BooksBarbecue
Back A Flicker of Light
Chapters (62)
  1. Cover
  2. Half Title Page
  3. Books by Katie Powner
  4. Title Page
  5. Copyright Page
  6. Dedication
  7. ONE
  8. TWO
  9. THREE
  10. FOUR
  11. FIVE
  12. SIX
  13. SEVEN
  14. EIGHT
  15. NINE
  16. TEN
  17. ELEVEN
  18. TWELVE
  19. THIRTEEN
  20. FOURTEEN
  21. FIFTEEN
  22. SIXTEEN
  23. SEVENTEEN
  24. EIGHTEEN
  25. NINETEEN
  26. TWENTY
  27. TWENTY-ONE
  28. TWENTY-TWO
  29. TWENTY-THREE
  30. TWENTY-FOUR
  31. TWENTY-FIVE
  32. TWENTY-SIX
  33. TWENTY-SEVEN
  34. TWENTY-EIGHT
  35. TWENTY-NINE
  36. THIRTY
  37. THIRTY-ONE
  38. THIRTY-TWO
  39. THIRTY-THREE
  40. THIRTY-FOUR
  41. THIRTY-FIVE
  42. THIRTY-SIX
  43. THIRTY-SEVEN
  44. THIRTY-EIGHT
  45. THIRTY-NINE
  46. FORTY
  47. FORTY-ONE
  48. FORTY-TWO
  49. FORTY-THREE
  50. FORTY-FOUR
  51. FORTY-FIVE
  52. FORTY-SIX
  53. FORTY-SEVEN
  54. FORTY-EIGHT
  55. FORTY-NINE
  56. FIFTY
  57. FIFTY-ONE
  58. FIFTY-TWO
  59. Acknowledgments
  60. About the Author
  61. Back Ads
  62. Back Cover

A knock sounded at the door as a lump formed in her throat. She shook her head to clear it. The clock on the stove said 11:50.

The knock came again. Hot coffee. She should still have ten more minutes. She wasn’t ready. A quick glance told her Jeremy and her dad had their hands full, so she set the spatula down with a groan. Fine. Maybe Grandma could help her salvage the cake.

She hurried down the hall and pulled open the door.

Marge.

Grinning.

Holding a beautiful, magazine-worthy German chocolate cake in her arms.

Bea burst into tears.

THIRTY-SEVEN

ch-fig

Mitch wasn’t sure what the big deal was. Why had Bea gotten so bent out of shape over a birthday party he never even asked for? He shook his head while she stabbed at her lunch, and Marge batted her eyes at him.

“I had no idea you were making the cake, Bea,” Marge said. “I’m so sorry.”

His mother perked up. “Cake?”

She and Rand had arrived two minutes after Marge and three minutes before Bea had gotten ahold of herself.

Bea didn’t look up. “It’s fine.”

“Is it your famous German chocolate cake, Caroline?” June asked. Then she looked up with a frown. “I mean, Beatrice.”

A jolt of pain Mitch could feel from the other side of the table flashed across Bea’s face. Mitch glanced at his father, wondering what he was thinking. He seemed so unfazed by all the little lapses his mother made, as if he were already used to it. But how did you get used to such a thing? They needed to discuss his mother’s future, and they needed to do it soon.

Marge reached over and patted June’s hand. “Of course it is, June. And it’s perfect. Isn’t that wonderful?”

June smiled at Bea. “I knew you wouldn’t forget.”

His mother resumed eating with a happy humming sound, and Bea pushed meat around her plate with a sickly expression. Jeremy set a gentle hand on her shoulder.

Marge leaned closer to Bea and spoke quietly. “I should’ve known you would want to do it. You just never said anything about a cake, and I didn’t want Mitch’s birthday to go by without—”

“You could’ve just asked.”

Marge nodded. “I thought—”

“You should’ve asked.”

Mitch’s eyes widened. “Bea.”

“No, no. It’s fine.” Marge waved away his objection. “You’re absolutely right, Bea. I’m sorry.”

Bea gave her a sidelong look. “Did you use my mom’s recipe?”

Marge’s face tightened. Mitch held his breath, suddenly realizing why the cake was such a big deal. How could he have been so clueless? How many times had he made it worse for Bea since Caroline died by sticking his head up his butt and leaving it there?

Marge set her fork down. “Yes. I did. She copied it for me years ago.”