Jason was both relieved and apprehensive when he got home from school that afternoon. He was relieved since today at school was one of those times when he could avoid all the bullies and just keep his head down without any trouble. For once, he had one of those rare days of lazy harmony at school.
What was the source of his apprehension this evening was all the shouting coming from the kitchens when he got home. He didn’t know what had happened, but it sounded like the cook was ready to burst a blood vessel screeching about something or other. For the briefest of moments, he considered going to see what the issue was, but then shrugged off the idea. No need for him to get involved with whatever was going on – Penny or his mother could sort the mess out without him having to but his nose in where it didn’t belong.
Kicking off his shoes, Jason quietly hung his jacket up on the coat rack at the door and then began to tiptoe up the steps. He wasn’t feeling so bad this evening – it was a perfect time for him to log in to Winter’s Tale, and maybe try to make peace with that crazy dwarf woman, Cedine!
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“Look at zis! Just look! Zat child has ruined my good pans! How am I supposed to cook with this?” The chef was red faced, waving a frying pan back and forth in the air wildly, pure anger plainly visible on his face.
“You’re right,” Jason’s mom nodded. “It’s ruined. I can see why you’re upset. I’ll deal with the problem,” she promised coolly, staring hard at the frying pan and the old cook.
“Then you vill not let zat monster back in here anymore?” Smirking over at Penny, the chef had a look of triumph on his face. “Zey do not belong in a kitchen!”
“You’re right,” Jason’s mom agreed, wholeheartedly.
“Madam?” Penny’s eyes widened to the point that it seemed almost as if she was going to cry. “She’s just a child still,” she pleaded passionately. “I’ll teach her better, I promise! You don’t have to punish her!”
Walking over, Jason’s mother gently wrapped her arms around Penny and hugged her gently. “Don’t worry sweety. No one’s going to punish our Pam,” she reassured her lightly.
Penny softly returned the hug, looking confused and bewildered.
Letting go of her embrace, Jason’s mother straightened up and turned to glare back over at the old chef. “Get out,” she demanded, cold steel in her voice. “As you say, there’s no room for monsters in these kitchens or this house. You’re fired. Leave.”
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“Vat?!” The old chef’s eyes opened wide with shock and he sputtered several times. “Ze can not fire me! Ze man of ze house zill not allow it!”
“Oh, you don’t think he will?” Eye’s narrowing, Jason’s mother strode several steps forward and poked her finger hard into the center of the old cook’s chest. “You’re right. My husband does like eating your cooking. He also enjoys his nights in my bed, as well. Given the choice between which of the two he’s going to have to give up, do you honestly believe he’s going to chose your French ass over mine?”
“Zis… zis is an outrage! Ze can not do zis! I have done no zing wrong!” The old chef was slowly being pushed back by the intimidating presence Jason’s mother was exerting. Desperately, he looked over to Penny for support, only to take another step back as she looked away from him. Not believing what was happening, he cried out loudly, “Why? Why am I fired?”
“Because,” Jason’s mother glared at him coldly, “you dared to call Pam a monster in front of me. Do you think I give a damn how many of your precious pans she ruins? Do you think I care if that child kicks you out of the kitchen and turns all your damn precious work into charcoal?” Her eyes were cold steel, and her fists were clenched tightly as she glared daggers over at the old chef.
“Pam has been here since the day she was born. When her mother died, who do you think it was that helped Penny raise her and watch over her? I may not have given birth to the child, but she’s as precious to me as if she was my own daughter,” she declared boldly. “And you…” Jason’s mother sputtered for a few moments, struggling to find the words to express the emotion she was feeling.
Half growling, Jason’s mother reached over and picked up one of the nearby knifes from the kitchen counter. “You think I’m going to let some jackass bastard who knows how to cook some type of fancy ass pastry convince me to fire her? To tell her she’s not allowed to go where she wants in my house? Cook what she wants? Ruin whatever fucking pan she wants?”
Jason’s mother clutched the handle of the knife in a death grip, her hands starting to tremble from the tension. “I’ve already told you you’re fired. You’ve been requested to leave. If you’re not out of here in another three seconds, I’m going to start to fear for my safety and gut you like a god damned fish right here in the kitchen,” she warned the old cook. Eyes cold and merciless, he could almost see the reflection of the grim reaper in them, staring out towards him.
“Ze has not heard ze last of this!” Trembling, the old cook turned and rushed out the side door in the kitchen. “Ze vill hear from my lawyer!”
Snarling, Jason’s mother hurled the knife as powerfully as she could, sticking it in the doorframe several feet above the old cook as he ran out it. As it slowly vibrated from side to side, she slowly straightened up and turned back to half laugh towards Penny. “Jackass forgot, his lawyer just happens to be my husband. I don’t think that’ll help him any. What do you say we call for takeout tonight, Penny?”
Tears running down her cheek, the old woman simply nodded and then walked over to hug her in a tight embrace.