Chapter 26 - The white-rose cake
Three years after the birthday, Lily turned nine.
She planned the party herself.
Within limits.
“Twenty kids.”
“Ten.”
“Fifteen.”
“Twelve.”
“Fourteen.”
“Thirteen.”
“Deal.”
Negotiator.
Backyard again.
Different decorations.
No wedding invitations.
Thank God.
Maria came early.
My parents.
Rachel and her son later.
Thirteen children.
The cake arrived.
White frosting.
White sugar roses.
I stared.
Lily saw.
“You’re doing the face.”
“What face?”
“The birthday cake face.”
“I do not have one.”
Maria laughed.
“You absolutely do.”
Lily stood beside the cake.
“Dad.”
“Yeah?”
“It’s cake.”
“I know.”
“You know what you say.”
Apparently I had been trained.
“Objects return to being objects.”
Maria stared.
“What kind of therapy cult are you two in?”
Lily laughed.
At candle time, she leaned forward.
Blew out nine.
Everyone cheered.
Rachel’s son jokingly lifted one cupcake.
Lily looked at him.
“Don’t.”
He lowered it.
“Okay.”
No drama.
Boundary given.
Boundary heard.
That may have been the most beautiful moment of the party.
Later Lily cut cake.
Carried a slice toward Rachel.
My body tensed for half a second.
Lily knew exactly what she was doing.
“Would you like some?”
Rachel looked at me.
Then Lily.
“Yes, please.”
She took the plate with both hands.
Normal.
Lily grinned.
May you like
No test needed.
No one smashed anything.
