Delacroix Bakery was quiet, due to the lunch rush having threaded out of sight after one thirty rolled through. Noel Delacroix was watching the door sternly, carefully, under intense dark brows, his fingers working the tank of what seemed to be a hookah-like item. It was a smoking alternative that was getting big around town now, and he'd been picking it up instead of actual, stinking cigarettes. At least these vapor alternatives had sweet scents and flavors. But he wasn't focused on that. He was watching the door. Since Jeanie had left yesterday morning to visit her parents the next town over he'd been rather concerned. Concerned on a level possibly not associated with the spouse of the vanished individual. They'd been on rather shaky terms for more than half their marriage, turning from friends to silent resentment and mutual ignorance. Jeanie was flighty, though, and she was known to spend at least a couple days at her parents, with whom she was very, very close. He didn't doubt they talked about him, but it didn't matter much. Whatever they assumed, they assumed---he couldn't stop that.

Noel quietly regarded the door as it was opened, and looked at Mark, his friend who acted as his numbers man. Since Noel failed math in every way that could be conceived, he had to rely on his childhood friend to do everything he couldn't. While he was more technical of the two, Noel was the baker. The building that had his name was famous on the shaded road it was located on for its freshly baked cakes, pies, breads, and other sweets, everything made that morning and continued to be made throughout the day as it ran out. Mornings, afternoons, and evenings were his busiest time, but he had his usuals mill around and spend an hour or two grazing and drinking warm drinks that he tended to make up at their requests. He wasn't needed here---his runner was out delivering the daily usuals, and Mark was manning the register. But something was keeping Noel from leaving and going to the kitchen.

"Noel." Mark said suddenly, having finished ringing up the customer and watching them leave. "Noel."

The second time he registered, looking up and blinking. "Huh?"

"Relax."

As if it were that easy. Noel snorted and rolled his eyes, bringing the black tip of the hookah-type vaporizer to his lips and breathing in the strawberry-flavored vapor. "Whatever..." He sighed, and looked down at his left hand. The ring was still there. Why he hadn't taken it off when things started going sour was beyond him, but old habits did die hard.

Alexis Adler toweled himself off after stepping out of the pool. Water ran in streams from his short blonde hair and he rubbed the towel through it so that it would dry with the usual tame wave. He padded to the locker room and changed into a thin shirt with a pale blue trimmed white jacket over top. He lost track of time swimming laps until he missed lunch. He could live with that. It would be an excuse to visit his favorite bakery for a snack on the way home.

He had the look of someone young and still fresh out of high school, but he was already in his final year of college and at the start of a wonderful sports career if he could win his next race. Swimming kept his mind calm from the daily frenzy unlike anything else. The second he stepped onto the autumn colored street, he felt the frenzy come back. None of these people were happy. He knew what happiness was though. If they'd let him in, he'd bring them all happiness too.

The town had a novelty feel to it, like something out of the movies. Shops crowded together and kitsch displays shone from out the windows. He loved this town at the same time he hated it. The true gift of the place was how small it was, so five minutes from the pool and he stood in front of Delacroix bakery. Alexis pushed open the door and stepped into the warm interior. He spotted the baker and a childish smile flashed over his face. He watched the man smoke for a second before he walked to the front to look at the various foods. "I don't know what to order today," he said with a long sigh and a pout. He tilted his blue eyes over to Noel. "What does the baker recommend?"

Noel yawned and brushed the coppertone hair out of his face---he woke so early in the morning that by lunchtime he was feeling sleepy. Those in his line of work had to wake very early, sometimes at midnight, but he decided three in the morning was more his speed. He could busy himself baking late into the morning and spend time talking to regulars and hanging around in the front of the store, but now he had little to distract himself from wondering where Jeanie went. Sure they were't on the best terms, but he did care about her. Normally she'd send a curt little text saying she was okay and when she'd be home. But his phone hadn't buzzed all day. Not at all yesterday either. He twisted the ring on his finger and sighed. "Hey." Mark said at last. "She's fine. Relax."

