The Boy On The Mend ✓

viii. Birthday Cake

viii. Birthday Cake

I carried in the bag of ingredients I had bought earlier in the day and placed them all on the kitchen counter. I then took out a bowl and began measuring the needed ingredients using my collection of measuring cups.

It was the 12th of May, a day also known as Samuel's birthday, and I wanted to bake him a cake. It was partially because it was his birthday, partially because I wanted to bake, and partially because I thought it was only fair for me to bake him a cake as a 'thank you for saving my life' kind of thing.

He deserved way more than a cake for that, but I was working on that, so I just ignored it. I finished mixing the batter and poured it into the small round cake pan before placing it into the oven.

I'd left work a bit early just so that I could bake this cake for Samuel. I'd finished all of my main projects at work early anyway, so it didn't really matter that much how much time I spent at the office.

Speaking of work, I had talked to my boss a while ago about getting back to working from home. She was fine with me doing so as long as I stayed at the office until she was finished with the paperwork required for me working from home again.

I was lucky I went for this industry and not some other one where I wouldn't be able to work from home. I wanted to be able to take care of my daughter for as long as she needed to be taken care of once she was born since she wouldn't have her mother with her. Working from home was a better option for me, anyway since I knew that my company didn't offer paternity leave for some reason.

I wouldn't be working from home for forever, but doing so for now was a good idea.

My phone buzzed on the table and I picked it up and looked at the contact name. It was Pete. When Pete and I officially met, he pestered me for my number and I ended up giving it to him. He claimed it was because we were now 'friends', but I was sure it was because Samuel had gotten tired of the constant stream of memes that Pete sent and Pete needed at least one person to entertain with them.

Pete and I weren't really friends. I felt like we were acquaintances at most. We'd ever met twice after all. Besides, I didn't really want to let myself trust people too easily. I'd already slipped up with Samuel, and while I obviously didn't regret trusting him, I was still afraid.

I answered the call and pressed my phone to my ear. "Hey Pete," I said.

"Hey Benny," He said cheerfully. "Samuel isn't with you, right?"

I leaned back against the kitchen counter. "No. He's still at work. Wouldn't you know that though? You know, since you two are coworkers," I said. I was curious as to why he was asking me this.

"I haven't really seen him today because he had a bunch of house showings scheduled or something," Pete said casually. I heard him open a drawer and presumably dig through it to find something. "Anyway, I called you because I want to tell you to make sure Samuel is ready for Friday."