Sibling Rememberance Chapter III Belgian Waffles & a Dash of Pepper
Hi Guys! So sorry for the wait once again but I think that you will be pleased, this chapter is long! I worked hard on it for like two weeks(in between my midterms and essays, that's why it took a while to post). I had written half of it right after submitting chapter 2 but it was still too short so I kept writing and boy am I pleased with myself! I wrote roughly 4,270 words(which is like 7-8 pages!) which might not seem like much but it is awesome for me to have such a long chapter! I think this one is cute and reminds me of how breakfast used to be when time seemed a whole lot slower…have a pleasant 'morning' or at least when you read this :D
I do not own or claim copyright to BTR
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Mrs. Knight daintily stepped onto the cold marble tile, making her way to the family room which occupied the majority of the space downstairs. Her socks made little patting noises as she walked over and settled into burgundy couch, the soft cushions enveloping her weight. Kendall crawled up the side of the couch, plopping down next to his mother. The two sat in silence, listening to Katie suckle at the rubber nib of the plastic bottle, greedily sucking down the formula that she so desired.
"I think we figured out what she was screaming about…looks like she was just hungry." Kendall nodded in agreement at his mother's statement,
"Very hungry." She chuckled good-naturedly, ruffling the wispy blonde bangs belonging to her son,
"You knew exactly how to calm her down. How'd you get so smart Kendall?" He blushed, shrugging,
"I just knew." A wide smile broke out across Mrs. Knight's face,
"You're doing a great job; you'll be an amazing big brother for Katie." Kendall beamed, his chest swelling with pride as he cupped his hands and placed them in his lap, swinging his feet back and forth,
"Really Mom?" Mrs. Knight adjusted Katie in her arms, propping the bottle betwixt her daughter's mouth and her hand before humming,
"Mmm-hhmm…of course you are!" She chewed her lip, glancing at her son and how he was gazing at Katie in wonder. She licked her lower lip, wetting it in order to make it easier to speak,
"Hey Kendall, do you want to feed her?"
"What?" He exclaimed, almost falling back on the couch in shock. He composed himself and sat up on his knees,
"Can I Mom?" His mother in response burst out laughing at how excited her little boy was,
"Sure dear! Just sit back and be gentle." Kathryn shifted positions, the mint green silk material of her night gown swishing as she twisted her upper torso in order to face Kendall. She lightly pushed her son back into the pillows, Kendall scooting back and readjusting himself so he was not sitting in the crack between the pillow seats. Once he was securely sitting on the couch and ready to take Katie in his arms, Mrs. Knight passed her precious bundle into his waiting embrace.
"Now Kendall, you have to prop her up like this." She grabbed his arms and moved them into the correct holding position for him, continuing her instructions,
"That's good. And now, just tilt the bottle…yeah just like that!" Mrs. Knight praised him, inwardly laughing at how hard her son was concentrating on the task she had given him; his thick eyebrows crossed in determination to do his very best. She leaned back, taking in the image before her: her two children snuggled into the couch with one another, the older one taking care of her youngest child. She pressed a palm to her chest, feeling her heart flutter underneath her ribcage. Kathryn sighed absentmindedly, cupping her neck with a hand,
"What a wonderful father you'll make." Kendall's acute hearing was able to catch her words despite the fact that they were barely audible. A light pink blush arose on his cheeks as he looked down at the small figure in his arms, drinking the milk contently.
The package in his arms was rocked to and fro, causing Katie to yawn and curl up into the nook of her older brother's chest. After a few minutes, the steady rhythm of motion, soothing and comforting, soon lulled the tiny babe to sleep.
Once she was certain that her daughter would not awaken, Mrs. Knight scooped her from Kendall's arms and stood up in a very slow fashion, careful to use only leisurely movements. She cupped the back of Katie's head, cradling it as she left the couch and headed into the kitchen which lay to the left of the staircase.
"So honey, what would you like to do today?" She called over her shoulder as she set a sleeping Katie into a play pen surrounded by a child-safe gate, setting the baby on a fleece blanket. It was Saturday and since they had been abruptly woken up in the dark hours, the big hand of the great grandfather clock that resided between the staircase and the entryway to the kitchen was painstakingly crawling towards the fullness of seven o'clock in the morning.
Kendall hopped off of the couch and followed his mother into the kitchen, scratching his head in thought. Before Kendall could come up with an answer, Mrs. Knight already had a solution,
"How about I make us some breakfast?" Kendall immediately nodded, his stomach suddenly feeling vey empty and neglected. Kathryn rummaged through the refrigerator, gathering ingredients in her arms.
"Could you set the table dear?" Kendall obeyed, pulling open the cabinet that held the silverware. He retrieved two placemats, napkins and forks, one for each of them. After arranging the dishes, he returned to his mother's side, helpfully setting the ingredients she fished out onto the counter top.
Once everything was gathered, Mrs. Knight measured then started mixing the flour, two teaspoons of baking powder, a pinch of salt and three tablespoons of sugar into a huge metal bowl. After the dry ingredients were sifted, she progressed to whisking in a drop of vanilla extract, melted butter and one forth cups of milk, swirling the wet and dry items together until they created a thick and smooth mixture.
