+++

I walked back into the kitchen with two empty plates, my mood a little lighter. I step in and looked around the table, seeing Noah sat in my seat as he ate. At my presence, everyone looks at me and gives a smile.

I return the smile and walk towards the sink, placing the plates in before spinning on my heels to face everyone. What I wasn't expecting was Noah already looking at me as he chewed this food slowly.

I stood there as we kept our eyes on each other. As a nervous habit, I bite my lip as I looked down at my black heels. I release my lip, letting out a sigh in return. Mum calls my name, making me look up at her,

"Baby, can you keep an eye on the little ones? We'll be done shortly"

I only nod, my eyes wondering back to Noah as I speak breathlessly,

"Sure"

+++

"Lily!"

Mum shouts my name. I look over my shoulder at the door, waiting for her to say something but nothing was shouted. I roll my head back as I let out a moan before speaking to the toddlers,

"Cupcake, handsome, I'll be back in a second, finish this off for me. Ooo and make it super super pretty for me okay?"

I tell the little ones. They look up giving me wide smiles and thumbs up. I stand, stretching as I walked back to the kitchen. I step inside, catching mum as she looks at me. I walk towards the counter on my right before pouring myself a glass of wine. Taking a sip, Zoe calls out,

"Sweetheart would I be able to get a refill?"

Without question, I walk straight towards the table and not around like any normal person would. I could sense Zoe watch my moves. In reach of the table, I place my hand behind the back of the left chair and leaned over the table to pour some wine.

I fill Zoe's cup half way as she nods in appreciation. She lifts her glass, giving the red wine a swirl by moving the glass in circular motions from the base of the glass. She places the rim of the glass to her lips, taking a sip. She looks at someone before commenting,

"I think Luke needs a refill too, would you mind?"

Giving a kind smile, I reply,

"Not at all"

Leaning back a little, the corner of my eye catches the empty glass. Filling it up, I hear Luke take a quick intake of breath. I smile as I tilt a little more to the left to smile at him but as I look, my face pales as I don't see Luke but rather Noah who looks back.

Noah breaks first as he drops his cutlery and makes a beeline for my hand. I follow heed as I now see his glass overflowing with red wine. My eyes widen as I rambled god knows what,

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry! I- I- I wasn't paying attention. I'm so sorry"

I kept on repeating as I held the bottle straight taking steps back away from him. I look at Noah as he wipes his hand and the table with tissue. I place the bottle on the counter as I speak out,

"Shit, I'm sorry Noah, I didn't mean it. I swear. Here lemme grab you another glass"

Acting fast, I move away from the table with the overfilled wine, this time careful not to drop any. I place the glass on the sink before rummaging through the top cupboards, looking for a new one. As I grabbed one, I turn back to everyone, seeing them all stare at me.

Ashamed from my actions, a nervous laugh leaves my mouth as my hand rubs nervously at the back of my head feeling the sticky moisture of sweat. The whole room fell silent as no words were said, that was until a scream came running into scene.

At the sound, all eyes faced the door as a squealing Wendy ran straight at me. Her cheeks was covered in cake, her hands aiming straight at me as she placed them on my dress. It took seconds for me to realise what happened; Wendy had just smudged a whole load of cake on me,

"Wendy! Where did you get the cake from?"

Mia bellowed making Wendy jump. Wendy's eyes were wide, her lips trembling quickly,

"Mia it's okay really, she didn't mean it. It's my fault really, I asked the kids to decorate a cake which I left with them. Something like this was bound to happen,"

I jump in as I quickly place the glass down and crouch down to Wendy's level seeing her eyes glossy with tears,

"Cupcake it's okay look... I'm okay. Don't cry"

She couldn't help it as she blinked, the tears escaping,

"Cupcake what did I tell you about crying last time"

"B- but uncle Nono will s- scream at me again because I did something h- he will"

I give Noah a look but turn away as I saw him already watching me. My heart skips a beat making my insides feeling funny as he just stared at me constantly,

"Cupcake, don't worry, your mummy will be okay, it's okay. Look I'll go change okay? That way you won't get in trouble anymore okay?"

