Just Add Magic: Hotel Of Secrets

Chapter 2 - Just Add Leo

It was 10 in the morning when Ish had just finished cooking Indian food as breakfast for her Nani.

She had whipped up some Curry & Rice, with some pickled onions as a side dish.

"ये बहुत अच्छा बना है।" Nani said, but Ish didn't speak Hindi, and her Nani didn't speak English, so she had her mom translate it for her.

"Nani says that you have made excellent food." Her mom said.

"Oh thank you Nani, that's very sweet of you." Ish said.

"उसने कहा 'शुक्रिया'।" her mother translated.

It wasn't long before she got a call. It was from Zoe. Ish swiped her finger on the screen to answer it.

"Hello? Zoe?" She started out.
"Ish, please tell me you are free at the moment!" Zoe sounded urgent, not to mention worried.

"I am, but why? What happened? You sound desperate."

"You are not going to believe this but...Leo is missing!"

"Zoe! This isn't a time for jokes!" Ish said.
"I'm not joking! You have to believe me when i say that Leo Sellitti is missing!" She said, emphasizing Leo's name to make Ish believe her.

"Are you sure you have checked everywhere? Sometimes he just likes to play silly pranks on people and he'll jump out of the closet saying 'boo!'"

"Of course I have! Why else would I make this urgent call?! I've already seen all the closets, he isn't in there!"

"Okay okay, calm down, we'll find him. Did you receive any clues from the cookbook?"

"No! The recipes haven't come back! Leo and I figured last night that the magic can't be given away, the spells should have come back by now!"

"What do you mean they haven't come back?! We can't find him if we don't cook! Ordinarily it's going to take a long time!"

"I know that! Our parents are worried! We can't give them an excuse! We could if the spell had worked!"

"We can come up with an excuse after we find him! You don't think he went out on his own, do you?"

"I don't think so, he would have told our parents if that was the case."

"Okay, meet me at Sellitti's in 5, and bring your phone in case he calls."

"Okay." Zoe cut the call.

Ish suddenly heard a sharp voice behind her.
"Everything okay, Ish?" It was her mother's.
"Yeah, all good. I'm just going down to find- I mean, hang out with Leo and Zoe." She said as she turned around to face her mom.

"Okay but be back by lunch time." Her mom said.

"Um, sure!" Ish said, not confident.
Her mother gave her a kiss on the forehead and then walked away.

"Only if we find Leo, that is." She said under her breath with a sigh.

——————

It was 10:20 when Ish and Zoe met at Selitti's.
The moment Zoe saw Ish walk in, she snapped into a fast spoken sentence.

"Hi, no time for chit chat we have to head out right-"
Ish cut Zoe off.

"Calm down. I know you're desperate and worried. So am I but we need to have a proper plan first." Ish said.

"What plan? He could be anywhere! The best we can do is ask people if they have seen him." Zoe said.

"Then let's start with the restaurant." Ish said.