as she pulled out a small bag that jingled when it moved. Penelope removed a loaf of bread from the shelf behind her and turned back to the woman.

   “If you don’t mind me saying this, that woman had no right to come in here and be so cruel,” The woman said, removing two coins from her bag.

   “It’s really not that much of a problem, she’s always like that, I’m used to it,” she said with a forced laugh.   

   “Well you shouldn’t have to be, if she’s always like this why don’t you refuse her service?” The woman asked, handing Penelope the money.

   “It’s just… easier I suppose, and we do keep a customer,” Penelope shrugged, handing the woman the bread.

But of course it couldn’t be all nice, Elenor had to come today. She was the rudest person Penelope had the displeasure of knowing. She was impossible to please and always had some outrageous demand.

   “Penelope! Darling,” Elenor began, stepping through the door and before Penelope could say a word she said. “I need fifteen fresh baked loaves of sourdough bread by the end of today and I only have eight Glifa on me. But I know you can do that for me can’t you? Especially since the last time I was here you did make a mess of my order.”

   “Oh- uh.. Elenor you- you do know a loaf of bread is two Glifa… and uh.. sourdough is three each.. bread also-” Penelope tried to explain quietly but Elenor cut her off.

   “Really Penelope? You can’t give an old friend a mark down? I knew you were selfish but really? You may as well be robbing people with those prices! Your bread isn’t even that crisp yet you expect people to pay two Glifa for it? And three for sourdough? That is utterly outrageous!” 

   “Those are the same prices they have always been…” She muttered, but if Elenor heard she made no indication of it.  

    As Elenor continued to berate her, out of the corner of her eye she saw a new figure enter. Penelope’s breath caught in her throat when she saw the woman with a red hair scarf and dressed in silks so fine nobles would be jealous. In that moment she realized she had never seen anyone as gorgeous in her life. She was snapped back to reality when Elenor clapped her hands in front of Penelope’s face. 

    “Are you listening to me girl? Are you stupid too? You are incredibly lucky I still want to buy bread from you! My whole family is coming today and I must have those loaves of bread. Will you bake them for me or are you too incompetent?” Elenor sneered. 

    “I um… I will do it…” Penelope answered, looking down towards her feet. 

    “Good, I will be back here in three hours and they better be fresh. Do you understand me?” She said with a smug smile.

   “Yes miss Elenor, I understand,” She muttered. With that Elenor left the bakery, a skip in her step. 

   Penelope cleared her throat and looked to the woman who had walked into the store only a few minutes before. “I apologize about that, ma’am. How may I help you today?” 

   “Oh it’s fine, I was going to ask for a loaf of normal bread but it seems you’re busy-” 

   “It’s no problem, really ma’am it’s no trouble, it’ll be two Gilfa please.” Penelope cut off the woman. The woman smiled as she pulled out a small bag that jingled when it moved. Penelope removed a loaf of bread from the shelf behind her and turned back to the woman.

   “If you don’t mind me saying this, that woman had no right to come in here and be so cruel,” The woman said, removing two coins from her bag.

   “It’s really not that much of a problem, she’s always like that, I’m used to it,” she said with a forced laugh.   

   “Well you shouldn’t have to be, if she’s always like this why don’t you refuse her service?” The woman asked, handing Penelope the money.

   “It’s just… easier I suppose, and we do keep a customer,” Penelope shrugged, handing the woman the bread.

   “Really Penelope? You can’t give an old friend a mark down? I knew you were selfish but really? You may as well be robbing people with those prices! Your bread isn’t even that crisp yet you expect people to pay two Glifa for it? And three for sourdough? That is utterly outrageous!” 

   “Those are the same prices they have always been…” She muttered, but if Elenor heard she made no indication of it.

    As Elenor continued to berate her, out of the corner of her eye she saw a new figure enter. Penelope’s breath caught in her throat when she saw the woman with a red hair scarf and dressed in silks so fine nobles would be jealous. In that moment she realized she had never seen anyone as gorgeous in her life. She was snapped back to reality when Elenor clapped her hands in front of Penelope’s face. 

