the true meaning of being a beta

21.

The next week passed by quietly and soon winter came about. Wayne slowly got out of his bed and proceeded to walk out his room door. He walked down the hallway gingerly. Scared to wake Nyla up, after a while he made it to the bottom steps with a sigh.

Whew.

"Samantha, Russell, is it ready?"

The both of them nodded. "Yes Beta Long."

Wayne ran his hands through his hair as he walked into the kitchen and looked at the ingredients.

"Okay, let's start."

~~~

BANG!

Nyla's eyes shot open as she hurriedly jumped out of bed and ran down the stairs. Whispering she looked around for Wayne.

"Wayne! Did you-

Nyla stopped in her tracks as she looked at the scene in the kitchen.

WAYNE!

Wayne was covered in flour from head to toe. The kitchen was a huge mess with egg yolk, milk, and other ingredients open and misplaced everywhere. Nyla, a cook herself, a non early bird, and a neat freak felt her blood boil.

"Wayne!"

Wayne turned around as as he heard Nyla's angry whisper.

"Yes?"

Nyla stomped up to him and snatched the flour out his hands.

"WH-?!"

Wayne hurriedly stopped her by covering her mouth. "You can't yell love. You are still healing okay?"

Nyla took a few deep breaths before she moved Wayne's hand and glared at him.

"What the hell is this?!"

Wayne sighed relived hearing Nyla whispering. Then he felt embarrassed.

"I'm-

"It's ready now Beta Long."

Samantha came out of the kitchen holding a strawberry cake. Well, that's what Nyla hoped it was. It was a bit messy, the cake slices weren't stacked on top of it correctly. You can tell from the uneven stacking and the frosting was placed on it too soon which is why it's melting. And Nyla knew, she KNEW she can smell some burnt parts in this cake.

"So-"Nyla glanced over at Wayne at she pointed to the atrocity that was a cake. "You made this?"

Wayne didn't say anything and just prompted his hand over his face. He knew what it looked like. He'd be crazy if he had Nyla actually taste it.

"Y-yea it's mine."

"It looks-" Nyla watched as a piece of frosting dropped onto the floor. "Something."

Wayne felt heat rush to his face from embarrassment.

"Why are you making a cake so early in the morning?"

Wayne still couldn't find it in himself to look at her in the face talked behind his hand.

"It's our anniversary."

Nyla was hugely surprised. She herself forgot today was their anniversary she didn't expect Wayne to remember it.

"Wow! You remembered." Nyla saw Wayne's facial expression from behind his hand and corrected herself. "I mean- i didn't think- i forgot myself so- it's really-" At some point she just stopped herself. "Wow."

"I know we'll be divorcing soon but I thought that at least-" Wayne felt a mixture of shame and embarrassment. "I should at least make up for it."

Nyla honestly didn't know how to feel. So instead of saying anything she just stared at him and the falling apart cake before walking back upstairs to sleep.