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"For love i'd do anything. For YOU i'd do even more"

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Devlin woke from his sleep feeling refreshed and completely satisfied. He glanced at the alarm clock on his bedroom table and found that it was just a couple minutes past 7am.

He quickly got out of bed and went to the bathroom to shower and start off his Friday. He had no plans so he figured he could stay at home with his mom and later go visit her at the flower shop in the afternoon.

After the shower, Devlin put on some fresh tshirt and jeans ready to join his mother downstairs. He quickly checked his phone for any message from Kevin and finding none, he pocketed his phone and left his bedroom.

Downstairs, Dorcas was busy preparing breakfast for herself and her son. She loved cooking so much that she, at one time, wanted to become a chef. Cooking was what made her feel in control and she also loved it when people enjoyed her food and asked for recipes.

Devlin was not surprised to see his mother downstairs next to the cooker already preparing their breakfast. He knew her love for cooking and as long as his stomach was always full and she was happy doing what she does, he could never complain.

"Morning mum" Devlin greeted her once she looked up at him.

"Morning too son, for how long have you been standing there?" She asked him after greeting back, a little bit startled by his sudden appearance.

"Since forever, just observing and noting down those kitchen moves that you do." Devlin joked, moving his hands funnily as though he was cooking.

"Is that even cooking? What you are doing right there looks more of dancing than cooking. I would not be surprised if you break all the utensils and pour away all the food doing that." Dorcas said smiling, referring to the moves that his son was making.

"You have not seen me cooking mum, in the barracks they call me the kitchen guru." Devlin boasted, which was clearly a lie but she didn't have to know, did she?

"Well, good for you, because ladies like men that know how to cook. That is a bonus point you got there son." Dorcas complemented, buying the lie.

"Really?" Devlin quickly asked, ideas forming in his head.

"Yeah. The lady will know that she can at least count on you to cook when she is sick or when she is pregnant." His mom pointed out in as a matter of fact way.

"Oh!" Devlin absent mindedly said, his head deep in thoughts.

He could prepare something and take to her as a surprise. That was a brilliant idea! Why couldn't I think of that? He scolded himself.

But what could cook as a surprise to her? His mind ran through different kinds of food and all of them were a no no for him.

"Mom, what is the best food that dad cooked for you?" He found himself asking.

I know i am boring for stealing another person's idea but that's where desperation has reached with me. He thought to himself.

Dorcas stood quietly for some seconds as if going down memory lane and then smiled. "On our first anniversary your dad baked me a beautiful chocolate cake. Mmmh... I can still feel its taste till now." she said while closing her eyes.

Damn! My dad was romantic. Devlin thought. Sorry dad but i have to steal your idea. Hope you will one day forgive me.

"Wooow mom, how about you teach me how to bake one too?" He said, trying not to sound desperate.

"Why would you want to know how to bake? I can bake for you if you are craving for a cake." His mother said now studying him like a detective.

"No mum, i would also want to surprise someone at one time, so i better start to learn right now. The earlier the better, they say." Devlin said, trying to find excuses.

"Okay fine. We'll have to go to the grocery store and buy the needed ingredients, BUT that will be after us having breakfast." Dorcas said while stressing the word 'but' when she saw his son was very interested in going for the ingredients at that right moment, forgetting even his breakfast.

"Fine." Devlin felt like a little kid who was being scolded for refusing to eat but nonetheless went to the draw and fetched out the plates so as to set the table ready for breakfast.

The two ate their breakfast quickly and Devlin immediately went to his room to fetch his wallet that they could use while shopping.

Dorcas knew that there was something going on with his son but she decided to play dumb. Devlin would tell her at the end of the day. She trusted her son and how she brought him up and that is all that mattered.

"Are you ready?" Devlin asked eagerly when they entered his mother's car and he revived the engine.

"As ready as I'll ever be, lets go." Dorcas answered, secretly happy that her son was spending time with her and they were going grocery shopping.

After fifteen minutes of driving, Devlin packed the car in front of their town's only grocery shop and they got out. Devlin was not used to driving small cars since he always drove the big and bulky military vehicles but he couldn't complain. Not when he was the reason they were here anyways.

After stretching his not so comfortable joints, he joined his mom on the other side of the car and they both walked into the store.

The store was packed with women and children, a few men here and there, of which most of them were vendors. Devlin was not at all comfortable with this environment but he reminded himself who he was doing this for.

Get your shit together bud, you have been through a lot of shit. This is just a piece of cake! He encouraged himself.

