The bell rings, and a familiar voice calls for me. “Hey Brian! It’s Rose. Have any new treats for me?”
Rose is my favorite customer. She’s also a therapist and deals with her difficult cases by a daily treat of chocolate. She and I agree that sugar is the solution to everything. Larry pops out behind the curtains and scares Rose. She jumps. “Brian, there’s a monster in the store!”
“Hi Rose! How’s Sprinkles doing? It’s been a while since I saw both of you.”
Rose stutters. “Uh…Sprinkles was the name of my cat when I was a kid. How do you know her name? Who are you? Why are you orange? Wait, why do you look familiar?” I see her chest noticeably rising up and down. Rose may be a therapist, but her panic is extremely apparent right now. I assume most therapists have it all together and don’t worry about anything. I was wrong.
Larry flashes his smile. The smile is walking a fine line of being serial killer-y and kind. Like an almost too kind, the kind you don’t believe someone can encompass.
He says, “Don’t you remember me, Rosie? I’m here to help Brian now. It’s time for his wishes; you already had yours.”
Rose’s eyes fill with tears. “Did you call me Rosie? No one’s called me that since my mom died last year…WAIT. LARRY?!!!!!!!!!!”
Rose begins to jump up and down. “I KNEW YOU LOOKED FAMILIAR! I CAN’T BELIEVE IT’S REALLY YOU!!!! I prayed to have you back, and now, you are. Twenty-three years later.” The two of them hug in a tight embrace. Her eyes are now full of as much happiness as when I made her extra sugar cookies at Christmas. I remember her blue eyes sparkled brighter than the lights on the tree. I fell in love with her then. Secretly, of course. I could never share my true feelings. I don’t want to scare her away.
Larry says, “Has it been twenty-three years? I mean, you’ve gotten taller, but you still have the same ridges in your face. They always made you look ugly.”
She reddens in the face and looks down.
I step in, “Dude, those are her dimples. Shut up. She looks beautiful…” The words slipped out of my mouth. Not even quicker than I wanted. I was going to tell her she was beautiful eventually, yet I didn’t want it to be so soon.
Now, I’m the one with the blushed cheeks. “Sorry, I mean…you are beautiful… But, yeah…” I look down at the floor, contemplating my first wish to be me disappearing into thin air.
She kisses my cheek. “Oh, Brian! You’re so sweet. I think you’re great, too. I’d call you beautiful, but…”
Larry puts his finger on her top lip. “Silence. Please. We need to move on with Brian’s wishes. I have a life outside of you two. I have many more poor souls to help.”
Rose beams. “You’re right! The wishes. What do you have in mind, Brian? Actually, no. Why don’t the two of you figure it out? I’m going to walk around. Find some sugar to heal me and my anxiety. A sugar solution, if you will.”
I got it.
I scream. “Rose!!! You’re a genius. I have my wishes, Larry!”
He matches my excitement. “What is it, Brian? What fun thing do I have to do now?” My head is racing with thoughts. I want to bring solutions to people with my sweets. Well, maybe not solve everything, but enough to bring comfort.
I take a deep breath. “Okay, so what if I wish for people’s biggest problems to be solved by my chocolates?
Larry’s eyes twinkle. “What an amazing idea, Brian. However, for this work, you need to be more specific. Humans could end up with three eyes like me. Don’t get me wrong, the three eyes are great. But you humans are so shallow. I mean, you can barely tolerate my orange skin.” I’d like to tell him his orange skin wasn’t the problem. It was more the appearing out of nowhere and creepy smile thing. But I’m not going to ruin this momentum. Especially because my heart is fluttering with anticipation of everything.
However, I need Rose’s help. She knows humans more than I do. I mean, she works with them every day in a capacity for their mental health. I fit a sugar need.
“Rose! Can I have your help? I need your brain.”
“Okay… you can’t have it, though. I didn’t get a PHD to have it stolen. You also don’t want the ’90s trivia– there’s a lot of Spice Girls information in here.”
She’s completely adorable. I avoid eye contact, so she doesn’t see my loving eyes looking at her. I can’t help it, for she’s the most beautiful person I’ve ever seen in my life. Larry giggles. “I remember helping Baby Spice with her three wishes. She’s funny– only wanted kittens, gold microphones, and bubblegum.”
Rose rolls her eyes, “Everyone knows Sporty Spice was the best Spice Girl. You should’ve gone with her first. Regardless, Brian, what’s your question?”
I think about the right things to ask. All I want to know is the setbacks people deal with and don’t talk about. I mean, with Rose obviously, since she’s their therapist, but you know, you have some things hidden.
I know I’ll never tell anyone I’m afraid of the dark. Or how much I fear staying stagnant. “Okay, so what are people’s biggest secrets? What do clients come in for? I need the top three. Please.”
She looks down, nervous to speak. “Our world is scary, you both know this. But living with mental health conditions makes it even more unbearable. Most of my clients deal with depression, bipolar disorder, and most common–anxiety. I mean, who doesn’t have anxiety these days? The food we’re given is all chemicals, we lived through a pandemic, and the news feels like a new nightmare every day…”
Larry hugs her. “Breathe, Rosie. All of this bad stuff won’t last forever. You’ve made it this far. Don’t let the humans get you down.”
I want to remind Oscar that Rose and I are, in fact, humans, yet I stop myself. Rose helps everyone else; she deserves special comfort.
She says, “Thank you. But mental health goes beyond other people. So much shame goes into having to put on a happy face and hiding your inner mood. How showering seems like a chore.
Or when your main kicks in and makes you feel more creative, when in reality, it stops, and you’re left completely exhausted. My clients have to deal with that every day. I’d give anything for them to see their power. These chocolates would be a miracle, Brian.” I, too, have found it daunting to wash my hair. Or have slept for twelve hours straight. These chocolates would’ve helped me. I must do this.
She stiffens up. “To answer your question, Brian. The three biggest things people want are: extra time during the day, one more moment with a loved one, and a day with no mental health problems. If you could find a way to put those into chocolates, you’d have a whole new business. Are you sure you’re ready for it?”
I grab her hand, “As long as you’re by my side, I can do anything. I love you, Rose. I always have, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner. Will you be mine?”
She blushes. “I love you, too, Brian. I’ve loved you in secret, too. I’d be honored to be your girlfriend.”
I swear the sun bursts through my body. I feel a sense of warm light hit every atom in my body. I didn’t know saying I love you could be so freeing.
Larry clears his throat. “Sorry to steal your thunder, buddy. But I need your three wishes. I’m completely exhausted.”
“I wish for three chocolates: an extra six hours to get stuff done, one for people to live a happy day all over again, to relive a happy moment with one dear to their heart, and one day of no mental health struggles. Larry, please make this happen. I want to change the world.” He nods his head. He hands me three recipe cards.
They state:
One More Mome-mint: mint chocolate to give you six more hours in the day.
Best Moment Bite: toffee chocolate to relive a moment.
When Life Gives You Lemons: lemon chocolate gives you one full day of no mental health struggles.
Before he leaves, Larry says, “Make me proud, Rosie and Brian. I’m proud of all your hard work. Keep moving forward.”
I’ve changed the name of the store to be a tribute to Larry, forever. He’s changed my life, and for everyone who buys the chocolate in the store’s walls. It’s no longer my chocolate, it’s our chocolate.
Our chocolate here at An Alien in a Candy Store. Here for all your sugar solutions.
