Triple

Smoke from the grill rose from the barbecue pit. The family reunion celebrated three occasions, a graduation, birthday, and first Father’s Day for the young man fresh out of Delaware Institute of Technology in Newark, Delaware. High cheekbones sharpened further by deep chestnut colored skin, contrasted with his warm, welcoming, brilliantly white teeth.

The attendees brought gifts for all three occasions. The graduate in question, Lesko Dune, held his bride in his arms, posing for impromptu phone camera photo-shoots. His wife Arcelia stood at 5’6” and possessed brown skin that hugged around her soft skin.

“I want everyone to get a picture of Arc’ with our baby girl Excelsia. You can get me all day. Now, excuse me while I get more daps from the people who also showed up for me,” Dune said. He then kissed his grandmother and aunties. As he marched down the lush green lawn to the tent where his relatives served food, he elbowed his uncles and flashed his trademark smile.

The time had finally come for the birthday boy, graduate, and father. A relatively large white box sat on the table adjacent to the food tent. As the celebrants shooed away flies and enjoyed corn on the cob with pork ribs, Arcelia ran up behind her husband and shielded his eyes.

“Don’t peek!”

Everyone gathered around the gift table with the gifts. The contents of the white box would soon become known. Candles blazed. Twenty-six to be exact.

The glow was like a small sun brightening up Dune’s face.

“Now open them!” The guests yelled when Dune saw the cake read, “Happy Birthday, Father’s Day, and Congratulations Graduate!”

He looked down and his smile suddenly collapsed, his face still illuminated by the candle’s glow.

“What’s this?” he asked solemnly.

The thirty or so people at the backyard party also grew quiet, smiles falling from their faces just as quickly.

“Relax,” Arcelia said.

“This is a chocolate cake. I can see that it’s some kind of frosting that’s fluffy and brown. I can’t eat this. You know I can only eat non dairy pastries. I will break out, and possibly have a seizure because of this. You’ve always known I can eat only certain foods. This is totally unacceptable. This can be for you all, but I cannot touch this. It’s a problem I will not soon forget. There’s something in this that will always rub me the wrong way, and to think, my own family already had knowledge of my diet restrictions. How could you do this to me?”

“I said to relax because your Grandma Mora baked this triple layer cake using vegan ingredients. We weren’t trying to trick you or anything, babe. You’re going to be able to enjoy this cake. It’s peanut butter, not milk chocolate icing in the middle. You can share some with me with a glass of Kool-Aid, that’s if you change your mind,”Arcelia said.

Dune held his head. He threw his hands up in the air. “That was my fault. I should have waited to see what was what. I sincerely thank you for your patience and I ask you all to pardon me.”

“It’s alright!” the group of friends and family shouted.

“Now blow out those candles!” Dune’s uncle Rush yelled. Dune wasted no time extinguishing the candles with a fan.

Arcelia, holding Excelsia, moved closer to her husband and directed his cousins to cut up the cake.

“I’m having a slice, and I’d love sharing mine with something a lot sweeter,” He kissed Arcelia on the cheek.

“Just think, we’re celebrating all three of your milestones on the same day and, we’re savoring the flavors of this wonderful cake,” Arcelia said.

“I know. Think about this, I almost passed it up, too,” Dune chomped on the creamy peanut butter and the rich notes of the dark chocolate cake. He washed it down with his cherry Kool-Aid with his wife and child.