Sentimental Chances (On-Going)

Chapter 40: What's With The Cake?

The next day, Linus gave me a ride to the studio because I had left my scooter there after the curtain rod incident. I hadn't told him yet about my pregnancy because I wanted to tell everyone one of my friends at the same time.

Well, maybe not everyone. Roy didn't want to leave the room again to wait for any news about his Dad. I would've stayed, but my brother was going to leave later that same day, along with his company.

It was kinda sad, but they're busy people.

"You're quiet again," Linus said while he was driving.

I got startled a bit. "Huh? Oh, uhm... I have a lot on my mind."

"I heard what happened with Roy's dad."

"I know, it's terrible." 

"I wouldn't want to go anywhere either if my Dad had gotten into a terrible accident," he sighed.

"Me neither," I replied. 

"So, are you going to be okay with him leaving?" Linus asked, his voice softer than before.

For a moment, the world seemed to hush around us. The question hung in the air, pressing against the ache in my chest. I stared past him, searching for an answer that didn't feel like a lie.

"I will be," I said at last, the words tasting uncertain on my tongue. "Life goes on, right?"

"That's right."

"By the way, can we stop at La Geole?"

Linus nodded. Unknown to him, I wanted to share some good news with my good friends and treat them to delicious desserts. "Sure, you're gonna buy coffee?"

I grinned. "Not exactly."

Later, we arrived at the photo studio, Linus carrying the cake box in his arms, his brow furrowed in quiet confusion, as if still trying to understand why I had insisted on bringing it.

"Lovely!" Emmy ran to me and hugged me. 

"Hi, Emmy." I hugged the woman who would be my child's lovely aunt. 

"I was so worried for you when Jo messaged me that you were in the hospital yesterday. How are you?"

"I'm fine. No need to worry. It'll leave a little scar, but there's always a procedure to make it go away."

"At least you still have your humor."

"By the way, are Jo and Mav here?" I asked.

Emmy nodded. "Yes, they are. They're just cleaning one of the rooms for a shoot."

"Let's call them here because I bought a cake."

"Cake?"

Eventually, we all ended up in the dining hall. Everyone had a dessert plate and a small fork, waiting while I stood at the table and cut into the gâteau de crêpes floral fraise, which is French for floral strawberry crêpe cake.

My friends tried to maintain a normal expression and made small talk, asking how Roy was and about my brother leaving, yet I could see the confusion in their eyes as they started eating. 

"This cake is good," Jo remarked.

"Yeah," Emmy agreed, then started to wonder. "So, what's the occasion?"

"Can't a girl treat her friends with a crepe cake?" I questioned, acting all innocent.

That was the moment the room fell silent. They traded uneasy glances, the air thick with doubt, making it painfully clear they didn't believe a word I'd said.