Sacrifices of the Soul, Chapter 10

Kay was cutting up vegetables when Miguel came in.

" Miguel. What is so important about that paper. What’s this about?"

" I told you that I would find a way for us to help Simone….and, I have."

Kay took the paper from Miguel and looked at it.

" COOKING?! COOKING is what’s going to help Simone? Miguel, I’m sorry, but, I don’t find spending a summer cooking to be all that much fun."

" Kay, you’re not looking at it from the right angle." Miguel leads Kay over to kitchen table.

" Kay, the goal  of this is to help Simone. You’re worried about her. While we can’t babysit Simone, we have to find something that will take up a lot of  time, and can also be fun."

" You think cooking is fun."

" Well, I dunno. I think it’s practical."

" This is French cooking."

" Sure. But, it’s also the basics. I looked up this guy. This course is a STEAL. I read stuff on him at the Food Network, and they absolutely think he’s a fantastic teacher."

" If he’s so good, then WHY is he in Harmony?"

" He’s here, because his wife’s family is from the area, and she’s here taking care of her ailing parents, and since he can work from anywhere, he decided to avail his services of the local people in Harmony."

" I don’t know..", Kay reads the brochure a bit more. " Miguel, this costs $ 200.00 per person!"

" Don’t worry about it. I’ve already paid it."

" Miguel, that’s $600.00!"

" I know. Construction has paid well, and I had to pay to get the last three spots. Kay, I really think that this can work. Cooking takes up a lot of time. Simone’s got an artistic streak in her a mile wide….all we have to do is convince her that cooking is an art. In addition to the classes, we’re going to have to practice what we learn, which means that we’ll have to spend lots of time, outside of class cooking…"

Kay was beginning to see the light. " And, with one another."

" Yes."

" And the more time that Simone spends with us…the less time she’ll spend with that creep."

" Exactly. Not only is the class itself something that can occupy her time, but, there’s a goal for the end….the top quarter of the students in the class are going to be invited to go to FRANCE for a two week trip. "

Kay began to scour the brochure. " France? Are you sure?"

" Yep. A two week trip to the South of France. Now, only the top three students will get their expenses paid, but, the others, even if you’re paying, will be going on a steep discount."

" Why?"

" Because, Crane Industries is underwriting this cooking academy, and the travel discounts can be had through the Crane Travel Agency."

" So, if you finish in the top 25% of the class, you get invited to go to France?"

" Yep. To compete against a cooking school in France, of students just like us…regular people."

" Are you sure it’s the South of France?"

" Yep. Beaches, the French Riviera, all of it. And, all we have to do is to be in the top quarter."

Kay’s mind began to race. TWO WEEKS ALONE WITH MIGUEL!! Oh, this project kept looking better and better.

" So, Kay, are you convinced? I was thinking that we could practice at my house a lot. Simone’s reaching out to Chad, and that way, if she wants to talk to Chad, she doesn’t have make up an excuse to come over."

" Maybe…I dunno about Coach Russell."

" Ok. Maybe we’ll split the time between her and your house. Coach Russell doesn’t object to Simone coming over here, does he?"

" Nope. Not so far."

" And, I was thinking. We could host dinners, inviting people to come and taste our food. Maybe even donate something to the booths at the Carnival."

" But, what about the trip at the end?"

" Well, I’ve always been able to achieve what I set my mind to, and, I’m just going to be one of the top three people, that’s all, so my trip will be free. With my construction job, even if I’m not in the top three, with the discounts, I should be able to afford to go. Of course, it will mean that I won’t be able to do as much stuff with Charity as I thought that we were going to do, but, she’ll understand."

Kay LOVED hearing that. " You’re right, Miguel. She’ll totally understand. Miguel this is THE best idea!", Kay says and then leaps over to Miguel to give him a big hug.

Just then, Charity walks into the kitchen, to see Kay’s arms all over Miguel.

" Oh, hi Charity.", Kay says silkily.

Miguel could see that Charity was upset and moved towards her. " I was just talking to Kay about a plan to help Simone."

" Help Simone?"

" Yes, Charity. She’s in a bit of trouble now, and Kay’s been trying to handle it all by herself."

" Well, Simone DOES have family.", Charity said, and Kay was shocked, cause she could have sworn that Charity put a little attitude in her sentence.

" I know. But, you know that things have been difficult, well, since…"

" Since Dr. Russell’s past was exposed, Charity. The family has broken up, and it’s been hard on Simone."

" Yes, and Kay’s been the only one to really try and get Simone through all of this. And, I decided that it was time that I helped too."

" Why?"

Miguel looked sort of surprised at Charity. " Well, Charity, because Simone and I have been friends since we were kids."

" I thought it was always you and Kay."

" Well, Kay and I did most of the sports stuff together, Simone was always there too. We were the Three Musketeers."