Wendy nods once as I kiss her forehead, leaving a small imprint of my red lipstick. I smile at her as I speak,

"N-one will tell you off okay? You have my kiss to protect you"

Wendy giggles as she nods her head multiple times,

"There's a toilet next the stairs, can you clean up your hands for me cupcake?"

She nods,

"Alright go on, I'll change when your back,"

Wendy leaves the room and I look up, everyone still watching. Zoe looks at me in admiration,

"Your amazing you know that Lily?"

Just as I was about to respond Jake runs into the room holding a cake in his hands, his hair and face covered in all sorts of things: whipped cream, sprinkles, glitter,

"Lily look at our cake!"

He spoke excitedly as he stood in front of me with a wide smile, his dimple on show,

"Woah handsome what happened to you!"

I say, a laugh leaving my mouth. He takes another step forward his smile not leaving,

"We finished the cake like you told us to. Is it pretty?"

I crouch down again taking the cake from him; inspecting it. The cake was overflowed with chocolates squares, sprinkles, random icing letters, blue and purple glitter and a pile of whipped cream in the middle. I smile wide as I look back at Jake,

"Handsome this is awesome! Look at it!"

I say hyping him up. By now Wendy had joined us. She stood besides Jake as they both jumping on the spot, the adults all looking with smiles. Randomly, Jake suddenly takes a load of the whipped cream of the cake in his hands, his eyes mischievous as he smiled at me

"Handsome?"

I say wearily, but Jake wastes no take to smoulder it on both sides of my cheeks. Laughter courses through the room shortly after. I close my eyes letting it happen. I open my eyes seeing him as he grabbed a little more, smouldering it on my cheeks.

"Super pretty!!"

He exclaims, the laughter still flowing around the air,

"Uncle Nono! You're here"

Wendy squeals as she runs towards him. I watch Noah as he places his wine glass down and turn a little so that he gave Wendy his full attention,

"Hey princess"

He calls out, his words raspy. This was the most that she had heard all evening from him and it only sped up her heart, Wendy folds her arms across her chest as she whines out,

"I'm not a princess, I'm a cupcake!"

Noah gives a fake gasp,

What? You're my princess not a cupcake, how could you say that to me?!"

He whines back in a childlike manner. My chest thumped each time faster as I watched them both interact. She makes a sound as she turns her head unhappy at his words but he only picks her up, her laughter lifting the mood.

Noah places her on his lap and from somewhere, god knows where, she had whipped cream in her hands. She gives a grin before placing her hands on either side of his face. Laughter coursed through the air as everyone watched with their phones out, clearly taking pictures and videos.

For a brief moment, Noah looked up meeting my eyes as we hold our stares for a couple of seconds. He soon tore his gaze as Wendy squeezed her cheeks making Noah pout. He blinked away from me, his eyes falling back on Wendy.

Wendy moved around in his lap before she leaned up and kissed him on the lips like she did with me at the party when I first met her. From afar, both Jake and I watched as the scene unfolded. It was quiet for a second but I bent down towards Jake ear and spoke playfully,

"Handsome you better run"

It didn't take a second for him to run out of the room. I stood up seeing him no longer in the room as a scream left his lips. I quickly walk to the oven and grab a red velvet cake that I had baked before. I place it on the middle of the table before stating,

"I knew something may have went wrong cause you know, they're toddlers. Here's a classic red velvet cake for you all. This one well..."

I speak, the end my sentence fading as I stared at the cake that the toddlers designed,

"...well... call it a gift from the kids"

After placing the cake in the middle that the toddlers designed, I cupped a handful of the whipped cream and icing, I ran out of the room in my heels, a small giggle leaving my lips; the child within me showing,

"Handsome! Wait up!"