The Magician's mate

Chapter 2: Adventure Begins

Emma loved her college courses, with a focus on pastry. She had never been as graceful or focused as when she was in the kitchen.

Suddenly math and chemistry mattered in application in a way that had never occurred in her classes.

She focused and put hours in after class at home perfecting her technique. It gave her something to focus on, measured improvement and it made her family happy and proud to eat her amazing food.

The weeks passed and Emma became more okay with seeing Corey and Chelsea. They seemed genuinely happy and spent all their time together. It made Emma more upset to realize she didn’t have any other close friends.

Now that Corey was always with Chelsea, they hung out with her friends, and that left Emma alone.

Although she had evaluated the other options, she knew it was a little late in the year (decade) to make a new bestie. So she had a lot of time to focus on school and baking.

She researched culinary schools and most of them required in-person auditions after your essay and transcripts were approved. Her parents weren’t quite ready to let her travel alone, so she had to mail her limited interviews.

One of her dream programs was in Paris. She knew she wasn’t going to be allowed to go there just for an audition. Her sister Kenzie was graduating soon and still mateless.

As a consolation prize, I means as a graduation gift, her parents were willing to fund a large trip and Emma hoped she could convince them all to send her too.

That night, Emma called Kenzie.

“Hi Kenz, have you found true love yet?” asked Emma.

The sigh on the other end of the phone was exasperated. “Em, don’t you think you would all know? Don’t you think they would have gotten a billboard or something?”

“Hey now, I am sorry, I don’t think anyone is worried about it, mom just says we are late bloomers” Emma consoled.

“Besides,” she continued, “ I am right there with you, following in your path, and not nearly as pretty.”

Kenzie always wondered why her sister didn’t see how beautiful she was, but she knew she wasn’t going to change her mind on that today.

“Em, it isn’t how pretty you are to everyone, although you are gorgeous, your true mate will find you appealing above all others…which you already know. So what's up, goose?”

“Well, you know how proud everyone is of you graduating and how mom and dad are thinking of gifting you a big trip? I was thinking that your trip would be more fun with a friend…like me…and that maybe we should stop in London so I could audition for a culinary program.” Emma rushed out, jumbling the words.

Before her sister could even offer a response she continued on, “ And I know it’s a lot to ask and you probably want a real friend and I am being selfish, but it’s just the only way I can think of to even get close…to Le Cordon Blue…nevermind, it is a stupid idea, I am sorry, I am so proud of you, just forget I said anything.”

Kenzie just laughed, “ Oh Emma, honestly I was thinking of asking you along anyway. I don’t mind stopping in London, it could be our secret. Actually, I have a secret plan too. There is this author who I can’t get enough of, who is very reclusive, who supposedly lives somewhere near London in the Heartwood Forest, but don’t tell anyone that part, I know its dumb, it is just that his work calls me. I want to meet him. His work is probably why I chose literature, and now Goddess knows what I am supposed to do with that degree. Open a book store? Teach? Write?...oh well, we can figure that part out on our trip.”

Emma squealed with delight. “ Thank you, Thank you, Thank you! You are the best sister ever in the history of the world!”

“I feel better just having told someone. Honestly, all my friends are mated and it has just been me, kind of a loose end. Thanks for listening, Em.” confessed Kenzie.

Wow, thought Emma, here I have been feeling the same way, except for less time, and I never even reached out to check on her. Swamped with guilt, Emma tried to think of a good response, but in the end all she said was “ I love you Kenzie, I am glad you are coming home.”

As they wrapped up the call, Emma was too excited to sleep, she couldn’t wait to audition. Maybe she would get in! She just knew in her heart that Kenzie and her could wear down almost any argument.

In the end, they didn’t need to, their parents were just happy to see the girls looking forward to something.

As the girls gathered their trunks at the train station, they emerged into the gray, cloudy city and both fell in love.

They had a snack at a cafe and people watched, then delighted in their own agendas and plans.

Emma needed to find a market and gather her supplies. She had her audition that very afternoon and was so anxious and excited she didn’t know how she didn’t immediately throw up lunch.

Kenzie had brought a pack, hiking boots, a compass and her favorite book. She knew she could follow the clues in the book to meet her favorite author. She also knew the forest was large and she probably wouldn’t be successful in her first attempt. The girls had arranged for two weeks in London, long enough for Kenzie to find her reclusive literary hero and long enough for Emma to audition, and then stay for successive interviews in case she passed.

They checked into their hotel, wished each other luck then, giggling at their own absurdity, walked off in different directions.

Emma found a corner market and gathered what she needed. It cost a lot, but she couldn’t afford to skimp on quality. She was making a simple dish, which meant every ingredient needed to be excellent.

She was planning on Macarons and knew they needed to be perfect.

As she arrived at the location she couldn’t help but admire how polished everyone was. She thought she had dressed the part, in a clean button down and slacks, but she saw people arriving in formal chef's jackets.

“Well, here goes nothing” she thought as she scooted in with her grocery totes bulging.

Once she was checked in behind a cooking station, she felt much calmer. She ignored the chaos around her and began to prepare her dough.

The judges wandered around, silently staring and taking notes, but Emma wasn’t phased, she just focused on her work.

When the bell rang for time, Emma had three dozen colorful cookies artfully displayed.

Then she realized that another potential student had also chosen Macarons, and she had five varieties. Eeek.

Each of them were asked to bring their dish before the panel to be judged. A boy named Andrew went first. He nervously placed his chicken dish before them. The three panel members took bites, whispered quietly, then waved him back.

Next was a girl named Natalie with beef Wellington. The same scene repeated.

The third was the girl in the chef's jacket with Macarons. Apparently her name was Charlotte. She didn’t seem bothered by the lack of response and proudly walked back.

