Ascension

Chapter 11

Mick walked back and forth from one end of the display to the other, muttering to himself. He paced a few steps, paused, shook his head, and kept walking to the opposite side until he realized that he had reached the end. After a moment, he stopped in front of one section of the display and scratched his cheek indecisively.

“You’re going to wear a hole in the floor.”

“You’re not helping.”

“For God’s sake, Mick, you’re picking out a cake, not a wedding ring!”

He tipped his head to one side, squinting at the pastries on display. “You think he’ll like pie better?”

“I think he won’t care,” said Sam, adjusting Tara on her hip. “Why aren’t you making anything yourself?”

“I was going to in the morning before coming to Betsy’s and I ended up oversleeping.”

“Mr. Alarm Clock ended up oversleeping?”

“Gabe kept me up all night.”

“That explains why your neck looks like a vampire had a party on it.”

Mick flushed darkly, pulling up the collar of his button down. “Shut up. I couldn’t have made anything anyways. That guy has a nose like a bloodhound, he would have found me out. Now help me choose.”

“Here, hold her.”

Sam handed Tara over to Mick, who took the squealing child in his arms and let her pull at his shirt. He kept his eyes on the display of pies and cakes as Sam hummed in thought, decidedly not looking at the face of the baby girl who was tugging on his earlobes and giggling. He loved his goddaughter dearly and was often accused of spoiling her, but after seeing her future face, it made him feel dizzy to look at her while she was still a toddler.

As if she could hear his thoughts, Tara drew back and patted his cheeks, turning his face towards hers. He gave her a bemused little grin. Her light brown eyes - Sam’s eyes - twinkled merrily.  

“You’re going to be quite a knockout when you grow up,” Mick said quietly, rocking her in his arms. “Your father and I are going to be chasing the boys off with sticks and knowing your mum, she’ll laugh at us while we do it.” He passed a hand over her head where her black curls grew thick. “Why were you grown up?” he whispered.

“Mick? Mick!”

He started and glanced at Sam, who gave him a funny look.

“Are you all right?” she asked.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Why?”

“You looked a little out of it.”

Mick glanced from Tara’s face to Sam’s before raising his chin imperiously. “Tara and I have our little secrets,” he said in a lofty voice. “No Sams allowed in this clubhouse.”

Sam rolled her eyes. “Why do I keep you around at all?”

“Because I’m your best friend and you think I have a nice butt?”

“Gabe’s is nicer, and Jai’s better than both of you. I’d say go with the pumpkin pie,” she advised. “It’s not cake and it’s a little unorthodox for a birthday, but it’s in season and I remember Dennis saying that this place is hot for pie.”

“Great. We’re out of whipped cream though.”

“I don’t want to know.”

“Ice cream, you perv, ice cream. Brain out of the gutter,” he scolded, holding Tara closer and angling himself away from Sam. “Don’t come near children with that mind.”