Chapter 10 #2
“We haven’t cooked a meal in five years. It’s just what Mr. Grimes does. He takes care of us.”
Well, this is interesting.
Why in the world would he have a kitchen staff who don’t actually cook, and why does he do all the cooking?
With a mischievous grin, I rally my two mini troops.
“Well, there’s a first time for everything! Ari, Syd, how ‘bout we cook dinner for a change? It won’t be fancy, but I have a ten minute recipe in mind. What do you say? Ready to make a mess in the kitchen?”
The girls cheer and high-five while the staff chatter amongst themselves.
Ms.
Tina, however, isn’t quite as enthusiastic, a worried frown creasing her brow as she grumbles, “Oh goodness, Mr. Grimes is gonna flip when he sees this.”
“Which makes it all the more fun, doesn’t it?” I smile and even manage to pull a chuckle out of her.
“Come on, girls. We’re gonna make my go-to ‘broke girl’ meal.”
I rally the kitchen staff, and I can’t help but let a little of my authoritative Southern roots show through.
“Alright, y’all, let’s gather around and pull out the ingredients for a special recipe passed down from my mama. I promise it’ll warm your hearts and bellies!” The staff starts bustling about with newfound energy.
I turn to Syd, who’s waiting to be told her chef duties.
“Syd, could you grab all the bread from the pantry? We’ve got a lot of mouths to feed tonight!” She dashes off, her enthusiasm echoing through the clatter of the pantry door.
“And Ari, darling, could you fetch the cheese? Just pick any one that catches your eye!” Moments later, she’s back, her arms laden with an assortment of cheeses—America, cheddar, gouda, truffle, and some I can’t even pronounce.
We all gather around the mountain of cheese, each of us googling and pitching in our thoughts on which would melt best between slices of buttery bread.
Muttering to myself as I survey the lavish spread, I chuckle, “Why is this man so extra?”
Nevertheless, we make our decision in the most logical way possible, of course—eenie, minnie, miny moe.
We settle on a few selections and then dive into cooking the most delicious, basic meal of their lives .
The kitchen becomes a hive of activity with my Beyonce playlist blasting and laughter mingling with the sizzle of butter as our gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches take shape.
Ari and Syd take turns flipping the sandwiches, giggling at the occasional drip of cheese oozing out the sides while I stir a large pot of rich, creamy tomato soup.
Between stirs, I whip up a batch of my excessively sweet Southern tea, pouring my heart into each stir of sugar.
The kitchen is a mess with ingredients everywhere, but it’s the kind of chaos that brings people together, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Ms.
Tina, wiping a dollop of tomato soup from her cheek, laughs.
“We haven’t had this much fun in ages, Kerry. Mr. Grimes should take nights off more often!”
Syd, placing a delicately shaped leaf garnish atop a bowl of soup, beams up at me.
“Look, Ms. Kind, I made it just like Daddy does when he’s trying to be fancy!”
Ari and the team set the table and just as we’re about to dig in, the sound of the library doors slamming draws our attention.
Suddenly, a furious Vic stands in the doorway.
His posture is rigid with irritation as his eyes scan the culinary chaos before him.
His voice booms across the kitchen, startling everyone, “What the hell are you doing in my kitchen?”
Ms.
Tina and the rest of the staff stiffen while Syd mutters a nervous “Uh-oh,” widening her eyes at her father.
His anger circles the atmosphere, but so does my pride in our makeshift feast.
I stand my ground, meeting his glare with a steady gaze, ready to defend our evening of joyful mayhem.
“Don’t worry, I got this!” I whisper to the girls.
I step forward, planting a bright, defiant smile on my face.
“Mr. Grimes! So lovely of you to join us for dinner.” I happily announce, trying to diffuse the tension.
His scowl morphs into confusion as he glances down at his Rolex, his anger faltering.
“Dinner?” He pauses, realization dawning.
“Crap, it’s 7 p.m.!” His eyes soften as he turns to his daughters, his tone shifting to remorse.
“Girls, I’m so sorry. I got so caught up in the library I forgot about dinner,” he apologizes, his usual stern demeanor crumbling for a moment .
His panic seems a bit dramatic as if he broke some sacred vow or promise.
Missing a night of cooking dinner shouldn’t be that serious, but to him, it is.
Ari shrugs nonchalantly.
“That’s okay! We cooked.”
His gaze sweeps the chaotic kitchen.
“Who exactly is we ?”
With a mixture of pride and mischief, Ari declares, “Me, Syd, and Ms. Kind! Ms. Tina and the team were our assistants.”
The house staff’s smiles are non-existent as they nervously await Vic’s response.
He’s such a buzzkill.
Vic surveys the disarray, his frustration brewing again.
“So, you’re telling me that adults were in this kitchen, and yet it looks like a child’s disaster?” He picks up a bag of bread, inspecting the knotted bags with disapproval.
“Where are the twist ties for these? Why are they tied like this?”
With an innocent smile, I answer, “Because that’s what you’re supposed to do, undo the twist ties, accidentally lose them, then tie the bag in a knot.” I explain, knowing full well I’m skating on thin ice.
