by Elsie Davis
“I’ll talk to the girls tonight to try to get more feedback. I’ll see if I can get any sense about whether they are innocent with regards to the cake. I feel awful about what they did to you, and it’s only fair that I help you figure things out. So, I have another suggestion. As you know, I’m a chemistry teacher. Why don’t we take what’s left of the original cake and see what we can figure out by running some tests on the ingredients?”
“Do you mean that? You’d do that?” Amanda’s eyes lit up with excitement.
“Absolutely. Just let me talk to the kids first, and I’ll get back to you tonight or tomorrow. Then we can set something up if need be.”
“Thank you. And for the record, you are doing a wonderful job with the girls. Don’t beat yourself up.”
After she left, he thought about her words. The problem was, he wasn’t sure he agreed with her. He made his way upstairs, determined to face off with the burnt-beef-Wellington culprits.
Chapter Seven
Amanda tried on three outfits before she was satisfied with her appearance. It’s not that she was dressing to impress, quite the opposite. She wanted to appear completely normal. Unaffected. She settled on a pair of jeans and a thick knit sweater with a turtleneck underneath. Warmth was far more important than impressing Kevin.
She wasn’t surprised when he called her last night to let her know the twins hadn’t revealed anything. It didn’t mean they weren’t guilty, only that they weren’t fessing up. Amanda agreed it didn’t make any sense they would do something to make the cake better—but it was the obvious answer.
If Kevin could figure out what was different, she would be forever grateful knowing it could help save the bakery. Who would have thought one day she’d find herself back in a chemistry classroom? It had been one of her least favorite subjects in high school, even though time and time again, her mother had been quick to point out baking relied on the chemical reactions between ingredients. Amanda tried not to think about it in those terms, afraid it would take the fun out of something she loved so much.
Amanda pulled on her heavy winter coat and fur-lined boots and grabbed Cupcake’s leash. The dog was waiting by the door, tail wagging, ready for her early morning run. “Easy, girl. I hope you don’t plan to make this a long venture. It’s freezing out here.” She buried her face in the fuzzy warmth of her scarf to fight the chill.
She waved at Mr. Avery as he made his way down the sidewalk to get his newspaper. Not many others would be up and out this early to get the Hallbrook news. But considering his wife was the editor of the paper, Amanda didn’t think he had much choice.
“Cold morning to be out. This is earlier than normal for you. But I reckon folks at the bakery will be happy you don’t let the cold keep you home.” He smiled, reaching down to pick up the newspaper.
“Jennifer’s handling the shop this morning. I have an errand to run over at the high school.” Her friend Jennifer never seemed to mind helping, preferring to be paid in pastries, which was more than okay in Amanda’s books. It was hard enough to pay Diana her part-time hours, but the student’s help at the bakery wasn’t something she’d give up easily. After all, it was usually Amanda’s only time away from the bakery.
“The school, you say. Wouldn’t have anything to do with that young fellow you’ve been seeing, does it?” Mr. Avery grinned, the twinkle in his eyes enough to keep her from taking offense at the assumption.
“I’m not seeing anyone. I’m meeting Kevin Thompson. He’s a chemistry teacher who’s helping me figure something out with the recipe for the contest.”
“Sounds like a newfangled date to me. Even has food involved.” The old man chuckled, his breath forming the whisper of a cloud in the chilly air.
“Don’t go feeding all the rumors around town. There’s enough as it is. Maybe you could help set the record straight.” Ever since the festival, people had been asking her about Kevin. And half the town already knew about the burned dinner, just as she’d expected. And somehow, people figured the bakery was a good place to talk about what was going on and grill her for answers. Always in a cordial but nosey way, of course.
“I’ll do that once I know exactly what the record shows. Have a nice day, Amanda.” He waved and headed back up the snow-covered path to his small cobblestone house.
