Chapter 13 #2
But I wasn’t upset. In fact, I was happy to have a life where I had honest people around me. True friends are priceless.
As Elijah and I stood in the oven section of McCloud’s, the only Robin Creek home-appliance store, my mind wandered to the ongoing remodel of my grandmother’s house.
I knew that buying a new oven was an essential part of completing the project, but as I surveyed the various models on display, I realized there was more to it than I had thought.
There were ovens with Wi-Fi connectivity, offering remote control via smartphone apps.
Some boasted advanced convection technology for more even cooking, and others had preset cooking modes for everything from roasting a turkey to baking artisan bread.
There were models with integrated temperature probes for precise cooking, self-cleaning features, and even steam-cooking options for healthier meals.
What in the world?
“Grandma, this one has voice command,” Elijah noted.
Are we cooking with robots now?
Feeling slightly overwhelmed by the array of high-tech features, most of which seemed more suited for a professional chef than for my own needs, I decided to call Gabriella for help.
“Hey, Gabriella, you off work?”
“Clocking out now.”
“Would you mind joining Elijah and me at McCloud’s? I could use your advice on picking out a new oven.”
She responded with a chirp in her tone. “I’ll meet you there.”
When Gabriella arrived at the store, a wave of relief washed over me.
Her cheerful presence was a welcome contrast to the sterile, fluorescent-lit showroom filled with stainless steel appliances.
Together, we began to explore the various ovens on display, each one boasting more features than the last.
“Look at this one, Joyce,” Gabriella said excitedly, pointing to an oven with a built-in air fryer and a touchscreen display. “Can you imagine all the meals we could whip up in this beauty?”
The salesperson, Leonna, who wore a few service pins noting her accomplishments with the store, complimented Gabriella on her knowledge of cooking. “I don’t think you need me here at all!”
Finally, the last oven on the aisle left me, Gabriella, and Elijah in complete awe.
The Celestia Gourmet Precision Elite was a marvel of modern kitchen technology.
Its sleek stainless steel exterior gleamed under the store’s lights, and its large glass door promised a clear view of whatever culinary creations it would hold inside.
Leonna described its features to us. “This model boasts an intuitive touchscreen control panel…” I swear, the theme song from Rocky started playing as she spoke.
Celestia seemed to offer an endless array of cooking options, from a precision baking mode to a specialized roast function.
It even had a unique feature that allowed for sous-vide cooking, a method usually reserved for kitchens in high-end restaurants.
The oven boasted smart technology, capable of being controlled remotely through a smartphone app, and the app could suggest recipes based on ingredients you had on hand.
Finally, the surface had been treated with a substance to resist fingerprints, scratches, and smudges.
“Grandma, that oven is a boss,” Elijah remarked, his eyes wide with admiration at the sight of this cutting-edge appliance. You know a stove is a bad mutha-shut-your-mouth when a ten-year-old looks like he’s about to cry just looking at it.
Gabriella was practically salivating, and my mind reeled at the list of features. I think the only thing it didn’t do was plate your food.
But when Leonna turned over that price tag, I thought somebody had written their phone number on it, there were so many digits.
Elijah gulped. “Whoa. I think you could buy a car for that much money.”
“Maybe,” I agreed.
“But look at it!” Gabriella straightened an arm and outlined the perimeter. “And listen!” She knocked on the stainless steel. “It’s solid. It will last for decades.”
“Lifetime warranty,” Leonna declared. “This brand is family owned. They stand by what they sell.”
“They have to, as much as they charge,” I said.
As the three of us stood there with mouths agape, Leonna offered, “And we match competitors’ prices, so you won’t find a better deal within fifty miles.”
“By the way,” Gabriella mentioned casually, “the next cooking competition is in August. I’d love to have a new oven before then to practice with.”
I gawked. “No pressure.”
“No pressure. I’m just sayin’,” Gabriella said.
I glanced at the price tag and winced. “Yeah, I’m not sure if that’s going to work, especially with the future plans to separate the house further.”
Elijah, who had been quietly observing our conversation, piped up with a question. “Why do you need to separate the house more, Grandma?”
Gabriella smiled at him and ruffled his hair. “Right. I don’t plan on moving anywhere anytime soon. Unless someone sweeps me off my feet, which isn’t going to happen in a year’s time.”
“Neither am I,” I added, realizing that there really was no rush to finish dividing the house. The only urgency came from wanting to share a great oven with Gabriella, to encourage her culinary dreams and create delicious memories together.
“Then we can just wait on the duplex separation,” Gabriella declared, determination sparkling in her eyes. And in that moment, the future felt a little less uncertain, with the knowledge that we were both committed to making the best of our shared lives and our shared kitchen, one meal at a time.
Just as I was settling in to the idea of owning the Celestia, Lorenzo appeared out of nowhere, like a gust of wind that suddenly changed the temperature. They must have been sharing locations or something because he knew exactly where to find Gabriella.
He said something to her in Spanish, and she nodded, a hint of concern flickering across her face.
“Excuse us for a second,” she said. They stepped away to the next aisle over.
I, for one, was grateful. I needed a moment to contemplate my first big purchase alone. Yes, I’d orchestrated the house remodel alone, but it was necessary. A huge, fancy stove, though? Right now?
I caught Elijah craning his neck to watch Gabriella and Lorenzo through the dishwashing machines.
“Let’s not be nosy, Elijah,” I whispered, gently nudging him back to the task at hand.
He sighed, relenting. “All right, Grandma.”
I returned my attention to Leonna, who was obviously hoping for a sale. “Could you tell me more about the financing and payment options for these ovens?”
“Of course!” She smiled, launching into an explanation of various plans and discounts available.
As I listened, my mind kept wandering to Gabriella and Lorenzo, wondering what was going on between them.
But I reminded myself that it wasn’t my place to pry.
I needed to focus on finding the right oven for our kitchen.
So Gabriella could beat Mrs. Maine and, maybe, I could host the no-germ potluck.
When Gabriella returned, her eyes were slightly red, and her cheerful oven-happy demeanor had vanished. “I have to head back to work,” she said quietly. “Someone called in sick last minute, and they need me to cover the shift tonight.”
“Are you sure you’re okay?” I asked, concerned.
“Yeah, I’ll be fine.” She forced a weak smile. “You two finish up here, okay? You know my vote. But I understand the situation. Just let me know.”
“Will do,” I replied, giving her a reassuring pat on the arm before she left the store.
Elijah looked at me with furrowed brows. “Grandma, it looks like Gabriella was crying.”
I said gently, “Don’t worry. She’ll be okay.”
Inside, I felt a knot forming in the pit of my stomach. Gabriella was usually so transparent, her emotions like an open book. To see her mask her feelings so quickly—it wasn’t like her.
“Okay,” he agreed hesitantly, though the concern lingered in his eyes. “But didn’t she just get off work?”
He looked up at me with those big brown eyes, searching for reassurance. “People have to work double shifts sometimes,” I told Elijah, trying to calm him. “Haven’t your mom and dad ever had to stay late at the office?”
“I guess. It seemed like Gabriella and that guy were arguing.”
“Stay out of grown folks’ business, EJ,” I admonished him. “Now, tell me how things are going at day camp. Have you made any new friends?”
He paused for a moment before launching into a tale of his latest adventures at the youth center. It was clear that he was having a great time, even if he couldn’t shake his concerns about Gabriella.
He wasn’t alone. I was worried about her, too.
Fancy new oven or not, I hoped she wouldn’t have to spend all her life working double shifts at someone else’s restaurant.
Or crying after a distressing conversation with her partner.
For all she had done to help me and Elijah, she deserved so much more.