Imperfectly Delicious by Mary Frame

Author:Mary Frame [Frame, Mary]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Mary Frame

Chapter Twelve

A good chef has to be a manager, a businessman and a great cook. To marry all three together is sometimes difficult.

–Wolfgang Puck

* * *

Guy

* * *

When I first saw Scarlett standing in the pool room with wide eyes and a blank expression, my heart almost stopped. Not because I didn’t want to see her, but because the last time I introduced a woman to my sisters, it didn’t end well. I don’t think Scarlett is anything like Marie, but I didn’t realize Marie was like Marie until it was too late, and the memory still lingers like the smell of burnt toast.

But when she asked questions and listened without comment or judgment, didn’t freak out when her dress got wet, and then even talked to Emma like anyone else…that meant something.

We make our way upstairs, walking behind Ava who is holding onto Emma’s hand to help her walk to the elevator. Emma’s movements are jerky and somewhat unsteady.

“Did you bring chocolate cupcakes?” Ava asks Scarlett.

“Of course.”

Ava’s smile is bright, tossed over her shoulder and flashed in our direction like a sunbeam. “Good.”

A pang flares in the vicinity of my chest. It’s my fault Ava is so wary of strange women I bring into our lives. Ava is very protective of Emma, like her little personal bodyguard.

Once we’re in the apartment, I lead Scarlett to the living room and then tell the girls to go shower.

“Do you need help with the food?” Scarlett asks.

I’m picking up discarded items strewn about the room, sweaters, old food containers, coloring books and pens. “No, it’s fine.”

I glance over at her, standing in my living room and wonder what she thinks of the space.

It’s a rather luxurious building, maybe an unnecessary expense, but I wanted something nice for the girls with a pool to use as therapy for Emma. Not to mention the fact that she loves the water, which is hard enough to find in New York City. But living with two teen girls, one of whom has special needs, isn’t conducive to opulent living. The space is open and functional, with comfortable dark couches and swept hard wood. Since Emma isn’t stable on her feet, there’s no hard corners or anything she could trip on. But there is a bright green stain on the rug from when Ava dropped some sensory goop, and I’ve never quite been able to get the glitter out of the arm of the reclining chair.

The Christmas tree in the corner is not one of those tastefully decorated ensembles that could come out of a department store. Nope. I let the girls decorate, which means Ava tried to make the ornaments somewhat uniform while Emma delights in lumping them all in the same corner. Most of our ornaments are handmade art projects from both girls, but mostly Emma. She loves art and making things with her hands, despite, or perhaps because of, the unsteadiness of her fine motor skills.

“I can boil water like a pro. Or at least supervise.

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