Once Upon A Dream (Kris Bryant)

52- Learning Lessons

Kris

We had the ever rare day off in Chicago so Jayden and I decided to stay home and she was going to teach me how to cook. After the anniversary breakfast debacle I figured I might as well, to survive at least if she's ever gone and I don't want to leave the house or buy food.

So since I had no game Jayden took the day off from recording and mixing and arranging to be my chef. Teach me some things I could use for the rest of my life and for future reference like if I get a bright idea to surprise her and make her dinner.

We sit in the kitchen and she hands me a white apron. She helps me put it on and puts one on just like mine. She pulls her hair back and we wash our hands before getting started.

"Alright. Let's go over these first" she says moving to a bunch of containers she had lined up. "This is powdered sugar, brown sugar, white sugar, flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Cooking usually calls for at least one or two of these, and baking calls for mostly all of them. There is salt in cookies and sugar in ham so never assume that since it doesn't make sense right now that they don't belong together, because they usually do" she explains and I nod.

"Okay, anything special about any of these" I ask.

"Not really. You will rarely need over a teaspoon or two of the baking substances. Those are for cooking not for taste. When using brown sugar make sure that you pack it tight. Most recipes calls for a cup or so of packed brown sugar and yes, it does make a difference" she insists.

"Okay, that's not too hard" I admit.

"It isn't. Eventually it comes like clock work" she admits.

"Easy enough" I nod.

"Okay. The refrigerated foods are pretty simple. It's just milk, water, eggs, and butter" she says pointing to each. "Milk and water is self explanitory. Eggs can be difficult if it asks for just yolks or just whites so you'll have to separate him. If the butter needs softened heat up water in a glass bowl then empty the water and cover the butter in the jar then it will soften it" she explains.

"How do you know all of this" I ask.

"When I was a little girl with three older sisters and a endless cycle of nannies finding alone time was rare. So I would cook because they hated it and I could kind of find a way to get away" she shrugs.

"Oh. Well if you want your space I won't intrude" I insist.

"You're not a problem I'm running from Kris. I like that you want to learn, it says a lot about you. Cooking isn't easy and isn't something that just comes to you. That fact you asked me to help you out was the sweetest thing ever,  I love that. And I will never stop you from learning and getting better" she insists. I kiss the side of her head and she smiles up at me.

"So, what are we making for dinner" I ask.

We end up making zucchini with a baked potatoes and stuffed chicken. I try my best to help and follow what she says. It was actually pretty easy and really fun but I think it's because she took the tedious and boring tasks so I would enjoy it more.

"I actually really enjoyed that" I admit as we clean up.

"I did too. Too bad we can't do it more often" she sighs.

"Yeah. When we're old and retired then we can. But I think I can wait a while until then" I say.

"Yeah, me too. This was a lot of fun, but you know what else is fun" she asks.

"What" I ask.

"Not washing dishes" she claims and I laugh.

"Yeah, this is kinda gross" I agree.

"Well we are done and the food should be ready so let's make our plates and start the movies" she cheers.

We fix our plates and grab a drink before sitting on the couch. I start the movie that was already picked out and we eat the food we made.

It tasted just as good as it looked and even I was impressed. Even though I'm pretty sure if I would have done this by myself it would look and taste like crap, this was really good. We make a pretty good team and I couldn't wait until we were old and married and the kids moved out and I can think back to days like this where everything was going so right.

After we finish our plates and three Disney movies we go to our last one. She puts it in and sits next to me.

"Really? I didn't peg you as a Pocahontas girl" I admit.

"Yeah, Not really something I'm proud of. Disney's first try at a historical figure and they totally blew it. It ended up glorifying the eventual demise of the Native American race and made it seem like Pocahontas was this holy tale of colonists and natives putting aside differences when we all know that's not true. This is nothing but denial at its fullest stage. But sometimes I like to think it would have worked out. That everyone could end up happy and that two people who are so different could overcome so much because their love was strong. Even though this story is crap, maybe the idea behind it isn't. Maybe the next time two sides who are so misunderstanding and so opposite can finally see eyes to eyes and someway, somehow, we can learn like you did today and see the new doesn't have to be scary. New can be good" she explains.

"You have the most wonderful soul, you know that" I ask.

"I am a collection of things I've learned over times. And there no greater lesson I've learned than the importance of knowledge. And it's not spitting facts or even standing up for what you believe in, but being open minded and always listening. You never know what you learn" she claims.