That decided it. “Then we’re doing this. For both of them.“
The week passed in a blur of secret planning. Lily threw herself into the project with enthusiasm I’d never seen, whispering plans with me and giggling when Hector walked into rooms. We decided on a cake, decorations, nothing elaborate. Just enough to make the day feel special.
The morning of his birthday, we gathered in the kitchen after Hector left for a meeting. Mrs. Pearson had already assembled ingredients, and I pulled out mixing bowls while Lily watched me.
“Can I crack the eggs?” she asked, her voice gaining confidence by the day.
“Absolutely. But gently, okay? We don’t want shells in the cake.”
She cracked them carefully, and only got a tiny piece of shell in the bowl. I fished it out and gave her a high five.
“You’re a natural. Your dad would be proud.”
“Daddy taught me before. Before Mama died.” She said it matter-of-factly, but I saw the shadow cross her face. “We used to bake together.”
“Well, he taught you well. Look how perfect that is.”
We mixed ingredients and poured batter into pans, and when the cakes went in the oven, Lily insisted on decorating while we waited. She proved surprisingly talented, creating intricate flower designs with frosting that looked beautiful.
“Where did you learn to do that?” I asked, genuinely impressed.
“YouTube.” She grinned. “I watch videos at night sometimes.”
“Sneaky. I like it.”
Gianna appeared with streamers and balloons, and we spent the afternoon transforming the living room into something festive but not overwhelming. Mrs. Pearson handled the final details while Lily and I worked on the cake, layering it with buttercream and adding the decorations Lily had designed.
When we finished, we all stepped back to admire our work. The cake was beautiful, the decorations were perfect, and Lily looked happier than I’d seen her since I started working here.
“He’s going to love it,” I said, wrapping an arm around her small shoulders.
“You think so?”
“I know so. Your dad loves you more than anything. This is going to mean everything to him.”
Gianna checked her phone. “We need to hide. Turn off the lights. The whole thing.”
“Who’s going to call him in?” Mrs. Pearson asked.
We all looked at each other. Calling Hector Valdez to walk into a surprise party felt like volunteering to poke a sleeping lion.
“I’ll do it,” Gianna said. “I’m the hero this family needs—and I’ll call the grumpy bear.
Lily frowned, and her whole face scrunched up. “Daddy’s not a bear.”
“What? I didn’t say he was a bear, sweetie. I said I’m a hero.”
“You said he’s grumpy like a bear. I heard you.”
Gianna’s face went red. “Oh. Right. That. I was just joking, Lily. Your dad’s not grumpy, he’s just… actually the best boss ever. Really. The best. I love working for him.”
I tried not to laugh at how quickly she backtracked, but Lily’s scowl was too adorable and Gianna’s panic was too genuine. The laugh escaped anyway, and then Lily was giggling too, and suddenly we were all laughing in the living room like this was the most normal thing in the world.
“Come on,” I said, taking Lily’s hand. “Let’s find a good hiding spot before your definitely-not-grumpy father gets home.”
We searched the living room, but the space was too open. Everything was visible from every angle, and there was nowhere to hide that wouldn’t be immediately obvious.
Lily tugged my hand and whispered, “Just turn off all the lights. Then we hide by being invisible.”