"Think she finally ran off?" Noel asked as he put the tip of his e-cig to his lips again and drew. "Think she... got tired of it and just left?"

"Do you think that?" Mark asked, crossing his arms.

"Dunno." Noel huffed. "She didn't take much. Overnight bag. Didn't even take her car. You'd think she would." He shrugged and shook his head. "Ah, well... I'll give it one more day then... then I'll try to call the cops." Mark nodded and went back to writing something beside the register as the front door opened again. Noel looked up and smiled at the familiar face. Alexis, a very solid regular of his. Before he could reply, Mark did:

"What's he recommend? Pff, he'd recommend everything!"

"Shut up." Noel stood upright and pocketed his e-cig. "Well, I decided to start selling those cheddar-and-bacon croissants permanently since they were so popular last month." He said, smiling and pointing at the group of half-moon shaped pastries at the far right. "Or you want something sweet instead? Just made up some new cakes, one's really dense." He indicated the covered plate on the top of the counter, where little personal cakes sat in a small circle. They were all nearly black, sprinkled with white, and topped with a triangle of semisweet chocolate.

Alexis smiled just from hearing Noel's voice. The other man always sent a warm tingle through him without having to do anything. It was love. It was why Alexis came to a bakery and bought sweet foods he didn't like, but somehow loved because of who made them. He would do anything for a person he loved. Anything. A truly childlike smile flashed over his face at that thought before he turned his attention to the foods that Noel was pointing out. "They both sound really yummy. I'll have a plain croissant and one of the bacon cheddar ones, then one of those cakes then. Since they look so cute," he said with a chuckle.

He didn't look much like a person who could eat a lot, but swimming had a way of making a person hungry enough to snarf down a couple croissants without pause. Alexis wondered if he should stay around the bakery today. He had an obligation elsewhere, but suddenly it seemed much less important. His school councilor could wait. It wasn't like the guy would understand Alexis anyway. No, Alexis wanted to spend today with Noel and perhaps hear a little news.

He was still sleep deprived from the little trip he took last night and he wanted to know if it made Noel happy. Alexis was a very good listener, so he knew how unhappy Noel's marriage was. Really, Alexis helped him end it out of love. No one would find her at the bottom of the lake. Everyone would think the wife just ran off and Alexis would be there, right by Noel's side to help him get over it. Dying wasn't so bad anyway--it was what everyone ultimately longed for and the purest expression of love. Everyone should be so fortunate to die in order that love go on.

Noel laughed a bit, nodding and bending low to retrieve a flat box and a smaller one. "Wonderful." He said, pulling a glove over his left hand to handle the items he placed inside their respective boxes. He set it on top of the counter and wrapped one of the small cakes in its own tiny box, placing it in the larger one. The prices were written, with tax, on cards in front of each item, so it was rare actual prices were spoken between patrons unless it was a special order or a large mix of things. He didn't bother taping the box like he usually did and Mark was nearby, ready for Alexis' payment.

The door opened and a familiar face appeared wearing a black shirt with the business's logo on the front and back, a sugared rose with the bakery name emblazoned along the bottom in easy-to-read font. "Hey, Will, got the deliveries finished?" Noel asked, straightening up.

"Yep, and I got a guy that wants to talk to you tomorrow. He gave me his cell number for you to call, wanted to set an appointment to talk about things up."

"Yeah, sure." Noel leaned over and took the offered paper, folding it and sliding it into his pants pocket. He looked back to Alexis and smiled. "How's your swimming?" He asked with genuine curiosity. Since Alexis had started coming in they would talk bout just about everything, and he'd found some form of solace in talking about his doomed-from-day-one marriage. It had kept him sane, to confess everything to someone that wouldn't judge, and somehow make a rather sturdy friend out of it at the same time.

Alexis took a moment to count out the money and placed in on the counter. He reached for the boxes right when the door open. Alexis turned and had to keep a frown off his face at the interruption. It didn't last long though and he turned back to Noel as he stepped out of the way and pulled out the plain croissant to pick apart with his fingers and eat. It made him happy every time Noel asked about his life. Of course Alexis was used to asking and listening to everyone's stories, but he got a wonderful sense that his love would one day be reciprocated at moments like this.

