Revival (Johanna's story with Luke Hemmings)

Chapter 20

20.
The party has thinned out considerably by the time Kat remembers the birthday cake she has made. I join her in the kitchen as she is on the hunt for some candles.

"I bought some ages ago. They must be up the top somewhere." I gently move her aside and slip my shoes off before climbing the stepladder to see the top shelves of the pantry. I find the box quickly near the front of the highest shelf.

"Did you make that too? I ask surprised, descending the ladder to find her standing over two decadent-looking chocolate mud cakes, one in the shape of a three, and one a zero.

"Yeah, I got the moulds from that kids party shop beside the library. There's ganache here to ice them..." and she passes me the bowl.

I grab a knife and separate the cakes a bit further on the board so I can ice around them. "Thanks" she says quietly, leaning down on the bench beside me and resting her head on her hands.

"These look really good Kat" I compliment her, trying to get the ganache on smoothly and evenly. I stop and look across to her, "Are you okay?"

"Uh, just cheap wine catching up on me."

"I think you'd probably feel the same on the expensive stuff" I suggest. There isn't going to be enough ganache to do the sides of the cakes, so I just stick with the top. It looks pretty rich anyway.

"Maybe I'm getting too old for it then" Kat sighs.

I agree too much that I decide to say nothing.

"How old is Luke?" she puts to me curiously.

"Nineteen" I try to sound matter-of-fact, but don't quite pull it off.

"Shit - that's quite an age difference" she remarks honestly, "but if he makes you happy..."

I finish off and lick the knife thoughtfully. "I'm sick of thinking and analysing about stuff all the time. He just seemed to come into my life and it's felt right so far, so I've gone with it ...you know." I walk over and put the knife in the dishwasher.

"Oh hell, I thought you were going to give me some drawn-out philosophical bullshit about life stages or maturity or fate, or something... - but I actually can get what you mean."

I smile at her. "So how's Nick's training going?" I change the subject.

"Huh" she looks puzzled.

"Into a keeper" I remind her.

She snorts, " I think you're right about men. It's a damn-site easier to mould ourselves to fit them."

I start putting candles in the cakes, and she fetches some matches from a drawer. I want to ask her more but she starts talking again. "I think your man's missing you - he's coming over."

"Do you want to light these now?" I check.

"Yep, let's do it before anyone else leaves." She smiles as Luke approaches. "How's it going Luke? We're gonna have some cake in a minute."

"Yum - looks good" he says, peering around the corner of the bench. "I like your other tart things too."

Kat looks very pleased, but still rather the worse for wear. I start trying to get all the candles alight at once, and find that some take a while to get started, while others light okay but then snuff out. Luke steps around Kat and takes a lighted candle to help on the other number, and we finally have some success.

"Well look at that teamwork ha" she says dryly.

I look at her for a moment trying to read her, then shove the cake on it's board at her. "Here, take this out then ...and try not to drop it."