Happy Birthday

[Arabella Porter]

Saturday afternoon at “Mrs. London’s Bakery and Tea shop.” The smell of freshly baked bread wafts from the shop and Ara watched with binoculars as Mrs. Dunning swayed in with a pearl choker around her neck and a sophisticated chocolate colored parasol to match her dress. It was Thomas’ cousin’s birthday that night and his aunt had been pulled aside for “more important” engagements. So, Mrs. Dunning, being the natural sweetheart she is, offered to pick it up. It was a green tea flavored triple layer cake with a light green colored buttermilk frosting and cream colored fondant roses. Perfect. Mrs. Dunning would never order a cake that wasn’t to be perfectly fresh for her niece’s birthday ball. Ara watched her come and go. Obviously the man would have to hop right to it. Ara waited around in the market place nearby and, when it was about six in the evening, she kicked in the glass door of the shop and aimed her gun at the baker.

“I’ll give you all the money in the till!” He yelled, putting up his hands, “Don’t shoot!”

“I don’t want your money,” She smirked.

“Why?”

“Because it’s your birthday.” I said, having a staring contest with the captain. I hate to sound like a flattered little bitch but I was the only one who could have a staring contest with captain Bennet and get away with it (That is, Mercurian as well but it can’t be long now before he passes in his sleep). She glanced at the triple layered green tea cake in front of her and then back up at me.  Won, YES!

“How do you remember these things?” She asked. Last year on my birthday I stepped into the galley, said it was my birthday, and everyone laughed because they thought I was joking. Shit happens.

“I’m just good at this stuff and I write it down in consideration. It’s one day where I’ll be nice to you, deal with it.” I replied, crossing my arms and slouching on my right hip. She sighed as I pulled out a knife from my belt and began cutting.

“How quaint,” David mocked me as he pushed forward, taking a handful of cake and walking away. Other crew members did the same except for Mercurian and Roderick whole politely took a slice and had it on a plate. I laughed and looked at the Captain.

“I love this crew,” I said.

“Bugger off” David called back to me. The captain smiled and sat quietly, eating her cake.

“I also have a gift but we won’t open it around here where the men can see.” I whispered and she nodded in understanding.

“Thank you, Arabella,” she said. Something was different about her. “This is most appreciated.”  Where was the banter? Why no sarcasm from her? Last year, we celebrated with more of a pirate’s party but some cake and a gift shouldn’t change her attitude, yeah? When the men went to either their post or to bed, The Captain, Dominique, and I had tea in the Captain’s study. I took out the package and handed it to her over her desk. Dominique and I, exchanging glances out of the corner of our eyes. She opened it. “Thank you, it’s wonderful.” She smiled, and then, kind of to my surprise, put it to the side.

“Why don’t you try it on?” I asked. “I just want to see how you look in it.” I had never seen the captain in one before. No one had and we just thought to get her something…pretty. Dominique smiled.

“Mademoiselle, Captain, we knew you like blue and it is very kimono like at the top and then English from the waist down. We thought you like it.” She said in the most perfect English I had heard from her all year. Captain Bennet smiled and stood.

“Really,” She replied, “Thank you but I don’t wear dresses. Maybe another time when I’ve given it thought. I don’t mean to be rude.” That was it.

“Don’t mean to be rude?” I asked, my head facing down at the table.

“Pardon?” asked the Captain.

“Don’t mean to be rude.” I repeated looking up with frustrated eyes.  

“Arabella, I’m sorry-“

“Don’t mean to be rude!” I shouted, slamming the table. Dominique gave me a confused look. She started to open her mouth to say something.

“Ara-“

“No, did you see how she ate that cake?” My body opened as my hand lazily pointed to the captain and I put my head in my hand and walked towards the door. “Like a lady.” I replied turning and walking towards the desk again where my captain sat. “She’s not acting herself and I want to know why.” I turned my attention to the captain, “why ya so polite all of a sudden? Did the cake trigger something?” I asked, and then my voice staring to rise. “I robbed it from a fucking bakery, not Buckingham palace!” The captain looked to the window almost with regret. “Don’t mean to be rude? This isn’t like you! Did you switch minds with someone? Is Brielle walking around pirating people? Will someone explain what the bloody fuck is going on here?”

“ALRIGHT!” The captain shouted and shot up out of her seat. “That’s enough Arabella.”

“No! What is it about cake and a bloody blue dress?”

“It’s about my sister!” She yelled. We stared at each other. Sister? We stared longer. Sister. Our stares turned to Dominique ho sighed impatiently but left the room, slamming the door behind her. I looked back to the captain who stared at the open package.

“You’re explaining this, right now.” I said. She scoffed.

“You don’t tell me what I’m doing, girl. Now get out.” She motioned to the door without looking at me. I stood for a moment.

“Captain, I want to know.” I said.

“And this is my study and I ordered you to get out.” She hissed. Naturally, I began walking towards the door when she stopped me.  “Arabella,” she began,

“Yeah?”

“Thank you for the birthday”

“No problem,” I replied, closing the door behind me.

The ballroom of the McCalloway estate was glowing with the beauty of the Dunning and McCalloway family and their quaint little fucking world. Daisy McCalloway stood at the head of the dining table and raised a glass of wine.

“I’d like to thank my family and friends for joining us this evening.” She said. Dunnings and McCalloways keep things short believe it or not. They need time for arguing. So then everyone drank to the ….let’s call it a toast. She could’ve done better and two female maids pulled out the trolley with….

                                                      The cake.

 

Triple layered

Green tea flavored

Light green buttercream frosting

Cream colored fondant roses

 But this time, written in white buttercream frosting in the center, read,

                                             Later Mingers

[Lady Brielle Serra]

I do pirate people. I have all the ladies of welcome, and some "elsewhere" flouncing about now. *giggle giggle, flounces away*