    “Are you listening to me girl? Are you stupid too? You are incredibly lucky I still want to buy bread from you! My whole family is coming today and I must have those loaves of bread. Will you bake them for me or are you too incompetent?” Elenor sneered. 

    “I um… I will do it…” Penelope answered, looking down towards her feet. 

    “Good, I will be back here in three hours and they better be fresh. Do you understand me?” She said with a smug smile.

   “Yes miss Elenor, I understand,” She muttered. With that Elenor left the bakery, a skip in her step. 

     “Well, if my opinion is of any use to you, I believe a lovely lady such as yourself deserves better treatment than this,” The woman said with a warm smile, taking the loaf of bread and handing Penelope a red rose from seemingly nowhere.

   “Well, if my opinion is of any use to you, I believe a lovely lady such as yourself deserves better treatment than this,” The woman said with a warm smile, taking the loaf of bread and handing Penelope a red rose from seemingly nowhere.

   Penelope felt her face heat up as she accepted the rose, “Th-thank you miss..?”

   “You may call me, Lenora, it was a pleasure meeting you, dear” Lenora said with a smile as she walked out of the bakery. Once she was sure Lenora was truly gone, Penelope touched a hand to her warm cheeks and the other to her racing heart. She twirled the red rose in her hand with a giggle and began to ponder what the woman- Lenora, had said as she found a vase for the rose.

   There must be some truth to her words, Lenora seemed like a smart woman. Would the thought of at the very least demanding the correct payment be too strange?

   Penelope felt her face heat up as she accepted the rose, “Th-thank you miss..?” 

   “You may call me, Lenora, it was a pleasure meeting you, dear” Lenora said with a smile as she walked out of the bakery. Once she was sure Lenora was truly gone, Penelope touched a hand to her warm cheeks and the other to her racing heart. She twirled the red rose in her hand with a giggle and began to ponder what the woman- Lenora, had said as she found a vase for the rose.

   Penelope felt her face heat up as she accepted the rose, “Th-thank you miss..?” 

   “You may call me, Lenora, it was a pleasure meeting you, dear” 

Lenora said with a smile as she walked out of the bakery. Once she was sure Lenora was truly gone, Penelope touched a hand to her warm cheeks and the other to her racing heart. She twirled the red rose in her hand with a giggle and began to ponder what the woman- Lenora, had said as she found a vase for the rose.

   There must be some truth to her words, Lenora seemed like a smart woman. Would the thought of at the very least demanding the correct payment be too strange? She had always allowed things like this to happen, especially with Elenor. Telling her no, or standing with her prices was terrifying. Would she lose customers? What if she yelled more than usual?

    The thought kept spinning around her mind, that she could refuse. She owned her bakery did she not? She could bar her from entering the building if she really wanted too. That would make her selfish though, wouldn’t it? No, no it wouldn’t, other businesses didn’t seem to give into customers demands as she did. Their business wasn’t affected, and they must be making more of a profit than she was with this strategy of hers. 

    Even with the churning of her stomach, she had come to a decision. She would tell her no. Just a simple no. Yet that singular word seemed so large even when it was only one syllable. Penelope wrung her hands together, nerves eating away at her mind.

    Before she knew it, the three hours were up. And Elenor came back for her loaves of bread. But what surprised Penelope was that she hadn’t caved into the anxiety coursing through her veins. She had not made a single loaf of bread for Elenor, and she would no longer serve her. 

    “Penelope! Dear I’m back and I am so sorry but I had to pay half of my Glifa to the butcher and now I only have four left. But I knew you would be understanding, as you always are,” Elenor announced as she walked in. She placed four Glifa on the counter, even though she claimed that’s all she had left her coin purse still seemed full and jingled louder than a bag of bells. 

    Penelope cleared her throat and muttered, “I am sorry Miss Elenor, I was not able to fulfill your order, nor will I be filling any others for you.”

    “What was that? Don’t mumble girl that is rude, it’s like you don’t care for your customers at all,” She said as she rolled her eyes.

    Penelope took a deep breath and looked Elenor in the eyes, “I said I wasn’t able to fill your order. And I will not be filling any others for you.”

