Emma's POV

When I was 10 years old, my parents and I had gone to the beach one Sunday morning. Dad was teaching me how to swim and mom was just enjoying herself, watching us by the shore. My dad and I were in the waters and suddenly, he was called by mom for something.

"I'll be right back princess, stay here, and don't get too adventurous with the water." He said before her went towards mom.

My feet was planted deep into the sand under the waters, but a huge wave thrashed against me and I lost my balance. I was swept further into the waters where I lost complete control over my limbs, and I was drowning. I felt like I was going to die. I thought I would never get to see the world again. That day, that moment, all the events in my life flashed before my eyes, my memories with my parents, my school life, My friends, everything. When you feel like you're going to die, you get a mini rewind of your life.

That's exactly what I was feeling now. The ruined wedding cake on the floor gave me the same terror I had experienced when I was drowning. I couldn't believe my eyes. My knees were getting weak, I was feeling light headed, I could hear my heart pounding in my ears, my whole body felt hot. I was at the verge of collapsing when a pair of strong arms held me. If I wasn't being held, I'm pretty sure I'd be on the floor, beside the cake. I was made to sit on a nearby chair and I could hear a faint voice. I couldn't decipher whose voice it was because there was a constant ringing in my ears. Slowly, the voice was getting familiar, after what seemed like hours, I could finally recognize the owner of the voice.

"Emma! Emma, listen to me baby." Jon said shaking my shoulders. I was slowly pulled back into reality. I look at Jon and gasp loudly, the gravity of the situation hitting me like a tonne of bricks. I ruined the cake. Everything is over. I ruined a girl's wedding, I was so clumsy that I put my bakery at risk. And all I did was cry out loud, like a maniac.

"Shhhhh......don't cry baby. Please look at me Emma. Sweetheart please stop crying." Jon pacifies me by holding my face to look at him.

"It's over Jon. I ruined the cake. I was stupid enough to think I could carry that to the freezer! I am such an idiot." I say hitting my head with my fist. I deserve to die at this point. How could I be so stupid?

"No Emma! Stop it." He says pulling wrists away so that I don't harm myself.

"Look baby, we got this okay? Please stop crying. I want you to calm down, Emma. Please for God's sake calm the fuck down!" He says raising his voice. I abruptly stop crying, I was afraid that I might anger him, but I did know that he raised his voice against me to shut me up and not because he was infuriated. Even though I was quiet, the tears were repeatedly falling down my cheeks. Jon lifts me and takes the seat I was sitting on, and places me on his lap. He puts my head on his shoulder and rubs my back. He mumbles sweet nothings into my ear to comfort me. Once I've calmed down, he holds my face.

"Look at me Emma." He says wiping off the stray tears.

"Do you remember the recipe?" He asks. I nod my head, unable to trust my own voice from breaking.

"Then we're gonna make it again." He says with determination.

"No Jon. We cannot. It took 6 hours to make it with the help of four people. We're still just two."

"By when should this be delivered?"

"Tomorrow, 1PM."

"It's just 9:30 now. If we want, we can make it. Trust me in this Emma, at least we can try. We shouldn't give up so easily. We can do this baby."

"B-But the ingredients are almost over. What is left, w-won't be enough for an entire cake. Everyone's hard work went down the drain because of me." I say whispering the last part.

"What happened has happened Emma. There is no point in crying over that. Think about what you can do next. You're not the one to quit so easily." The confidence and trust Jon has in me, has given me some hope.

"Okay, you're right. But all the ingredients are over." I say wiping my tears and standing up.

"Just make a list of it and I'll get it for you. I'll clean up this mess while you list out the things." He says as he starts cleaning up. I immediately write down the necessary items in a paper, and hand it over to him.

"If you're confused about anything just give me a call." I say as I wipe my hands down my apron, my hands get sweaty when I'm nervous.

"That's my girl. But before all this." He says, pulling me by my waist and smashing his lips on mine. He tilts my head to the side and kisses me harder, we pull away eventually, panting softly. I bet my donuts that my lips are swollen.

"Now, let's get to work." He says smirking. I blush deeply and clear my throat.

"I'll get going now. Lock all the doors and windows, don't forget to draw the curtains too. I'll give you a missed call when I'm out, open only when you're sure it's me." He says before kissing my forehead.

"We're in the safe side of the country you know?" I say teasingly.

"Just do as I say okay." He says glaring at me mockingly.

