The Dark Knight Of The Soul

Chapter Twelve

The room cleared quickly after relaxation group and I made my way into the kitchen to start preparing for the baking session. Mary and Annie were already measuring out the flour and butter, I stood by the counter worktop and asked if they wanted me to do anything.

"That's what I like Angie, team work," Mary replied, smiling at me. "You could make a start with the icing if you want to."

"Sure," I said cheerfully. I unpacked the flavourings that I had bought and positioned them on the counter worktop, Angie noticed the butterscotch flavouring and winked at me, "that's my favourite. I put it in my cheesecakes, tastes divine," she rolled her eyes up to heaven in ecstasy.

I giggled shyly, then whispered, "mine too."

We all worked in collaboration, Mary was mixing the flour and butter for making the cookies and Angie was mixing the cupcakes mixture. She carefully poured the mixture into the large cake foils and put them in the oven. Angie then started making a second lot of cupcake bases as I whisked my butterscotch dressing to perfection. Spooning the mixture into an icing bag, ready for when the first set of cakes were baked.

"Do you work Jenny?" Mary asked politely.

"Yes. I'm a teacher. I'm off work at the moment but I aim to get back in a couple of weeks," I replied, confidently. I was starting to feel so much brighter lately, especially when I was away from my house and more involved in the community. "What about you?"

"I used to work as a cashier at the supermarket, but I stopped working to care for my sick mother." Mary paused then added sadly, "she passed away six months ago."

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that," I replied softly.

"You weren't to know love. I've lost a few people in the past twelve months, my dear mum was the final blow that cracked me!" Mary replied, sadness washed over her face, I wanted to stop mixing my icing and hug her but was worried that she would find it intrusive. With that, Ellie walked into the room and lightened the mood that was in danger of falling sour from bereavement and grief.

"Ok ladies, how can I help," Ellie said brightly as she noticed that Mary was lost in thought. She rubbed her back tenderly, "you ok?"

Mary instantly returned from her gaze and looked up, snapped herself out of her trail of thoughts. "Yes," she said assuringly.

"What's baking in the kitchen today then?" Ellie asked as she started washing some of the dishes that were piling up in the sink.

"Mary's made the cookies, we've got one set of cupcakes baking and Jenny's made butterscotch icing. We're just mixing a second lot now," Angie replied, looking towards me.

"I'm mixing cinnamon and apple icing, I've even added green food colouring to this one. Trust me, it tastes better than it sounds," I said assertively.

"It's sounds delicious," Ellie replied. the four of us worked together really well. We chatted about men and TV programmes and before long, it was time to start icing the cakes. I swirled the icing round and around as the icing pointed up into a pyramid shape. "Wow, that's really artistic Jenny, the way your swirled that then, with flair and elegance. You make it look so easy," Ellie said, her face was enamoured with surprise. "The way you swirled the icing from the centre, to the outside up."

I blushed a little, "I've had a lot of practice with this," I put a little of the butterscotch icing onto a cup cake holder and motioned for her to dip her finger for a taste test. Ellie's eyes rolled as she groaned with pleasure. "Mm, wow. That's good," the other two women dipped their finger into the mixture too. Both the women rolled their eyes too, "mm, that is heavenly. It's so light too," Mary added.

"I can see why the teenagers in your form ask for your cakes now. You've got a real talent there." Ellie added. Mary and Angie both looked at me in surprise and nodded in agreement with Ellie.

"You think," I asked, still unsure.

"Definitely," Mary added. "You're in the wrong profession my love. You should be running a bakery, there's hundreds more teenagers out there that would flock to your cafe. I can never get my icing like that. What other little hidden gems have you got?"

"Well I do enjoy makes roses from solid icing, I make the petals with pink or red and then add some leaves and a thorn."

"Have we got any in here." Angie asked enthusiastically, looking through the ingredients.

"I've brought some, would you like me to show you," I finished icing the final cup cake and Ellie held out her hand to retrieve the icing bag.

"I'll wash it up," she volunteered as I went to find a block of red icing and unwrapped it from its foil. I broke a piece off and the two women followed my lead. I then flattened out the icing and took a small shaping knife and made several shapes of petals. The two women copied everything I was doing, then I showed them how to put the petals together to create the rose. Everybody was pleased with their roses. I showed them how to make a stem and thorns, then started making some leaves with the green icing.

"Oh, wow they look fabulous. I think we've got some wrapping somewhere, they'll look great finished up wrapped in clear plastic cellophane." Ellie said as she retrieved some clear plastic wrap from a cupboard and found a reel of red ribbon, she held up and smiled excitedly.

"People will think they're buying a real rose. They'll look great." Mary added cheerfully. "Thank you for that new recipe Jenny." Nodding to me.

"Your welcome," I smiled, inside I was bursting with pride. I had no idea that my roses were that good, yet here I was with three strangers, teaching them how to make icing roses. I couldn't have been more elated, I didn't want the session to end although I knew it had to at some point.

We made a dozen roses between us and Ellie found a bottle chiller, she wrapped some dark crepe paper around the bottom and then placed the roses in. "This could be your centre piece on the cake stall." Ellie announced cheerfully.

We all nodded as we finished up icing the last cupcakes and started packing them away into the boxes, ready for sales at the hospice tomorrow. "I hope everything goes well tomorrow ladies," I said happily as the final box was tied with ribbon.

"Oh, it will," Angie answered confidently. "What shall we bake next week?" Mary asked.

Ellie looked up and said, "well, next week Sara, the other OT and I are going to try turn this into a full day. We're just getting final approval from our manager."

"Oh sounds exciting." Angie asked, "what else will be happening Ellie?"

"Well we've got the relaxation and the baking group set. We're setting up a scrap booking and card making in the other large room down the hall. Then we've got Indian head massage and Henna painting. We could put the cakes on sale on the day, it will help to replenish new stock for the following week?" The two women gasped in anticipation.

"Oh how fantastic," Mary replied. "I'd love to try henna painting, I won't be able to have it on my hands though?"

"You could have it on your foot?" Ellie replied.

"I'd love to try the head massage," I said as I packed away the last of the cakes. "Shall we do the same next week then?" I asked.

"Definitely." Mary and Annie replied together.

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