Filed To Story: Returning to Her Not-So-Poor Family
Eugene was surprised by the cake because it wasn’t the one he had ordered. It must have been a surprise Mirabella had prepared in secret.
The six tiers represented his six decades of life. Each layer was a celebration, the bottom five showcasing their shared memories – like the times they played chess, now depicted in a cartoonishstyle by Mirabella, and the trophies they had won over the years, each carefully crafted and adorning the cake.
The sides of each tier bore different inscriptions: one with “Good Fortune,” another with “Longevity,”
and others with “Prosperity” and “Good Wishes.”
The largest inscription was on the bottom tier, reading,” Health, Prosperity, and Happiness.” And on the top tier, a little girl sat surrounded by eight smiling elders, each holding a peach with glorious smile.
Eugene’s eyes moistened at the sight, for the cartoon images were so vivid, so lifelike.
There was Beck, Charles, Tanner, Nelson, and himself. Alberto had passed away, chasing after his beloved into the next world, but Mirabella included his cartoon image too, his hand gently cradling a peach, his smile as warm as ever, invoking a feeling of fond nostalgia.
Warner, Uriah, and Thomas couldn’t make it; Mirabella added them to the scene nonetheless.
Their group had once been eight elders looking after Mirabella. And now Alberto had left them too soon.
His WhatsApp profile picture was still in their chat, and sometimes the others would @ him, chatting as if he could still reply, though they knew he never would.
With these thoughts, Eugene’s eyes grew even wetter.
“Hey, hey, I’m not even there yet, and you’ve already rolled out the cake.”
The speaker was Nelson, who had hurried over and finally made his way to Eugene’s side, “I gotta say, Jamie Noelle’s hands were made for playing the violin, not for wheeling out cakes for you.”
“That’s right, Mr. Albright.” panted President Charles, who had arrived just after, with a big smile on his face, “You’re really putting those valuable hands to mundane use. Jamie Noelle’s talent is precious, and here you have her playing errand girl.”The crowd took in the arrival of these two venerable elders with surprise and shock. Could Mirabella really be Jamie Noelle? It just didn’t seem possible!
“What’s this about running errands? The kid’s just sensible, volunteered on her own. Besides, I’m pushing sixty – how many more birthday cakes will I get to share with her? And you have the nerve to call me out? We agreed on a 7 o’clock start for the birthday bash, and look what time it is now!” Eugene feigned indignation.
“We were halfway here when we realized we’d left the birthday present behind and had to double back.” Nelson explained, handing over a wrapped gift with a grin, “Wish you endless happiness and prosperity.”
“It wasn’t my fault; it was Nelson’s car I was in. If he’s got to go back for the gift, I’ve got to tag along.”
President Charles chuckled as he presented his own offering, “Here’s a little something from me. Wish you a long, healthy and joyful life.”
Eugene beamed with delight, “Now that we’re all gathered, before we cut the cake, I just have to say –
Jamie Noelle, this cake you’ve made is truly a masterpiece. It’s both creative and meaningful, a real treat for the heart. Thank you, my pumpkin. You must’ve put a lot of time into this surprise, didn’t you?”
As he spoke, he patted Mirabella on the shoulder with such fondness, as if he was speaking to his own granddaughter.
His words landed like a bombshell, leaving everyone in profound shock.
“She really is Jamie Noelle.”
“When she played The Life earlier, I suspected she might be Jamie Noelle, but given her young age and how she admitted she’s Queena, I dismissed the thought as quickly as it came. And yet, she is Jamie Noelle herself.”
“My goodness, she’s incredible.””I’ve always imagined Jamie Noelle to be some venerable old man; never would I have guessed she’s so young and pretty.”
“What a rare gem.”
Alma, having fetched a backup dress from the car and freshened up, had barely stepped into the garden intending to have a word with Serena when she overheard Mr. Albright reveal Mirabella as Jamie Noelle.
Her steps halted, her mind reeling. Mirabella, with all her impressive titles, a top scholar, Dr. Bell who cured grandparents’ ailments, Maestro Melody, and Jamie Noelle as well as Queena revealed by Eugene tonight.
It was as if a bolt from the blue had struck her, she couldn’t fathom that this long-lost true daughter of affluence harbored such formidable talents.
Beverly had recognized Mirabella’s violin skills as masterful when she played, but she had never anticipated a figure as illustrious as Jamie Noelle.
Jamie Noelle, along with Regan and Pagonana, were considered the three living legends of the international violin scene, epitomizing the pinnacle of the 21st-century violin mastery.
This enigmatic maestro, a mere girl, was Louisa’s daughter.
Both had daughters, yet her own Alma couldn’t hold a candle to a single one of Mirabella’s achievements! The same instrument, the same piece, but Mirabella’s rendition was clearly superior to Alma’s.
She was Jamie Noelle.
She actually was Jamie Noelle.In the crowd, the esteemed violinist Megan finally understood why Mirabella had declined to be her student.
The girl was Jamie Noelle herself, her prowess far exceeding Megan’s own. Jamie Noelle taking Megan as a student would have been more like it – Megan had neither the skill nor the authority to offer guidance.
