We didn\u2019t take money from his rich folks for our wedding; instead, we planned it ourselves. My mother-in-law made fun of me when I said I would bake my own wedding cake. On the big day, though, she bragged about it in front of everyone. She stole my moment, but karma was coming back to get me.<\/p>\n
Christine is my wife\u2019s mother. She has never worked a day in her life, and it shows in ways that make my teeth grind. When I met her for the first time three years ago, she looked at me like I might not be a good buy. She looked at my dress from the department store and then at my old shoes for a while.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo you work in\u2026 customer service?\u201d She asked in a way that made it sound like my job was to clean toilets.<\/p>\n
I kindly corrected her, \u201cI\u2019m a marketing coordinator.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s nice. I guess those jobs need to be done by someone.<\/p>\n
Dave had squeezed my hand as a way of saying sorry for how his mother had behaved. He held me close that night and said, \u201cI love that you work hard and care about important things.\u201d<\/p>\n
That\u2019s when I knew I would marry him one day.<\/p>\n
***<\/p>\n
Dave lost his job when his company cut back three months before our wedding. We scrimped and saved every penny for the wedding because we didn\u2019t want to get married in debt.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe could ask my parents,\u201d Dave said half-heartedly one night as we sat at our small kitchen table to talk about our spending.<\/p>\n
I looked up from the chart. \u201cReally?\u201d Don\u2019t think that!\u201d<\/p>\n
Terrible moment 25 minutes ago, a ship hit the Brooklyn Bridge and killed at least two people while sailors held on to the mast.
\nHe let out a sigh and ran his hand through his hair. \u201cOh no! Mom would be in charge of us for ten years.<\/p>\n
\u201cAfter that, we backed off.\u201d It works for us.<\/p>\n
\u201cOkay, we\u2019ll do it our way.\u201d \u201cNo debt, no guilt, and no strings attached.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd don\u2019t borrow money from your mom!\u201d<\/p>\n
He laughed. \u201cPlease don\u2019t borrow money from her!\u201d<\/p>\n
Then he looked a little kinder. \u201cThis is why I love Alice. \u201cNever choose the easy way out.\u201d<\/p>\n
As I looked at the ceiling that night, an idea grew. \u201cI\u2019m going to make our wedding cake myself.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dave put one arm under himself to support himself. \u201cAre you sure?\u201d That\u2019s a lot of stress.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve been baking for ten years!\u201d I told him again. \u201cRemember when I sold cookies in college?\u201d A lot of people loved them.<\/p>\n
He smiled and ran his finger along my cheek. \u201cThey did.\u201d It\u2019s something I love that you even thought about.<\/p>\n
When I felt excited, I said, \u201cThen it\u2019s decided.\u201d \u201cI\u2019m making the cake for our wedding.\u201d<\/p>\n
On the following Sunday, we ate dinner at Dave\u2019s parents\u2019 huge house. Their house looked like it was made of money, from the marble tables to the original art on the walls. Dave\u2019s dad, Jim, was friendly, but not close, and he was busy running his business company.<\/p>\n
Christine, on the other hand, was hard to avoid.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe caterer and I have agreed on the menu,\u201d I told them over dessert, trying to include them in the planning. \u201cI\u2019ve also chosen to bake the wedding cake myself.\u201d<\/p>\n
Christine\u2019s plate and fork hit each other. \u201cExcuse me, what did you say?\u201d<\/p>\n
I kept saying, \u201cI\u2019m baking our cake,\u201d and all of a sudden I felt like I was sixteen again, defending a bad score.<\/p>\n
She laughed. \u201cOh, honey!\u201d Not at all. That\u2019s not possible.<\/p>\n
I stood up straight and said, \u201cI am.\u201d It\u2019s been weeks since I tried out new recipes.<\/p>\n
Christine and Jim looked at each other. \u201cYou\u2019re making your own wedding cake?\u201d \u201cA park picnic? What is this?\u201d<\/p>\n
Dave touched my knee from under the table. \u201cMom, Alice makes the best baked goods.\u201d<\/p>\n
She wiped her lips on her napkin and said, \u201cWell, I guess it\u2019s hard to let go of that way of thinking when you grow up\u2026 less fortunate.\u201d<\/p>\n
It hurt to breathe, and I bit my tongue so hard that I could taste copper.<\/p>\n
Dave said, \u201cWe\u2019re going to do this our way.\u201d \u201cWithout taking out a loan.\u201d<\/p>\n
Christine let out a big sigh. \u201cLet me call Jacques at least.\u201d He does all of town\u2019s high-class weddings. Take it as a gift from me.<\/p>\n
\u201cMom, we\u2019re not taking your money.\u201d \u201cNot for the cake, not for anything.\u201d<\/p>\n
***<\/p>\n
It was quiet on the way home. When we got to our apartment building, Dave looked at me.<\/p>\n
