All It Takes

Chapter 5 // A Red Velvet Red

Chapter 5 // A Red Velvet Red

It's been almost three weeks since I've started to babysit the Millegans and let's just say; they are a complete handful.

Lars refuses to be tutored and gets frustrated with my 'ways', but ends up crawling back, begging for the answers like a thirsty man for water. Cami is just a huge bolt of energy, zipping about and all around the house you can hear the faint shouts and happy shrieks of the little seven year old.

Lucky for me it's her birthday tomorrow, and she thinks I don't know (being the awesome babysitter I am, I pretended not to) and I'm trying to bake cupcakes.

Key word: Trying.

Being left with a Dad and having to cook, I've learned a few things, and one of them is not baking.

And so, while my Dad is in court today, I'm scurrying around the kitchen on a lonely Saturday, trying to find some softened butter and our powdered sugar when the doorbell rings.

I'm covered in batter and I'm head to toe in sprinkles. My hair is practically falling out of it's bun, and I can feel dried bits of batter on my face. I look as if I face planted into a giant cake.

Preparing myself for utter humiliation, I open the door.

Garrett, Xavier and Stella are standing at my doorstep clutching little baggies.

Their jaws open in shock at my current state.

"I heard you were making cupcakes!" Garrett gushes. I remember that I texted Stella last night and I don't remember her saying that she would bring some company. Nonetheless, I love these two boys now, and although they're some pain in the butts, they're actually pretty cool (ish).

"Yeah, yeah, and I suppose you're here to mooch off of me?" I snort, and shamelessly admitting, they nod.

"Haze, we're here to help." Stella steps forward, removing her shoes, and takes a finger and points to some dried batter off of my face. "red velvet?"

I simply nod, and Xavier and Garrett take the invitation to burst through.

"Who are they for?!" Xavier scoops up some batter in an ice cream scooper and before I can even say 'salmonella', he sips the thick batter up.

"Xav!" Garrett exclaims, incredulous. "don't do that without me!" He pushes Xavier away and does the same exact thing.

"Boys!" Stella yells, and her face crinkles with anger. "behave!"

They stand attentive in mock salute and drop everything.

She turns her head towards me and pushes me towards the kitchen.

"Who are these cupcakes for, anyways?" Stella asks, still prodding me towards the counter.

"Lars' little sister, Cami."

"Ah. Decorations?" She motions towards the piping bags and jars and jars of sprinkles.

"You already decorated yourself, so you're good!" Garrett snorts, and him and Xavier get into a cheeky little slap fight.

"Hah hah." I laugh mirthlessly. I walk over and shove them out, and Stella trots over and starts helping me drop little blobs of batter into foil liners.

I direct the boys to a little area upstairs with a billiards table and a TV. I hear shouts over the latest football game and the sounds of billiard balls hitting each other. Stella pauses and sets her ice cream scoop turned cupcake measurer down.