“Tell them the truth: you lied. You gave me those cakes to sell. We can forget all about this and I’ll pick Mina up next week like usual.”
Linda and Patrice frowned at me.
Giselle smiled.
I wasn’t ready for this.
There was just enough for the preschool deposit and the first month.
Almost nothing would remain.
One cancellation or a broken mixer, and I’d be counting household money again.
I’d wanted to wait until that couldn’t happen.
I wasn’t ready for this.
Giselle reached toward the invoice.
“Let’s put this away.”
“No. I’ll arrange paid childcare.”
“You’ll spend money you don’t have just to spite me?”
“I’ve been saving.”
“Let’s put this away.”
She blinked.
Then she looked at Zion.
“And what about Mina?” Giselle asked. “Have you thought about how she’ll feel when Nana stops coming?”
I looked toward the stairs.
“And what about Mina?”
Mina liked those mornings.
She counted the ducks at the park and came home with leaves in her pockets.
I didn’t want her losing any of that.
But I couldn’t give in now.
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“You’re the one who’s made that choice, Giselle. I’m simply refusing to let you manipulate me.”
I couldn’t give in now.
“I’m family,” she said. “Family helps family.”
“Helping with Mina never gave you the right to sell my work behind my back.”
Linda tapped her name on the invoice.
“I paid for her cake, Giselle. Please give her the money you took from me.”
“Mine too,” Patrice said.
“Family helps family.”
Giselle folded the invoice into her purse.
“I’ll check my records.”
She left without looking at the cake again.
Priscilla stayed by the counter, staring at the cake.
“Well, I think this might confuse my guests.”
Priscilla stayed.
I laughed.
“They come off. I’ll put your birthday message on and have it ready tomorrow.”
She smiled. “That’s a relief! Thank you so much, dear.”
That evening, after the women left, Zion found me at the sink.
“I’m sorry,” he said.
“That’s a relief!”
I dried my hands. “I needed you to take it seriously before anyone else watched.”
“I know.”
“You knew she’d taken the money. I told you what it was costing me, and you still wanted me to keep quiet.”
“I thought you’d work it out between you.”
“I know.”
“I tried. When I mentioned the problem, you told me to be grateful.”
He took a breath, then stopped.
“I wanted to avoid an argument with Mom. I left you to deal with it instead.”
I waited. He didn’t add an excuse.
“I can cover Monday while you sort out the preschool,” he said. “And bedtime shouldn’t keep falling to you when you’re finishing orders.”
“I tried.”
“It can’t just be this week.”
“It won’t be.”
I handed him the dishcloth.
I wasn’t ready to tell him everything was fine.
He washed the bowls while I finished Priscilla’s birthday message.
“It won’t be.”
On Monday, I paid the childcare deposit from my savings.
Zion took Mina out while I finished the baby-shower cake.
Giselle transferred the payments later that week, after Linda followed up with her.
I checked them against the invoice and marked it paid.
She sent no apology.
Zion took Mina.
I didn’t send her another cake.
The following week, Mina started preschool three mornings a week.
Zion handled bedtime while I worked one evening, and did it again the next night without asking whether I needed help.
On Thursday, I set down my piping bag before pickup time, with sunlight still on the counter.
Mina started preschool.
I washed my tools and closed the paid customer’s cake box.
When Mina came home, she stopped in the kitchen doorway.
“Are you done, Mama?”
I put the piping bag away.
“Yes, baby. I’m done.”
Mina came home.