"Swimming has been going really great. An agent has his eye on me. If I win my next race, I might have a chance to go pro," he said with his usual bright smile. He had the sort of face that made others trust him instantly. His wonderful listening skills helped that. Alexis had few passions in love besides love and swimming. Helping other was the one other thing that brought out such a bright smile.

He tilted his head as he looked at Noel. "How are things with you though? You look tired and tense. I'd be glad to listen when you've got a free moment." It wouldn't do for Noel to beat himself up over his wife since it wasn't his fault.

Noel returned the smile as Alexis spoke so highly of his hard work. Noel had succeeded more or less already, and he was always egging friends on to keep their ideas going. They didn't always succeed but Alexis sounded like he was going somewhere fast. "That's great, Alex---sooner or later you'll be leaving this little place behind." He looked past Alexis for a moment, outside. The air outside was cool and the streets were calm, but there was a warm, close, homey feel to the place. It was right outside a larger city but the town had the feel of going back a ways in time. And Noel could tell there were dreams rather large in Alexis's mind and body. He just didn't fit the place.

When Alexis brought up how Noel looked, he grimaced and absently reached into his pocket again, twisting the metal and plastic tube in his hand and staring at it. "Uh... Yeah, I guess..." He glanced at the watch on his left wrist. "I guess I got a little time. Mark can help with whoever comes in..." He went quite, using that moment of speculation to take a slow puff on the e-cig, glad that the vaporized nicotine had a pleasant, natural strawberry overtone. "I've been worried about Jeanie since she left." He said, breathing out and resting against the counter. "She usually at least texts if she's gonna be gone longer than a day or two. I called earlier, but no answer. I dunno if she just... left, or what. She always said she'd leave someday, and I always said I wouldn't stop her if she wanted to..." That had been mutual. While neither loved one another Noel and Jeanie were still on friendly terms. Jeanie wanted to travel, and Noel was prepared to give his blessing on that road, whenever she decided to start down it.

Noel shook his head. "God, sorry 'bout that. I guess I rambled a little bit there... Quand vais-je apprendre?" Alexis was simply too easy to talk to. That smile tended to lure people in to spill everything they were holding back.

A smile ghosted over Alexis' lips at what Noel said. He had no intention of ever leaving this town behind. There was too much here for him to even consider that yet. He never told people his reasons and it had so much more to it than just wanting to be near people like Noel. Even if he had to leave for a while to chase his dreams, the place he grew up in would always be home. Breathing in deeply, he let himself relax into the conversation and the smells of the shop.

Alexis listened carefully. His head nods and 'hmms' were all meaningful instead of just the usual responses without thought that people gave to a speaker. Alexis cared about what others had to say after all. He finished eating his croissant and moved on to the cake, though he had to fight back a wince at the sweet taste. He looked too much like someone who would love sweets with his childish air, but he never liked them. Even as a kid. The one's Noel backed though were the best he ever had. He could eat them all day when normally he would throw such a thing straight in the trash. Alexis let himself smile in understanding. "It's alright. I said I wanted to listen," he quickly stilled Noel's apology.

"She left? But maybe this is a good thing. You both deserve the chance to be happy. Who knows...maybe she just dropped her phone in the lake and couldn't text!" he chuckled at the truth in the little joke. Phone and everything else, down down to the bottom of the lake. Could the situation get any better?

[justify]Noel was quiet for a time. He was glad Alexis actually wanted to listen, actually cared about his overall petty worries and fears. Jeanie had always had a flighty heart, and marriage just wasn’t for her. Once she had thought it was. It was quickly evident that it hadn’t been right. Ever since then Noel had felt as if he were the one holding her back. Chaining her. Her breaking away and going to her family for a few days was just a tiny vacation. Something she could enjoy on her own, feel free to do what she wanted again. Maybe she’d finally had enough. Maybe she just wanted to leave everything behind to start completely unhindered by anything that tethered her to life as it was.

