The Wonderful Bouquet

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO: Birthday

Andrew was sitting in the kitchen – a place most masters would not go. But no one in his household looked strangely at it. In fact, they found it normal that Andrew would sometimes enter the room to watch his wife bake.

She had started the odd custom before they were married, for she had always been friends with the staff. And when he learned of it, he could not deny he liked it. She was very good at baking, and she enjoyed it even more.

Melany, the cook, was watching Vicky and Alice's movement closely, for she did not want her kitchen to burn down. Though Vicky knew well what she was doing, Alice did not quite. She liked baking as much as her mother, and Melany loved the girl, but she was not as talented as them.

Andrew believed she could learn, and Alice was convinced of it. That is why no one forbade her to bake and why she offered to help Vicky whenever she could.

Louis did not have the love for it, just like Andrew. However – just like Andrew – he did enjoy spending time with them. And there was no denying that the time spent in the kitchen, was always a good time. All rules were thrown out the door, and cleanliness was not required.

"How much sugar does it need?" Alice asked, holding a big bag filled with sugar, ready to pour it into a bowl.

"You have already added the sugar, sweetheart," Vicky told her.

"No, I have only added salt."

Vicky turned to her, her eyes wide. "You added salt? I thought you were adding sugar!" She put a finger in the bowl and tasted the white substance in it. "Yes," she said, while making a face, "that is salt indeed."

"Is it wrong?" Louis asked, always entertained when mistakes were made.

"Very much so," Vicky said. "A cake barely needs salt – if it needs any at all."

"Can I eat it?" Louis asked excitingly, probably hoping for delicious dough.

"Of course you can," Andrew said, trying not to smile too hard or his son would realize it was not delicious at all. Vicky shot him a look, but allowed Louis to take the bowl and dip his finger in the substance. Quickly he spit it back out and said: "bleh! That is disgusting!"

Andrew, Vicky and Alice laughed, and though Louis still had the disgusting flavour in his mouth, he too laughed at the situation.

After everyone was ready laughing, Melany walked to them with a new bowl and placed it on the table.

"Thank you," Vicky kindly told her, before taking the right bags again and filling the bowl with the right amounts – and the right things.

Twas Andrew's birthday today, and this afternoon, their family was coming to celebrate it with him. Vicky would often make cakes and biscuit – almost every day – but today she was attempting a big cake for everyone to be able to enjoy.

It took them a few hours to finish the baking and start decorating the cake. Vicky allowed Alice and Louis to do so, then she walked to Andrew. He wrapped his arms around her, but she pushed him away and whispered: "I will go up the stairs and lay down on the bed for a while."

She rubbed her belly, and Andrew understood she was feeling the pain come up again. Though she would not often tell him she was in pain, she hated breaking down in front of the children. Those were the only moments she told him, but she did not want to say more than necessary.

So with a nod, Andrew allowed her to go up the stairs and motioned for her lady's maid, Sophie, to walk with her. He could not ignore the uneasy feeling he had in his belly. In a few weeks, she was about to give birth, and the pain only came more frequent – as did his worrying.