That's my girl(Dream Daddy Robert)

Pie

I had a lot of fun with Robert the last time we hung out, but I'm beginning to wonder if he's dodging me. I've tried to message him a few times and Parentbook says he hasn't even read them. I haven't seen him come out of his house, actually. And Mary says she hasn't seen him either, I'm getting worried.. did I do something? Despite my doubts I message him

'Hey man, dunno where you've been but we should grab a drink soon'

I walk away from my computer because at this point, I know he's not messaging me back anytime soon.

I linger in the kitchen. I'm all caught up on work, the house is relatively clean..maybe I should do something nice for Amanda. Ah! I'll bake her favorite Pie! I root through the pantry and pull out all the ingredients. This is an old family recipe that I used to make with my grandmother when I was a kid. I lost the actual recipe card a long time ago, but I think I'll be able to remember how to bake it.

I start mixing the ingredients together for the crust until I get a nice dough. I throw some cherries into a saucepan to make the filling. Normally I don't like to multitask in the kitchen, but this cherry pie is a piece of cake. Pie? It's a piece of pie. I'm making a pie.

Ah man, I can never remember what temperature you're supposed to set the oven at. I'm pretty sure it's 375, but I could be wrong. Who am I kidding? I'm never wrong with it comes to this pie! My special twist on my Grandma's recipe includes a secret ingredient that not even Amanda knows about. It really makes the cherries extra flavorful. I grab the almond extract and pour some in looks good. I finally get the pie in the oven. I set the timer and sit at the table and do some more ideas for the new shop. Amanda's going to be so excited. That kid loves a good pie.

I can hear the door slam open. "Yo Ma! What smells like pie in here?"

"It's pie, sweetie"

Amanda darts over to the oven and looks inside.

"Yessssssssss." she smiles and fist pumps

"hey, it's not done. Be patient"

"what's your angle here?"

"What?"

"Pies are an objective-based confection. What are you trying to get out of me?" she asks raising an eyebrow at me

"I was hoping to butter you up so that you would take me shopping later. Maybe buy me some new colors for my tattoo machine"

she crosses her arms "Classic role reversal. I respect that."

I wait a few more minutes before taking the pie out of the oven. I set it on a rack to cool and guard it so Amanda doesn't dig into it before it's ready. Amanda gives my pie a weird look "Huh"

"What?"

"Does it look kind of...weird...to you?"

"no, No it does. Are you doubting my baking skills?"

"I'm just saying this because, you know, it seems like you might have baked this pie incorrectly"

I gasp "now dare you. I will have you know there is nothing wrong with my pie"

"I'm just saying-"

"Just eat the pie, Panda"

I cut up a few slices and we sit down to eat. The Cherry filling oozes out of the sides and the buttery crust glistens. I watch as Amanda takes a bite. "Augh..."

"Did I mess up?"

Amanda winces and fans her mouth "No, no, I just...burned the heck out of the roof of my mouth. This pie is amazing" she takes another bite "sorry for doubting you"

I breathe a sigh of relief and take a bit. She's right. The pie is pretty incredible, as it always is.

"I'm really proud of you for making a pie without burning the new house down."

"Of course I didn't. I have mad mom skills"

After we eat, we clean up the kitchen and play a little more living room hoops before she retreats to her room to do homework. I go back to my shop planning.

The rest of the evening trickles by. We eat dinner, I help Amanda with one of her scholarship applications, and we both start getting ready for bed. I decided to check Parentbook one last time before I climb into bed, still nothing from Robert. Huh. Hope he's okay. I turn out the lights and lie down.