“Maybe...” Noel echoed his thoughts, then shook them away, looking up to Alexis and smiling. “I guess... I guess it’d be nice if she’s doing what she wants... But I should call her mom tomorrow to make sure she’s okay... I just need to know, just... so I don’t worry.” That was Noel’s problem. He didn’t know. And if he didn’t know, he’d think the worst. That was his problem; Noel needed to make sure people were okay. Needed to make sure they were safe. Jeanie was still a friend, after all, even if they didn’t make a good---or compatible---couple.

“Glad you stopped in, Alexis.” Noel said, looking up and smiling at his friend. “I guess I needed to talk about it...”

“And he totally couldn’t talk to me or Will.” Mark said from his newspaper. Noel wrinkled his nose at the man and ignored the snide comment.[justify]

Alexis felt sure Jeanie was happier now than she had been. Noel too. He didn't say that though. He just nodded his head and made a noise of sympathy. "I'm sure she's just fine. I know you care, but if she did leave, it's not much your problem anymore," he said before falling silent again. Noel would call and then suspicions would start to flare. There was no evidence though...right? When they didn't find a body, everyone would assume she ran away. Alexis didn't think his actions that far ahead. He just did it. The lake would wash every bit of evidence away like it did on tv. Jeanie was his first true murder, but he was the careful sort. It never occurred to him that he might be caught because really, was what he did so wrong?

Chuckling, Alexis waved off Mark's comment. "It's because I like to listen." He planned to linger longer and leaned forward against the counter to consider something else to eat. Just as he did so though, his phone rang. The noise was so disturbing in the quiet bakery that he felt he had no choice but to answer. Busted--the counseling office. He let out a sigh. Apparently when people missed meetings, it was a minor crisis.

"I have to go. I'll stop by again soon though. Bye Noel, I hope talking helped." He waved and backed out of the bakery with a wide grin. It took everything in him not to shout out 'I love you', but he would save that for later. When things settled down again, he would.

He just nodded. "Maybe." Maybe it wasn't his problem anymore. Maybe she was free. Maybe she was on the road somewhere with a packed bag and some money from her parents, intent on starting her own life somewhere else. On the east coast, all the way across the country, the way she'd dreamed of and often talked about. Noel had never doubted that she would someday. This must have been the day. But he still wanted to make sure. He still wanted to understand where she was, if she was okay, at the very least. Then he would let her go.

The sound of a phone ringing startled Noel, and even Mark, who looked up quickly from his paper and blinked around for the source of the noise, then returned to his article. Noel nodded slowly. "See you soon, Alex." He said with a smile. "I look forward to it." He added before the door closed, and turned to rest against the counter, twisting the metal chamber of his e-cig in his hand.

"How much does your walk-in psychiatrist cost?" Mark asked, folding the paper and setting it beside the register. "I got some mommy issues I need to work through."

"Just because your mommy was a raging bitch doesn't mean you can steal my psychiatrist." Noel pointed out. "Just go to her grave and pour rat poison on it, that should help."

Mark sighed dramatically. "I've already tried that, but she just keeps coming back. Maybe I should get an exorcist..."

Noel snorted, strolling back into the kitchen as a small group entered so Mark could flail around with the mass order.

Alexis hurried away with his feet heavy. He really didn't want to go to his meeting, but he answered the phone. They knew he was available and he didn't need attention thrown his way again. He hated when people looked at him as if under a microscope. Alexis didn't need their help.

He headed back to the campus, making it there in much more time than it took for him to walk to the bakery. With each step away, his good mood turned into a quiet one as it so often did when he left the bakery. It was a real pity that he had to leave so soon. When he made it to his meeting, two people were waiting for him. They talked. He sat in a cheap plastic chair and let the conversation go past him. He offered all the right smiles and nods that were so different from how he really listened to people her cared about. They were concerned with him. He got impeccable grades, not quite top of the class material, and he swam seriously. He had friends among every group of people, but somehow the school psychiatrist still worried.

Alexis was fine though. He always had been and always would be. Tomorrow would be an even better day. He'd go back to the bakery and he'd try to spend as much as possible there. He headed back to the pool then and let himself fall into the warm water with his eyes closed.

