When the Night Falls

When the Night Falls Nureyluna

X

JASMINE

Today was Theodore’s birthday.

Thea came up with a fun idea. She wanted to bake him a cake and enlisted my help.

We sat in the kitchen, trying to pick a flavor.

“What flavor do you think your father would want?” I asked her.

Ment ally, I guessed he would like dark chocolate.

“Daddy likes chocolate,” Thea answered. “But the yucky kind.”

“Do you mean dark chocolate?”

She nodded her head.

“How about we make two cakes,” I suggested. “One for him and another for you.”

“I want strawberries and cream!” she screamed.

“Your wish is my command,” I winked.

I chopped up chunks of dark chocolate and melted them. I thought of the taste of dark chocolate on Theodore’s l*ps. Or perhaps on other parts of his b*dy. I pictured him licking it off of me too. I shook my head, tossing the distracting thought aside.

I had a sharp knife in my hand and needed to stay focused.

Next, I prepared the strawberries. I cut each in half. Then, the thoughts trickled through my mind. again. I imagined feeding them to Theodore and him feeding them to me.

Get it together, Jasmine, I thought to myself.

I watched closely as Thea stirred the ingredients for both cakes.

“Oops,” she giggled as she accidentally spilled some flour on the counter.

“The kitchen is made to make a mess in,” I reassured her.

After I popped the cakes in the oven, I cleaned the counters.

“Why don’t you an and make a card for your father” Leaid to Then “Something enorial for his

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“Why don’t you go and make a card for your father,” I said to Thea. “Something special for his birthday.”

Thea ran off for a moment and came back with a piece of paper. She scribbled away on the counter. Every time I tried to take a peek, she hid it from me.

“No!” Thea squealed. “It’s a surprise.”

“For me too?”

“Yes,” she said. “You’ll see.”

Suddenly, the timer beeped.

“That will be the cakes,” I said. “Do you want to help me decorate them?”

Thea nodded.

“I’m almost done with my drawing,” she explained, placing a few more finishing touches on her work.

“Can I see it now?”

She ran up to me and passed me the piece of paper. On it were three figures, each labeled. In the middle was a young girl with brunette hair. It was Thea. To her left was Theodore. Much to my surprise, there I was too, drawn in on the right,

Behind the three of us was a large rainbow.

“This is beautiful, Thea,” I said.

“Do you like it?”

“I love it.”

I passed her the drawing back, wondering what Theodore would think of it.

“Want to help me decorate the cakes?”

“Yes!”

“How about you decorate your dad’s birthday cake while I work on yours?”

Just as we put the finishing touches on the cake, Theodore appeared in the doorway.

“What’s going on over here?” he asked, loosening his tie.

My b*dy tensed.

I still wasn’t used to this new arrangement of ours. I could be splayed out n*ked in front of him. at night, but once the sun came up I had to pretend like I’d never felt his l*ps on my b*dy before.

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It was terribly confusing. But also incredibly fun, the pretending of it all. We had a shared secret. which I found to be S** y.

“Dad!” Thea ran up to him and gave him a hug.

“Oh no,” I said. “We were going to surprise you with a cake for your birthday.”

“I’ve caught you o

again,” he said.

guess we’re not good at being discreet,” I smiled.

“I guess not.”he agreed.

Thea looked back and forth between us. Children are so perceptive. I suspected she sensed that something was going on between Theodore and me, but wasn’t saying anything. Her picture was evidence of that.

I prodded candles into the chocolate cake as Thea showed Theodore her drawing. I listened in. keen to hear what he was saying.

“Is that Jasmine?” he asked.

“Yes, it is,” Thea replied.

“That is very sweet. Thea.”

Lighting the candles, I called them over.

“Shall we sing?” I asked Thea.

She immediately launched into the happy birthday song, jumping up and down as.

Theodore tensed up. He didn’t seem comfortable with this type of attention. No one ever knew what to do when they were being sung to on their birthday, but Theodore looked especially

uncertain.

“Make a wish, Dad!” Thea screamed.

Theodore thought for a moment before blowing out the candles in one fell swoop.

“What did you wish for?” I asked. “What did

Before he could answer, Thea interrupted.

“No, silly,” she laughed. “He can’t tell you. Otherwise, it won’t come true.”

“And I really want this one to come true,” Theodore shrugged.

“I’ll cut this up.” I pointed at the cake.

I served Thea first, then Theodore.

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Unlike Then, who launched right into her slice, Theodore didn’t take a bite.

“Aren’t you going to try your birthday cake?” I asked.

“I’m alright,” he said, smiling politely.

My heart sank; not even a thank you.

“Oh, come on,” I said. “Just one bite.”

“No thanks,” he said, more curtly.

How odd.

Why wouldn’t he try the cake I made for him?

I had put so much care into the flavors, and yet here he was rejecting it. I couldn’t lie to myself;

it hurt. Trying to hide my true feelings, I ate the cake myself. It felt st upid to be this upset, but I couldn’t help myself. It really bothered me.

“That was delicious.” Thea said.

“I’m happy you liked it.” I took her now empty plate. “Alright, now, time for bed.”

I walked up next to Thea; she was basically bouncing in place.

“Do you think Daddy liked his surprise?” she asked.

“I think he loved it,” I responded.

“Then why didn’t he eat the cake?”

I paused. I didn’t have an answer for her.

“I don’t know,” I said. “Maybe he wasn’t very hungry.”

“Yeah,” she yawned. “Maybe.”

By the time Thea fell asleep, Theodore was waiting on the other side of her bedroom door.

“Oh,” I jumped, “You startled me.”

“I’m sorry.

I walked past him.

“Well,” I said. “Goodnight then, I’m off to bed.”

I took a few steps toward my bedroom before he spoke.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

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When the Night Falls Nureyluna

“Where do you think you’re going?”

I stopped in my tracks and turned to face him.

“What do you mean?”

“Have you forgotten something?”

I blinked.

“What do you mean?”

“The sun has set,” he said slowly. “You know what that means, right?”