"Faceless Future" Book 2 of "Secrets Unraveled" Trilogy |COMPLETED|

Chpt 2: Tom and Adrien Talk Baking and Other Things.

Marinette and Adrien peeked their heads into the bakery and saw Marinette's dad finishing cleaning up for the day.  Her dad noticed them in the doorway and motioned for them to come in.  "What's up, honey?" he asked her, wondering what they could be wanting. 

"Actually, it's Adrien who has the question for you."  She motioned for Adrien to talk to her dad.

Adrien went to stand in the doorway.  "Well, sir, I was wondering if you had any time tonight to teach me to bake something?  I'm so impressed with everything you and Mrs. Dupain-Cheng make and I really think I should try to learn from you while I'm here.  That is, if you have time?"

Tom's face broke out in a huge grin upon hearing Adrien's question.  "There's always time for teaching up and coming bakers!" said her father in a booming and excited voice.  "Come, come, let's get started!"  He rubbed his hands together eagerly in anticipation of teaching Adrien to bake. 

"So, I'm just going to go out for a bit. . ." Marinette said, trying to slowly back out of the doorway before her father asked her where she was going.  She tried to avoid lying, preferring just to omit telling where she was going when she could. 

Her father saw her leaving and asked "What are you going to get up to?  No time to learn more from your dad?"

Drat! thought Marinette realizing she would now need to add something to her outing so she wouldn't have to lie.  "I wanted to. . . check out the fabric store to see if they have any material in that would work for the new dress I designed.  Is that okay?"

"Sure, sure, honey," he said already distracted by trying to decide what to teach Adrien.  "But, don't stay out too late!"  Marinette walked over to her dad and kissed him on the cheek.  "Thanks, Dad!"  She gave a little wave to Adrien and quickly headed for the door leaving Adrien with her father.  Adrien gave a little wave back, wondering what he got himself into.  Tom seemed very enthusiastic.

"I've never done any baking before," warned Adrien.  He was already worried he wasn't going to live up to Tom's expectations.  "Is there something easy to start me with, sir?" he asked, trying to hide his anxiousness and also lower Tom's perception of his abilities. 

"Remember, you can just call me Tom," he said kindly.  Adrien nodded.

"Let's see.  One of the most important things to learn how to do is the 'baguette tradition'.  We can make the dough today, but we will have to wait at least twenty hours for it to rise, so we will need to bake it tomorrow.  Are you up to the challenge?"

"Yes!" replied Adrien with a smile.  Tom started to get out everything they needed. 

"The baguette is made using only flour, water, salt, and yeast.  The type of flour I use is my secret.  Maybe someday you will be able to find out!"  Tom went on to describe how to make the dough, waiting as Adrien weighed out the ingredients, and then showed him how best to mix the dough.  Tom mixed up his own dough to work on while he waited for Adrien.  When it was finally time to knead the dough for the first time Tom said, "And now I will let you in on one family secret.  We always knead our dough while humming or singing the 'Habanera' from the opera 'Carmen'.  It gives a perfect rhythm for kneading.  And I think the flour likes it!" 

He started humming and then showed Adrien how to knead the dough in the bowl until a smooth ball was formed.  Tom continued to knead the dough until Adrien nodded his head in understanding.  "Now you try."  Adrien did his best, including trying to hum the familiar tune, with Tom watching to make sure he was doing it properly.  Adrien found the rhythm of the kneading to be soothing and he started to relax.

Tom kneaded his own dough and looked over at Adrien.  "How is everything going for you?" Tom eventually asked tentatively. 

"I got an 'A' on my math test, and my Chinese tutor. . ." 

Tom interrupted him with a shake of his head and "No, I mean you.  How are you?" 

Adrien blinked a couple of times, amazed at being asked by a father-type how he was actually doing.  Not how successful he was at school or fencing.  He found he had trouble replying to the simple, yet complicated question.

Eventually Adrien said truthfully "I don't know."  He continued to knead and think.  "I feel really happy here and am grateful that you are continuing to let me stay.  I haven't made much progress with my father yet.  I think that he believes that it is his right to tell me how to do everything- how to live my life.  He is so rigid!  And the funny thing is I'm not doing anything that every other teenager isn't doing!"  He managed to not blush as he thought that was not quite true, but anyway. . .  "Spending time with other people isn't a crime!  I'm not willing to go back to the house by myself, yet, as I wouldn't put it past him to lock me in, and he won't let any of my friends join us for a meal there.  And, he hates going out in public so we are at an impasse, I guess.  Why does he have to be like that?"  Adrien asked Tom, making sure not to take out his frustration with his father on his carefully kneaded dough.

"Unfortunately, I don't have any answers for you.  You are welcome to stay here as long as you need to.  Sabine and I are really proud of how well you are doing- keeping up with all of your schoolwork and extracurriculars and being involved in our family!  You should be proud of yourself, too!" he said, feeling very sorry for Adrien.  He was such a nice boy and didn't deserve to be treated so badly by his father.

Tom peered at Adrien's dough.  "Looks good.  See how it's more like a smooth ball now.  Time to let it rest, and then we'll repeat the process three more times before we put it into the refrigerator for its twenty hour rise.  Want to make something sweet for Marinette while we wait?" said Tom, cocking one eyebrow at Adrien in question.  Adrien nodded eagerly.

Tom and Adrien mixed up a batch of chocolate chip cookies, baking the cookies in between the kneading sessions.  They worked mostly in companionable silence, which suited them both quite well.  After finishing up the dough and cleaning up, Adrien bit into a cookie.  Sweet and chocolatey!  He closed his eyes in admiration.  Maybe he should take up baking, at least as a hobby.  He felt a lot better now and had something delicious as a reward for all of his hard work. 

"Can we do this again another night?" Adrien asked Tom, putting a few cookies on a plate that he planned to leave in Marinette's room as a little present.  Adrien looked over at Tom and saw a giant grin on his face.  He took that as a yes.