On the Back Burner

by Diane Muldrow

  “Do you think they’re well enough to log on to the computer?” she asked.

  “Well, I think so, but only for a few minutes. I’ll tell them to log on.”

  “Okay, thank you. Bye,” Peichi said. Next she phoned Natasha but her mother said she was too sick to come to the phone. Somehow, Peichi convinced Mrs. Ross to let Natasha go online for a few minutes. After that she called Shawn but got only the answering machine. Peichi figured Shawn was home alone and wasn’t getting out of bed to answer the phone. “It’s me, Peichi,” she barked. “Shawn, get on the computer. I have something important to discuss with everybody right now.”

  Then Peichi went to the computer and wrote an e-mail telling them about her phone call with Mrs. Kramer. Within ten minutes, all the Chef Girls were online in their chat room. Molly and Amanda were the first to respond to the e-mail with an IM.

  mooretimes2: OH NO! We didn’t even get 2 make some food in advance!!!

  qtpie490: No way we can do this job. We have to cancel.

  Mooretimes2: Can’t cancel!

  happyface: Agree!

  qtpie490: Then what???????????????

  Moortimes2: dunno

  BrooklynNatasha: Could Carmen help us? Freddie?

  happyface: Maybe! I could call Omar, Connor, and Justin 2!

  mooretimes2: I don’t want boys doing this job.

  mooretimes2: Don’t want Justin in my house when I’m sick. I look awful!

  qtpie490: Let me guess. Amanda sent the last IM.

  happyface: Get over it, A & M! We have no choice. Not much time.

  BrooklynNatasha: g2g. Mom says I am 2 sick 2 be here.L8R

  happyface: g2g 2. Making calls now. Will let you know what happens.

  Peichi heard keys turning in the front door lock. She ran to meet her parents at the front door.

  “Mom? Dad? I have to talk to you about something,” Peichi said as soon as her parents were in the house.

  “What is it?” her father asked.

  Peichi told them about the call she’d received from Mrs. Kramer and how everyone in Dish had the flu. “I know I’m still grounded until after I turn in my extra credit movie to Mr. D.,” she said. “But my grades are improving a lot and Dish has no one besides me to make this food for the Kramers. All I need to do for the extra-credit project is film our big New Year’s party for the last scene. The rest is done. I can show you what I have, and if you like it, you can unground me so that I can do this Dish job. Otherwise, we’ll be facing a Dish disaster!” she said quickly.

  “Yes. Let’s see it,” her father replied.

  Peichi plugged the digital video camera into the computer and showed her movie on the computer monitor. This was the first time she was viewing her own work, and she was just as pleased as her parents were.

  “This is really good, Peichi!” her mother said when it was done.

  “You know, it really is good!” said Peichi. “Yay!”

  “Excellent work,” her father agreed. “I’m willing to end your grounding, though I expect your grades to come up and stay up.”

  “They will!” Peichi promised excitedly. “Thank you!”

  “But Peichi, you can’t possibly do this job all by yourself,” her mother said. “What do you plan to do?”

  “I’m going to call Carmen and see if she has any suggestions. Can I do that now?”

  “Go ahead,” her mother said.

  Peichi looked up the number of Park Terrace Cookware in the phone book. She hoped that Carmen would be there because Peichi didn’t have her home phone number. She was relieved when Carmen’s familiar voice answered the phone. “Park Terrace Cookware. How can I help you?”

  “Hello, Carmen? It’s Peichi Cheng, your old student? I hope you don’t mind me calling you but my friends and I have a huge problem, and I’m calling to get your advice and maybe your help! It’s a Dish emergency!” She went on to explain what was happening. ”So we were wondering if maybe you and Freddie could help us pull this job together quickly. I know it’s a lot to ask, but we don’t know where else to turn. Oh, please! I’m totally desperate!” She gasped for air.

  Carmen chuckled. “Stay calm. I’m happy to help and I’m pretty sure Freddie will be, too. Listen, why don’t you call Justin, Omar, and Connor, too?”

  “Yes! Yes!” Peichi cried. “We had the same idea but we weren’t sure if we should ask them.”

  “I think you should. We’re going to need all the help we can get. Where are we going to do this?”