The embarrassment was palpable, but then she thought about how Mirabella had responded to her offer: without revealing her identity, without condescension, and with impeccable politeness throughout the evening.
Whoever had raised this child had done so exceptionally well. Megan’s heart softened, finding the girl ever so endearing. If only she could claim such a granddaughter.
But all Megan could do was daydream. After all, the girl was Jamie Noelle. How could she possibly be her granddaughter?
She could only envy the family in her heart; having such a remarkable and talented child must be like waking up smiling from a dream.
“Jamie Noelle is so skilled, not only at chess and playing the violin but also at baking birthday cakes.”
“To make a birthday cake so excellent, even a professional baker would feel inferior.”
“It’s incredible. I don’t know whether to envy Mr. Albright for having Jamie Noelle bake him a cake, or to envy the special bond between Mr. Albright and Jamie Noelle.”
“Indeed, they seem to get along as harmoniously as a grandfather and granddaughter, which is truly enviable.”
Mirabella placed a birthday hat on Eugene’s head and lit the candles herself, “Shall we all sing Happy Birthday?”
The guests around them nodded, their faces beaming with smiles as they began singing together.
Even Nelson, who had declared he would never sing Happy Birthday to Eugene, was now belting it out with gusto. The other elders joined in as well.
Surrounded by everyone, Eugene felt so blessed that his eyes brimmed with tears.
The birthday song was sung not once, but three times before they stopped.
Mirabella looked at Eugene with gentle eyes, “Make a wish, Grandpa Eugene.”For the first time, Eugene realized that having a birthday bash could be such a blissful event. He used to avoid people for fear they’d pester him to take on any protege or ask for networking favors. But tonight, he could celebrate openly and joyously.
He closed his eyes, taking the wishing seriously for the first time and greedily made a few extra wishes.
“His wishes definitely include that one,” President Barton chuckled, whispering to President Charles beside him, “The thing of passing on the mantle.”
“As if we need to guess. If it were me, that would be my first wish too, hahaha.”
Everyone watched with a smile as Eugene finished making his wishes.
“Let’s blow out the candles together,” Eugene and everyone else blew out the candles.
All the servants popped the birthday confetti cannons, and a shower of colorful streamers burst and floated down.
The crowd playfully urged Eugene to cut the cake.
Mirabella helped to remove the candles, and Eugene passed the first slice of cake to her, “This birthday bash wouldn’t have happened if not for you, kiddo.”
If it weren’t so difficult to see her, Eugene wouldn’t have used his birthday as an excuse, waiting for Mirabella to show up on her own.
Everyone could tell Eugene’s fondness for Mirabella, and they envied the girl countless times. Not only was she capable, but she also had the endorsement and affection of an esteemed elder, which was truly rare.Over the years, whenever any of the elders celebrated their birthday, the first slice of cake would always go to Mirabella, so she was used to it. She waited until everyone had their slice before starting to eat.
“This is so delicious; it even has my favorite fruit in it, simply scrumptious,” Eugene praised after just one bite, savoring the taste with closed eyes, “Bella, this cake you made is even better than the one you made for Beck.”
“There he goes again,” President Barton knew Eugene all too well, “To the uninitiated, it would seem Bella added an extra spoonful of sugar or a few more pieces of fruit for you. Look at how smug you are.”
“Anyway, this taste is just better than yours,” Eugene replied, his face radiating satisfaction and happiness.
“Alright, alright, it’s his birthday. Why are you competing with him?” President Charles intervened with a smile, playing peacemaker.
“Bella, my birthday’s just a couple of months away. I want you to bake me a cake, but it’s gotta be bigger and grander than the one you made for Eugene.”
Before Nelson could finish his sentence, President Barton chimed in, “Why don’t you just let her whip up a spaceship for you?”
Mirabella couldn’t help but laugh as she watched the two of them bicker. Distracted, she glanced over and spotted Alma, carrying a cake and heading straight for Serena who was swinging nonchalantly on a garden swing, blissfully devouring a slice of cake, oblivious to the world around her.
The corner was secluded, with no guests around, so Alma took advantage and smashed the cake right onto Serena’s face.
Before Serena could even cry out, Alma had mashed the rest of the cake, smearing it everywhere.
Serena hadn’t managed to remove the plate from her face before Alma stomped on her foot and shoved her off the swing with astonishing speed.
The back of Serena’s head and her spine thudded against the ground, pain shooting through her body, her elegant looks now ruined.
Cake filled her eyes, nose, and mouth, muffling her attempts to call for help. She didn’t even get a good look at her assailant.
Alma had brought a glass of red wine with her and now splashed it mercilessly onto Serena’s expensive dress. She stomped on Serena a few more times before turning to leave.
Covered in cake and wine, Serena finally managed to wipe her face clean enough to open her eyes, but her attacker was already gone. Yet, she had a hunch – it was Alma’s doing.”Serena??” Martin, who had just finished mingling with the guests, turned around to look for Serena and was shocked by the scene. He rushed over to help her up.
“What happened? Who did this to you?” He immediately took off his blazer to drape over her and used his shirt sleeve to wipe her face.
Furious, Serena pushed him away and ran for the restroom.
Amidst the commotion, Phillip appeared, leaning on a cane, grinning ear to ear.