Eager Beaver

Chapter Fifty-Six - Rowdy Rascals

I heard stomps marching through the house like an elephant on attack, daring to peek up above the sofa to see my Dad with his brow furrowed and an unhappy shape formed on his lips. "Cooper! Laurie! Get away from the glass." He demanded, seemingly more concerned with the glass shards piercing our toes then giving us an earful. He tutted to himself as he approached the scene of the crime. "What are you two like..." he said to himself, before turning on us. "You boys go help your Mom in the kitchen." He instructed firmly.

"Okay!" I squeaked and tossed the dart gun onto the couch as if trying to hide evidence. Really I was just glad not to get in any more trouble. Laurie left his gun on the other couch and followed me.

We didn't hesitate to head into the kitchen where Mom had a plethora of pots, bowls and ingredients strewn about. I cocked my head, a little curious. I had thought that Mom had already done all the cooking for Christmas dinner the day before. What could she be making? Mom sometimes let me help her when she was baking, so I knew I had to go and get my kitchen stool. It was my own platform for getting up to counter top height. Mom had it already set up for me to use by the counter beside her.

Zach was sitting at the kitchen table, his face buried in his smartphone. He was wearing a brand new pair of expensive looking headphones. His eyes were red, and it looked like he was pretty intensely watching something.

Mom caught me staring. I blushed in embarrassment as I met her eyes, half expecting to be told to go and sit on the naughty step or something, but she was smiling. "You two are lucky it's Christmas." she tittered. "You didn't break anything important, did you?"

"Just a bauble." I said shyly.

Mom tutted, but she didn't look too fussed. "Cooper." She said and patted the platform. "Laurie. Both of you, up." I got up and shifted all the way to the right. The platform wasn't really meant for two people, though Laurie managed to squeeze in right beside me. Mom put down the bar behind us that she always used to use when I was younger, penning us in. I guess she was worried about Laurie falling.

"What are we making?" Laurie asked, clearly a little excited.

Mom started pulling out her baking ingredients, mixing bowls, whisks, flour, eggs and finally a cake pan! "We're making a cake!" I squealed in excitement.

"That's right." Mom confirmed. "Laurie needs a cake on his birthday after all."

Laurie let out a fit of giggles and fidgeted around a bunch. Since we were so close together, I couldn't help but be caught up in his little impromptu dance. I heard the familiar sound of a shutter going off as Mom took another picture.

Mom measured out the ingredients and placed them into the mixing bowl. "Laurie, would you like chocolate or sprinkles for your cake." Mom asked, looking into her cupboard.

"Both!" Laurie exclaimed, looking into the bowl and licking his lips.

Mom shrugged and added both the ingredients to the cake, the brown mixture with the colorful sprinkles made Laurie's eye sparkle with excitement. "Okay birthday boy, why don't you mix it up?" She said and slid the bowl towards us and handed Laurie the whisk. "Cooper, hold the bowl steady for Laurie."

I grabbed the ceramic mixing bowl firmly while Laurie wielded the whisk like a sword. He eventually plunged it into the mixture and used both hands to start stirring. Flour and sugar spilled onto the counter and somehow my pajamas too as Laurie stirred vigorously.

"Careful Laurie." Mom warned, but didn't intervene.

Just then, without any warning, Laurie pulled the batter coated whisk out of the bowl and gave it a big lick! "Mmmm." He murmured, going ahead and almost putting the whole whisk in his mouth!