Birthday and cake

6:04 a.m.
After I showered this morning I grabbed my phone and sent a happy birthday text to Blaine.

It woke him up.

He called right away and as soon as I heard his voice I knew what I’d done. “Oh no,” I said softly. “Surprise?”

It sounded like he moved, stretched. “Yes, and thank you.”

“I’m very sorry. I didn’t think about the volume being up on your phone. I thought you would see it when you woke up.”

“I did,” he said in a way that made me think he might be smiling a little bit.

“Go back to sleep. OK? Bye.”

He made a sound that seemed to mean nuh uh. “I don’t mind that you thought of me first thing this morning,” he said. “Do you always get up this early?”

“Yeah. I go in early as often as I can manage. It makes up for the time Eve and I lose during the day. For future reference, what time does your alarm go off?”

“6:45.”

“How can you--” I didn’t finish because the answer was simply that he’s a man. “Never mind. I’m sorry I woke you but I’m glad I get to wish you a happy birthday. I hope you have a wonderful day.”

“You’ve made that a certainty. Thank you.”

8:11 p.m.
Skipping “hello,” I answered the phone with, “Happy birthday, you!”

“Thanks again. Hey, I have extra cake and I want to share it with you. Can I come over?”

“Yes!”

Allison made dinner for Blaine, as is their tradition on his birthday. She sent home the remaining cake, a classic whip and chill. I may have appeared more excited to see it than Blaine. Only for a moment.

I haven’t had that particular piece of deliciousness in years and I’ve missed it. My favorite aunt made it a lot during the summer, and I associate it with Sunday visits to her house. I crave it every spring. Sometimes I’ll go as far as to buy a cake mix and box of Jello but then never make it. A whole cake is a lot of cake to have around. One piece, however, is bliss.

“Mmmmm,” I sighed after the first bite of strawberry and whipped cream hit my taste buds.

Blaine’s eyebrows and the corners of his mouth rose. “This cake and Brussels sprouts. I’m an entree away from knowing how to wrap you around my finger.” He’s closer than that, but I didn’t let on.