Emmanuel had never missed one of Chiamaka’s birthdays before. Not once, even while they were still dating. Whether it was a small dinner or a surprise party with her friends, he always made sure her day felt special.
But this year was different.
He was in the UK, chasing the career growth they had both prayed for while she was in Lagos, holding down home, family, and the little routines they used to share. As such as her birthday got closer, the silence in his calendar grew louder. He knew being away would sting.
And still, he wanted her to feel loved.
“I Just Want Her to Smile”
That was all he told the person on the other end of the Yefepere WhatsApp line. He’d Googled “cake in Lagos,” hoping to find someone who wouldn’t just take an order, but truly understand what it meant and display it precisely.
He didn’t want flashy, but basic was far from what he wanted too.
He just wanted her to feel held, even from 5,000 km away.
They helped him pick out a red velvet cake, her go-to comfort flavor. Soft, fluffy, with smooth buttercream and a note that read:
“To my heartbeat
I may not be there, but my love is.”
He added flowers. No balloons. No extras. Just enough for her to feel seen.
When the Cake in Lagos Arrived…
She was just coming in from work. Tired. Slightly irritated by Lagos traffic. Her simple plan was to change, eat, maybe scroll through messages, and call it a night. But the knock on the door changed that.
It was the delivery. She didn’t even know who it was from at first.
But then she opened the box.
Read the note.
And saw the familiar red velvet with gold accents.
She sat down and cried. Not out of sadness, but because someone, her fine young man, somewhere across the world, still saw her. Still remembered. Still celebrated her.
She called Emmanuel immediately. Didn’t even let the ringtone finish.
“You did this?”
“I love you,” he said.
“I miss you,” she replied.
The Magic of a Cake in Lagos
Sometimes love doesn’t need big speeches. Just a thoughtful cake in Lagos, sent with care, at the right time.
That’s what Yefepere helped Emmanuel do.
And for Chiamaka, that cake wasn’t just dessert.
It was home.