When he was off to the store, I cleaned up the remaining mess of the cake and prepared the ovens for baking. I don't know what I would've done if it wasn't for Jon. If it was someone else in his place, they would've scolded me for hours before thinking of helping me. But Jon, not once did he judge me for my clumsiness. He never even saw it as my mistake. I can't believe how a short tempered man like Jon, can be so patient with an exasperating woman like me. He handled the situation so well, way better than me at least. I do feel better now, but I still doubt if we can make it within the limited time. It's already 10:17 and there are just two people who are going to bake a three tier wedding cake which is due in just a few hours.

My thoughts were interrupted when my phone went off, Jon was calling me which meant he is standing right outside of the door. I moved the edge of the curtain to take a quick peek for my confirmation, before I answered the door.

"Hey babe." He says giving me a quick peck on the cheek and handing me the grocery bags. We immediately get to work. I assign Jon the menial work, such as whipping the cream while I take charge of the main ones. Once the three cake batters of different sizes were prepared, we put them into the oven and wait till it's baked. In the mean time, Jon makes coffee for the two of us. He pulls out a chair and takes a seat, before pulling me onto his lap. He rests his foot on a nearby chair whilst sipping his coffee. We had some leftover donuts which was baked fresh in the morning. He holds his cup in one hand while the other is resting on my waist.

"What were you even thinking babe?" He asks, his voice filled with amusement. Ugh God I was hoping he wouldn't ask me about this.

"Well, I thought that I could carry the cake to the freezer, but then there was a piping bag on the floor because of which I slipped and the cake in my hand........." I say, my panic attack starting to bubbling up within me.

"Alright alright. What happened has happened. You didn't mean to do that baby." He kisses my cheek and places my head on the crook of his shoulders.

"I'm dangerously clumsy." I say as I take another sip of my coffee.

"Or dangerously stupid." Jon says under his breath, hiding his smile.

"Jon!!!!!" I whine.

"I'm joking baby. You're not stupid." He says breaking into a fit of laughter.

"You better be joking." I mumble.

"It's okay to be clumsy, cupcake. Even if you mess things up because of your clumsiness, you will always have me to help you clean the mess up." He says smiling softly at me.

"I don't know how to thank you Jon. You've been so helpful. I don't know what I would've done without you." I say tearing up.

"Oh come on babe. I didn't do all the hard work so that I can see you cry in the end of it."

"I'm sorry." I say wiping my tears for the 56th time today.

"Are you hungry?" He asks, placing his hand on my stomach.

"A little, but we've got no time for that." I say, getting up as I hear the oven beep.

"We've always got time for that, is there anything here which is enough to make a sandwich?" He asks whilst searching my kitchen.

"Yes , but there is no time for that, Jon. It's already 2:30 AM and we've got plenty of things left to do!"

"Oh stop worrying so much will you? That lady's wedding cake can wait, but my Emmy's hunger cannot." He says as he begins to make a sandwich for the both of us.

This man.

After four hours and six cups of coffee, we finally finished the wedding cake. We couldn't sleep a wink last night. I tried my best to make it look exactly like the cake that was dropped. Apart from slight variations here and there, it looks precisely like the previous one. I hope that my staff members won't notice it. I don't want them to know about the whole incident. They all worked their butts off for this cake, telling them that I dropped it would make them despise me. This time, I made Jon put the cake in the freezer room, to be on the safer side.

I could see a hand approaching my way. That hand grasped my hair and swiftly pulled me out of the water.

"Emma! Princess? Are you okay?" My dad asks me as he carries me to the shore. I can see mommy running to our side with a worried look on her face.

"Emma! Are you okay baby?" She asks holding me to her chest. I nod, unable to speak.

That day, my dad was my helping hand, when I felt myself being drifted away from this world.

But today, Jon was the helping hand. He believed in me, when I couldn't believe in myself. He saved me from drowning. And that's when I realized, that I'll never be alone, as long as Jon is with me. I was way too nervous to have this cake delivered. So I asked him to accompany me to the venue with the cake, and he happily agreed.

****

"Hey Emma." The wedding coordinator greets me with a hug.

"Hey Jessica. Was I too late?" I ask. I can see from the corner of my eye, Jon grabbing a plate and filling it with various, delicious items available on the buffet table. What was I even thinking when I asked him to come with me?

"No no you were right on time dear. The cake cutting ceremony hasn't started yet." She says. I was completely indulged in our conversation when I suddenly hear a feminine voice.

"Oh my God Jon, is that you?" A beautiful, blonde woman asks Jon, with a surprised smile. Jon was hogging up the chicken lollipop from the starters tray when the woman called out his name. His facial expressions were mixed with that of surprise and annoyance.

"Eliot?" He asks swallowing the last piece of chicken.

Who is Eliot?