Bonnie Backstory (Patreon)

Ever since Bonnie was little, she dreamed of running her own chocolate shop. She’d always had a sweet tooth, but it was more than that to her. It was the enjoyment people got, the happiness that seemed to go with eating a simple bar of chocolate. It was the perfect food, great for smiles and good times, as well as making you feel better when you might be a little down. No matter how she was feeling, a bit of chocolate or a sweet cake could pick her up. 

After leaving school Bonnie found herself a job working retail in a small food store. It was good at first, but soon the glamour seemed to fade in the face of working for an anonymous business. Her boss was halfway across the country and caring more for profit than the customers enjoyment. She wanted more than that, not just to sell but to be involved and put her love into what she made. Even in a world bent on restricting her’s and everyone else’s enjoyment of sweet treats, she was determined to bring a little more joy to it.

Handing in her notice Bonnie took the plunge, signing up for a year long pâtissière course she embarked on the next chapter of her life. It was here that she not only learned her incredible skills, but also met her would be partner. Put together by chance on a project they both soon realised that what they lacked individually, the other made up for. Bonnies love of the craft and people skills, complimented by a detail oriented and somewhat clinical approach. Even in their personal lives, her new partners confidence seemed to rub off on Bonnie and helped her become a little more confident in herself. Watching them defend their dishes during tasting reviews made her feel good about her skills, even if she doubted them sometimes.

Graduating with top marks, the pair quickly found funding to open their own chocolate shop in town. A dream come true for Bonnie who could now feel much more connected to her customers as they ate her delicious treats. Taking the front of shop role Bonnie was greeted with the happy faces of customers who were quickly drawn to the shop, due to their home-made goods in a world of mass-produced blandness. 

Unfortunately, after more than a year it became apparent that the chocolate making duo were not perfectly aligned in what they wanted. Bonnie was content to serve customers, doing it for the love of good food. However, her partner was seemingly more ambitious and unhappy to settle for their quaint little shop. Despite the customers only increasing in number (and size), the rift in their attitudes only seemed to deepen until finally it broke. After a final confrontation, her partner packed up her recipes and left, insulting Bonnie for her lack of ambition to change the world. 

Now with a chocolate shop to run on her own, the world had felt much less fun and much more stressful. The dozens of varieties of chocolates their customers had learned to love, dwindling too just a few. Worrying about keeping the shop open Bonnie would make her way to a local restaurant, hoping a nice meal would distract her. Perhaps there she could get some new ideas of how to turn around the store.