Kismet | Damon Salvatore

Chapter 12

"This is Hell's Kitchen."

Maribel smacked Damon with a rag. "This is like, the simplest recipe I could possibly be teaching you. Sopa de fideo. We need a nice soup before we go run some errands today. It won't take that long. I don't want pancakes again, I want soup."

Bonnie held two thumbs up, already wearing an apron. "I'm ready."

Damon rolled his eyes, refusing to put on the chef's hat that Maribel found in one of the upstairs closets. "I am not making soup."

"Okay, then starve. Let's prep first. I'm teaching you the way my grandma taught me. There are other methods. Some involve using fresh tomatoes. As my grandma put it, the point is for it to take the least amount of time. So, we used small cans of tomato sauce and she usually got pre-chopped onions from taco stands. I took the liberty of cutting the onion already and I've had our water boiling so... without further ado, let's start. Open your packet of fideo pasta. I like using La Moderna brand."

She showed Bonnie how to pour a little canola oil on the bottom of the pot, coating it before dumping the pasta in. "You use a wooden spoon to not scratch the bottom of the pot, and you let the pasta get coated in the oil. Wait til it browns a bit... then you add the onion and let that cook a bit. Now..." she turned to the side. "I like using this chicken broth powder and a tiny bit of garlic salt. Sprinkle the garlic salt over it, then add a spoonful of the chicken broth powder. Stir that in, coat everything nicely... now the tomato sauce. Pour it all in, mix. And finally, the boiling water. Mix a few times ever so often, taste test as needed. My mom usually leaves it for a good half hour. I sometimes take it out a bit early, sometimes I like the chewier texture. It's up to you."

Damon tapped his foot impatiently. "So we have to wait half an hour to eat? The pancakes would have been ready in two minutes."

"You'll like the soup a whole lot more," she said in a sing-song voice. "Too bad there won't be any left for you."

She spared two bowls for him when she saw the hungry gaze he was sending to the pot when the smell made its way to his nose. He ate them happily, not at all bothered by how hot it was.

"Now that we're fed, here's my plan for the day," said Maribel once they were on the road. "I want some new clothes, and I think Bonnie wants some too so we can go to the mall. I want to decorate my room and get toiletries and Damon reminded me we probably still have periods to worry about so we should get some stuff for that. The last thing I want to do is get some seeds to start a garden and some groceries for the week."

"What about your lab?" piped up Bonnie.

"I'll go later."

"Not by yourself," said Damon. "We're going with you."

"I really don't need you to. I'll bring all my stuff here."

"And what exactly do we do if you drop a microscope on your foot and break a toe? We don't exactly have phones."

"Then I guess I make my way back with a broken toe and you heal me when I'm back. My lab is my safe space, I like being alone in there."

"Mm... cute. You're not going alone."

"This is ridiculous, there's nobody else here."

"And what if there is? What if there's someone else here and they find you and they kill you and we never find out? You don't even know what kind of supernatural you are, and you still don't know how to fight. We're going with you, end of story."

"I don't want you to come with me, please, I like going there alone."

"Damon," said Bonnie. "Maybe we could follow in a different car and wait in the parking lot. She'd have her private time to do what she needs to do but we'd be close by if anything happens."