I poured my heart and soul into making the perfect birthday cake for my granddaughter. But when my daughter-in-law threw it away, it wasn’t just the cake that crumbled. I was crushed. And what my son did after that? God, I wasn’t prepared for it.The scent of vanilla and sugar wafted through my kitchen, bringing back a flood of memories. I closed my eyes, inhaling deeply. For a moment, this 59-year-old Betty was transported back to her childhood, standing on tiptoes next to her grandmother as she crafted culinary magic…”Nana, can I lick the spoon?” I’d ask my grandma.
“Of course, my little Betty,” she’d reply with a wink. “A good baker always tastes her creations.” Returning from my nostalgic trip to the past, I opened my eyes, smiling at the perfectly frosted cake before me. A cute pink creamy unicorn lay proudly atop the confection, ready to celebrate my granddaughter Vicki’s special day.”Oh, Vicki’s going to love this,” I whispered to myself, carefully lifting the cake to place it in a carrier. Just then, my phone buzzed. It was a text from my son, James. “Mom, Emily’s on her way over to help set up. See you soon at the party! 🤗” I felt a knot form in my stomach. Emily, my daughter-in-law, had been increasingly critical of my baking lately. But surely, she wouldn’t object to a birthday cake… would she?The doorbell rang, jolting me from my thoughts. “Here we go,” I muttered, plastering on a smile as I went to answer the door. “Hi, Emily!” I greeted, trying to sound cheerful. “Come on in, I was just finishing up the cake.” Emily’s eyes widened as she stepped inside. “Cake? You mean you actually made one? After everything we’ve talked about?”I felt my smile falter. “Well, it’s Vicki’s birthday. I thought—” “You thought wrong,” Emily cut me off, marching towards the kitchen. “Don’t you care about her health at all?”I followed, my heart racing. “Of course I do! But it’s just one day, Emily. A little cake won’t hurt her.” Emily’s gaze fell on the cake carrier, and her lips pressed into a thin line. “Let me see it.”With trembling hands, I opened the carrier. The cake sat there, a creamy reflection of hours of work and a grandmother’s love. Emily’s reaction was immediate and harsh. “Are you kidding me? Look at all that sugar! The artificial colors! Betty, this is exactly what we DON’T want Vicki eating!” “But it’s her favorite,” I protested weakly. “Chocolate with buttercream frosting. She loves the little pink unicorn and—””I don’t care what she loves!” Emily snapped. “I care about what’s good for her. And this? This is NOT it.”I felt tears pricking at the corners of my eyes. “Emily, please. I worked so hard on this.” Emily’s gaze fell on the cake, and her lips pressed into a thin line again. “We’ll see about that.” Sighing, I excused myself to finish setting up the decorations in the living room. When I returned to the kitchen a few minutes later, my heart SANK. “Emily, where’s the cake?” I gasped, noticing the empty counter. “What did you do?”Emily stood by the trash can, her arms crossed. “Oh, I THREW it out. I’m just looking out for my daughter’s health. You know how harmful sugar is for kids. You should thank me, honestly!” I rushed to the trash can and peered inside. There it was, my beautiful creation, smashed and ruined. Tears pricked at the corners of my eyes. “How could you? I worked so hard on this. It was meant to be truly special for my little one.” “Forget it!” Emily snapped, brushing off her hands. “Now we can get something healthy for the party. Maybe a fruit platter?”I couldn’t believe what had just happened. “How could you throw it away? Just like that?”Emily shrugged, rolling her eyes. “Oh, c’mon, Betty! Stop being a drama queen. It’s for the best. You’ll see. Vicki doesn’t need all that junk in her system.” I felt a tear roll down my cheek. “That wasn’t junk, Emily. That was love. That was tradition. That was…” “Old-fashioned! Times have changed, Betty. The sooner you accept that, the better.”I opened my mouth to argue, but the sound of the front door opening interrupted me. “Hello? Anyone home? Girls?” James called out, smiling. Emily’s eyes widened slightly. “Don’t you dare tell him,” she hissed before plastering on a smile.
