Kris saw that Lena already had all the ingredients on the table.
"Ok.. let"s get started." Lena spoke. "It"s not that hard.. just follow the recipe."
She handed him a cake recipe that was originally Aunt Mary"s. He looked at it. It seems as simple as boiling eggs.
"So.. we will make it together until you can make one yourself."
"By myself?" Kris asked.
"Yeah. Your cake for your mom should be fully made by you."
"Ok."
Lena and Kris measured the ingredients together. The first few times, Kris messed up teaspoon and tablespoon measurements. They had to start over with the dry ingredients. She did not allow him to mix them the next time until she double-checked that everything was the correct measurements.
Lena said that hard work and more love into making a cake makes it more special. Although she has a mixer, she told Kris to mix the batch by hand with a whisk. While he was mixing, she prepared the ingredients for making the frosting.
The oven was already preheated. Kris poured the cake mix to a cake bin and put it in the oven. Lena set the timer and then they went back to make the frosting.
Lena cracked an egg opened and showed Kris how to separate the egg yolk from the egg whites. He failed a few times but Lena said that it can be reused for something else.
After the frosting was made, it was put in the fridge. When the timer set off, they removed the cake from the oven and let it sit to cool off.
"So... how was your first time making a cake?" Lena asked.
Kris" ap.r.o.n was very messy. It had flour and eggs on it. His cheeks had flour and frosting stain because he kept touching his face.
Lena grabbed a wet towel and handed to Kris. "You have frosting on your face."
Kris took it and wiped his face. Lena smiled and stole the wet towel from him. "You missed a few spots." She went up near him and wiped away the few spots he missed.
He cleared his throat. "You look better with your hair like that."
Lena touched her two ponytails. "Better than it down?"
"Yeah."
"Thanks."
She walked back to her work station and started working on something else. Kris looked at what she was doing but he was sure she was not making a cake.
"What are you making?" He asked.
"Scones. So I can bring with me to Gary when I go see him." Lena stopped mixing and looked at Kris. "He like scones and Tye said he was done with his recovery so it"s a celebratory gift."
"Do you need help?"
"No." Lena placed her mix down and open the fridge. "But the cake can be frosted now. It"s the most fun part. You get to decorate it any way you want."
She handed him the frosting. She quickly showed him how to frost it and Kris did the rest himself. Lena went back to mixing the scones. After Kris was done with the frosting, he helped Lena knead the scone"s dough. She tossed it in the oven and they went back to decorating the cake together.
After the cake was done, Lena sliced it. She dished a piece to Kris and one for her. They both tasted it and it was very good.
"It"s good!" Lena was happy. "You can do it by yourself after lunch."
She took out the scones and let them cool. While Kris finished his slice of cake, Lena used the failed eggs and make a stir fry for them.
"Your cooking is very good." Kris complimented their lunch.
"Really? Thanks!" Lena was already planning to use her amazing food to bring Kris to her side.
"Just you wait, you"ll get to eat it every day!" She was silently evilly laughing in her heart how she was going to torture him.
After lunch, Kris baked his own cake while Lena packed the scones in a nice box. She made enough for Gary and to share with the nurses.
She continued to watch and gave Kris verbal tips as he made the cake all by himself. He was a quick learner. After Kris spent a long time making the cake and decorating it, he was proud of his handiwork.
However, Lena packed the cake and stole it.
"This cake is for Gary."
Kris" heart tore a bit. His hard work... went to someone else.
"Cakes are best when fresh, so you can wake up early tomorrow and make a fresh cake for your mom." Lena explained.
What Lena said was indeed correct. "Thanks." Kris spoke.
Lena pushed a small bag of scones to Kris. "These are for you. Your celebratory gift for successfully baking a cake."
Kris took the bag and noticed that there was something special about the ribbon that was tied around the bag.
"That is a good luck charm. It"s for you too."
Kris smiled at her. He put it off to the side because he will eat that later when he missed her. He looked back at who Lena was overly excited about her scones.
"Do you.. like Gary?" He asked.
"Didn"t you ask me that before?"
"You"re always happy when you talk about him."
"Gary is a really good friend. He has gone through a lot too and friends are always there for each other. We support each other through our high and low times in life."
Lena moved closer to Kris and held his hand. "I told you that I will stay with you until you can hug your mom. And I believe that you can."
"And after that?" Kris was hoping that she was not only sticking to him to help him.
"After that?" Lena released his hand and thought about it. "Well, I can"t charge you anymore so I"ll go broke. But, I can just hug your golden thighs right?"
Kris laughed. "You can hug both of them."
"Good."
Kris and Lena both cleaned up the kitchen. Lena already packed her bag for her overnight stay at the safe house. James would be picking her up soon. It was 5 p.m. and it was about a three-hour drive to get there. It would be dark when they arrived.
Kris stayed with Lena until she left. She locked her doors and turned to look at Kris.
"Make sure you wake up early enough to make the cake, not like today."
"Ok."
"And make sure you have your tickets already."
"Yes."
"And you can"t just give them to her like that. You need to make the cake box is pretty and the tickets are in a nice card. Bring some nice flowers too..." Lena was worried. "And.. don"t push yourself too much okay? You don"t have to hug her today. Your first hug with your mom will be special regardless of any day."
"Yes."
Kris liked the nagging, Lena. She was leaving him but she still made sure he was perfectly fine before she left. He knew that she had her own things to do, he was not going to force her to stay with him. When she is officially his, he"ll make sure she doesn"t get to see one speck of Gary.