Flora already had chocolate cake. She'd made two yesterday. If he had wanted something else, she would have had to cook, and maybe she should have offered something else instead, because that would have taken more time. But she got out the cake and cut a too large piece for him. When the boy spoke she was putting it on a plate, getting a fork, and his voice - so soft and hesitant - surprised her.
"No, baby.. that's alright." She sat the cake down in front of him and got him a glass of milk, too.