What I Want

Chapter 26: Written in The Stars

After their lovely first meal together as a married couple, Evie announced that it was time to cut the cake. Mal was almost too full from all the tortellini she had eaten, but she figured she could make some room for cake. Mal admired the tall cake, five tiers tall, and yet it wasn't enough to feed everyone there. So she and Ben had decided early on that the chefs would have to make some sheet cakes of the same flavor for the rest of the guests. A cake that was too tall would have fallen over by now, so sheet cakes were the best idea the couple could come up with. Ben and Mal approached the tall cake, Evie handing them a knife to cut it. Ben took the knife, as Mal began to shake at the sight of it. She hoped she would be able to get through this.

The couple took a moment to appreciate the hard work the chefs had put into making such a beautiful cake. They had used cream cheese frosting, decorated with blue and purple flowers made of gum paste. An edible ribbon of the same colors surrounded each tier. At the very top were two figurines that were hand sculpted in Ben and Mal's likeness and wore an exact replica of the couple's wedding clothes. Evie must have shown the sculptor pictures of the dress and tux. Ben and Mal immediately had the figurines removed and put to the side, as they were going to keep them.

"Are you going to be okay to do this, Mal?" Ben asked hesitantly, unsure if Mal would be able to even touch the knife.

"I think so," Mal replied nervously,"I just need you to do it with me."

"Of course. I'll be with you every step of the way. Here, give me your hand."

Ben then moved behind her and offered her his free hand. Mal reached for it with trembling fingers. She squeezed his hand hard, practically cutting of circulation to it. He then began to slowly guide her hand to the knife. When she was only a few centimeters away from it, her arm froze. She looked up at Ben, actual terror in her eyes. Not many things scared Mal, but knives were an absolute nightmare. They had caused her the most trauma in her childhood, so even being near one was enough to make her shut down.

"It's ok Mal, it's okay," Ben assured her quietly,"I'm right here. I've got you. You can do this. Just take it slow."

She looked down and stared at the knife, the spotlight shining off of it. She knew she couldn't stand here forever like a statue, but right now she was facing down one of her greatest fears. Being near something that had caused her so much pain was terrifying, but knowing that she would have to touch it was paralyzing. It made her knees practically give out beneath her, her face starting to sweat, anxiety coursing through her. It was very difficult to breathe, but then she noticed something. She could feel Ben's hard body pressed tightly up against her, practically holding her up. She inhaled that sweet strawberry cologne he had worn just for her. She pressed their entangled hands to her stomach, trying to coax down her anxiety induced reaction with a warm embrace. Ben's scent and touch made her forget her fear, and for the first time in her life, she actually wasn't afraid about being around a knife. Thanks to Ben, Mal regained her courage and strength that she normally lacked around knives. Her head starting to clear, she realized that it was just an inanimate object. It wasn't going to hurt her because it wasn't in the hands of her mother. Instead, it was in Ben's hand, who would never even think of hurting her. With this in mean, she found the strength to touch it, the cold steel chilling her fingers. She slowly wrapped her hand around the knife's handle, overlapping Ben's hand with her own. She focused on how he was making her feel as the two of them began to make the first cut into the cake. Before Mal knew, they were making the second cut, until finally, they were able to set the knife down on the table. Mal sighed in relief when she realized she wasn't going to have to touch another knife anytime soon. She was so glad that ordeal was over. She knew she wouldn't have gotten through this without Ben.

"Thank you," She whispered to him as he used a spatula to place the slice of cake on the plate in his hand.

"Of course," Ben smiled,"and I'm so proud of you for getting through that. I know how hard that was for you. Now here's your reward."