Chapter 52 - 52. Party Prep

Sweat began to fall down Asher and Arts' foreheads. They had underestimated the power of the sun and the fact that they needed to carry the bags the entire walk home. "You two don't look like you are doing well…" Jane was getting rather worried seeing that they had become tagged looking. Their breath was heavy and they had shed their jackets.

"We are...just doing ...some weight...training!" Asher managed to get these words out between steps. Art was trying to say he agreed but couldn't find a way to say in between his breaths. By the time they had arrived in front of Asher's house the pair looked like they were going to pass out. Jane ran to the door and headed inside.

"Mrs. Ronan! I thin Art and Asher are going to pass out!" She returned with Asher's mother holding two large classes of Ice water. The two boys grabbed them as fast as possible and barely started to chug them. Cara's words rang in his ears which made Asher stop Art from gulping it down.

As they sat in the shade and supped their water the color returned to their faces and they two were able to steady their beating hearts. Once they seemed to be stable they were made to bring in the groceries. "Now Art, you let me know if you need any help in there with the cake. I will gladly be your sous chef." Asher's mother was not saying this out if any positive desires. She had the single goal to rob Art of all his amazing recipes.

'Ha! I was warned of these kinds of tricks. I will keep my mocha ganache recipe secret until the day I die!' Art saw through her kind offer and got to work. The clanging and chopping sounds seemed to increase constantly. The sound of whisking in the metal bowls sounded like a symphony for a long time but that was the least of the commotion.

The smell of baking cake soon overtook the house. Everyone that was home started to become ravenous animals. If the cake was left unattended for even a moment then someone was sure to stick a finger in to steal a lick of frosting.

"So how was your shopping trip? Find what you needed?" Asher's mother asked Jane and Asher while they tried to distract themselves from the wondrous smell from the kitchen. It also served as a way to keep her from giving in to her curiosity and sneaking to the kitchen to try to take away the recipes.

"Yes! I spoke with the best attendant who set me up with an engineer who creates altered clear plastics and glasses. I should be able to show my face with the right mask and not affect people with my powers!"

"So you're saying I may be able to see just how cute your face is to go with your sweet voice?" Asher's mother made sure to lay on the compliments since she could see right through the two. Asher had found someone his mother approved of and she was not going to let the two separate. 'Now if only I could get Cara to bring home a boy..' This was a though their mother often had.

Jane fell silent, she was not used to someone being so nice and was struggling with a reply. Asher took this pause to talk about what he had found while looking at the general items. "I was lucky to find a whole set from the same engineer. The gloves were even in sale as the last pair!" He was proud to show his smart buying. It had taken some of his savings but it was well worth it.

"Oh I bet they are all blue. Am I right?" His mother knew him too well. The change from a mother that couldn't even be bothered to spend time with him to a mother that had his likes and dislikes memorized. It brought a tear to his eye.

"Hey, anyone want to have a snack while I wait for the cake to cool?" Art's voice called out to the living room getting all of their attention. Not a single one of the, could say no. Instead they all looked rather excited. "I have a bunch of extra mousse so I made up some parfait cups with the ganache i made and the cake scraps from the first layer I baked."

The little glasses he handed them were layers of these ingredients all topped with a finely diced fresh strawberry and mint fruit salad. It was like he had just handed each of them an important museum piece that was not to be touched. "You have given us the greatest gift any could ever desire." Asher let his tear flow and pretended it was due to the happiness for this delicious gift.

"I need to take a picture!" Jane started to snap pictures from every angle. "I need to remember this so I can properly ask for it for my birthday!"

Art just stood a little taller as he was happy that someone was appreciating the thing he had made with the scraps. "I was told never to waste anything!" With his idea of wise words he went back to make up some more decorations.

With their small treat finished and their ravings done as well, they three got to decorating the kitchen for Cara's birthday dinner. The sound of Asher's father coming home early with a banner and an armful of takeout. "I beat Clara home with her favorite pizza from that Italian place across the river." He looked very proud to have accomplished this even though the traffic had been chaotic. "What is that smell? It is the best this house has smelled in weeks." The smack from Asher's mother put him in his p;ace since he had unintentionally insulted her cooking.

The small amount of bickering went on as they all set up the table. Jame decided to stay since she had become invested in the set up. She felt a little bad intruding but after some convincing from Asher's mother she found herself holding a party popper and waiting for Cara to walk in the door after a day with her friends.

The sound of the door opening was the signal they all needed. The loud pop and some small confetti falling was met with Cara jumping back startled. "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!" Everyone should out making her turn red.

"I said I was too old for parties!" She was embarrassed and tried to fight it, but the smile she had betrayed how she actually felt. Seeing the pizza on the table she looked at her father knowing that he had to have left work early to make this happen. She gave him a massive hug along with her mother knowing she had made the decorations possible.

"Well dig in while it is still warm." She was prompted to eat while Asher was getting the plates. She spared Art but a glance before turning her head away. She even greeted Jane.

'I knew she hates me..' Art thought this but was able to affirm himself. He had a plan and he would follow it through. If his cake didn't work as an apology then he had nothing else to offer just yet.

They all ate while Cara told them about her day, she had headed to an amusement park with her girlfriends and eaten their way through the food court. Before they had realized it the pizza was gone and the smell of the chocolate cake was still there. "So when are you guys going to tell me why the whole house smells like chocolate? " Cara finally asked the question she had been dying to have an answer to.

"Well, Art, Why don't you show her." Asher's mother chimed in giving Art the stage.

The nervous look on Art's face made Asher jump up, " I will help you out!" The two went in to the kitchen and Asher caught the first glimpse of the cake. There were two tiers of cake. They were perfectly iced in a chocolate butter cream and adorned with dark chocolate roses. The sight was out of a magazine, picture perfect.

"Do you think the chocolate drip on the sides looks good? She should like the mocha mousse on the inside right? The ganache is on the layers too, it keeps is moist...It should be good…" Art was stressed out and afraid he was making a mistake with this gift.

"Calm down, I have never seen a more perfect cake in my life. What happened the other day was an accident. My sister might hit you a few times to get even, but she won't hate you for something like that." This seemed to make Art calm down just a little bit. With his courage boosted, Art lifted the cake. He struggled under the weight but with Asher there it was no problem at all.