  “I’ll find out if we can cook at the Moores’ house,” Peichi replied.

  “Okay, call me here tomorrow afternoon and let me know who’s on board for this project,” Carmen instructed. “I’ll phone Freddie and tell him what’s going on. And stay calm, Peichi. I once fed one hundred people who were sheltered in a high school cafeteria during a hurricane with only bread, applesauce, four five-pound cans of chicken chow mein, and six boxes of Jell-O to work with. They really liked it, too! If I could do that, we can get through this.”

  “Thanks, Carmen. Thanks. Thanks. Thanks!”

  “No problem. Talk to you tomorrow.”

  The next step was to contact the boys.

  To: cookincon11, funnyomy478, Justmac

  From: happyface

  Re: Need help big time!

  Hi guys,

  Peichi Cheng here. Dish is having sort of a crisis right now. Everyone but me is sick and we have a huge job we have to deliver by this Saturday. We were hoping maybe you could help us too. We’d pay you, of course. Carmen and Freddie will be helping us with it. Please let me know as soon as you can if any or all of you can help us.

  Thanks!

  Peichi

  Within two hours, the boys wrote back.

  To: happyface

  From: funnyomy478

  Re: saving the day

  Hey peichi,

  You’re in luck, cuz I just talked to connor and justin and we’ve decided to save the day for you girls. You can thank us later. So this is what we want:1. limo transportation to school for the month of february

  2. free brownies for the rest of the year

  3. $500.00 each

  That all seems fair. Thanks for thinking of the Chef Dudes, Peichi.

  OMAR

  Peichi laughed. Omar was such a goofball. She quickly wrote back.

  To: cookincon11, funnyomy478, Justmac

  From: happyface

  Re: yeah, right

  Yeah, right, Chef Dudes. We will split the profit equally. And forget the brownies and limos! But thanks so much for helping. We couldn’t do it without you guys! And I NEVER thought I’d say that!

  Peichi

  P.S. Okay, we’ll make you guys some brownies—one time!

  Peichi sat back, hit SEND, and breathed a deep sigh of relief. Maybe, just maybe, everything would work out.

  Chapter 11

  The twins sat at the top 01 the stairs on Saturday morning and listened to the voices downstairs. Their fevers had finally broken and they had a little energy, but they’d come down with harsh, hacking coughs.

  “Hello, Mrs. Moore,” Carmen said as she came through the front door dragging a large, clanking bag.

  “Please call me Barbara,” Mom said, reaching to help Carmen with the heavy bag.

  “Hello, Barbara,” someone else said. “I’m Freddie Gonzalez. Nice to meet you! Hope you’re ready for us!”

  “Come in!” Mom answered. “What’s in the bag, Carmen?”

  “Cookware,” Carmen answered. “The big, industrial stuff. Hopefully it will make the job go much faster since we won’t have to cook everything in two batches.”

  “It’s so nice of you to help the girls,” Mom said as she and Freddie helped Carmen carry the bag.

  “Oh, it’s our pleasure! They’re such great girls.”

  Amanda and Molly shot each other a thumbs-up. But then Molly had a coughing fit and slapped her hand over her mouth to muffle the sound. This set Amanda coughing and both of them ran b
ack to their rooms.

  When the coughing had stopped, they flopped down on their beds. “I can’t believe Justin is going to be in my very own house and I won’t be able to see him,” Amanda grumbled.

  “The way you look right now, you should be glad he won’t see you,” Molly teased.

  Amanda checked her image in the mirror. “Ohmygosh! You’re right!” Her greasy hair stood out at odd angles and her skin was blotchy and shiny. There were dark circles under her eyes.

  The doorbell rang and then the girls heard voices coming from the front hall. “Peichi’s here,” Molly reported.

  “And I hear boy sounds,” Amanda added. “I think I hear Connor and Omar. And Justin! He’s here! Oh, why can’t we go downstairs? I know!” she exclaimed. “We can listen in on the intercom!” She jumped over to the end of Molly’s bed and pressed the intercom button. Both twins listened in.

