Yummy

PATTY CAKE

 

White organza window curtains in the kitchen rustled a little in the spring breeze. The room smelled fresh and delicious at the same time.
They were about to touch the hot oven when Daisy walked in and saw tragedy about to happen.  She slammed the window shut so fast and hard, a little crack zoomed to its top. Miranda, the day worker, got holy hell and started to cry. From her apron pocket Daisy pulled three one dollar bills and fired her. Putting her filled  scrub bucket and brush to the side, Miranda gave Daisy the finger and answered back, 'I quit! Give me the two dollars you still owe me.' The boss lady told her she would see the two dollars burn in hell. The window cracked because you left the window open.' Miranda came right back at her with a big, sour smile and a wheeze of spittle towards her face.

 

A burning odor stopped Daisy from batting Miranda over the head with a frying pan. As she backed away a screeching, pathetic whine came from Miranda. 'You clazy, Lady. I go now. I hope your cute little daughter don't grow up like her stupid Momma.' With that the argument was done–and so was the cake in the oven. It was burned and no good as a birthday cake or anything else except the garbage can.

 

Jenny got off the yellow school bus right in front of her house. She expected to see her Mom icing a magnificent birthday tiered cake. No bowl of custard was waiting on the table for her to clean the edges with a spatula and enjoy the warmness of the vanilla. Instead she was hit in the nose by a burned odor, saw Miranda's mop in the filled bucket, but no Miranda. 'Mom, Mom, where are you?' she called.

 

Oh so sweetly Miranda answered. 'In the kitchen, Darling.'  Jenny pushed the swinging door open and found her mother scraping a cake pan, chocolate icing dripping from a bowl in the sink. Sweet words disappeared as Jenny listened to the tale of woe, the story of her birthday cake going to have to come from Dolfield's Bakery instead of from her Mom. 'What's the big deal? Darling? Mr. Dolfield makes hundreds of cakes a week. You've always loved them.' 'Sure, Mom, but this is my special birthday. My dress, the lawn, the tables, everything was going to be perfect and you were going to bring in my favorite cake with seventeen lit candles. Mom, come on, I'll help you, we'll make another one.' Miranda insisted she had already ordered the cake and her friend Patty would have it here for us by three tomorrow. Dad has all the chairs and tables ready and I hired a lady to help serve and clean up. Everything is going to be great!'

 

When night had passed and Saturday woke the family to a lovely sunny day, the concerns disappeared. The phone at 7:30 a.m. brought them back. Mr. Goldfield had a heart attack and the bakery was closed but they were getting a similar cake from My Son's to arrive at 6 p.m. with their compliments and best wishes.

 

Jenny looked like an angel in her peach colored suit. Everything was ready. The doorbell rang at exactly that time. Jenny opened the door, saw no baker, but saw her best friend, Patty, with her father. The two of them were carrying  a chocolate layer cake that had to be six layers high. It looked beautiful, smelled delicious. They carried it to the central table on the terrace. 'Wow, that new little bakery really came thru, Patty. I'm going to put a big piece in the fridge for you before everyone has gone'.

 

Her dad spoke up. 'Jenny, My Son's didn't make this fabulous cake. My daughter Patty and her Mom did. They were up half the night doing it. Enjoying it!'  He left Patty and the cake. Jenny was overcome with surprise and pleasure, so happy to know for real what 'Patty Cake ' means. It means years of warmth, the depth of friendship, the wonders of truly caring about others. 'Lucky me. Lucky us" She hugged Patty tight and opened the door for the rest of her guests.