The Chocolate Cupcake Caper

Written by PIP Writer

“Surprise!”

Paula was startled as she walked through the door. Amidst the colorful balloons and fluttering streamers, she was, in fact, surprised. Her cheeks had already been flushed by the hot July weather. Now, her skin color was nearing tomato-red.

Again the crowd shouted, “Surprise! Happy birthday!”

Paula smiled. She was gleaming at her co-workers. “Thanks everyone!” she exclaimed. “It’s so nice that you guys thought of me.”

“No sweat,” replied Paula’s boss, Mr. Bento. “You’re a hardworking girl who deserves to have a wonderful birthday. Except, I hope you don’t mind that there’s no cake. You know that I’m on a strict diet!” He winked at her and blew his party kazoo.

“Yeah, you’ve definitely earned it,” added Luis. His warm smile caught Paula’s eyes.

Paula blushed. She had always had a crush on Luis. His thick black hair formed a beautiful beacon to his sparkling blue eyes. His chin was cut to perfection and his pale white cheeks reminded her of royalty. “Gee, thanks ... I don’t know what to say,” Paula managed to stammer.

“Stop wasting time already! We can’t party all day and you know it,” interrupted Julianna. Her lips curled into a sneer, “There’s work to be done, after all. So I suggest that we let her open the gifts.”

The remark was cutting. Paula looked down and frowned. It seemed that Julianna’s only goal was to make sure that work was done fervently and in a timely fashion. Though she herself was small (under four feet tall), Julianna’s attitude was not.

“We’ll get to work eventually,” Mr. Bento announced. He had a smirk on his round face. “But first, let’s party!”

Paula shrugged and giggled as she began to unwrap her presents. She opened up a new watch, some candles, a set of dishes and an old spatula.

“That spatula is going be worth hundreds of dollars as an antique some day,” said a feeble, yet excited voice.

Paula turned and grinned at Geraldine. The white-haired woman smiled at Paula, revealing her pearly white teeth.

“Here’s my present,” said Luis, as he placed it into Paula’s hands.

“Wow! Look at the size of that cupcake. I love it! Thanks so much!” Paula gave Luis a hug, “I can’t wait to sit down and eat it.”

“That’ll have to be at lunchtime,” said Mr. Bento, as he blew the party kazoo one last time. “We really do have to get a move on today’s work.”

“He’s right,” said Julianna, as Mr. Bento left the room. “Looks like you’re going to have to be a responsible adult and work hard for a change.”

Paula sighed. Her other co-workers helped her pick up the room. Then, Paula placed the cupcake in a paper sack, and stood on her toes in order to reach the top shelf. She put the bag up on the shelf as far back as she could reach and left the room.

When noon finally arrive, Paula jumped up from her computer. Missing breakfast made working through the first shift very difficult. As a result of her hunger pangs, she briskly walked to the office kitchen with her mind set on devouring the birthday cupcake.

Paula stopped. She looked down to see nothing but a few moist chocolate crumbs sitting peacefully on the table. She sighed out of frustration. Mr. Bento walked in, “Holy smokes kiddo. What seems to be the matter?”

“My cupcake is gone,” cried Paula. “I’m so disappointed. Do you realize just how long I have been waiting to eat it?”

“Oh, that’s too bad,” he replied. “Consider yourself lucky, that cupcake was probably over 300 calories!”

Paula looked at Mr. Bento’s round belly. Her eyes seemed to accuse him of stuffing himself full of her birthday treat. Mr. Bento noticed this, “Of course I didn’t take it,” he replied.

Paula thought for a moment. Then, her face grew angry. She ran to the back of the office where Julianna and Geraldine worked. Julianna didn’t even look up from her typing when Paula entered, but instead rolled her eyes. This caused Paula’s voice to erupt, “Why did you eat my cupcake?”

Julianna snapped back, “I didn’t take your cupcake. I haven’t even looked up from my computer all morning. There’s work to be done and I’m much too busy completing it.”

As the two rivals glared at each other, Geraldine walked into the room sipping from her coffee mug. “What’s wrong,” she asked.

“Oh nothing,” replied Julianna. “Paula is just accusing me of stealing her cupcake, when she knows full well that I am way too busy with work to commit such a silly crime.”

“You did too steal it,” Paula shot back.

“Well, I didn’t do it either,” offered Geraldine. “I forgot my teeth this morning and wouldn’t be able to chew it! She smiled at Paula to reveal her toothless gums. Geraldine then thought for a moment. “You put it in a paper bag, didn’t you?”

“Yes.”

“Then, I know who took it. Follow me, honey.”

Geraldine led Paula and Julianna down the hall and into Luis’s cubicle. She pointed at the wastebasket. Inside next to a few old newspapers and some used scotch tape was the brown paper bag.

Paula gasped. Julianna let out a satisfied sigh.

Luis, flushed and saturated in sweat, entered the room.

“You thief!” cried Julianna. “How dare you eat Paula’s cupcake!”

Luis looked perplexed. He quickly got defensive. “How could I have? I haven’t been here all morning. I just got back from running errands. Besides, why would I steal the present that I got for her?”

Paula looked saddened and confused. All of her co-workers had an alibi, and she didn’t know who had wronged her. (… Or did she?)