We Are Wolves chapter sampler

But his silly faces and mock cries of despair encourage Mia. She giggles and gurgles and rubs a half-chewed cherry into her golden curls. ‘When it’s my birthday,’ says Otto, ‘I want a cake just like this … except chocolate … with nuts on top … and no cherries in the middle … and icing instead of cream.’ ‘So a different cake altogether,’ says Mama. ‘Exactly!’ cries Otto and we all burst out laughing. ‘I remember the first cake I ever made for Opa,’ says Oma. ‘It was three days after our wedding and I decided it would be romantic to bake something delicious for my new husband.’ ‘Was it good, Opa?’ I ask. ‘Did you think it was romantic? Did you kiss Oma to say thank you?’ ‘No,’ says Opa. ‘I took one bite and spat it into the sink.’ Oma laughs. ‘I used salt instead of sugar, by mistake. Apparently, that matters quite a lot for the success of a cake.’ ‘And for the success of a marriage!’ adds Opa. Oma reaches across the table and grabs Opa’s hand. ‘Ah, but we’ve had a long and happy marriage despite my

dreadful cooking, haven’t we, Friedrich?’ ‘Yes, yes, we have,’ says Opa and sighs.

I swallow my last mouthful of cake, but it catches in my throat. Something about Opa’s words hurts. He makes it sound as though the long years of happiness have ended.

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