Emma went next, she carefully scrutinized each facial movement to try and detect anything, delight, contempt, pity, anything at all but could not even guess what they thought of her cookies.

She walked back to the line feeling defeated already.

“Ammatuer” she heard Charlotte whisper as she passed.

Natlie smiled and just rolled her eyes in Charlotte’s direction. Emma felt much better. Two other young men went and then they were all dismissed.

“What happens next?” Emma asked Natalie.

“Next, we wait while they prepare a list, and if your name appears you will come back tomorrow for another cooking challenge followed by an interview. If you pass, you get a letter permitting you to study. This is my second try, but I think I finally have a chance.” Natalie added.

“Hmph” they heard behind them. Charlotte couldn’t help herself, she rudely interjected “ As if they would let someone in who had already failed.”

Before either Emma or Natalie could think of a good response, a bell rang and they realized the list was posted. The two girls ran over while Charlotte sauntered.

“ We did it! We made it” exclaimed Natalie and Emma, hugging and dancing.

Charlotte just found her name on the list, smirked and strolled out.

“Well, she certainly is a piece of work” complained Natalie.

Emma just wrinkled her nose and gestured toward the door, “come on, let’s go find my sister and celebrate!”

Emma decided she liked Natalie, who preferred to be called Nat, right away, and Kenzie did too. They shared dinner and dreams dreams, then promised to meet again in the morning. When Kenzie learned that Nat lived nearby she questioned, about her mysterious author, but Kenzie had never heard of him. After Nat left, Emma felt bad. She had been so focused on her new friend and their shared success she hadn’t even checked on her sister’s progress.

“Did you find anything?” she asked.

“No” said Kenzie, “But honestly, I didn’t expect it to on the first day. It is a huge and ancient forest.” Emma was relieved that her sister wasn’t discouraged.

The next morning Kenzie set off early, determined to find a trace of this writer. Emma ate her pastries and enjoyed a second espresso while she waited for Nat to arrive. She didn’t even know what today would bring.

Unfortunately, Nat wasn’t much help. “ I told you all I knew, last time I didn’t make it this far.”

The girls arrived promptly and walked into a room with Charlotte in the middle and Andrew standing as far away as he could.

Taking stock of the situation, Emma immediately chose Andrew and walked over to him. Their sunny “Good Morning” seemed to settle him. He was also from the area and this was his dream, which meant he was very nervous.

“Watch out for that one,” he said with a head nod toward Charlotte, “ She is a bit of a viper.”

As the door opened, a chef invited them into the same kitchen as yesterday. “ Today you will be undergoing some basic tests, we will observe you and then provide your scores at midday. You will rotate stations and your sous chef will inform you of your tasks. Good luck!”

“ Good luck” wished the three as they headed to stations.

No one said a word to Charlotte.

Emma worked hard to make pastry cream at station 1, scallops at station 2, blackened salmon at station 3 and then chocolate mouse at station 4.

At the midday point, they got a rest break and compared notes. The consensus was that they had no idea how they did. Except Charlotte, of course, she thought she had done wonderfully.

Nat wondered where the judging happened. “ isn’t it odd that no one tried our dishes right in front of us?” Andrew agreed, then wondered aloud if perhaps, the sous chefs were the judges?

Charlotte immediately shot that down.

Too bad for her because Andrew was right.

As the instructor from that morning returned, the sous chefs were with her, and she called them up to meet the judges.

Charlotte was glaring accusingly at them. Emma wondered what her deal was when she realized Charlotte had probably treated her sous chefs as servants. Ouch.

As they announced that three of the four would continue into the interview, Emma swore she felt her stomach flip inside out. When her name was called she was overwhelmed with joy. “Thank you Goddess, thank you!” was a continuous prayer in her head.

When Andrew and Nat also made it Emma thought it was the happiest day since before her last birthday.

Charlotte stalked off, her cheeks blazed red with a mix of temper and embarrassment.

The interview was pretty straightforward and each of them excited the building with an invitation to study.

Emma called her grandmother right away. She still hadn’t told her parents her plan but knew Collette would be happy for her. “What happens next dear?” her grandmother wondered.

“Well” said Emma, “I guess I will use my savings to pay for the training and get a part-time job to cover my expenses and then I can train to be a world class pastry chef and then I can go anywhere I want after that. Even home.”

“No, no dear, don’t worry about the money, I can pay for school and basic expenses, you focus on learning,” said Collette.

“Oh Gram, you don’t have to do that” Emma replied.

“ You are right dear, I don’t HAVE to. I WANT to and I will. You just pay back by being happy and making me sweets every now and again.” was the firm response.

“ I really love you Gram,” said Emma.

“ And I really love you and Kenzie, and don’t think for a second she is coming straight back home either, so you two should figure yourselves out, then break the news to your parents.” was the sage reply.

“ Does it have to be today?” asked Emma.

“No dear, but don’t wait til the last minute, I would hate to see your mom planning a welcome home dinner while you phone her at the last minute. You will know when its right. Now go find that sister of yours and celebrate!”

“ Bye Gram.”

“Bye love” and then the phone clicked end.

When Emma returned to the hotel she found her sister looking tired but still excited.

“How did it go!” Kenzie asked as the door was opening.

“ I got in!” yelled Emma.

They danced and hugged and opened champagne. They drank too much on the balcony under the full moon and they both would have sworn they heard their hearts whisper as never before that they were on their way.

That night Kenzie had vivid dreams of a black wolf howling alone on top of a hill and woke up crying, remembering the lonely sound. Emma had no dreams.

The next morning, when Emma woke up, there was a note propped against the tea kettle.

“Good luck today, goose. I got an early start but will be home later to hear all about your success. Love you!”