Amanda huffed in exasperation and shook her head. Why won’t anybody listen? We’re just friends. She tried to keep Cupcake in check, not wanting to become a fall victim on the icy sidewalk because of the dog’s early-morning enthusiasm. She couldn’t afford to miss chemistry class.
They reached the park, and Amanda removed her leash, turning her loose inside the fenced area. “Go play, Cuppy!” There was no one else here yet as it was barely even light outside. Streetlights cast a glow across the snow-covered grass. Amanda grabbed one of the plastic poopy bags the town provided and kept an eye on the dog.
She bounced up and down on her toes, trying to keep warm, each breath she exhaled looking like a smokestack. Cupcake ran around as if the cold didn’t bother her, more interested in chasing any squirrels or birds that happened to get too close. Jennifer would be arriving at the bakery soon, and Amanda needed to get a move on. Luckily, her friend worked from home and had been able to help her out again today.
“Cuppy!” Amanda gave a whistle. Cupcake stopped immediately and turned back to her, pausing a second before bounding her way. “Good girl.” She patted the dog on the head and reclipped the leash on her collar, tucking the plastic bag in her pocket for next time. “Let’s get back to the house where it’s warm.” Amanda urged the dog forward, moving faster for the return trip.
With the dog back in the house, Amanda made her way outside to the cold car, starting the engine and waiting a few minutes before flipping the heater on high. The high school wasn’t far from her house, but one morning walk was enough. She drove the short distance and parked, grateful she found a front row spot. Amanda grabbed the two labeled containers with the samples of cake and made her way into the brick building.
There weren’t many people milling about yet, but she knew her way around having gone to Turlington High years ago. Down the hall, and to the right, she made her way to the science wing. More specifically, the chemistry lab where she was meeting Kevin. She pushed open the door, relieved to see him already here, just as he’d promised.
“Good morning. Thanks for doing this” Amanda removed her hat and shook her head to free her hair. She ran her hands through it, trying to eliminate the static electricity.
“Good morning.” Kevin’s voice was huskier in the early morning, the sound warm and pleasing. “I just hope this works. I can’t apologize enough for the twins and what they did. Figuring this out for you would help even the score.”
“Say no more. I told you, they’re just kids. What do you want to do first?” She took her coat off and laid it on his desk.
“If you write down a list of your known ingredients, we can rule those out, and I’ll check for something not on the list. You get to hang out and watch, and I’ll do the work.”
“Here’s the recipe. Each ingredient is on there, except for my ground coffee beans. I don’t mind being your assistant chemist.” Amanda moved to stand next to Kevin and handed him the index card.
“That will work. Normally, the assistants I have are the kids, so my expectations are pretty high for you.” He grinned. “When we test food, we typically start with the Benedict solution and test for sugars. It’s the easiest. But in this case, I’m pretty sure we already know there’s sugar. It is a cake, after all.”
Amanda nodded in agreement. Cake without sugar wouldn’t be cake.
“I want to try a Biuret solution and test for proteins. I’ll need a piece mashed up from the samples, but make sure you don’t get a part that’s touched your caramel and nuts to avoid contamination.”
“That sounds as though your testing for meat.”
Kevin chuckled. “Proteins come in a lot of forms, but I doubt we’ll find
steak in here.” He shook his head and went back to work. “This is called a Biuret reagent. If the sample turns the solution to purple or pink, there’s protein present. Nothing on your ingredient list has proteins.”
She mashed up a sample, put it in the test tube, and then handed it to Kevin. “This is kind of cool.”
He mixed the sample and the solution and held the test tube up to the light, putting a white index card behind it.
“Look. No color. There aren’t any traces of protein, which rules out more ingredients. Another test we can try is for any kind of fat and fatty acids. No, on second thought, there’s oil in the cake, so that won’t work. Maybe it would be better to do a test on the specific molecules.”
“You’re the boss. You lost me back when you started talking about Benedict’s solution to test for something. I think of Benedict’s solution as iodine to put on cuts as an antiseptic.” Amanda shrugged.
