"Hey, just wanted to see if you needed any help in the kitchen? I'm good, how are you? Not stretched thin I hope?" Annie smiled at Kia.
"I'm not stretched thin honey, but I will always welcome the help," Kia smiled back. "You can finish the potatoes."
Annie nodded, setting down her bowl of carrots and started to help Kia around the kitchen.
"Cookies or cake, Annie?" Kia asked.
"Cookies are easier and tends to always have enough for everyone, so I think cookies," replied Annie.
"Ethan I need you to go to the store!" Kia chirped from the doorway.
"No, no, I can make the cookies, Kia. Don't bother Ethan, he's teaching Kyson new things," Annie chuckled.
"Are you sure?" Kia chuckled at Annie's remark, although Kia was in her late 40's she looked youthful, especially when she smiled.
"I'm sure, I don't mind," Annie smiled up at the woman. Annie always looked up to Kia, while her mother was away, Kia had become somewhat of a stand-in mother. Her kind but stern energy made Annie feel safe- like a mothers embrace.
"The girl being celebrated shouldn't be working this much on her own party," Kia tsked, shaking her head.
"Kia, let me do this for you," Annie smiled.
Kia sighed, "alright, I appreciate your help, Annie," Kia smiled, pulling Annie into a tight hug, "you are a treasure."
Annie chuckled lightly, "I know, I know, I'm all that," Annie blushed waving off Kia, not taking the compliment well.
"What is it mom?" Ethan popped his head into the kitchen, only to lock eyes with Annie first who stood there hugging his mother. A small smile formed on his face, he knew how much Annie meant to his mother. His mother had always boasted about the girl like she were her own.
Annie pulled away from Kia as Kia spoke, "nevermind, Annie will do it. Thank you anyways," Kia smiled at her son, walking over to pinch his cheek with her fingers before kissing his other cheek.
"Will you need help, Annie?" Ethan asked, stealing a glance over at the tiny girl who stood in the kitchen.
"You're already spread thin with Kyson, don't worry about me. I'll be okay," Annie offered a small smile which Ethan returned.
"Ethan I swear to God if you don't come back out here!" Kyson was heard outside, his tone aggressive.
Ethan sighs, "that's my cue, let me know if either of you need help, yeah?" He smiled before heading back out the door.
"How many should I make?" Annie asked, knowing she would have to use the oven in her home because Kia's was full already.
"Hmm," Kia thought for a moment. "I don't know who the boys invited. I didn't invite anyone and I can only assume your father and Margaret hadn't either. I'm assuming everyone will have like.. four cookies?" Kia wonders out loud, rambling. "50, maybe 60."
Annie let out a small gust of hair from her mouth, that will definitely be alot of work on their little oven. Annie then smiled at Kia, "I can do that, but if your free, or someone is free, I'd always welcome the help," Annie smiled.
Kia handed Annie a bunch of baking products in hopes that they wouldn't need to run to the store. Or what Kia would've done- make Ethan run to the store for the fourth time that day.
Annie stalked out of the Hawthorne residence and starting baking chocolate chip cookies.
Sometime later as Annie was elbow deep in her third batch of cookie dough she heard footsteps enter the kitchen. When Annie turned there stood Ethan with a smile on his face, "I'm here to play assistant to the baker, what do you need me to do?"
Annie let out a little laugh, rolling her eyes, with a dough covered hand she pointed to a large bowl. "Mix those ingredients together."
"How much?" Ethan asked her as he stood infront of the bowl.
"In the cubbort there is a book- yup that one," she said as she pointed to the cubbort where Ethan grabbed a book, "page 32, cookie recipe, I have a feeling you're going to forget between each batch and I don't want to repeate myself," Annie chuckled.
"Page thirty-two, got it," Ethan said, leaning back against the counter with a grin. "You know, you're much bossier than you were three years ago. I think I like it. Just tell me this- do I get a cookie for good behavior, or do I have to earnit?" He said with a coy smile.
"I think you're imagining things," she said, though the corner of her mouth quirked up. She wiped a smudge of flour off her cheek with her shoulder, trying to look serious and failing. "If you want a cookie, you just have to follow the instructions on page thirty-two. No 'goodbehavior' required, although it would be a nice change of pace for you."
Ethan gasped as he started putting flour in the bowl, "I am hurt that you think I have bad behavior, Doll! I am a saint!" He said playfully.
Annie rolled her eyes and chuckled, "a saint, right, and I don't have a nose," she said giggling as she started putting small globs of cookie dough on a pan.
Ethan smirked as he swiped at her nose with his fingers, leaving a trail of flour, sugar and a pinch of salt. "You don't have a nose."
Annie rolled her eyes as she swiped away the trail of the powdery dry ingredients off her nose and onto her arm.
Annie scrunched up her nose, the spot where he touched her still tingling. "Rule number one of my kitchen, Ethan- No sabotaging the baker," she said, trying to keep her voice steady despite her heart doing a little flutter. She nudged him with her elbow, carefully avoiding getting dough on his shirt. "If you keep that up, I'm demoting you from 'Assistant' to 'Dishwasher'."