BLAMELESS SORROWS

19. Ice cream cake

Axel's Point of View.

Hmm, it really is tiring looking through all this reports the whole day!

All this document is driving me crazy, my head is literally going round and round with letters and nothing else.

So, I decide to take a coffee break. With that I walk into the kitchen and make myself a cup of ice coffee and went and sit down in the couches kept in the corner while enjoying the warm sunlight it give off.

I lean on the couch and close my eyes, enjoying the peaceful sooth it gave me.

But peaceful moment don't last long especially when you have a kid in your house and the kid of our house is our tiny but old Tilbe.

She came and run around here and there looking for me, I suppose. While I sigh and look at her running around the whole room one after another for me, Iam sure.

Tilbe(irritated): Ax, come out already; Iam tired.

And she plop down in the couch with a hmph. She is not even being dramatic, she can get tired that easily in such short moment by just doing nothing. Her physical condition is really a huge concern for all of us.

Axel: Here, Iam here!

She jump up surprised making me flinched back a little by how surprised she look.

Actually the wall that seperate the sitting room and the kitchen is glass, well from top to half it's length. And it can be slided open, it's more like a big window.

And Iam sitting by it with a big window by my back as well which open to outside.

Tilbe: Ax, since when have you been sitting there?

I shrug and answer nonchalantly, which make her fume by the way.

Axel: Since forever.

Tilbe(fuming) : So you have been here since I came in?

I nod in a yes to her question.

Tilbe: Then why didn't you answer when I call?

She huff a little while complaining, her lips puckering a little like it always does since she was a baby. While I chuckled at the adult baby who seems to never change, and always have a thing or two to complain about.

Ax: You did not call out to me remember? You just hop around, here and there, how do I know if you were looking for me.

I do know she was looking for me, but teasing her from time to time is fun as well.

Looking at my amused expression, she huff more and more in annoyance, her little chubby cheeks puffing up.

Tilbe: You have become mean!

She look at me seriously after she said that with a small glare of annoyance in her eye, making me burst out laughing. While she whine more in annoyance which make me laugh more.

Tilbe(swearing with her eye) : Cut it out!

I raise my arm in surrender and finally stop my teasing and laughing all together. Too much of anything is not good, and besides she might complain I bully her for forever again, last time something like this happen was about five years back and she still dig that out when we quarrel.

Axel: So, why were you looking for me?

She make an oh face and ran away again, making me raised my eyebrow in question. What just happen?

I was about to go after her, but she come back before I can with a document in her hand.

Tilbe: Here, Heri and Galen have come back from their trip and this is their report.

Oh, they are back already which means more things for me to read.

Ax: I will look into it.

She look at the documents intently and sigh heavily while I look at her and wonder what have the little mind think of now.

Tilbe: Ax, I think I can help you with reading all this documents through now. I have become older and healthier no?

I look at her as if she is joking, as she has definitely not become any healthier. And her energy is a joke, she can hardly walk around freely.

Axel: No, and besides Iam here aren't I? Just leave it to me.

She look guilty and just keep on staring at the thick document while mumbling.

Tilbe: I feel like Iam just letting you work and work and give you more work and nothing besides that.

I sigh at that and make her look up at me.

Axel: I enjoy doing it, and besides didn't you always says whatever that is yours, half of it will be mine?

She nod as I said that, looking up at me innocently with no expectation in her eye, just childlike innocent.

Axel: Well, in that work is also included!

Tilbe: But I do nothing!

Axel: The kingdom is living luxuriously and happily because of you, what do you mean you do nothing. You have done more than enough.

She just sigh and said nothing, seemingly deep in her thought. While I sigh thinking of ways to cheer the little gift up.

Besides she dont need to feel any guilt of any sort, Iam happy I have at least something to do in this prison I create for myself.

And besides she gave me home, family and someone to interact to. I don't need anymore than that, she has gave me the happiness that no one else can give me in this world. She have done more than enough for me.

And besides her health is deteriorating as her power increase with her getting older. The energy of her ability strengthen themselve by sucking her physical energy sometimes when they become too much to make such thing possible. So for Tilbe it is best that she always dispel her energy whenever she can and always reserve her physical energy, as if she dont have much energy and is too tired and her power's energy did suck her physical energy, then it can even be fatal for her life itself. As she will lost all her energy and even the force that is beating her heart may be suck by her power itself.