A ripple of suppressed laughter travels through the kitchen, but Vic’s glare silences any further amusement.
Just as the tension boils over, Hudson saunters in, slinging an arm around his brother with a carefree grin.
“Whoa! You’ve been busy, Ms. Kind. Taking over Vic’s kitchen to make sure everyone’s fed. I like a woman who takes initiative…and risks.” He remarks, winking at me.
My cheeks warm with an involuntary blush while Vic shrugs off his brother’s casual embrace and gestures sternly toward the spilled soup and breadcrumbs.
“Clean this mess up, please.” He commands in a softer tone, tempered by the presence of his daughters.
Kneeling down, he embraces Ari and Syd.
“Thank you, girls. I can’t wait to eat your delicious meal.”
As they hug him back, they chime in, “And what about Ms. Kind? She did most of the work, Dad. We were just flippin’ sandwiches.”
Ari sends me a conspiratorial wink, and I watch as he avoids eye contact and takes a deep breath.
After a pause, he reluctantly mutters, “Thank you, Ms. Kind.”
I respond with a playful smile, handing plates to the Grimes men as we gather around the dining table.
And Hudson wastes no time.
He plunges his grilled cheese into the tomato soup and devours nearly half of it in one enthusiastic bite .
“Umn...” He moans in an appreciative and unexpectedly seductive tone.
“This grilled cheese is so damn good. Ms. Kind, I’m impressed.”
A soft giggle seeps from my lips.
However, as Hudson attempts to join us at the table, Vic intervenes, his hand firm on his brother’s arm, and pulling him towards the library.
“What’d you think you’re doing? We got work to do.” He grumbles.
With a frustrated sigh, Hudson complies, and the two disappear back into the library, the door shutting with a definitive click behind them.
A twinge of disappointment pricks at me.
It would have been nice for Vic to at least take a bite.
After our chaotic dinner, the girls and I clean the kitchen to perfection then they dart off to their rooms, leaving echoes of laughter behind.
How in the world do they still have energy?
I’m exhausted!
But when I check my watch, I’m shocked that it’s only 8 p.
m.
My footsteps are heavy as I head to my room to unwind, but just as I think I’m in the clear, a chorus of excited voices stops me.
“Ms. Kind! It’s story time!”
Pausing in the hallway, I realize that my official duties haven’t even started yet, and I’m already deep in.
With a resigned yet affectionate sigh, I turn to head to Ari’s room but collide with a solid, unexpected obstacle, their dad.
Vic chuckles, a dry sound that I can’t quite read.
“Here you go, running into me again . Just admit you can’t keep your hands to yourself.” He teases but doesn’t flash a smile.
“I...uh, wasn’t—” I start, but my words taper off when I catch a glimpse through the door.
He’s practically inhaled his meal.
His smirk tells me he caught my stunned look, yet he says nothing more, simply shutting the door gently behind him.
With his eyes piercing through me like a laser, he announces, “Girls, I’ll read you the story tonight.” Then, he reaches for my hand, leading me down the hall to Syd’s room.
As we walk, he talks, his voice soft but strained.
“I’ve never missed story time. I put them to bed every night, but starting tomorrow, I’ll be buried in the office. There’s no telling what time I’ll get home.”
Before entering Syd’s room, a look of worry, reluctance, and perhaps even fear flashes across his face.
I reach out my hand and rest it lightly on his arm, attempting to anchor him back to the present.
“Hey, I promise I’ll take good care of them. ”
He looks at me, and there’s a brief softening in his gaze, a fleeting moment of vulnerability.
He slowly nods and tucks a strand of my hair behind my ear, gently grazing my face with his rough hands.
“I know you will.”
Inside Syd’s room, he settles beside her on the bed.
He doesn’t even get halfway through the story before her eyes begin to flutter shut.
His presence alone is a calming aid, even for me.
I lean against the doorframe, watching the gentle rise and fall of Syd’s chest as she drifts off to sleep to his voice, her final murmur melting my heart.
“I love you, Daddy. Thank you for bringing us, Ms. Kind. This was the best day ever.”
Vic kisses her forehead, and we repeat the routine with Ari.
Back in the hallway, Vic heads towards the library, but I call out, “You should really get some rest, Mr. Grimes.”
He pauses, a smirk playing at the corners of his lips.
“So, you’re taking care of me too, huh?”
I shrug.
“Well, somebody has to. I’m officially the caretaker of this family.”
He gives a half-smile as a hint of gratitude flickers in his eyes.
“Hey, I’m sorry for earlier. Pushing people away is sometimes easier than letting them in.” He admits.
A heartfelt laughter bubbles up from my throat.
“It’s funny how different we are from one another. You push people away while I let too many in.”
A flicker of charm crosses his face.
“Well, perhaps we can teach each other a few things. Goodnight, Ms. Kind.”
I watch him disappear into his library before retreating to my room, collapsing onto the plush bed, enveloped by the luxury that now surrounds me in my new home.