One more bookstore short story. This one is dedicated to the girls who worked in the kitchen. It was my first year being out of the kitchen, and I enjoyed getting to know the girls who took my place. Enjoy!
Too Many Cooks in the Kitchen
(dedicated to Sarah Beth Hurn, Giuli Kennard, and Laruen Hood)
Mandie, Jolie, and Kat were best friends. They did everything together. They all lived on the same street and went to the same school. “Inseparable” is what their favorite teacher Miss Carney always said. The girls took turns going to each other’s houses but it was Mandie’s house that was the favorite.
One afternoon after school Jolie and Kat had gone to Mandie’s. They were discussing what they should do that afternoon when Mandie’s Mom called up the stairs enlisting all three girls to babysit Mandie’s younger brother Ethan while she ran to the grocery store. All three girls groaned. Kat, usually seeing the bright side of things among the three came up with an idea.
“Let Ethan watch a movie and we can make a pumpkin pie!”
Mandie and Jolie immediately agreed and all three rushed downstairs. Ethan – caught up in the excitement gladly followed and was delighted when his favorite movie was put in. When the girls were sure he was happily distracted they rushed to the kitchen, donning aprons and grabbing step stools. Jolie found the cook book and Mandie a bowl. Jolie began to bark out orders but Mandie said it was her house and she should be in charge, Kat groaned and complained that it was her idea, so instead of coming to an agreement they all began to gather what they could before the others got to it each wanting to be in charge. The girls were working so fervently that they hadn’t noticed the page of the cook book turn from the breeze of their rushing about. Mandie was getting soy sauce while Jolie grabbed crackers, Kat produced a can of corn, then flour and sugar were placed on the counter and buttermilk pulled from the fridge. Ethan appeared with a coloring book and crayons pleading for someone to color with him. All three girls ignored him and continued rushing from cabinet to cabinet. Lettuce, applesauce, raisins, and mustard…. Ethan crawled up on a chair and gracefully marked a blue x on the page for biscuits. He smiled and turned the page making another mark on the chicken and dumpling page, but this time in purple. Flour and eggs were flying, pots and wooden spoons were being whisked about.
Suddenly everyone stopped.
“It’s done!” cried Kat.
Mandie dusted some flour off of her nose only to place more on it when she touched it. Jolie carefully picked up the pie and carried it to the oven. It looked like a funeral service as she walked slowly toward the oven, Kat ceremonially opening the oven door. Once the pie was inside they peered through the glass, smiling.
“It’s going to be delicious!” said Kat
“Mother will be proud” exclaimed Mandie
Jolie agreed with both girls and said, “Well I guess we had better clean up now.”
They all sighed and slowly began to put away the dishes and ingredients.
“Who got out the raisins?” called Jolie from across the kitchen.
“Why are there corn and crackers out?” asked Mandie.
“Soy sauce doesn’t belong in a pumpkin pie does it?” questioned Kat.
They all looked at each other then looked at Ethan still coloring on the cookbook.
“Oh No!” they all groaned, “We put all the wrong things in!” cried Mandie.
The oven timer went off, as Mandie's mom walked in the door.
"What is that smell?" asked her mother, "What have you girls been doing?"
Mandie quickly explained what happened. Each time an ingredient was named her Mother's eyebrows went a little higher. The timer beeped again and the three girls and Mandie's mother looked inside the oven. Something brown and green and bubbly lay in the pie pan. Jolie plugged her nose, Mandie closed her eyes and Kat put her hands over her mouth. Mandie’s mom carefully pulled out the bubbling mess and walked outside carefully disposing of its contents over the fence.
"Let's not try making another pie, or anything, without my help." said Mandie's Mother.
All three girls quickly agreed and promised to ask next time. The girls trudged back up to Mandie's room.
"What a disaster" said Mandie
Jolie laughed, "Not completely. Look!"
The girls crowded around the window. There below was Ethan eating their pumpkin pie.
The End
Sarah
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