She smelled it coming from the kitchen. The child ran her tongue over her teeth and crept forward. Her sister was upstairs. Her mother was cleaning the living room. Therefore, there was no one who could stop her from the kitchen.

Her steps were almost exaggerated as she entered the kitchen. It took no time at all for her to spot the cake on the counter. She grabbed a chair and scooted it toward that direction. The screech of the feet scraping against the ground made her stop. Grimacing, she slowly started to push it again, trying to go as slow as possible.

It made it there and she pulled herself up. Happily, she reached forward for the cake.

“I don’t think so, kiddo.”

Startled, she looked over at her father. He plucked her up off the chair. She reached uselessly back for the cake.

“We’ll keep this between you and me, but that means we’ve both got to behave until mom says it’s okay. Got it?”

She wasn’t happy with this new development, but there wasn’t really a choice now. Sadly, she nodded. “’Kay.”

“Good girl.”

He took her away from the sweet cake. She watched it from over his shoulder and licked her lips.