Mark came into the kitchen and huffed, flopping onto the chair near the door. "You're running low on vanilla lavender macaroons." He said, tipping the chair back and leaning against the wall. "And cinnamon bread."

Noel looked toward the man and nodded. "Sure." He stretched, looking toward Will. "Can you take stock on the floor? Make sure everything else is well stocked for the evening rush and then move onto the rest? I... think I need to get out of here for a bit."

"No problem, boss." Will said, removing the smudged black apron and setting it on one of the stainless steel counters. Mark studied Noel carefully, pushing the chair back onto all four legs. "You gonna be okay?"

Noel shrugged and sighed. "I dunno. It's easy to... think about anything having happened."

"I know, Noel, but you gotta calm down. Take it easy, go to the park and breathe a little. I'll handle things and call you if the place explodes." Mark snickered, and Noel rolled his eyes, going out the back door and breathing in the air. It was cool, and rather humid. When he left the alley, he emerged into the shade of the changing trees, which gave the world a golden-red tone, almost surreal. It looked good. Beautiful, really.

Some time late in the day, Alexis headed back to his on-campus apartment. Normally only freshman stayed living on campus, though there was dorm and apartment type housing available for older students. He might have moved to another place as well, but the apartment here was cheaper than anywhere else in town. So what if it didn't have a dishwasher and he had to carry his laundry to another building entirely? He didn't have a housemate and that's what counted.

He slept for a few hours--his usual schedule-before waking at dawn the next day. When he headed out, the cool morning light filtered through the colored leaves in a storybook sort of painting. With clean fresh air and barely any cars or people out, it was almost too much for Alexis. He didn't mind the fanciful setting this time because he was in a fanciful mood. Before going to class, he decided to stop by the bakery. It would be busy by the time he showed up so he wouldn't have the chance to chat probably, but he could come back in the afternoon. Just seeing Noel would be good enough. He was most concerned with breakfast.

He took his time walking the scenic route and pushed open the bakery door thirty minutes later.

Noel walked until his mind was calm, then returned to the bakery right before the evening rush. He was lost in the insanity of the dozens at a time, running out of most of the stock. They had to close early, and Noel let Mark and Will off the hook. When he returned home, he went to the bedroom and pulled the closet open. The place had been decorated fully several years ago in a mixture of earthy and water-based tones, brown, green, tan, and aquamarine. It soothed the stress of the day. Noel's home was full of plants of cool colors that he tended to lovingly, easing him out of the hectic day's events.

But he didn't sleep well when he finally did, waking several times and finally giving up on the prospect altogether. At nearly three in the morning Noel was in his kitchen, restocking for the morning and surprising Mark when he came in. When Will arrived, they opened for the day and Noel remained in the front, helping slice the line in half so Mark wasn't overwhelmed and there wasn't a long wait. He was sleepy, and it probably showed when some of his regulars asked if he was okay. He just nodded and offered a small smile, boxing or bagging up their selections and using the lockbox to handle the money exchanging hands.

When Alexis entered, he was mildly surprised; he didn't usually come in during the morning rush. "Hey Alex... How's it going?" Noel stifled a yawn as he ducked below the counter to pull some flat boxes out.

When Alexis saw Noel, his expression immediately brightened into a smile. He offered a half wave as he stepped into the line. Alexis was always a morning person, but he hated when he had morning class. Normally he had swim in the mornings and he never ate before swimming. He could make his body work early, but his mind tended to lag and his thoughts stayed elsewhere in the clouds. He could barely keep his head out of the clouds now.

"Morning, Noel. I have a test so I thought I'd eat something. Gods you look tired though..." Alexis couldn't say he was surprised. Ah, if only he had time to chat. There were so many people around and he had to stand around in line. He glanced at his watch with the sort of pout he'd normally only wear when trying to be cute, but right now he really was just concerned with the time. When he made it to the front of the line, he asked for a couple scones that he could eat while walking to campus.

