Chapter 79 Elysia had been out for quite some time, and Evan was getting antsy about finding her. But Blossom, ever the protective one, wasn’t keen on letting him venture out alone. So, Evan fibbed about needing to use the bathroom for a number two. With Blossom none the wiser, he made his sneaky escape. And just his luck, there he spotted Tarquin and Elysia engaged in conversation in the hallway. Hiding at a distance, he couldn’t make out their words, but the stormy look on his mommy’s face said it all. In his little mind, Tarquin was clearly the villain who had upset his precious mom. An eye for an eye, he thought. If Mom’s upset, Tarquin won’t get off easy either. So, the little guy was on a mission to even the score. He eavesdropped by the door, catching the lively buzz inside, punctuated by toasts to the “birthday boy.” Evan scoffed silently. A birthday, huh? Big whoop. He spied a waiter wheeling over a cart with a birthday cake, and his eyes twinkled with mischief as he sauntered toward it. As he drew closer, he couldn’t help but express his awe. “Wow, what a gorgeous cake! I’d kill for a slice.” The waiter, charmed by the cuteness, paused, saying with a smile, “It sure is pretty, but it’s for someone else. It’s not polite to eat without asking. If you want some sweets, just ask your folks to holler at one of us. We’ve got plenty of other treats in the back.” Evan pouted adorably. “The best ones are always out of reach, huh? Oh, what’s that on top? Is that a candle?” He pointed his tiny finger at the cake’s top decoration. All three waiters glanced up, and in that split second, Evan slipped a little something into the cake from his pocket. “That’s just a fancy topper, not a candle,” they explained. “Oh, then better get going. Don’t keep the birthday boy waiting!” “Sure thing.” The waiters chuckled and rolled the cake away. Evan licked his finger, savoring the sweetness of the stolen frosting. “Mmm, so good, what a shame,” he muttered, grinning wickedly as the cake disappeared Into the room. Soon after, a loud “BANG!” erupted from the party room, followed by screams. Evan knew his ploy had worked. With a smug humph, he strolled towards the bathroom, whistling a tune, hands buried in his pockets. Inside, Booker’s cake had exploded, showering Tarquin in a sloppy mess. Being the closest to Booker, Tarquin was now a cake monster, covered from head to toe. He gasped in shock, nearly losing his cool – never had he been so humiliated, especially not in front of an audience! As confusion reigned, Booker finally burst out, “Fuck! Who’s fucking with me on my day? You win; you got me. Just wait till I find out who you are, and when your birthday rolls around, I’ll show you…” Booker assumed it was a prank from one of the guests. The tension eased as everyone else thought the same, and laughter filled the room. Tarquin didn’t dwell on it. A little birthday prank among guys was nothing out of the ordinary. But with it being Booker’s day, Tarquin swallowed his anger, storming off to the bathroom to clean up. With the party room’s restroom occupied, he headed to the one outside. That’s when he encountered Evan. Evan, wearing a face mask, stood in front of the kiddie toilet, fumbling with his trousers. Their eyes met – a grown man a and a boy. Tarquin’s brow furrowed. Had it not been for the boy’s lively eyes, he might have mistaken him for Elijah. 09:46 “Mmm, so good, what a shame,” he muttered, grinning wickedly as the cake disappeared into the room. Soon after, a loud “BANG!” erupted from the party room, followed by screams. Evan knew his ploy had worked. With a smug humph, he strolled towards the bathroom, whistling a tune, hands buried in his pockets. Inside, Booker’s cake had exploded, showering Tarquin in a sloppy mess. Being the closest to Booker, Tarquin was now a cake monster, covered from head to toe. He gasped in shock, nearly losing his cool – never had he been so humiliated, especially not in front of an audience! As confusion reigned, Booker finally burst out, “Fuck! Who’s fucking with me on my day? You win; you got me. Just wait till I find out who you are, and when your birthday rolls around, I’ll show you….” Booker assumed it was a prank from one of the guests. The tension eased as everyone else thought the same, and laughter filled the room. Tarquin didn’t dwell on it. A little birthday prank among guys was nothing out of the ordinary But with it being Booker’s day, Tarquin swallowed his anger, storming off to the bathroom to clean up. With the party room’s restroom occupied, he headed to the one outside. That’s when he encountered Evan. Evan, wearing a face mask, stood in front of the kiddie toilet, fumbling with his trousers. Their eyes met – a grown man and a boy. Tarquin’s brow furrowed. Had it not been for the boy’s lively eyes, he might have mistaken him for Elijah.