\u201cAlice, you\u2019re going to make the most beautiful cake anyone has ever seen. Plus, it will taste better than anything Jacques could ever make.<\/p>\n
As I kissed him, I could taste the future we would have together.<\/p>\n
The weeks leading up to the wedding were a blur of frosting and cake layers. I worked on my pipe skills until my hands hurt. For taste tests, I made test cakes and gave them to our friends. I watched a lot of videos on how to support tiered cakes structurally.<\/p>\n
I put the cake together in the venue\u2019s kitchen the night before the wedding. Three perfect layers: vanilla bean cake with raspberry filling, wrapped in Swiss meringue buttercream, and with flower petals piped down one side.<\/p>\n
I took a step back and couldn\u2019t believe that I, Alice, who used to help her mom clip coupons, had made something so beautiful.<\/p>\n
The boss of the venue whispered, \u201cYou\u2019ve outdone yourself!\u201d \u201cThis looks like it came from a fancy bakery in the city.\u201d<\/p>\n
I felt proud inside. \u201cThanks.\u201d It took a lot of love to do.<\/p>\n
***<\/p>\n
The morning of the wedding was clear and beautiful. Dave and I broke with custom by getting ready together in the same room instead of not seeing each other.<\/p>\n
\u201cAre you ready to be my wife?\u201d he asked as he fixed his tie.<\/p>\n
\u201cMore than ready!\u201d I answered while smoothing out my simple but classy dress. We found it at a used clothing store, and after a few changes, it fit me like it was made just for me.<\/p>\n
The ceremony was just what I had hoped for\u2014small, important, and with only our closest family and friends. There were no fancy preparations or expensive flowers at my wedding because I only cared about Dave\u2019s broken voice when he said his vows. It only mattered that we promised to stay together forever.<\/p>\n
I held my breath when the cake was brought out at the gathering. The guests let out a collective gasp, which was followed by whispers of thanks:<\/p>\n
\u201cWas that cake there?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s beautiful!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWho made it?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWow!\u201d<\/p>\n
Amy, Dave\u2019s cousin, found me at the bar. \u201cAlice, the cake looks beautiful!\u201d What kind of bakery did you use?\u201d<\/p>\n
Dave walked up to me and put his arm around my waist before I could answer. \u201cShe made it herself,\u201d he told her, his voice full of joy.<\/p>\n
Emma\u2019s mouth fell open. \u201cYou\u2019re not serious!\u201d It\u2019s really professional stuff!\u201d<\/p>\n
During dinner, people kept coming up to our table to say nice things about the cake. The best friend of Dave, Mark, ate three slices. She said it was the best cake she had ever had. The photographer even took some unique pictures for his collection.<\/p>\n
I felt like I was on cloud nine\u2026 right up until Christine spoke.<\/p>\n
With a light tap on her champagne glass, the room went quiet.<\/p>\n
She started, \u201cI want to say a few words about the beautiful cake that everyone has been raving about.\u201d Her voice could be heard clearly in the reception hall.<\/p>\n
Dave and I looked at each other. That wasn\u2019t on the plan.<\/p>\n
\u201cOf course I had to make the cake!\u201d Christine went on with a small laugh. \u201cWith everything going on, I just couldn\u2019t let my son have a bad dessert on his big day!\u201d<\/p>\n
I could only get half of my fork to my mouth. I was about to take a bite of cake when all of a sudden it tasted like ash.<\/p>\n
She took the credit. For my cake. That I had put all of my heart and soul into. That I had purposely kept from her so she wouldn\u2019t get involved. How could she?<\/p>\n
I almost got up, but had to hold back tears. Dave gently touched my arm as we watched three people walk up to Christine.<\/p>\n
He whispered, \u201cLet her lie.\u201d His eyes were shining with something I couldn\u2019t quite make out. \u201cShe\u2019s going to feel bad about it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBut\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBelieve me. Things sometimes work out on their own.<\/p>\n
It made me sad to go back to my couch and watch Christine enjoy the praise for my work while I sat back and watched.<\/p>\n
All that was said and done at the gathering after that was forced smiles and polite chatter. Being with Dave all the time was the only thing that kept me grounded.<\/p>\n
There was no way for me to cry that night until we were alone in our hotel room.<\/p>\n
I cried out, \u201cI can\u2019t believe she did that!\u201d \u201cIt seems so small, but it\u2019s really big.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dave wrapped his strong arms around me and pulled me close. \u201cIt\u2019s not little.\u201d \u201cYou did a great job, but she stole it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy does she do that?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMom has always known who she is by how other people see her.\u201d People who don\u2019t do the same thing bother her. He gently wiped a tear from my face. \u201cBut I love that about you.\u201d It doesn\u2019t matter how you look. You care about the truth.<\/p>\n
