Chocolate Coated Doughnuts
Chocolate Coated Doughnuts
The next morning came with a thin grey light slipping through the curtains, soft enough not to wake Naya but warm enough to nudge Tessa back into consciousness. She hadn’t slept much every hour, she had gotten up to check her daughter’s breathing, her temperature. By six, she was already dressed in sweats and a large T-shirt, pacing the small hospital room, then she heard Roderick knocking.
He had insisted on driving them home from the hospital.
When she opened the door, he was standing there with that familiar concerned crease between his brows, hands tucked into his pockets like he wasn’t sure if he should hug her or give her space.
“You okay?” he asked gently.
Tessa nodded. “We’re good. Thanks again.”
He shook his head. “Don’t thank me for caring.”
Before she could respond, Naya padded into view behind her, wrapped in her little strawberry-print blanket, hair messy, eyes still heavy with sleep.
Roderick’s expression softened immediately. “There’s my girl. How’re you feeling?”
Naya whispered, “Better,” and buried her head into Tessa’s hip.
They signed all the paperworks and left the hospital. The ride home was long and fun, with Naya chattering the whole time.
Maya had already taken an early taxi to work, leaving Tessa and her daughter alone in the still morning. The house was deafeningly quiet as soon as they got home.
“Okay,” Tessa whispered, touching Naya’s cheek. “Today is just us. Anything you want. Anything at all.”
Naya’s eyes brightened instantly. “Can…can we bake mama?”
Tessa nodded. “We can bake anything you want.”
“And play with Miss Penelope, and paint, and build castles?”
“All of it,” Tessa said, kissing her forehead. “We’ll do all of it.”
………
For hours, the apartment was filled with the chaotic noise of tiny feet running across the carpet, short giggles echoing down the hall, toys being dragged everywhere, and Miss Penelope supervising from the couch like a queen on her throne.
In the kitchen, flour floated like dust in the sunlight, settling on Tessa’s hair and Naya’s eyebrows as they mixed batter in a bowl. Naya was in charge of stirring aggressively, with more enthusiasm than skill, while Tessa added ingredients and tried not to laugh every time something splashed.
They baked chocolate chip muffins first. Then cupcakes. Then, because Naya insisted Miss Penelope needed “her own special cake,” they made a tiny vanilla one no bigger than a teacup.
While the small oven hummed, they played on the rug, Naya narrating a dramatic adventure where unicorns battled dragons made of Legos.
Tessa cherished moments like these. The quiet ones. The normal ones. The ones where she wasn’t thinking about the ritual, or Damien, or Julius Blackwell, or her own reckless heart.
Just her daughter. Her sweet, tiny miracle.
The doorbell rang mid game.
Tessa froze slightly, it wasn’t a time of day anyone usually visited. She wiped her hands on a towel.
“Stay here,” she told Naya softly. “I’ll get it.”
“Celeste?” She smiled as she opened the door.
Celeste stood there smiling brightly, dressed in a pink knit sweater and jeans, holding a beautiful white bakery box and a bundle of pastel-colored balloons.
“Surprise,” Celeste said, leaning in for a hug. “I heard someone wasn’t feeling well.”
Tessa hugged her tight. “Oh my God, you didn’t have to.”
“I did,” Celeste said, waving her off. “Where’s my baby girl?”
Inside, Naya peeked from behind the counter. The balloons caught her eye first shiny purple, pink, and silver printed with Get well soon, little star!
Celeste bent down immediately. “Hi, sweetheart,” she whispered, sweeping Naya up gently into a hug. “How are you feeling?”
Naya’s little arms wrapped around her neck. “Better,” she whispered again.
“Good,” Celeste said, kissing her cheek. “I brought donuts. The one with chocolate and strawberry topping.”
Naya grinned.
Tessa felt her chest warm.
“Go wash your hands first,” she told Naya. “Take your books to your room.”
“Okay, mommy!” Naya yelled, bolting to her room with the balloons bouncing behind her.
Celeste laughed. “She seems fine to me.”
“Yeah,” Tessa sighed, breathing easier. “The doctor said it wasn’t serious.”
They moved into the kitchen, sitting at the island as Tessa began packing up the baked muffins.
“What exactly did the doctor say?” Celeste asked.
Tessa explained everything, the short spell of weakness, the fast breathing, the doctor’s advice. Plenty of rest. Hydration. More vegetables. More protein. Nothing life threatening.
Celeste exhaled slowly. “I’m glad. That could’ve been scary.”
“It was,” Tessa admitted, eyes dropping to the counter. “I thought… I thought something was really wrong. I almost lost it.”
Celeste squeezed her hand. “I can relate, I'm a mum and the last thing I want is to see my babies down. Good thing Naya is fine.”
Tessa nodded quietly.
After a moment, Celeste rested her chin on her palm. “So…” she said slowly, a small smile forming. “How’s the ritual going?”
Tessa blinked. “Oh God. That.”
“Yes, that,” Celeste said, laughing. “You got Julius Blackwell.”
Tessa groaned. “It sounds insane when you say it like that.”
“Girl, everything we do is insane,” Celeste reminded her. “Now talk. How was he? What was he like?”
Tessa slid her fingers through her hair. “We met at the horse stable. He was… charming, confident and very self aware.”
Celeste’s grin widened. “That’s what I like to hear.”
Tessa looked down. “He gave me his number, but I don’t know when to call him. Maybe soon.”
“Do it when you feel ready,” Celeste said. “No rush. But please don’t overthink it. You’re good at this.”
“I’m not sure about that.”
“I’m sure for both of us,” Celeste said, grabbing a donut. “And speaking of draws, guess who I got?”
Tessa leaned in. “Who?”
“Denzel Whyte,” Celeste groaned dramatically. “Two wives. A girlfriend. Three scandals. And a habit of tweeting nonsense at midnight.”
Tessa snorted. “Why does that sound so on brand for you?”
“I know,” Celeste said proudly. “But I’ll get his money. And his attention. And then I’ll ghost him so hard he’ll think I was a hallucination.”
They both laughed.
It felt good. Normal.