“Iodine can be used for that purpose, so technically, you’re not wrong. But the solution can test for starch as well.”
Kevin continued to test several tiny pieces of the original cake, performing a series of intricate tests. Amanda watched him in fascination, his totally focused and serious face proof he enjoyed what he was doing. Apparently, she wasn’t any more help than his students, but then chemistry, and science in general, had never been her thing. And neither was math. She had a high appreciation for anyone who could excel at both, and clearly, Kevin was one of those people.
They laughed and talked about the antics of the twins, in between his periods of serious focus. It gave her a greater appreciation for what he faced every day, and she couldn’t help but admire him for what he was doing. Giving up a lucrative job as a chemist at a food plant in the city to teach in a small town was no small thing, but he’d done it to give his girls a better life. It was a job that gave him the ability to focus on his career and still have the time to fill his dual-parenting role.
A student entered the classroom. Amanda glanced at the clock, surprised to see that first-period was over and the kids were arriving for the next class. It was disappointing they hadn’t figured out a thing.
“I’m sorry. We’ve got labs today, and I need to set up their stations. I’ve tested quite a few compounds with molecular tests, but I’m just not getting a match. I’m trying to stick with things one would commonly find in a house. My house, to be specific. I don’t know. Just give me a few minutes, and I’ll be back.”
“Go on. This should be fun to watch you in action. I haven’t stepped foot in a classroom since I graduated.” She couldn’t stay much longer anyway, having promised Jennifer she wouldn’t be long.
“At least you won’t be tested on what you learn today. You’ll get off easy.” Kevin chuckled, moving away to talk to the early students arriving and enlist their help. It was no surprise they all looked at her with curiosity in their gazes, and several times, she caught Kevin glancing her way, his gaze warm and caring, something that caused her to flush with pleasure.
True to his word, he returned periodically to work on the cake sample, but more often than not, he was tied up helping the kids with their labs. He was a dedicated teacher, and the kids seemed to love him.
A shrill ringtone sounded, breaking into the general buzz of the lab. Everyone stopped what they were doing and glanced around as the phone continued to ring.
“Who brought a phone into lab class? You know it’s against the rules.” Kevin looked around at each of the kids, checking to see who would make a move to silence the phone.
The sound was coming from the direction of Kevin’s desk, and Amanda glanced in that direction, knowing her jacket was there. She noticed a phone lying on the desk, its screen lit up. Thankfully, it wasn’t hers. “Umm, I think it’s yours.” Amanda winced, pointing at his desk.
He grinned. “So it is. I must have forgotten to turn it off this morning. I was clearly distracted.” Kevin shot her a wink. “Do I have to stay after school for detention?”
The kids all burst out laughing as Kevin made his way to the front of the room. He played back a message, his facial lines deepening with each second. He shook his head and pocketed the phone.
“I’ve got to leave, everyone. I’ll have Mr. Wilson stop in and oversee the lab as you finish up the experiment. Try not to explode anything. Please. And there’ll be a quiz on it tomorrow.”
The kids all groaned. Kevin moved back to his desk, shoving some papers in his briefcase before holding her jacket out for her to slip on. “I’m sorry this didn’t work out.” Kevin reached out and took her hand. “I wish there was more I could do. It’s the girls. They’re in trouble at school again, and I’ve got a meeting with the principal. I think they’re working their anger out on everyone around them, not just you. It’s not right, but nothing I say seems to have any effect.”
“Is there anything I can do to help?” she offered. Not that she was an expert on kids.
“Adopt two girls?” he joked. “I’ve got to run.”
“Don’t worry about a thing. Maybe I’ll find another recipe or just give up.” It was the last thing she wanted to do, but it didn’t seem as if she had much choice.
“Definitely don’t give up and don’t change recipes just yet. There’s still time.” Kevin squeezed her hand.
“Not much. Get going.” Amanda gave him a push toward the door. “The principal’s office awaits.”
