Butter Honey Pig Bread

by Francesca Ekwuyasi

At the counter, a light-skinned woman with a gorgeous large orange halo of Afro stocked the display case with baked treats. She swayed slightly to the electronic rhythms pulsing on low volume from a radio on a shelf behind her. She flashed Taiye a wide smile to reveal a gap between her two front teeth, greeting her, “Hiya, you all right?” “Good morning,” Taiye croaked, her voice still laden with sleep. “I was told that you served a vitamin smoothie type thing, good for hangovers?” A coy smile. “Ah, yes! The Vitamin Aid.” The woman pointed to the chalkboard menu on the wall behind her. “Bit cold for smoothie, though, innit?” “Yeah, I was wondering if maybe you had a hot version or some kind of tea that works the same magic.” “You know what?” The woman tied her hair into a coily bun atop her head. “The real magic in the smoothie is ginger and ashwagandha infusion.” She took down a jar of what looked to Taiye like small grey wood chips. “We make a really strong tea with this, with some fresh ginger, and loads of lemon. It’ll be nice and hot.” She offered the same wide smile, and the only word that could come out of Taiye’s mouth was “yes.” Taiye stood at the counter and watched the woman make her tea.