The Ministry Child: From The Pinnacle To The Pit

Cupcakes and Sparklers

Chapter Fifteen!

Cupcakes and Sparklers

29th May 2006 - The Los Angeles Ministry

A year had passed by since Primo had informed Albany that when he became the next Papa Emeritus she was being demoted, he had told their Father that she had agreed to assist him for the foreseeable future at the Los Angeles Ministry after the coronation took place. Nihil had been pleased to hear about the arrangement, but Albany didn't have the courage to tell him that she had been forced into the assistant position by her older Brother. Primo had approached her again not long after the incident in their Father's office, he made sure she kept quiet about his threats. 

The hallways of the Los Angeles Ministry were silent tonight, the working day had come to an end hours ago. Today was Albany's thirtieth birthday, but there had been no birthday cake or birthday wishes this year. No celebrations with the ghouls and her family, her milestone birthday had been forgotten. Since Primo was taking more of a role in the running of the unholy church things had changed, she didn't see her Brothers very often and the only time she saw her Father was when she was working along side of him in his office. She had spend her birthday alone, she had already had her evening meal. She had bolted her bedroom door for the night, she didn't want any unwelcome guests.

Albany had showered and changed into some clean pyjamas, she had been watching an old movie on her small television set. Hot coffee and sweet buttered popcorn, this was her birthday treat. No one else was going to spoil her today, she may as well spoil herself. Popping a piece of popcorn into her a mouth she leaned back against her pillow, she continued to watch the movie. She had no idea what the movie was about, but a knock at the door soon caught her attention. She asked who was there, but another knock answered her question. Sighing deeply to herself Albany placed her bowl of popcorn on her bedside cabinet before she climbed out of her bed, she then walked towards the door. She had no idea who would be visiting her at this hour, it was just after 8pm.

Unbolting the door her hand curled around the door handle before she pushed it downwards, she then slowly opened it. There was no one standing outside of her dorm room. Albany curiously looked both ways down the hallway, she couldn't see anyone. She was beginning to wonder if someone was playing tricks in the female dorm again, there had been knock and run incidents in the hallways since last week. 

" Idiots..." She muttered.

Sighing deeply to herself Albany closed and bolted the door again, she leaned back against the door. But she soon noticed someone standing near her bed, it was Phil. A smile crept across her features when her gaze lowered towards his hands. He was holding a chocolate cupcake with vanilla frosting and a sparkler sticking in the top of it. He held the plate towards her, he also took a birthday card from his pocket. Albany approached him and took the cupcake from him, she watched the sparkler until it burnt it's self out.

" Thank you, Phil. This is just want I needed today, it's lovely." She said, her gaze met with his own. " But you shouldn't be here, you could get into a lot trouble. You're not meant to serving me anymore, your service belong to Primo."

Albany watched Phil motioning upwards before he stuck his middle finger up at the ceiling, he was saying in his own way that he didn't care if he was breaking Primo's rules. An airy laugh escaped her lips, she loved how Phil rebelled against his Papa to be. He didn't like the rules that had been placed upon his ghoul kin, the other ghouls felt the same way too.

" Oh Phil, don't do that!" She smiled before she shook her index finger at him. " You could get into trouble, the walls have eyes you know." 

Phil rolled his eyes and shrugged his shoulders at her, he knew that it was just a telltale told by the Clergy. Placing the plate on the bedside cabinet Albany immediately hugged him, she thanked him again when he returned her embrace. She was happy that Phil had remembered her birthday, her family hadn't even sent her any birthday wishes this year. Pulling herself away from him she told him he should leave now, she didn't want him to get into any trouble. But he shook his head at her and sat down on the edge of the bed, he placed the card upright on the cabinet next to the bed.