  Down in the kitchen, dishware was banging and utensils were clattering. Peichi felt full of energy and was excited to begin cooking. With Carmen and Freddie there, she no longer felt so nervous. “I’ll go downstairs and start bringing up the food,” she volunteered.

  “We’ll help,” Omar offered, and he followed Peichi down the basement stairs along with Justin and Connor. They returned with armfuls of food that they dumped out onto the kitchen table.

  “I’m going to put you boys in charge of the peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, the salads, and the pasta—except for the lasagna. Freddie will do that,” Carmen said as she read over the menu the girls had written out. “Freddie will also make the meatballs. I’ll do the lamb stew—that looks the most complicated—and the fried chicken,” she continued. “Peichi, you’re on the corn chowder, the chicken parmigiana, and the chicken croquettes. And please show Omar how to make the bread. We’ll tackle the sides and desserts as soon as the main courses are under control.”

  “Peichi, think fast!” Omar yelled, tossing her a bag of frozen corn for the chowder.

  “Omarrrrrrr!” she shrieked. Everyone laughed.

  Upstairs, both Amanda and Molly had their ears to the intercom, listening to the laughter. “It’s no fair! They’re having so much fun,” Amanda whispered.

  “I know,” Molly agreed miserably.

  Amanda walked over to her dresser with a determined look on her face. “I’m going down there,” she announced. “I’ll wash my hands and I won’t cough on the food.” She grabbed a hairbrush from the dresser and began brushing.

  “Do you really want Justin to see you when you’re sick?” Molly reminded her as came back into the room.

  “I can fix that,” Amanda assured her. “All it will take is some hair gel, lip gloss, and Mom’s concealer.”

  When Amanda was finished putting herself together, she dressed in jeans and a pale pink sweater. But when she got to the top of the stairs, her luck ran out.

  “Hold it right there, young lady,” Mom’s voice rang out. “Back to bed, please.”

  “Mommmm,” moaned Amanda. “I feel fine and I want to help!” The effort of speaking brought on another fit of coughing. Amanda clapped both hands over her mouth as her mother steered her back to the twins’ room.

  Molly couldn’t stand it. “How’s it going?” she called down on the intercom as Amanda, sulking, came back into the bedroom and put her pj’s back on. Amanda was secretly glad to get back in bed. She felt worse than she’d let on.

  Matthew wandered into the kitchen just then. “Are you making cookies?” he asked.

  “No Moores in the kitchen,” Carmen announced, gently turning him away. “You’ve all been exposed to the flu and we need to keep this food away from germs. Mr. Kramer does not need to be looking after seven kids with the flu while his wife is away!”

  Molly’s voice came over the intercom again. “How is it going down there?” she repeated.

  “Just fine, Molly,” Carmen shouted. “Stay where you are.

  “Hi, Molly!” Peichi shouted so Molly could hear her.

  “Hi, Peichi! Hi, everyone!”

  Mrs. Moore’s voice was suddenly heard in the background. “You, too. Back to bed.”

  “They really feel bad about not helping,” Peichi said to Carmen.

  “I can tell,” Carmen said with a laugh. “The best thing they can do is rest and get better for your next job!”

  By two o’clock, the corn chowder was simmering on the stove. A loaf of homemade five-grain bread, a French baguette, and a loaf of honey bread were all baking in the Moores’ large oven along with the lasagna. The macaroni was finished and the sound of a mixer was whirring as Freddie whipped up his special brownie dough. The boys sat at the kitchen table, tearing up lettuce leaves and tossing them into a big steel bowl.

  “Will we be ready with everything by six?” Peichi asked Carmen. Peichi had finished the chicken parmigiana and was starting the chicken croquettes.

  “I think so,” Carmen said. “Unless something unexpected comes up.”

  The phone rang and Peichi answered it. “Moore residence.”

  A scratchy voice croaked on the other end. “It’s Shawn. How’s it going?”

  “Pretty good! I think we’re gonna make it. How are you feeling?”

  “Lousy!” Shawn replied. “But a lot better than I felt on Tuesday.”

  “Well, go back to bed and get better already!” Peichi teased. “I miss you guys so much! I can’t wait til you’re all back at school!”

  By five o’clock all the food was packed in four large cardboard boxes. “I double-wrapped the soup so it doesn’t spill all over the place,” Freddie said.