Noel had to smile at the comment. At least it was kinder than Mark and Will's words. Mark had said he looked like he'd been steamrolled by Satan, while Will had just grimaced and pointed out the shadows under his eyes. When Alexis moved up and pointed out his request, Noel pulled a small paper bag from the roll at his side. "I am tired..." He sighed. "Didn't sleep well at all so I just came in at three this morning to start baking. Figure I'll call Jeanie's mom when the morning rush dies." He told Alexis the total while he rolled the top of the bag down and pressed a small sticker to it to keep it closed. "Better do well with your test since I only get to see you in the morning when you have to sit in a classroom." Noel smiled, setting the bag before Alexis.

Alexis just nodded his head with an understanding smile. He opened his mouth and very nearly said something he would regret. Just in time he caught himself and forced his head back out of the stupid love-filled clouds he lived on. He really wanted to hold Noel's hand and tell him everything would be okay, but he couldn't do that. Not now. "I'll probably be back this afternoon to pass the time before practice. You tell me how that call goes." He counted out his payment before taking the bag. He had no more time to stick around so he pouted again, this time very much to show off his cuteness. "I'll do well, don't you worry. See you later!" He raised his hand in a half wave before hurrying away. If he didn't hurry, he knew he wouldn't want to leave at all. Mornings were always hard like that, so hard to walk away.

Noel smiled, taking the money while he spoke. "No problem Alex. See you this afternoon!" He waved the young man away and turned his attention back to the gaggle in front of him. They were thinning out, finally, and he could breathe a little in between mixing with people in front and mixing doughs and batters in the back. When Mark called that he could relax for a few minutes, Noel let out a breath in relief and went outside through the back door, which led into the alley. He pulled out both his e-cig and cell phone, scrolling through the contacts list. He selected Jeanie's mother, Marianne, and put the phone to his ear.

The call didn't last long. Marianne liked him well enough but they never spoke for more than a few minutes. But he ended it quickly as his stomach flopped. Jeanie had never arrived. He swallowed hard and leaned against the wall. Illogical thought wanted to tell him that Jeanie was in awful danger. Kidnapped. Dead. Being held for ransom. More logical thought put her somewhere else. She was an adult, after all. She probably found someone she actually loved. But her mother had to have at least heard if that were the case. He breathed out a shaky sigh and stepped back into the kitchen. It was long enough to file a missing person's report, wasn't it? More than twenty four hours, if he wasn't mistaken. He sat beside the door in the folding chair he kept there. Will was out making deliveries again, so he was alone in the kitchen, where Mark so rarely ventured. He took a steadying breath and dialed the police.

The wall clock set out a steady rhythm of ticks, no tocks. Alexis kept waiting on edge for the tock to come because it sounded so wrong with the classroom filled with this steady tick, tick, tick, like it was building up to something. Calculus had a logic that made it easy to solve, the same way he could logically slice through water. Normally Alexis wasn't the sort for nervous habits, but he found himself chewing on his eraser while the time ticked away and his classmates scribbled furiously. Noel would be calling soon and then...then? Then what? This didn't change anything. He had to tell himself, no one knew. No one would know. He could keep being the shoulder to cry on just like he always planned.

Feeling his mood lift, he scribbled out the last few test answers and was one of the first out of the room. Swim practice wouldn't be until mid afternoon, but he grabbed a shake from the cafeteria and headed to the pool anyway. His teammates called it dedication, but in reality, he stayed near water so often because he loved the feel of water closing in over his head and the heavy weight pulling him down. Others swam to push the downward force away, but he swam to welcome it.

When some officers arrived, Noel put Mark in charge of the front with little room to explain what was going on. Mark took over as he usually did, but this time with a knitted expression on his face, full of curiosity and questions that had to be quelled for later. Noel had to work to keep a steady hand as he explained that Jeanie had been gone for a few days now, hadn't been answering her phone, and hadn't shown up to her parents' house since leaving.

"She does this often?" One of the officers asked, tilting his head in question.

"Yeah, I just told you that. She does it all the time but she's usually at her mom's place, she doesn't just... she doesn't tell me, she just goes."

"Are you two having trouble in your marriage at all, fights, distance, anything like that...?" The other officer piped in.

