Word meanings: realistic fiction 4

Magicians in the Kitchen

1. In the fridge, we’ve got a can of vanilla frosting, three leftover soy nuggets, and a couple of stale cake doughnuts.
2. “Oh, dear!” I say to the empty kitchen. “I’m in a jam.”
3. Mom will be rolling out of bed any minute, and it’s her birthday. I really, really wanted to make her breakfast. But unfortunately, grocery shopping is scheduled for later today after we grab egg-and-cheese sandwiches at the corner store and then run a billion errands.
4. I search some more—far into the dark recesses of the pantry. High on the spice shelf sits a jar of gooseberry jam. Every time we shop, Mom likes to purchase one exotic item. But between her two jobs and full class schedule, she rarely has time to do anything with it. Even though we exist on prepackaged food, Mom never fails to dream about being a great culinary artist one day.
5. Most nights we watch cooking shows after our homework is done. Our favorite one gives professional chefs a basket of mystery ingredients, and they have to come up with a recipe on the spot. Just the other night, the basket included a stale baguette, a leek as thick as my arm, a log of goat cheese, and a tin of salmon roe. The winning recipe was a creamy strata—bread pudding—filled with ribbons of leek and topped with those clear, round, orangey fish eggs.
6. “You see, Juan! When I get my diploma and a regular schedule, we’re going to be magicians in the kitchen!“ she said.
7. Maybe I could get a head start.
8. I take down the jam, pull out the doughnuts from the fridge, and start thinking. The champion chef did something really interesting—he used moisture to give old bread new life. So I sprinkle water on each doughnut, wrap them in paper napkins, and put them in the microwave. “POW!” I say, pretending to shoot lightning bolts from my hands. After 10 seconds, the doughnuts are soft as pillows. I feel like Zeus on Mount Olympus.
9. I then slit each one through its middle, spread each half with the ruby red elixir, and then put a thin layer of frosting over that. I arrange them all on a special platter and head toward Mom’s room.
10. “Abracadabra!” I say, pushing open the door.
11. Still bleary eyed and with snaky Medusa hair, Mom takes a bite. I hold my breath.
12. “Magical!” she says.