  “Thanks so much, everybody! This is totally amazing!” Peichi said sincerely.

  “Oh, you’re welcome!” Carmen said. “This was great. And thanks to Omar, Connor, and Justin, too. We never could have done it without them.”

  The boys clasped their hands over their heads and shook them, as if they’d just won a prizefight. “The new cooking champs are...us!” Omar cheered.

  Everyone laughed. “Aren’t you getting a little carried away?” Molly’s voice rang out over the intercom.

  “No way!” Connor spoke to Molly over the intercom. The boys began singing, “We are the champions...”

  “And modest, too,” Molly commented, her voice filled with laughter.

  “We are the champions...” the boys kept on.

  “What is this, a new boy band, U Stink?” Freddie teased them.

  “Aw, man!” they complained.

  “Come on, let’s take these boxes to the car,” Freddie said.

  Everyone loaded the trunk of Mrs. Moore’s big old gold Cadillac. The kids piled in, with Mrs. Moore at the wheel and Freddie and Carmen following behind in Freddie’s car. They arrived at the Kramers’ house, a brown-stone on a quiet street. Omar and Justin began unloading the trunk as Freddie pulled up behind them. Carmen and Peichi ran up the steps and rang the bell.

  A tall man opened the door. His hair stood up wildly and behind him kids yelled, laughed, threw things, and seemed to be having a great, totally wild time. From somewhere in the house, a dog barked.

  “Mr. Kramer, we’re Dish! Here’s your food,” Peichi said.

  “Oh,” he said. “I was hoping you were my wife and you’d decided to come back early! But this is almost as good. Come on in.” He held open the door as Omar, Connor, Justin, Freddie, and Mrs. Moore came in, holding boxes of their prepared food.

  Point the way to the kitchen, Freddie replied.

  “It’s down the hall,” Mr. Kramer told them. “Thanks so much.”

  “All the boxes are marked with the day of the week and each item is marked at to what goes with what. The chicken parmigiana and the lasagna are the two dishes for day one and the Italian bread and green salad are marked with a one, so you know that they all go together,” Carmen explained.

  “Thanks,” Mr. Kramer said. “You guys are lifesavers! It’s usually a zoo around here, but with my wife gone it’s like a war zone. Whoa, settle down!” he called to four boys
who were playing football in the hallway. “Take it outside!” Mr. Kramer pulled out a large envelope. “Here’s your payment,” he said. “But hang on a minute. I want to give you all a big tip!”

  He handed the envelopes to Carmen, but she passed them over to Peichi. “She’s one of the owners of the company—we just work for her,” Carmen explained.

  Peichi felt herself start to blush. Still, she appreciated Carmen’s words. “Thanks, Mr. Kramer,” she said. “We hope you enjoy your food and Dish appreciates you business. Here are some of our cards so you can pass them on to your friends!”

  Everyone piled back into the cars and drove back to the Moores’ house. In the car, Peichi opened the envelopes. “Wow!” she said.

  “Good news?” Carmen asked from the front seat.

  “Yeah. Even after we pay back Mr. Moore for the ingredients and split this up, I think everyone will be very happy!”

  “Don’t forget that Freddie and I did this as a favor. We don’t want any money,” Carmen told Peichi.

  “That’s not fair,” Peichi argued.

  “Sure it is,” Carmen said. “Someday, make a great lunch for Freddie and me, and we’ll call it even.” Carmen and Freddie headed up the stairs. “But first, we have to finish cleaning up the kitchen.”

  “We’ll do that,” Peichi said. “You two have done more than enough. I don’t know how we can ever thank you.”

  “Lunch,” Carmen reminded her. “Freddie and I are always available for a great lunch.”

  “Absolutely, Freddie agreed. Peichi hugged them both. Then she waved good-bye.

  Mrs. Moore turned to Peichi. “Normally, I would expect Dish to clean up after itself, but this was an unusual circumstance. You’ve done enough work for one day!”

  “Thank you,” Peichi said. “Do you mind if we just stay here a minute and split up the money?”

  “Go right ahead,” Mrs. Moore said as she headed down the hallway.