“I am buying a birthday cake for my mama,” Lily announced with renewed pride, holding up her worn banknote again. “She is turning thirty tomorrow, and I saved up my allowance for three months. I want to get her that chocolate cake with the flowers because chocolate is her favorite, and she works really hard, and she deserves something beautiful.”
Daniel looked at the crumpled five-dollar bill. Then, his gaze shifted to the seventy-five-dollar masterpiece Lily had pointed out. He looked up at Mrs. Chen, and a silent communication passed between them—a mutual recognition of the heartbreaking math of the situation.
“That is a beautiful cake,” Daniel said, turning back to Lily. “Your mom is lucky to have such a thoughtful daughter.”
“The thing is,” Lily said, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper, “I don’t think five dollars is enough. But it is all I have. Mrs. Chen is trying to help me figure out what to do.”
Daniel remained quiet for a long moment, studying the girl’s face. Then, he reached into his pocket and withdrew a leather wallet.
“You know what, Lily? Today is actually my birthday, too.”
Lily’s eyes went wide. “Really?”
“Really,” Daniel nodded. “I turned thirty-nine today. I was just thinking on my way here that I didn’t have anyone to celebrate with. I was probably just going to go home to my empty apartment and have a quiet evening alone. But you have given me an idea.”
He paused, smiling gently. “What if we share that cake? You take it for your mama’s birthday tomorrow, and I will consider it my birthday cake, too. We can be birthday cake partners.”
Lily frowned, her brow furrowing as she processed the logic. “But that’s your birthday cake. You should have it.”
“I think,” Daniel said, his voice thick with sincerity, “that giving your mom a beautiful birthday cake would make me happy. It would make my birthday special to know I helped make someone else’s birthday special. Would that be okay with you?”
Lily looked uncertain, chewing her lip. “But I should pay for it. I have five dollars.”
“I’ll tell you what,” Daniel proposed. “You give me your five dollars, and I will add the rest. It will be a team effort. Deal?”
He held out his large hand. After a moment of deliberation, Lily took it and shook it solemnly. She handed over her treasure, and Daniel passed the bill to Mrs. Chen along with his platinum credit card.
“I would like to purchase that chocolate cake with the flowers,” he told the owner. “And please, add whatever else five dollars would actually buy. Maybe some cupcakes or cookies?”
Mrs. Chen, whose vision was rapidly blurring with unshed tears, nodded vigorously. “I will box up a dozen of our fresh chocolate chip cookies. They will be Lily’s contribution to the order.”
While Mrs. Chen busied herself with boxing the extravagant cake and the cookies, Daniel took a seat at one of the small wrought-iron café tables. Lily clambered onto the chair opposite him, her legs swinging freely…
Great