Chapter 6 — Sophie Chooses the New Cake Design
Rachel met them at the bakery entrance.
She examined the damage.
“We can fix this.”
Sophie looked worried.
“Really?”
Rachel smiled.
“Cake is much less dramatic than adults think.”
Daniel looked toward Vanessa.
Vanessa almost laughed.
Rachel removed the damaged frosting.
Rebuilt the side.
Replaced the sugar flowers.
Then asked:
“What do you want written here now?”
Vanessa immediately began:
“We could just restore—”
Then stopped herself.
She looked toward Sophie.
“Actually, you decide.”
Sophie stared at the blank section.
“Can Aunt Claire still be on it?”
Vanessa smiled sadly.
“She’s not arriving until tonight.”
Sophie thought.
Then:
“Can it say ‘SAVE HER A PIECE’?”
Rachel smiled.
“Absolutely.”
She piped the words across a small gold plaque.
SAVE AUNT CLAIRE A PIECE.
Sophie smiled.
The party no longer needed to pretend Claire was arriving on time.
It could simply include the truth.
Claire was delayed.
She would come later.
They would save her cake.
Simple.
Vanessa stared at the repaired design.
“I spent three weeks trying to make this perfect.”
Daniel answered:
“It looks pretty good now.”
Vanessa shook her head.
“That’s not what I mean.”
She looked toward Sophie.
“I thought if Claire didn’t arrive, the surprise was ruined.”
“Then I thought if the cake got damaged, the party was ruined.”
“And I kept trying to protect the perfect version instead of dealing with what was actually happening.”
Sophie nodded seriously.
“That’s why you blamed me?”
Vanessa swallowed.
“Yes.”
Then:
“But that wasn’t fair.”
Sophie looked toward the repaired cake.
“It looks better now.”
Vanessa smiled faintly.
“The cake?”
Sophie shrugged.
“Everything.”