Kika twirled the forty-eight OZ jar of peanut butter around betwixt her thumb and three tallest fingers on her right hand while using her left index to read through the ingredients and calorie counter section per every spread.
"Oh, there it is."
She finally sighted the information she'd been looking for.
"Non-GMO*– Gluten-free."
Kika was at the mall shopping for her daughter's birthday party with Hachila, she would have gone with Melody but she was still on her world tour and won't be back till the month was over.
"Why isn't Luke here? I thought you said I was your last resort?"
"And you are."
Kika didn't even bother looking up at her aunt when she retorted. Hachila had a talent for dwelling on old blemishes until they were reopened and bleeding.
"Yeah, so why is that?"
Hachila added a packet of balloons to the trolley. She sauntered further down the aisle to find some candles then she'll move on to the decorations which was the next item on her party planning checklist. As a permitted legal extension of the royal family, she could have hired entertainment rentals and a party planner to oversee it but she wanted her daughter to see the earnestness in a party she orchestrated for her herself.
"He's busy."
Kika muttered stepping as far away as she could from Hachila while collecting the rest of the ingredients for Bloom's chocolate peanut butter cake with cream cheese and Butterfinger frosting. She had been taking a baking class for the passed three months just for this two-day celebration. The cake she'll make herself will be just for their family of three, she had another one on pre-order just for the party itself.
Hachila rolled her eyes at Kika's vague reply and restrained herself from laughing Kika to scorn.
He's busy? With what? He lost almost all the assets he owned by being fortunate to be birthed into the royal family. His ill-gotten fortune from the dispensing of power amplifiers was confiscated by the court and given to the charity organizations hosting sick or handicapped non-mortals. His title was suspended indefinitely along with the power of domination passed only to vampiric descendants of the Asgardian royal family.
In other words, unless he is reinstated or summoned to the royal court, he can't do anything related to the Asgardian workforce without getting permission directly from his Majesty, the King. With all that said Hachila wondered what could possibly be more important than planning the innocent princess's third birthday party. His own daughter.
"Sadly, I think things haven't quite worked out the way you envisaged."
Hachila scoffed when she noticed the distance Kika had put in between them. She was part of the warning committee when Kika was still trying to get Luke's attention.
"Not like I was expecting anything different."
Kika ignored Hachila's statement and ticked off all the items they had gotten on the list and continued to the other shelf to pick up some ribbons to package the birthday gifts.
"You are going to end up ruining your life one day if you continue to remain married to him, leave now before it's too late and the scars are too deep to heal."
Like Kika didn't already know that.
"But then again you're ever so strong-headed. Haha, I don't care what you do anymore. I just don't want Bloom getting caught up in your problems. She's still so young and innocent and she deserves to grow up in a family that actually loves her."
Kika blinked repeatedly before finally locating the aisle for decorations.
"Okay, so I'll need some banners, balloons spelling out Bloom is 3...er...confetti?...yeah that too, party blowers...um centrepieces..."
Hachila eventually stopped talking when she noticed Kika had stopped replying to her ill-will-coated words of advice. She shook her head and tossed the items she was holding at the counter before storming out of the shopping mall. Kika was certainly grateful although it did cause quite a scene at the cash register but she could already see her mistakes, she didn't want someone else constantly shoving it in her face.
***
She had them delivered to the mansion then she followed up on the RSVPs. She prepared tip envelopes for the party entertainers and staff. She decided to go green and make use of paperless invitations, she also enlisted party helpers a month before. In the end, only sixty percent of the attendees responded yes.
Still, on her toes, she dropped by a cafe for a quick bite before continuing with the last-minute preparations with a week left to go.
***
"Rhea, has the academy issued the time yet?"
Kika ordered the Titans to leave once they were done transferring the items she bought to the storage room.
"Yes, my lady. On Tuesday from nine in the morning to two in the afternoon."
"Good."
Kika clambered up the stairs to her room, she needed to rest up and then head to the company dinner that evening. Bloom's birthday was on Wednesday and she had notified her secretary that she won't be dropping by the office that day so all her appointments and phone calls would be discontinued until after her daughter's birthday party.