Now, after dinner and one too many glasses of wine, it was time for the cake. Michael brought it out and everyone started singing. It was the kind of rambling version of “Happy Birthday” that only family can make their own.
Close-up of a birthday cake | Source: Unsplash
Close-up of a birthday cake | Source: Unsplash
I smiled when Anna-Lee leaned towards me, speaking louder than everyone else, already ready to grab a raspberry.
“Not yet, sweetie,” I whispered to her. “We’ll take pictures first, and then you can eat all the cake and berries you want!”
I bent down to blow out the candles when I felt Sophie’s small hand close firmly around my wrist, then she tugged on my arm.
“Mom! Mom, you can’t eat this,” Sophie whispered, squeezing my hand even tighter. Her eyes were fixed on the cake, wide and unmoving.
A little girl wearing a pink sweatshirt | Source: Unsplash
A little girl wearing a pink sweatshirt | Source: Unsplash
The child looked like he had seen a ghost.
“What do you mean, darling?” I sat up slightly, completely taken aback by his tone.
“You can’t!” His voice was barely audible over the chatter.
“Sophie, there’s nothing stopping me from eating birthday cake. It’s my birthday, remember?” I chuckled softly, trying to coax a smile from her.
A pensive little girl | Source: Unsplash
A pensive little girl | Source: Unsplash
She didn’t respond with a smile. Her grip didn’t loosen.
“Elaine?” Michael’s voice boomed from the end of the table. “I forgot to bring the cake knife from the kitchen. Uh, where is it?”
I almost burst out laughing, it was so typical of Michael. I nodded at him and stepped away for a moment, excusing myself to go get him.
When I turned around, I saw Sophie’s face again, pale and trembling. Something stirred in my chest, but I pushed it away. She was six years old. Maybe she was silly or shy because of all the attention. My children tended to get overwhelmed quickly.
A knife block on a kitchen counter | Source: Unsplash
A knife block on a kitchen counter | Source: Unsplash
And then it happened.
Sophie rushed forward. With a quick, sharp movement, she grabbed the edge of the cake board and pushed it off the table.
The noise of the fall was deafening. The ceramic shattered. The glaze spread across the tiles in irregular streaks. The berries rolled across the floor like frightened insects.
Muffled screams erupted. Anna-Lee’s mouth opened wide as she looked at her big sister. My father’s chair jerked back.
A broken plate on the floor | Source: Unsplash
A broken plate on the floor | Source: Unsplash
“Sophie, what the hell is going on?!” Michael’s voice cut through the silence.
“Sophie?! Why did you do that? Darling? What happened?” I stared at the mess.
“I just saved your lives. All of you! ” she shouted.
And just like that, the room fell silent again. It wasn’t the stunned, confused silence of a few moments ago… it was heavier. It pressed against the walls, settled on shoulders, and filled the spaces between breaths.
Shocked woman with hand over mouth | Source: Pexels
Shocked woman with hand over mouth | Source: Pexels
Even the twins, who are usually impossible to keep still, stopped fussing.
My heart was pounding. Sophie had never screamed like that before. She’d never panicked like that either. Sure, she felt overwhelmed by crowds… but never like this .
She was my quiet child, the one who drew rainbows in the corners of her notebooks, who tiptoed around puddles instead of jumping in them, and who asked permission before taking the last cookie.
A cookie on a plate | Source: Pexels
A cookie on a plate | Source: Pexels
“You saved us… Baby, from what ?” I lowered myself next to her, forcing my voice to remain calm.
I didn’t want her to think she was in trouble. I needed her to tell me the truth.
My daughter’s hands were sweaty as they gripped mine. She glanced around the table, her gaze passing each face before settling, fixed and certain, on one person.
My sister-in-law, Lisa.
A surprised woman wearing a black t-shirt | Source: Pexels
A surprised woman wearing a black t-shirt | Source: Pexels
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