Mocha Cake — Uncle Arthur’s Birthday

Firelight and candlelight are dazzling in my mind’s eye. It is the best combination, and we are cozy in Nana’s farmhouse kitchen as its deep brick fireplace roars flames producing unending warmth. The darkness has seeped in through the surrounding windows, but it is no match for the comfort the blazing fire and my family provides. Still small enough to enjoy its inaccessibility for escape, I am nestled on the back bench of the built-in kitchen table. Here I wait for the celebration to continue. Dinner was surely something hot and satisfying, but dessert was an exceptional cake for Uncle Arthur. Candles are lit and voices join singing Happy Birthday to you... Uncle Arthur, so quiet and kind, blows out his candles. Cake is passed. The frosting, buttery and rich, sweet and surprising, is mocha. I take a bite and feel like an adult. Mocha, my mother explains, is a combination of coffee and chocolate. Mocha, bittersweet in taste and memory. How I miss the family members who are now gone from this story. How I miss the warmth of Nana’s kitchen.