And also because of this, she is almost alway tired. But right now, my main concern should be cheering her up, so I decide to go with food or specifically baking and deserts, she can never say no to it.

Axel: Little gift, why don't we baked some cake and make some ice cream cake today, I quite crave for it.

And I was right, that did the magic! As her eye sparkle at the mention of it and look up with excitement sparkling in her eyes. She clap excitedly like a small kid and then stand up ready to bake.

Tilbe: Let's do it, it's been so long since we bake together.

I shake my head in disbelieve, just like a week back, we bake more than anyone could ever eat and she finished it.

Anyway I take out all the necessary thing and put the cream and give her the electric whipper so she can whipped the cream, thats the only thing she can do in baking which she will not mess up.

I make all the necessary arrangement and within no time the patter was ready. And by this time Tilbe has also finished whipping the cream and is currently stealing a lick here and there making me take it away from her while she pout childishly at me.

I put the patter in the oven giving her no mind, and then start to wash the fruits. Kiwi, blueberry, grapes and strawberries.

Tilbe love having lots and lots of fruits in a cake so many of them are needed.

I wash them and start to slice them in a pretty way. The grapes and kiwi in a flower kind of way while leaving the berries as it is.

While little gift stand behind me, her hand poking out to take a berries or two, while I sigh at her antics.

Axel: Little gift, at least eat the one that is not sliced yet.

She shake her head is a no, and quickly pop one in her mouth again.

Tilbe: I also want to eat the preety ones.

I look at her in disbelieve, it's not like the level of preety ness has anything to do with it's taste. But I give up on saying anything, and just offer her the beautifully sliced one.

Making fruits into different shapes for her amusement as well, making her giggle around and eating it eagerly waiting for the next one.

I will never ever regret learning that ridiculously hard knife skill of making different shapes with food. Little gift enjoy it way too much for any kind of regret.

And while we were having fun this way, the oven Bing making me take the cake out to cool it. And while waiting for that, I finally finished preparing all the fruits garnishes for the cake.

While I was doing that, Tilbe sit besides me rambling on and on.

Tilbe: Oh wait, Galen invite me to Heri place tonight.

I look at her confused, is inviting people over to othe people house a trend now?

Tilbe: I was a bit confused about it too, but he said there will be a small gathering with Heri, Vann, me and Galen.

I nod in yes, not really having any clue as to what this four peple combination might bring.

Axel: But must it be at night? Can't it be at other time

I suddenly feel like a parent worrying about his child partying at night.

Tilbe: I think it has to be, and besides it's Vann's place. I will be fine, I will make him drop me and you will have to pick me up from the palace's gate.

And she grin at me while I nod agreeing with her. From the palace gate it take around ten minute drive to come where we stay, so it is needed. The irony is that, me who don't need to go out at all know how to drive just because of that cause Tilbe don't drive.

While we were chatting, our cake is ready to put the cream on. So I take it out and take the icecream I made yesterday, and keep it in the slap.

I prepared the cake to be decorated while Tilbe start eating the icecream of course.

I keep the cake in front of her and she slap a lot of the icecream on the cake while I put another layer, where she did the same, again I place another layer and she did the same with this one as well. After that she continue to lick the remaining ice cream now and again.

While I decorate the cake by covering it lightly with the whipped cream and placing some fruit here and there. And finally the cake is finished which made little Gift clap in joy, while I chuckle looking at her.

As soon as we finished the cake, I slice the cake while Tilbe rush away to take a plate and come back as soon as she went, making me shake my head in disbelieve but nonetheless giving her a huge slice.

Axel: You and your sweet tooth!

She has no time for me anymore, as she chomp on the cake and moan in delight by the taste. I cut myself a sliver and sit with her acting like Iam eating a lot as well. I don't particularly like sweet thing but I don't dislike it either. So I don't really take much but Little gift have a habit of loosing her appetite if the one she is with is not eating with her. So I can do at least this much.

I smile at how much she is eating and how happily at that, her lips covered by the cake frost while she smile excitingly at me. At that time I realise once again, she is the reason why I can never call my useless life a curse.