    Elenor blinked “You mean to tell me you did not bake my bread you worthless-”

    She cut her off, raising her voice for what had maybe been the first time in her life. “You will not speak to me like that, you are no longer welcome in my bakery and I wish for you to leave.”

     “I am a paying customer!”

She had always allowed things like this to happen, especially with Elenor. Telling her no, or standing with her prices was terrifying. Would she lose customers? What if she yelled more than usual?

    The thought kept spinning around her mind, that she could refuse. She owned her bakery did she not? She could bar her from entering the building if she really wanted too. That would make her selfish though, wouldn’t it? No, no it wouldn’t, other businesses didn’t seem to give into customers demands as she did. Their business wasn’t affected, and they must be making more of a profit than she was with this strategy of hers. 

    Even with the churning of her stomach, she had come to a decision. She would tell her no. Just a simple no. Yet that singular word seemed so large even when it was only one syllable. Penelope wrung her hands together, nerves eating away at her mind.

    Before she knew it, the three hours were up. And Elenor came back for her loaves of bread. But what surprised Penelope was that she hadn’t caved into the anxiety coursing through her veins. She had not made a single loaf of bread for Elenor, and she would no longer serve her. 

    “Penelope! Dear I’m back and I am so sorry but I had to pay half of my Glifa to the butcher and now I only have four left. But I knew you would be understanding, as you always are,” Elenor announced as she walked in. She placed four Glifa on the counter, even though she claimed that’s all she had left her coin purse still seemed full and jingled louder than a bag of bells. 

    Penelope cleared her throat and muttered, “I am sorry Miss Elenor, I was not able to fulfill your order, nor will I be filling any others for you.”

    “What was that? Don’t mumble girl that is rude, it’s like you don’t care for your customers at all,” She said as she rolled her eyes.

    Penelope took a deep breath and looked Elenor in the eyes, “I said I wasn’t able to fill your order. And I will not be filling any others for you.”

    Elenor blinked “You mean to tell me you did not bake my bread you worthless-”

    She cut her off, raising her voice for what had maybe been the first time in her life. “You will not speak to me like that, you are no longer welcome in my bakery and I wish for you to leave.”

     “I am a paying customer!”

You have taken advantage of my kindness and you are not welcome here,” Penelope said, a determined look painted on her face. She scooped up the four coins Elenor had placed on her counter and handed them back to her. “Please exit my bakery or I will find someone to escort you out.”

     Elenor scoffed as she put the coins back into her bag. She mumbled angrily as she left the shop. After a few seconds of staring at the door Elenor had exited, Penelope let out a laugh. She had done it! She had really done it! She giggled some more, her hands shaking. She took in a breath, feeling as if she was only now breathing. 

     This would be the start of something new, she saw what she was capable of and there was no going back to allowing others to walk all over her. She would stand her ground with pride and confidence, even if her stomach churned and her heart raced at the thought of telling someone off. She stepped over to where she had set the vase with her rose. And Penelope hoped that Lenora would be a part of this new age as well.

The End 

     Elenor scoffed as she put the coins back into her bag. She mumbled angrily as she left the shop. After a few seconds of staring at the door Elenor had exited, Penelope let out a laugh. She had done it! She had really done it! She giggled some more, her hands shaking. She took in a breath, feeling as if she was only now breathing. 

     This would be the start of something new, she saw what she was capable of and there was no going back to allowing others to walk all over her. She would stand her ground with pride and confidence, even if her stomach churned and her heart raced at the thought of telling someone off. She stepped over to where she had set the vase with her rose. And Penelope hoped that Lenora would be a part of this new age as well.

The End 

     Elenor scoffed as she put the coins back into her bag. She mumbled angrily as she left the shop. After a few seconds of staring at the door Elenor had exited, Penelope let out a laugh. She had done it! She had really done it! She giggled some more, her hands shaking. She took in a breath, feeling as if she was only now breathing. 

     This would be the start of something new, she saw what she was capable of and there was no going back to allowing others to walk all over her. She would stand her ground with pride and confidence, even if her stomach churned and her heart raced at the thought of telling someone off. She stepped over to where she had set the vase with her rose. And Penelope hoped that Lenora would be a part of this new age as well.

The End