\u201cAll I wanted was one day without her trouble.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI understand. But do you remember what I said? She will feel bad about it. Due to the truth of karma.***<\/p>\n
My phone rang the day after the wedding. The screen showed Christine\u2019s name quickly. I thought about leaving it on message, but I chose to be the bigger person.<\/p>\n
Say hello to Christine.<\/p>\n
\u201cAlice.\u201d Please help me.<\/p>\n
I stood up straighter. \u201cWhat\u2019s wrong?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIn the morning, Mrs. Wilson called me.\u201d She wants to order a special cake for the charity gala next week. From me. She thought the wedding cake was beautiful.<\/p>\n
I didn\u2019t say anything, letting the silence last.<\/p>\n
\u201cAlice?\u201d Christine made the move. \u201cAre you there?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m here\u2026\u201d \u201cI\u2019m not sure why you\u2019re calling me about this.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI need\u2026\u201d I need the recipe. And how to make those flower things.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe method of piping?\u201d It\u2019s funny, I thought you baked the cake.<\/p>\n
\u201cHey, maybe it was more of a\u2026 group effort.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWork performed together?\u201d I laughed. \u201cExactly when did we work together, Christine?\u201d Was it while I looked at recipes for weeks? Or during the hours I spent making sure I stacked tiers correctly? Or maybe when I worked on the last few things the night before my wedding until 2 a.m.?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAlice\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cTell me when the orders are ready.\u201d I\u2019ll send the guests your way.<\/p>\n
Dave found me in the kitchen looking at my phone after I hung up.<\/p>\n
\u201cMom just called.\u201d It looks like someone hired her to make a cake for the Wilson charity dinner.<\/p>\n
Dave\u2019s eyes got really big, and he laughed out loud. \u201cOh my god!\u201d \u201cWhat did you say?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cTell her to let me know when the orders are ready!\u201d<\/p>\n
I was pulled into his arms. \u201cHave I told you lately that my wife is the most beautiful woman in the world?\u201d<\/p>\n
***<\/p>\n
Through the end of the week, Christine\u2019s lie had come apart totally. She had to say she hadn\u2019t made our cake because she couldn\u2019t make another one, and Mrs. Wilson called me directly.<\/p>\n
\u201cI understand that you are the real baker, Alice.\u201d I\u2019d love to hire you to do our dinner.<\/p>\n
After one cake, there were more. In just a few months, I had a small but growing side business making cakes for events around town.<\/p>\n
***<\/p>\n
We all got together at Dave\u2019s folks\u2019 house for Thanksgiving. Christine quietly gave me a store-bought pie after dinner.<\/p>\n
This is something I bought at Riverside Market. I thought, \u201cI shouldn\u2019t lie about it.\u201d<\/p>\n
With a nod, I took the pie. Even though it wasn\u2019t a full apology, it was something.<\/p>\n
Later, while people were talking in the living room, Jim sat me down next to the fireplace.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn our 40 years of marriage, Christine has never once said she was wrong about something.\u201d<\/p>\n
My mother-in-law was showing Dave old family pictures across the room, so I took a quick look.<\/p>\n
\u201cPerhaps it\u2019s best to be honest about some things!\u201d<\/p>\n
Jim gave a smile. \u201cAlice, you\u2019re good for this family. No one should tell you otherwise.<\/p>\n
That night on the way home, Dave reached out and grabbed my hand.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy cousin Sam just said yes to marry\u2026\u201d He asked if you might be able to make their wedding cake.<\/p>\n
I smiled and squeezed his fingers. \u201cThat would be great.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause that\u2019s what you do, I told him you would.\u201d You use your hands and heart to make beautiful things, but you don\u2019t ask for anything in return.<\/p>\n
I leaned back in my chair and watched as the streets of our neighborhood came into view. The truth was that I didn\u2019t need Christine\u2019s or anyone else\u2019s acceptance. Dave believed in me. I had hands that could make things beautiful.<\/p>\n
I also learned an important lesson: some people will always try to take credit for your hard work. But the truth always comes out in the end, like a well-baked cake.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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