Devlin took note of the things that his mother was buying but some of them he couldn't understand at all. He needed to have come with a pen and a notebook, it dawned on him. I guess I'll just have to ask her when we get home.

"Devlin, which type of cake did you want us to make?" His mother yelled the question since everyone around them was speaking and you could barely be heard if you talked normally.

The question caught Devlin off-guard since he knew nothing about cakes, let alone their types. He quickly remembered that his father baked her a chocolate cake and guessed that's what all women loved so he answered, "Lets go with chocolate cake."

After almost two hours of walking here and there they were out of the grocery store. Devlin was bored and exhausted but he could not air his grievances loud.

"We should come back here again, that was so much fun, don't you agree?" Dorcas exclaimed cheerfully as they headed to their car.

Definitely not! Devlin wondered how someone could find it fun to walk for hours straight in a shop fun. He himself was bored out of his mind in just the first five minutes.

"We will see about that mum." He answered her, not wanting to disappoint her. After fitting their shopping in the boot, they got in the car and drove back.

When they reached home it was almost noon and Dorcas suggested that they cook the cake as their lunch. Devlin was not on board with that decision since he wanted to take the cake somewhere so his mind started formulating a solution to the problem.

"I think we should bake two cakes, yours and mine. I will be following what you are doing, which seems rather practical after all. Then we can eat your cake as lunch and i will take mine to my friends and get their thoughts." Devlin internally clapped for himself for such a brilliant idea he formulated in just microseconds.

"Okay, go bring the shopping from the car, i will set the kitchen ready for business." Yap, that's my mum for you! Cooking equals business. Devlin thought while heading to the car to bring what they had shopped.

When he came back to the kitchen with his hands full, he found his mother fumbling with utensils and he concluded that it was going to be a long day.

They mixed, whisked and baked for more than an hour. Truthfully, Devlin did not know for how long they had been doing this. His whole concentration was to what his mother was doing and he followed it to the later not wanting to make any mistake.

When his mother told him that everything was done he couldn't be more happy. His cake looked exactly like his mother's but he could not taste it. He made it for her and she was the one to taste it. He was just praying that he did not miss a step or added too much of something.

He was eager to taste his mom's cake to find out how his was supposed to taste like. When the cake was brought to the table and it was time to dig in, he quickly shoved a piece in his mouth like a child given free icecream. His mother just smiled at his childish behavior and dug in as well.

The cake was just woow... Devlin could not describe the feeling. His taste buds were active like never before. He was sure that if this is how his cake tasted then this girl won't know what hit her. She would definitely fall for him. Poor her!

After they finished their meal Devlin knew it was time to visit her before the flower shop is closed. He quickly helped his mother clear the table, thanked her and they went to his room to prepare himself ready to go to there.

One hour later, he was at the door of the flower shop, a basket packed with the cake in one hand, ready to face his fate. A man is born once and dies once, i got this. He assured himself.

Opening the door made the doorbell ring which seemed to have startled her. There she was, looking breathtakingly beautiful without even trying.

How can someone look this beautiful in just a dress? Since when did tying hair in a bun become hot? Devlin felt the self confidence that he had gathered to talk to her was slowly fading away. He had to do something!

"Hi" That was the only thing he could think of when he opened his mouth.

Shit! This is too embarrassing. He thought to himself while stretching his arm out.

He noticed that she was still shocked and he could not guess if it was because of his impromptu visit or his awkwardness.

After some seconds he saw her rubbing her palm on her dress and accepting his greeting. Her hand was tiny and soft and fitted perfectly with his. Her little fingers perfectly manicured were lazily trying to grip his hand. I can hold to this for like forever...

Looking at her face she nodded and smiled which was an indication she also accepted a verbal greeting.

Okayyyy... So no talking then... This mission is becoming harder...

"Ahhhhh... I came to thank you for the advice that you gave me yesterday and the flowers. I don't think i could have done it without you." Devlin paused his speech to judge her reaction and found out that she was still looking at him her face blank.

"Well... I came to give you a little something as an appreciation present." He continued, carrying up his left hand that held the basket.

Her eyes quickly went to the basket as though she had not noticed it before and then looked back at him.

She opened her mouth ready to talk back when someone budged in from the back door startling them.

"Hello there handsome, I am Nicole, how can be of service? You can ask me anything." She asked seductively to a now stunned Devlin.

Talk about cock blocking- or is it date blocking? He inwardly cursed.

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