" Yeah, Charity. We were the Three Musketeers. And, now, Miguel’s thought of something that will reunite the Musketeers."

" Reunite? How?"

Miguel picks up the brochure and gives it to Charity.

" Cooking classes?"

" Yeah, I thought we’d take them."

Charity puts her arms around Miguel and kisses him. " Oh Miguel, this is so romantic. "

Kay turns her back and rolls her eyes, while Miguel speaks up.

" Charity, this isn’t supposed to be romantic. I’m taking the classes with Simone and Kay."

"What about me?"

" Charity, the whole point is for Kay and I to support Simone."

" I’m Simone’s friend too."

" But, you haven’t known Simone as long as we have. We’re trying to give her a comfort zone with two people that she’s known for forever, and she knows who won’t judge her. She has to feel comfortable and safe, and we can’t take the chance of Simone feeling left out."

" We?"

Kay steps up, " Yes, Charity, Miguel  and I. WE are going to help Simone. You DO understand, Charity. After all, when you were at your lowest point following the fire, people stepped up to the plate to make you feel at ease. All of us did, my parents gave you the newly redecorated bedroom for your own ‘space’, and all of us bent over backwards to get you through that tough time. Well, this is Simone’s ‘tough time’, and she needs help."

" I understand that, Kay. I just don’t get why it has to be you and Miguel by yourselves."

" Because, Charity, we think that we can get to Simone, if we spend time with her. You DO understand, don’t you Charity? This is like the special help that you got."

Charity read the brochure some more…" There’s a trip to France?"

Miguel smiled, " Yeah. The top students get to go over to France to compete against a French cooking school."

" Paris?", Charity asks.

" Nope. It’s for the South of France. The French Riviera."

" The beach?", Charity asked, and Kay could tell that it disturbed Charity, so, of course, she’s going to try and find out why.

" Yes, Charity, the French Riviera. Doesn’t it sound great? Being in a foreign country, at such a sophisticated place….I can’t wait."

" You have to be a top student, Kay.", Charity said , smiling.

" While I’m not a straight A student like you, Charity, when motivated, I can be a superb student."

" That’s right, Charity. I can’t say that cooking is very interesting to me, but, I think that this course will be fun, and Kay and I will help one another be motivated, isn’t that right, Kay?"

Kay smiles, and responds, " Absolutely, Miguel."

Charity didn’t know why she was feeling what she was feeling. After all, Miguel loved her, right? And, he thought of Kay as only a friend.

Miguel noticed Charity’s facial expressions.

" Charity, is something wrong?"

Charity didn’t want to sound crazy and paranoid, so she smiled, " No, Miguel. Everything’s fine."
 

Ethan Crane was walking through the park. He took walks in the park a lot these days, thinking about his life, and how complicated it had become, and that he really didn’t even know what he felt about all that had happened in his life. He was walking when he saw a woman on a bench that was crying. She was trying not to be obvious about it, but, he saw it.

" Whitney?"

" Ethan?", Whitney looked up in surprise at Ethan.

" What are you doing here?"

" I take walks all the time, just to clear my mind.", Ethan said, sitting down on the bench.

" Oh."

" Would you like someone to talk to about whatever’s upsetting you?"

" I don’t know Ethan, it’s so complicated."

There was a silence between them, and Whitney finally spoke up. " It’s the problem from the other night."

" At the Sea Scape?"

" Yes. Seeing Chad with Theresa really threw me for a loop. I never thought that she would really be such a golddigger."

" You think that’s what was on Theresa’s mind?"

" Yes, I do, Ethan. After all, you escaped from Theresa’s clutches. You weren’t privy to all the scheming that she did in order to be close to you. How calculated she was. But, you know that already. You know how she lied and schemed to be near you."

" Yes, but…"

" And, since, she was my supposed friend back then, you don’t know the half of what Theresa did. Seeing her leap over to Chad, is just disturbing. WHY are men so susceptible to women like that? Can you explain it to me?"

Ethan couldn’t say anything. All he could remember at the moment were Theresa’s deep eyes, and the way his body was filled with passion when he kissed her. But, of course, he couldn’t say these things to Whitney.

" Ethan, I was going to call you."

" Call me? About what?"

" About a proposition for a project that I’d like to organize and I think that Crane Industries would be a perfect partner for it."

" Well, I have to say that I’m intrigued. You have my home phone number, don’t you?"

" Yes."

" When you get it organized, you can call me."

" Thanks. I will……Ethan, do you know how Chad is?"

" Um….no. He doesn’t talk to me anymore."

" He hasn’t connected with your family?"

" Not as far as I know."

" Oh. Well, I have to make it to practice soon. It was good seeing you, Ethan."

" Same here, Whitney. Call me sometimes."

" I will." Whitney got up and walked away and a smile crept onto her face. This was a lucky break for her, and she was going to take full advantage of it.