Page 36 of The Last Thing
She drops the last bean in the colander, then turns the water off and walks over to me, throwing her arms around my waist.
“Now we have each other.”
I set the knife down and turn to her, squatting down so I can give her a proper hug.
“You bet we do.”
She holds me tightly, and it takes everything in me not to break.
But after our little vulnerable moment, she’s back to being a chatterbox while I prep the beans and onions, then get out the ingredients for the pasta.
“What else are we making?”
“It’s one of my favorite things. Pasta. But not just any pasta. It has a special sauce that’s pink. Now, remind me, do you like pink?”
I already know that answer. She loves everything glittery, pink, orange, and yellow. But she likes to pair them with black because it makes the colors pop. A girl after my own heart.
“I love it.”
“I thought so. It also has a fun ingredient.” I hold up the mustard seeds and she frowns.
“What are those?”
“Mustard seeds.”
“I don’t like mustard.”
“Trust me. These don’t taste like mustard. The flavor is mild, and they do a cool trick. When you put them in the hot pan, they dance.”
“Dance?”
“I’ll show you, but move your stool back toward the sink. The hot oil hurts if it splatters.”
She diligently does as I asked, while I pour some oil in the pan and get it heating up.
When it’s shimmering, I smile at Sophia. “Here we go. Can you see inside the pan?”
“Yes!”
I pour the mustard seeds in, and they immediately start popping and bouncing around.
“Oh my gosh. That’s so cool!”
“Cooking is fun, right?”
She nods boisterously.
“Want to know a secret?”
“Hm?” she asks, eyes bright.
“The food tastes even better when you help cook it.”
I wink at her, then get ready to add the next ingredient.
The rest of the meal comes together quickly, and since Deck isn’t home, I put it all in the oven to stay warm.
“Can I watch TV?”
