Cookies

“Do you want to help me mix up the flour, Jack? Hold the spoon like this and then turn it round and round like this.”

Jack stirred the flour, a concentrating frown on his round face while Susie held the bowl for him.

“Do you know who we’re making these cookies for, Jack? We’re making them for Mummy’s boyfriend. His name is Malcolm, which is a stupid name. Malcolm’s here a lot, isn’t he Jack? I think Malcolm is stupid, he’s got a stupid face, and he talks funny, and he’s got a big stupid nose, and he smells stinky. Pee-ooo.”

Susie held her nose and made a face and Jack laughed his hiccuppy laugh.

“Right, now Jack, we need to crack two eggs. I’d better do that, but you can watch, okay? Mummy says that I need to stop saying mean things about Malcolm and I need to grow up and act my age.” Susie did a posh voice and waggled her head. “‘You’re eleven years old, young lady, it’s time to start acting it. Malcolm is my friend and I want you to be nicer to him.’”

She stuck her tongue out at the door and wrinkled her nose.

“And so we’re making these cookies for him to show how grown up I am. Now let’s mix up the butter and the sugar in this bowl. And you see this little bottle here? That’s called ‘vanilla exact’. We put a little bit of that in. And you see this little bottle here? It’s got a flag on it like on a pirate ship, see? That’s the secret, special ingredient. We’re going to put all that in. There we are. Now we stir this one. Do you want to help?”

Susie put the bowl down on the floor. Jack grabbed the spoon and started stirring studiously.

“That’s it. It says we need to make it nice and creamy. Keep stirring. I’m going to get the eggs and the flour. I’ll bring it over. There we go. Oh, Jack, don’t do that. Don’t lick the spoon. Put it down, put it down.”

Jack stood with the wooden spoon in his mouth. He grinned happily at Susie and licked the mixture from his lips. He looked surprised, his face scrunched up as if he was about to cry and then he fell forward and hit the floor with a clatter. The spoon skidded across the floor.

Susie stood and watched him. “Jack? Jack?” Jack didn’t move. Susie sniffed and wiped the tear from her cheek.

She got down on her knees and picked up the spoon and shuffled over to Jack. She put her arms round him and gave him a cuddle. Then she dipped the spoon into the bowl and scooped out a big dollop of mixture. She put it in her mouth, chewed, then swallowed. She took another spoonful and then another, until it was all gone.