Connexion

Part 43

Two months later Caleb was dining with his step-mother, his father, his half sister and her fiancé. They had gathered to discuss his sister's wedding plans.

"It's hopeless." Sophie wailed despondently. "The receptionist said they were not taking any more bookings for that time of the year." She gestured, because she could not understand it. "Honestly, we are talking eight months away! They can't be booked that far in advance. A baker! For cake! Honestly, that is silly." Sophie sighed when she remembered that no amount of pleading had brought any change. Unfortunately for Sophie she wasn't used to people saying no to her. Her family spoilt her, she knew that, they knew that. But it hadn't stopped them from doing it. "Who'd have thought organizing and commission a cake would be the trickiest part in arranging a wedding. Everything else is organized: Church, reception, band, dress, invites, everything. Everything but the cake! A cake, for goodness sake. Just a cake."

"Find another baker. There are others in the city. No doubt, good bakers with good reviews that would meeting your standards!" Caleb teased, and wondered why that obvious solution had not appealed to his young sister.

"Caleb!" His sister chastised. There might be ten years difference between the two of them, and Caleb might dote on his sister, and she doted on him, but that did not mean they did not argue. "Caleb, 'By Design' are the ultimate. They are sooooo good. Their reviews are outstanding."

"By Design?" He asked, mulling over the name. "Doesn't sound like a baker! By Design?" He teased again, " And clearly not efficient if they can't produce a cake with 8 month's notice!"

"They are not your average baker. I had researched them. They specialise in just cake! They are really, really good. Like bloody brilliant!" Sophie sounded in awe. "You've never seen anything like the kind of stuff they come up with. It's spectacular." Then she paused, as a memory surfaced, "Actually, we, including you, Caleb, have seen a 'By Design' cake. "

"When?"

"Remember Alice and Bruce's wedding? I remembered the cake so I asked Alice."

"Ah, the floating cake." Caleb's memory of that event, was the fact he bumped into Jena and their conversation had remained in his mind. Two months later and the memory surfaced as if it was made a second ago. He knew Jena's image surfaced at random moments, much to his chagrined. Importunate images. The fact her image was lodged in his brain, it bothered him. For some reason, he could not displace her image from his mind.

Caleb's and Sophie's father, Drew asked, "Floating cake?"

Isaac nodded, and provided the relevant details, "We thought Alice and Bruce's wedding cake defied gravity." Isaac continued when Drew quirked a brow, "Difficult to explain how a barely seen, fragile, mesh can support the cake tiers without squashing the tiers below!"

"And it was made by 'By Design'?" Drew asked.

"Yes, Dad. It was spectacular." Sophie nodded. "Honestly dad, it was amazing."

"And you can't booked them? Even now, despite the fact the wedding will be next year?" Drew prompted.

"Yes. I tried everything. Even begged!" Sophie sighed.

Caleb asked, "Did you mention your connection to me?" He and his sister carried their father's surname. Harland. But Sophie also has her mother's surname in her double-barrelled-surname. And their appearance was also very different. Sophie favoured her mother's appearance and Caleb favoured his mother. Sophie's mother married Drew Harland when Caleb was eight, two years after Caleb's mother had died. Sophie was born two years later. The ten-year age difference between brother and sister had not mattered in the slightest.

"No! Why bother?" Sophie pouted. "What good would that do! They are booked up, obviously more than eight months in advance." Sophie again pouted at her brother as she pointed out the problem. In any case she doubted a cake-making business would be all that impressed by an ex boy racer! Sophie teased, "An ex racer has nothing to do with the cake industry so has no influence in that area!"

"Don't pretend to be naïve, Soph." Caleb stated dryly and threw his sister a challenging look. Usually mentioning his name brought about change. If doors were closed, they miraculously opened. If invites had not been issued, they suddenly appear. His name was a magic-token. She'd done that often enough and got herself all sorts of invitations. But she'd been flabbergasted when the receptionist had politely informed her that they were not taking any more bookings for that particular period in time.

Sophie thought about it. "I should have mentioned your name." Sophie grumbled as she considered her options. "I guess too late now."

Caleb announced. "I'll sort it." It was pretty standard for him to fix things for his sister. Surely getting this baker on board would be a piece of cake, he smiled to himself as the pun registered.

"Would you?" She looked over at him, her eyes hopeful. Isaac narrowed his eyes. He was going to have a chat with Caleb about surrendering his responsibility for his sister. They were good friends, but Isaac was going to marry Caleb's sister, and Isaac thought Caleb will have to stop pandering to Sophie, given she will be his soon-to-be wife.

"Sure. If it stops you whining." Caleb grinned. Sophie was several years younger than him, and given their age difference he had always been an over protective brother.

She leaned toward him and kissed his cheek. "You are the best-est brother ever!" She told him, using a phrase she had used many times over the last twenty-one years. He was indeed a terrific brother, given the number of times he'd bailed her out of one scrape or another.

"Send the details to Annie, and she'll sort it." Caleb announced calmly. He was pretty sure Annie would sort it all out with the minimum of fuss. The mere mention of his name and 'By Design' would be begging to make his sister's wedding cake.

"Thanks, Caleb. Will do that. Will phone Annie tomorrow."

"Or you can leave it with me." Isaac said firmly as looked pointedly at Sophie and then Caleb.

Sophie pouted, "Honey, you have lots on your plate, Isaac for this wedding. If Annie can help us, that would be great for us. One less thing to worry about."

Isaac considered an argument, but thought the best would be to let it pass at the moment. But he will have a chat with Caleb and Sophie about Caleb's responsibility, but will hold that conversation in private. He would describe the boundaries for his association with Sophie and the role of Caleb in the relationship between Isaac and Sophie.

"We will have a chat about this later." Isaac said and his eyes met Caleb's eyes. Message received, those present acknowledged that.