Beyond The Fine Line

Chapter LXXII - 'Date'

A/N: This is a little extra chapter to cheer up my dear friend after a long week. I hope it makes you smile.

The air was rich with the scent of tea and sugared cream, softened by fresh peonies arranged in crystal vases. Sunlight spilt through tall windows, catching the gleam of polished silver and fine china. On glass-tiered stands, miniature cakes sat like delicate jewels - intricate, refined, each a perfect balance of artistry and indulgence. Quiet conversation hummed beneath the soft clink of porcelain, the elegance of the space offering a tranquil escape from the restless city beyond.

Lizzy sat with her feet swinging just above the floor, looking very ladylike in her cute blue dress. She held the menu in both hands, scanning the delicate script, though it was clear she wasn't really reading it. Instead, she kept peeking at Jay with admiration. As always, he sat with effortless grace, his innate elegance evident in even the subtlest movement. She straightened her back and adjusted her hands, trying to mimic him.

Jay chuckled softly behind the menu before lowering it with a smile. "Do you need help choosing your dessert?"

Lizzy looked at his menu in surprise. "Why does yours look different?"

"I can't read Thai script, so mine is in English," he explained, then glanced at the display. "So? What would you like to have? You can choose anything you want."

Her gaze swept over the café before settling on a nearby table, and an elegant three-tiered stand with an assortment of beautiful mini cakes, finger sandwiches, and scones. It looked almost too fancy, too much - like something she wasn't sure she was allowed to have. Her eyes hesitantly flickered between it and Jay.

"Would you like to have an afternoon tea?"

Lizzy's hesitation instantly shifted into pure excitement. "Can we really have it?"

"Of course."

"The afternoon tea is English, right? From your country?" she asked curiously.

"Yes, it is."

"Do you have it often with Uncle Sean?"

Jay shook his head. "Not really."

"Why not?"

"He doesn't like sweets."

She gasped as if this was the most shocking thing she had ever heard. "Not even cake?"

"Not even cake."

Lizzy looked downright bewildered, then spoke with utmost seriousness as if she reached a groundbreaking conclusion. "Uncle Sean must be broken... we should fix him with more cake."

Jay couldn't help but chuckle at her suggestion. He could easily picture Sean's expression of pure horror if his adorable niece tried to shove cake into his mouth.

"Sean feels about sweets the way you feel about coriander," he said, summoning the waitress. "You wouldn't want to eat more of it, right?"

She nodded with understanding. "I hate coriander, but cake is delicious."

"That's because you like it," Jay said with a small smile. "But Sean doesn't."

Lizzy pondered it for a moment. "Hmm... okay, I guess. But maybe we should still let him smell the cake. Just in case."

"Yes, I think we can do that."

The waitress approached their table, and Jay ordered the afternoon tea set with green tea for himself and fruit tea for Lizzy.