21

Milli was preparing to bake and decorate a birthday cake for Camille’s daughter Gracie. The young diver’s birthday brought an unwanted bitter memory from only three months ago. Milli’s birthday had fallen the day after her sister’s death. The day after she discovered the truth about her sister’s love for her and the truth about her marriage. Only Jackson’s dad, Bill, had remembered her birthday during the chaos of that week. Milli didn’t know if she could ever celebrate her birthday again. Her weary heart pushed away the tainted memories of all the birthdays, memories she and Marni would never share again, and she tried to focus on the positives like her therapist wanted instead of the bitterness of her betrayal craved.

Dry ingredients were measured and sifted together while wet ones sloshed in her three mixers. A large double oven warmed the whole house as it filled the rooms with pleasant smells. Milli thought again about how she would need to consider investing in an air