His Lovable Klutz (Completed)

Segment Seventeen.

♥ Scandinavian Potatoes? Nah! ♥
♥ Scandinavian Disaster ♥

      The kitchen was an absolute disaster.

      Thick, choking smoke billowed out from every direction, swirling like a fog of culinary failure. Coby was in the center of the chaos, coughing uncontrollably as she stumbled around the kitchen. The countertops were strewn with half-chopped vegetables, spilled flour, and splatters of cream from an earlier attempt at making the sauce.

      Dirty dishes clattered noisily into the sink, one after another, as Coby tried to clear space, but every movement seemed to make the mess worse. The clang of a pot lid hitting the bottom of the sink echoed through the kitchen, followed by a pan skidding across the countertop before crashing to the floor with a deafening bang.

      Coby could barely see through the thick haze of smoke, her eyes watering as she squinted to find the source of the disaster. On the stovetop, the supposed-to-be Scandinavian Potatoes were an unrecognizable, charred mess. The once-cream-soaked layers of potatoes had turned into a blackened, smoking mass, more like burnt offerings than a delicious meal.

      Next to them, the steaks were sizzling in their own overcooked fat, the edges curled and blackened, releasing an acrid odor that made her gag. Even the chilies she had planned to use as a garnish had somehow ended up as shriveled, charred remains.

      The countertops, once pristine, were now filthy beyond recognition. Crumbs, grease, and spills covered every inch, with bits of food clinging to the edges. Pots and pans were scattered across the surface like a battlefield, some upended, others with their contents spilling out. The cutting board had been knocked askew, a knife still precariously balanced on top, its blade smeared with something that might have been garlic or could have been a remnant of one of the steaks—it was impossible to tell.

      Coby muttered to herself as she frantically tried to regain control. "This is a disaster, a total disaster," she whispered, her voice barely audible over the crackling and hissing from the stove. "I've messed up, big time."

      Her movements were frantic, nearly panicked, as she dashed from one side of the kitchen to the other, trying to clean up the wreckage she had created. She grabbed a towel, attempting to wipe down the counters, but only succeeded in smearing the mess further. Her hands were shaking as she yanked open drawers, searching for anything that might help salvage the situation, but every attempt only seemed to add to the chaos.

      Then, in a flash of desperation, an idea struck her. "Alexa!" she called out, her voice thick with smoke and frustration. "Turn off the smoke!"

      There was a brief pause before Alexa's calm, robotic voice responded, "I'm sorry, but I cannot turn off smoke. Perhaps you meant to ask for assistance in ventilating the kitchen or turning off the appliances?"

      Coby cursed under her breath, "Useless robot!" Her frustration boiling over. Suddenly, the ceiling sprinkler system activated with a loud hiss.

      Water gushed down from the sprinkler head, soaking Coby instantly. It was as if the heavens had opened up, drenching her from head to toe. Her hair plastered against her forehead, water dripping down her nose, her clothes clinging to her skin as the torrent continued to pour. The water quickly began to reduce the smoke, transforming the once dense cloud into a light mist, but it also left Coby standing in the middle of a rapidly forming puddle.

      The water cascaded down, pooling on the floor, trickling into every crevice, and turning the kitchen into a veritable swamp. The previously dirty dishes in the sink were now submerged, the countertop grime washed into rivulets of dirty water that streamed off the edge. The burnt remnants of her meal were thoroughly drenched, the charred potatoes now soggy lumps floating in what was left of the cream, the steaks reduced to waterlogged husks.