Chapter Eight
Kevin drove to the elementary school, furious with the girls. Enough was enough. Trading places was the oldest prank in twin history, but doing it during testing was outrageous. He used the few minutes it took to drive between the schools to take a few breaths and calm down. This could be on their permanent record unless he could talk the principal into leniency based on the circumstances. They were ten, almost eleven, but this was a serious charge.
He walked into the building, his long strides covering the distance quickly to take him to the principal’s office. The two girls sat in chairs outside her door, their heads low as they awaited his arrival. They looked up at his approach, smart enough to appear sorry for their actions. Not that it would get them out of hot water.
“You two have a lot of explaining to do. After I talk to the principal.” He used his dad-like stern voice, wanting to give them more to think about. Kevin walked past them and knocked on the door.
“Come in.” Beckoned into the principal’s office. A place he hadn’t been since…well, high school. A memory that helped soften his heart even more toward the girls. He’d been no angel in school, but then, they were getting into trouble a lot younger than when he’d been in trouble for skipping classes. He entered the office, shaking his head.
“Thanks for coming over so quickly. Have a seat.” The principal pointed to the chair in front of her oversized desk.
“I’m so sorry for the trouble, Miss Martin.” The woman was the epitome of the image one thought of for a principal. Coiffured hair in a tight bun. Wire-framed glasses. White silk blouse with a red bow, the only splash of color against her blue suit. And a sharp, angular jaw that helped to portray the stern effect she was after. Mission accomplished.
“Please, call me Evelyn. We are both educators and adults.” The corners of her mouth lifted in the barest hint of a smile.
He nodded. “Evelyn, the twins have a lot going on, and their mother just told them she isn’t coming home for their birthday. I know it’s no excuse, but I’m hoping you’ll let me handle this at home.” No sense skirting around the issue. Kevin plunged right into the thick of the situation.
Evelyn shook her head, lines of tension deeply etched across her forehead. “I don’t know, Mr. Thompson. It’s the first time they’ve done something like this, but it’s a serious matter. These were state reading and math tests. From what I gather, they decided to each study for one and take each other’s place in class. That way, they had less study time and got better grades on both tests. It’s a well-thought-out plan, but not what we expect from ou
r students. Their intelligence needs to be applied in a positive direction. I can’t condone this activity, and I’m leaning toward suspension.”
“Suspension? You’ve got to be kidding me. They’re in fifth grade, for Pete’s sake. I’ll talk to the girls, and you can make them retake the test. I can assure you there won’t be any repeat of this behavior. They’re going through a difficult time, between their mother being out of the country and our divorce a little over a year ago. Can’t you cut them some slack since it’s a first offense? Please.” Kevin wasn’t above begging, not when it came to the girls. And how would it look to have his daughters suspended from school, and him being new in town and a teacher? He’d have to take time off from his job to babysit them—his job at school, no less.
Evelyn jotted down notes on the two files in front of her. She pushed her spectacles back on her nose and looked up. “I’m quite aware of your situation, and I sympathize. I do.” She shrugged and let out a deep breath. “But what message do we send to the children if we don’t hold them accountable for their actions?”
“One that says we understand kids make mistakes, and that we expect them to be responsible for those mistakes and not make bad choices again in the future. And having them retake the test would do exactly that, and they would know there’d be no leniency the next time around. They would know the consequences. They’re ten years old, not sixteen.” Kevin leaned forward, placing his hands on his knees as he waited for the verdict. Please, Lord, let her understand.
Evelyn sat quietly, the tapping of her pen against the desk the only sound in the room. “It’s against my better judgment, but I’m going to agree. I know you’re just getting settled in Hallbrook, and it’s a huge adjustment. For all of you. I trust you’ll take care of the situation with them tonight and explain to them the gravity of what they’ve done. This Saturday, I expect them here in my office at noon. I will personally oversee them taking both exams.” She leaned back in her chair; her gaze fixed on him.