The Bee's Knees

Chapter 15

Anna skipped into her grandpa's arms after the audition. "I take it things went well, Cupcake?" he said as he wrapped her in a warm hug.

"I get to be on Sliced!" She still couldn't believe it. Dozens of kids had auditioned with all sorts of delicious desserts, yet somehow she'd made the cut. Thank goodness she had all of February to calm down and practice before they taped her episode in March, or else she'd end up practically vibrating with excitement the instant she entered the Sliced kitchen.

"That's amazing! Know what that means?" her grandpa asked. Bertrand bent down to let Anna climb onto his back. The big, burly bear never minded giving her a ride, but her grandpa only let her do it on extra special occasions.

Anna raised her hands in the air and cheered as Bertrand trotted into the parking lot. Craving Channel staff and contestants darted out of their way as he bellowed. Despite how noisy he was, her grandpa was louder. "My granddaughter is going to be on TV!"

"Sh, you're embarrassing me!" Yet, despite all the people staring at them, Anna couldn't stop herself from laughing or prevent her bees from zooming around her like shooting stars. No matter what, her grandpa always knew how to make her feel like the most amazing person in the whole world.

They reached her grandpa's truck all too soon. Bertrand took his usual spot in the flatbed hooked up to the back while Anna and her grandpa climbed inside the vehicle itself. A great big bag with bright red tissue paper poking out the top rested in the backseat. "What's this doing here?" Anna asked.

"I don't know, Cupcake." Her grandpa's smile crinkled the wrinkles around his eyes as he looked in the rearview mirror. "Why don't you check it out?"

Anna rummaged through the rustling redness until her hand found fabric. She gasped as she pulled out a bright blue apron depicting bees buzzing above a field of sunflowers. "This is beautiful!"

"I wanted to get you a little something to celebrate going on Sliced since I knew any judge with working taste buds would know they'd be lucky to have you," her grandpa said. "Besides, now that we know you'll be on it for sure, we need to tell your parents. Can't imagine a better way to do that than to show them what an amazing young baker you've become."

Anna hugged the apron close to her chest. "Thank you so much, Grandpa!"

She spent the whole ride home telling him all about her audition. By the time she was finished gushing about all the amazing desserts she'd seen and how cool it was to meet the judges in person, they'd pulled into her parents' driveway.

"Sounds like you're going to have your work cut out for you, Cupcake," her grandpa said. "Now we just have to tell everyone the good news!"

Anna gulped. This was the part she'd dreaded the most, even more than meeting Ivan Volkov and his enormous vulture. Her parents hadn't wanted her to bother with Sliced at all. They probably wouldn't be happy she auditioned without their permission, but they'd forgive her once she told them she'd made it onto the actual show, right?

There was only one way to find out.

Anna yanked open the front door as if she was ripping off a Band-Aid. Her parents were already home, with her mom slouched in her armchair rubbing her temples and her dad pacing the living room with Skippy trailing right behind him.

It must have been another bad day at the bakery. Anna absolutely had to tell them her good news, though. Maybe it would even cheer them up a little.

"Nice apron," her mom said. Her face was unreadable, but her lizards' throat sacks bulged bright red.

"I thought she could use a little something to celebrate her good news." Anna's grandpa gave her hand a gentle squeeze, nodding for her to tell her parents what happened.