Five Words

Chapter 3

~Cher

The radio plays softly, and the smell of freshly baked cinnamon buns and chocolate cake fills the whole house. Paulina has suggested that we bake cinnamon buns for Ace, hoping that it will fix his mood. My mother agrees, and she requests that I bake them, because I bake them better. That is a lie, but I have gone along with it and have prepared them. Ace continues to slice the vegetables, I have been slicing earlier before he had taken me outside to speak. We haven't seen Ace till now and I find that a blessing and none of us argues when Paulia says that we should leave him upstairs till breakfast is ready.

When the plates of food overflow the marble top, Adrian and I start moving them onto the glass table in the backyard. Our house isn't really simple. I would say it is a mansion, but it is more old fashioned and simpler than a mansion. The house sits on a little hill, away from the center of the village. Its walls are painted white that it outstandingly stands out from the rest of the steel grey houses in Rochefort-en-Terre.

The house is fenced by an enormous garden that stretches approximately to one thousand four hundred square feet. Every morning, the grass flattens under the wind in the beautiful shimmering waves, each blade turned momentarily to reflect the brilliant sunlight. The sweet smell of the flowers cut through the soft scent of the morning's dewy grass. I see the flowers every day, and I can never grow tired of them. Each one is a delicate bloom, their petals are works of art. Each flower, each color adds to the beauty of it.

Inside our house, the rooms are furnished with furniture that gives you the feeling of a cozy home, a welcoming warm home. Paintings hang everywhere around the house giving it more color. Almost all the doors that lead to the outdoors are made of glass except the front door. All the rooms, including the guest room, their windows look out onto the most beautiful parts of the village. My bedroom balconies overlook all the greenery in Rochefort-en-Terre, and at night, you can see the flickering lights of every restaurant, every cafe, bakery, pastry, you name it.

When I think of it, I know why Paulina wanted to bring Ace here. He would have a clear mind, no one knows him here, apart from Adrian, no one will bother him. He can sit in any of the town's cafes and enjoy the simplicity of everything, the simplicity with how everything works here. He would be amazed and relaxed here.

"Cher, Adele and Adrian are outside. She wants you to take the cinnamon buns out and join them, while I call Ace." Paulina informs me and I nod.

I wear the gloves and take the pan out of the oven, and join my mother and Adrian. Adrian has three pieces of the cake on his plate. I set the pan down, before settling beside Adrian.

"I guess Adrian is loving the cake." My mother comments as we both watch him in amusement.

"I adore this." He moans and shoves another piece in his mouth, "I live for this. But she was too busy to bake me one before we came here."

"I had exams, Adrian." I defend myself.

"I had them too, and that is why I needed one. This is way overdue."

"You are so ungrateful, give me this." I reach to pull his plate away but his hands move quickly and they grip the plate.

"Cher!" He says loudly, "Leave me alone."

"You are such a kid sometimes." I shake my head as I laugh.

"I am in love, is what this is."

"Behave, Ace, or I swear I will give you a hard time."

Adrian's whole body stiffens when he hears Paulina approaching, and Ace is with her. I put my hand in his, giving him a light squeeze.

"Eat your cake." I lean and whisper in his ear.