Quandary | Noah Sebastian |

twenty-four

A/N: sexual content.

Early August. Third trimester; 35 weeks. My doctor told me to rest, but it's just not that simple when you own a bakery on Sunset Boulevard in LA, and it's the middle of the summer. Business was booming from summertime festivities, and there were orders that needed to be fulfilled before we closed early for the day—today was my baby shower.

I peered through the entryway from the back of the bakery, stealing a glance out the window. The sun beat down on the stream of passersby, adorned in shorts and sundresses, sunglasses and bright smiles on their faces as they soaked in the sun. I could only imagine how hot it was outside, and it made me oh so very thankful for the tree in our backyard, knowing I'd be spending the majority of the day out there for the shower. At least that way I'd have some shade.

I sighed and made my way back to my station in the back, picking up where I had left off. I twirled the flowering nail between my thumb and index finger, working on putting together yet another rose for a cake that a customer had ordered.

"So, you have any names picked out, Liv?"
Juliana sidles up beside me, and I shake my head. "No, but we have a middle name. Nicholas." I tell her, a subtle smile spreading on my lips as I finished the last layer of the flower. I slide the rose onto the cake, adjusting it accordingly before turning my attention towards her cheery face. "That's Noah's best friend."
"Aww," she breaks out into a smile that spread from ear to ear. "That's so sweet!"
"Yeah," I let out a bashful chuckle, "but not as sweet as this damn cake. Look at how many flowers they want!"

We both glanced down at the dessert in front of me; the entire border was littered with roses, alternating between red, orange, and yellow. It wasn't the kindest on the eyes, but I was doing exactly what the customer had asked for.

"That's a lot of frosting," Jules laughs.
I snort. "Tell me about it. It looks like a wall of fire."
"Does it?" I nod, knowing she can't see the colors. "Oh! Check out the cake Holly made for your baby shower!" She enthusiastically waves me on towards where Holly was stationed.

I take a peek at what she was working on and grinned—it was beautiful from what I could see. She finishes the last dollop and places the piping bag down beside it, turning towards me with a sheepish grin on her face. "What do you think, Liv?" Holly asks in her timid voice, taking a step away from it for me to take a better look.

It truly was a work of art, and I was more than grateful for her effort. It was a single tiered 8-inch round cake, walled with a baby blue that melted into white all the way around. Intricate flowers skirted the bottom, elegant swirls crawling their way up the sides, meeting with a border of clouds. The cake read 'Oh boy!' and settled on the top was a pair of blue booties, my heart immediately swelling at the sight of them.

"It's perfect, Holly. Thank you so much!" I threw my arms around her, bringing her in for a tight hug—well, as tight as my belly would allow.
"I'm so glad you like it," she tells me quietly, but I can hear the smile laced in her tone. "I was so worried it wouldn't come out the way you envisioned. It's hard guessing what colors are what," she chuckles. "Thankfully I had some assistance with the booties."
I pull away, placing my hands on her shoulders with a shake of my head. "It's better than I could've imagined. I almost don't want to eat it later today, but I think he wants it...so we're going to devour it," I laugh.
She giggles and thanks me before packaging it up to be taken home.

Noah

"She is going to kill us," I muttered, one arm folded across my chest as I pinched the bridge of my nose with my opposite hand. "Why is the banner pink, and why does it say 'It's a Girl'?"
"Well, they didn't have any 'It's a Boy' banners left," Folio shrugs. "But don't worry, we got a plan!" He perks up, a wide smile growing on his face.
"Great," I grumbled with a roll of my eyes. I turn when there's a rattle behind me, being met with Nicholas shaking two cans of spray paint, a proud smile on his face. "Don't tell me you're gonna—"
"Oh, yeah. That's exactly what I'm gonna do," he smirks, popping the cap off one of them.