"Well, it was pretty much doomed from the start... We rushed into it, never really... figured anything out... We aren't exactly meant to be bound by a ring but we're still friends. It's just... she's wanted to get out for so long... She always talked about travel, flying away to a new place or marrying someone she loved as more than a friend. And I wanted her to... But she's just... nowhere. She wouldn't go off without telling her mom first!"

They jotted down note after note and Noel started to get frustrated, until they nodded and told him they'd start an investigation. He was relieved, until they mentioned that he'd probably be asked to come down to the station in the near future to answer some questions. Feeling numb, Noel went back into the shop and found a small corner to sit in.

The pool water made a blue haze from the other side of Alexis' goggles. He did lazy laps for ten minutes before he noticed a shadow above him as he did a turn. He grabbed hold of the pool edge to steady himself. Lifting his goggles, he grinned up at tanned boy squatting in front of him.

"Micky! I thought you had Journalism on Tuesdays!" Alexis exclaimed as he splashed water up at the younger boy who was already in his swim suit with goggles on top of his head. Micky grinned sheepishly.

"Skipped it. What about you? Don't you have anything better to do than swim all day? You'll turn into a prune!"

Alexis snorted and grabbed Micky's arm to yank him down into pool. "You and me both. I'm going to the bakery after practice," he said with a happy sigh.

"When are you going to tell that guy you love him?"

A pause. "Soon...soon."

Noel was staring at the opposite wall when Mark blocked his view. Shaking his head, he glared at the man and sat back in the uncomfortable chair. "Why are you blocking my riveting view of the wall?" He asked, breathing in a deep puff of strawberry scented nicotine-infused vapor and puffing it up toward Mark.

"What's going on, Noel?" Mark demanded sternly. "What'd you tell the cops?"

"What anyone would tell them after someone disappears. Everything I knew. Hell, I still don't know if they believe me or not. Why else would they want me to brace for more questions? They always suspect the family and spouses first, don't they?" He laughed bitterly. "Isn't that great? Yeah... great..." He shook his head and stared at Mark.

"Hey... Look, I dunno what you're thinking about but drop it. There's no use in stressing yourself more than you already are, get it? C'mon, come into the front, your appointment's coming in in, like, an hour." He pulled Noel up, and he sighed, nodding. Something---anything---to distract himself.

Alexis and Micky goofed off for a while before the rest of the team showed up along with the couch. Most of them were sports scholarship kids considering the swim program was surprisingly good here for a smaller school. They all turned serious when they got near water. It was like second nature. Running laps and checking technique, running more laps. Alexis was the standard they raced against. Freestyle sprints were his specialty since he didn't have the stamina for longer races. That left him tired in a blissful way by the time practice was over.

"Now remember, the race is Friday. I expect a record breaker from at least one of you," the coach said before releasing them to the locker rooms so they could shower. Afterwards, Micky clapped him on the back.

"Eat a chocolate scone for me will ya?" he said. Alexis waved him off with a grin before heading toward the bakery. Why did no one know he hated chocolate?

The guy came in at nearly two-thirty, and Noel was relieved for the distraction. He and the man, thirty-year-old Simon, sat in a pair of leather armchairs in the corner of the front of the bakery, and discussed a surprise for his fiance, whose birthday was in a week. He wanted a two-tier cake that would take at least half a workday to complete once everything was put together. She apparently loved chocolate, because Simon was listing various, rather expensive chocolates that he wanted to incorporate, but overall he wanted it to be elegant, lacy, like the wedding dress she had fallen in love with. As Noel wrote down the necessary notes, he was given a picture of the dress as well, which was tucked into the notebook.

Will came in as Simon left, a little smirk on his face. "Hey, your lover's on his way down the street." He said, going around the counter to an assaulting glare and raised middle finger. Pulling himself up, Noel tucked the notebook under his arm and stretched. He didn't have allergy restrictions or some form of pickiness to work around, and beyond the dress, he had full artistic freedom, and a week to obsess and fret over everything from basic recipe to final design. At least he could take his mind off the oppressive environment he was thrust into when Alexis arrived.