You Need Me

Chapter 42

"Young master's birthday?" Nadia asked.

Viola nodded. "It's almost his birthday, isn't it?"

Nadia was touched. "You remember?"

It was more like she was made to remember. Every time she unlocked her phone, she would key in his birthday as the pass code. For an unknown reason, she never thought of changing the code either, so she ended up constantly being reminded about his birthday.

"I thought of buying a cake and celebrated with him. Do you know what he like?"

"More than that, I know where to get one." Nadia smiled.

Viola was standing in front of a small, unassuming patisserie nearby the Uni Infinitus tower. It was so plain that she never noticed there was a shop there. She took the time to visit the shop during her break time at the florist. A young girl in uniform looked up the moment she stepped inside.

"Welcome." The girl greeted Viola with a wide smile. In front of her was a long display case that was showcasing a range of beautiful looking cakes. Chocolate, strawberries, fruit cakes, flower cakes.

"Can I help you?" The girl asked.

"Oh... I am looking for Mr. Lorrent Gold actually." Viola recalled the name given by Nadia.

"Master Lorrent?" The girl tilted her head. "Please wait for a moment." The girl disappeared into the room labeled 'staff only' behind her.

A few minutes later, the girl came back with a man in his 50s.

"She is the one who was looking for you, Master."

Lorrent Gold looked like he was in the middle of work when he was suddenly called. His working clothes were covered with flour.

"Pardon my appearance." He said apologetically. He studied his guest and then gasped excitedly.

"Mrs. Oliver!" He clapped his hands together.

Viola was surprised. "Are you Mr. Gold?"

"Please call me Lorrent. Pleased to meet you again, Madam." Lorrent's eyes sparkled.

"Again? Have we... met before?" Viola did not remember being acquainted to a pâtissier before.

"At your wedding, of course. I even made you a wedding cake!" The pâtissier winked at her.

"Oh... it was... lovely. Thank you." Viola remembered nothing about the guests in the reception. The only people she knew there aside from her own father were Leon, Ian and Tom.

"So what can I help you today?" Lorrent asked.

"Oh..." Viola almost forgot what she came here for. "It's Leon's birthday soon. I thought I would like to..."

"Leon! How is that boy doing? He used to come over a lot but not so much lately... I wonder if his work has taken much of his time..." Lorrent's rambling went on. Viola noticed he looked rather lonely.

"He would always say I make the best cakes! ... and went on eating three cakes in one sitting."

So Leon actually has a sweet tooth... Viola giggled as she thought about it.

"Come to think of it, it has been soooo long since I made his birthday cake. I don't think he celebrated his birthday after his mother passed away so... about 20 years ago?" Lorrent tried to search through his memories.

"Leon's mother died in a traffic accident. His mother's sudden death shocked him for months, that poor boy." Nadia had said when Viola asked about Leon's family not long after she became his wife. Gina Oliver, the happy and energetic mother to Leon was still in her early thirties when she left the world. When she was still alive, she doted on her only son very much she would bring him with her wherever she went – a long drive to the neighboring city or hiking on the weekends. Much to her husband's protest, Gina would only invite Ian to tag along if it was an important family gathering because she knew, having two loud parents around Leon made the quiet boy exhausted sometimes.

On the day of the accident, Gina was sick and had asked Nadia to pick up Leon from school in her stead. It was the day the kidnapping happened. Nadia witnessed how young Leon was snatched in front of her eyes. Soon after, the kidnapper contacted Ian, demanding unreasonable ransom which was to be delivered to at an appointed place. While Ian was consulting this with the police, his wife found out and rushed to confront the kidnapper herself. On her way there, she met with an accident and died on the spot.

"It was terrible. Although we managed to find young master, it was not a happy occasion. Young master came home to find his mother gone. It was the hardest thing to see. He cried and screamed at his mother's funeral. Master Ian could hardly hold him." After her passing, Ian became more involved in his son's life. In the beginning, he tried to act like a mother but was met with a disgusted glare by Leon. His unsuccessful attempts left him no choice but to leave Leon to Nadia while he supported from behind.

Months after his mother's death, Leon talked less and less. He refused to go to school and would shut himself in his room if things did not go his way. Ian became concerned about his mental health. That was when Ian took a break and bring Leon to move into a new home, the house Leon and Viola were living at the moment, and met little Sarah Thomas who lived next door.

"Mrs. Oliver?" Lorrent's voice brought Viola back to the present.

"Uh... oh... I'm sorry. What is it?" Viola apologized.

Lorrent chuckled. "Try this." He shoved Viola a plate. On top of it was a cut of brown cake with honey. There were bits of yellow pieces on the cake.

Viola took a bite. It was sweet and tangy.

"It's Leon's favorite. Our honey lemon ginger cake, served warm. What do you think?" Lorrent smiled widely.

"It is delicious." Viola was amazed. She took another bite. "It's really delicious!"

"Isn't it?" Lorrent's smile grew wider. "Should we make this for his birthday?"

Viola nodded her head quickly.