Delectable Benefits

Ten

Nick was surprised to see his wife home early the following week. She was dressed in an apron and she was arranging the ingredients on the large stainless kitchen table. Nicolette smiled when she saw her mother home early. She embraced her mother tightly and washed up immediately in preparation for her home lessons in cooking.

She took her apron from one of the kitchen cabinets and sat on one of the stools next to her father who was happily munching on one of her mother's cup cakes. "Mommy, how many are we making today?"

"Someone in the orphanage is having a birthday today. I've already made the cake and I want to make chocolate cupcakes with pink frosting," Anya said and looked at her daughter. "You're going to bake them and decorate them, daddy will taste them and we'll see what he thinks of your baking skill. We'll have you recorded."

"Okay, mommy," the little girl said and began to make the small batch.

An hour later, the kitchen was still immaculately clean but Nicolette was covered in flour and eggs and chocolate powder. Nick was clearly amazed and when Nicolette presented him with her work, it looked edible at first until he took a bite of it.

"Ouch!" There was an audible thunk on the cup cake as it was rock hard. Nick looked at the offensive pastry that unluckily tasted like saw dust.

Anya looked at her husband and winced, she watched her husband put the cup cake down and try to smile. Her daughter's shoulders sagged and she appeared to be completely defeated. "So, what do you think?" Nicolette asked.

"Honey," Nick began.

Anya interrupted before Nick could comfort their daughter. "Based on your performance, I will give you an A for effort and determination and spirit. However, I will have to give you a D in your approach. Over all grade a C."

"Just what I need to pass!" Nicolette said joyfully.

Nick was clearly affronted, "It doesn't work that way when you can do it much better, sport, what do you think will that little orphan in the orphanage think when you give the cup cakes? And what if you were in her shoes?"

"I will think that I'm being poisoned and so will the guests?"

"Exactly, do you know what your mother used to tell me when she eats someone else's cooking?" Nick asked.

Anya had forgotten, she looked at her husband and Nick looked at her. "Any food made with love is the best kind of food when eaten."

"Love?" The child wrinkled her nose.

Anya smiled, "Yes with love," she said and placed a clean bowl on the counter, "Imagine you're baking the cup cakes for this little girl who filled the gap in your heart." She gathered, measured and placed all of the ingredients in the mixing bowl. She slowly incorporated all of the wet ingredients into the dry ones as she used a hand mixer to blend all the ingredients.

Nicolette watcher her mother's hand move with grace and gentleness. She wished she was half as graceful as her mother. "Honey, you're staring at your mother."

"She's amazing, isn't she, daddy?" Nicolette said. Then stopped talking when she felt her mother staring. "Yes, mommy?"

Anya gave the pair an exasperated look, "Come here, love, I'll teach you how to whisk."

Nicolette stood up and helped her mother bake the cup cakes as her father learned how to make icing and frosting.

An hour later, Anya told her daughter to pack her homework and to clean up. "Pack my homework?"

"Party in the orphanage, remember? Come on, your father will help you," Anya said and brought out boxes where she could place the frosted cupcakes in.