Accepting Fate - (Slums to Riches, Book one)

Chapter 27

After dressing in a similar tracksuit to Logan's, but much smaller, she gathered her muddy clothes and headed to the kitchen to find Cook and a washing machine. The habit of cleaning could not be unlearned in one day.

"Give me those," Cook said as soon as she walked in. "The laundry is outside, in a separate building. I'll take care of this, while you start on the pie. I laid out everything you might need, but the pantry is through here"—Cook pointed towards an arch to her left, which she didn't notice before,—"and the fridges are through that door to your right." Another arch she did not notice.

Logan told the others to explore the house and grounds. It seemed as though she needed to do the same. There appeared to be more hidden rooms than she noticed on first glance.

Cook disappeared with a pop, so Angelique turned to the center island. The pie-pan Cook left for her to use could fit both the pans from the Harlows, with space to spare. She glanced at the ovens, and grinned. She could fit two pans into one oven with ease. Feeding her family and the staff in her own home would give her more satisfaction than cooking at The Grill ever did.

Once she took stock of all the ingredients, she walked into the pantry to collect a few things for a vegetable lasagne for Jenny. She did not want her little vegan to get sick again.

Half way through her preparation, Cook walked up behind her and ran her fingers through Angelique's hair. A shiver went down her spin as it did every time she performed magic.

"I use this spell on my own hair. It helps to dry your hair without the dreadful knots."

Angelique took a step away from the island.

Cook released her hair and gasped. "I'm so sorry. I should have asked."

"Oh, no. Don't stop. I moved away to prevent my hair from falling into the food. I'm sure you are not planning on wiping my memory while drying my hair."

Cook continued to weave her fingers through Angelique's long tresses and then braided it for her.

"Your mother didn't mean to do it, you know. I agree she should have asked, or at least told you she would be casting a spell on you, but I know she didn't mean to wipe your memory. As a matter of fact, I don't think she knew it would happen, because she asked me to continue teaching you once they were gone. If she were here now—"

"She's not here, Cook. Neither is my father. If she knew it would happen, why didn't she ask for help. Clearly she could see the future if she prepared all those rooms exactly to the preferences of children she had never met."

"She did have visions," Cook said, taking the knife from Angelique to cut up the remaining vegetables. "You need to check on the meat. It's going to start burning soon."

Angelique sighed and stirred the ground beef, before removing it from the stove.

"She saw her death," Cook continued. "Hers and your fathers. I bet Ben told you about the curse she put on him."

Angelique giggled and shook her head. "You know it doesn't exist, right? I saw her strangling him. At least I assumed it was her ghost."

"You didn't tell him, did you?"

"Of course I did. Why would I keep that from someone who stood up for me? Like him, I don't agree with any of her choices. She stole two years of my life, by changing my date of birth. Then she wiped my memories... No, she stole them, by accident or not. She had no right to do that. I smell lemons and I yearn for a man I can't remember, but it hurts so bad, as though I lost my closest friend. How am I supposed to deal with that? Aching for someone I don't know, because she stole the little I had left of him. My memory is the only thing I can rely on and she's taken it from me!"