Kendall looked on, studying her movements and professional deductions, fascinated that his mother knew exactly what to do. Unbeknownst to Kendall, Mrs. Knight was checking the directions that were printed on the back of the new Belgium waffle maker that she had bought a few days ago at the supermarket, the package covered with the bright advertisement of popular Belgian movie star Jean-Luc Varn Darn*. Observing the next step listed on the back of the device, Mrs. Knight picked up a white oval, cracking it on the edge of the bowl in order to release the golden capsule hidden beneath the hard outer shell. She tossed the remains of the egg shell into the sink, pushing it into the garbage disposal to dispose of later. Turning her attention back to the bowl, she picked up the whisk and started twisting up the dough.
Out of the corner of her eye, she spied Kendall peering up at her from his spot besides her. She tilted her head, looking at him inquiringly,
"Want to stir?" He shook his head sideways in a 'no' at first, not wanting to take his mother away from what fun she looked to be having but then after a few seconds, he finally relented and lifted his tiny chin up and down.
"Aw don't be shy, come on Kendall!" She picked up the bowl from its spot on the counter and sat on the ground Indian-style, crossing her legs and patting the marble floor, indicating that she wanted Kendall to do the same. Once he complied, she passed the bowl and whisk to him. In the beginning, he sloppily twisted it, jittering the whisk back and forth in the same spot.
"No, no Kendall, you've gotta turn it in circles. Here let me show you." She stretched her forearm until it met with Kendall's right wrist and closed around it. Slowly, she rotated both of their hands in a circular motion, guiding Kendall in the right course of action to properly stir a compound mixture.
"There, it's that easy." She released her hold on his hand, letting go and waiting to see if Kendall would take the initiative to continue. And continue he did! After a few shaky first attempts, Kendall got into the swing of things and began stirring with gusto; enjoying the motion of churning the ingredients together and watching them all combine into one large doughy element.
"Woah Kendall! Slow down!" Mrs. Knight cried, cautious of the concoction spilling over the edge of the bowl. Kendall immediately returned to a snail's pace, not daring to move the tool fast after his mother's warning. At his sudden lack of enthusiasm, she laughed, running a comforting hand across his back,
"Don't worry, you were doing great-you were just stirring too fast. You have to find a good pace in the middle, don't rush it but always put the best effort you can into it. Give it your all, a hundred and ten percent, right Kendal?" She turned to face him, her sparkling blue eyes connecting with his bright green orbs.
"Right!" He shouted back in reply, a huge smile on his face.
The reason of his happiness was that the phrase was used by his father, Kenneth Knight. He had always taught his son from infancy to do the very best he could in every aspect of his life, to live with a purpose and to never give up. Although Kendall was still too young to fully grasp his father's important life lesson, he realized the significance of it and took it to heart, always trying to do what was right, to listen to his mother like his father said he should and to do his best.
During their fun in the backyard and when it was cold enough in the winter to tread onto the frozen ice for hockey, Kenneth would shout out, "Give me a hundred and ten percent!" in the beginning of the game or playtime and then once again at the end, he would ask his son if he thought he did his best. Kendall's answer was usually a very enthusiastic cry that he did his best and he often did, thoroughly enjoying sports and succeeding in them, first of all because he thought they were fun and his second reason, was because his father would be proud of him if he did well. If he did poorly, he would normally be upset until his father calmed him down, telling him to not beat himself up about it but to try harder next time.
"Good," Mrs. Knight nodded, proud that he son remembered the lesson her husband constantly drilled into his head. She smirked, enjoying how her husband tried so hard to be involved in their son's life despite his busy schedule. Being a member of the Minnesota Wild's professional hockey team was difficult and time consuming business yet it put enough food on the table and provided a decent standard of living for the unit family of four.
The russet-haired woman retrieved the whisk from her son, finishing up the process of stirring so that she could get breakfast underway. The task of stirring the mixture into a sleek liquid finally was completed, allowing Mrs. Knight to continue with the next step: coating the waffle iron with a non-stick cooking spray. She grabbed the can of Pam, tugged off the cherry red lid and pressed down on the lever, releasing an opaque film to spray out and cover the iron basin.
Once the grease-like substance settled into the grooves of the appliance, Kathryn lifted the bowl and poured enough batter to cover the entire waffle grid without overflowing the tray. Swiftly, she shut the lid, letting it hiss and sizzle as the heated metal collided with the milky fluid that had dropped on the outer edges of the waffle maker.
"We have to wait five minutes for those waffles to cook." She knelt down to reach her son's height level, resting her palms on her thighs, as she mused
"Just one waffle isn't going to fill a big boy like you up. Want me to make you something else?"
"Yeah!" He jumped up and down excitedly, exclaiming, "Eggs, eggs, make me eggs!"
"Eggs…let's see if we have any left." She straightened up, shifting her weight onto each foot as she sauntered over to the refrigerator.
"Waahhh!"
"Aww Katie!" Kendall cried, rolling his eyes over to his baby sister who was wiggling along the ground in the pen she was placed in, apparently awake from her snooze. Mrs. Knight stopped and adverted her attention to her daughter, picking her up gently before plopping her tiny body into the medium sized highchair positioned next to the dinner table. She pulled a teething sucker from a nearby drawer and placed it into the wailing mouth, preoccupying her baby's attention. She then returned to the refrigerator, finding the desired carton in a matter of minutes.
"Good news honey, there are four left. It's not much but it'll make us a nice little brunch."
"Mommy, what's brunch?" Kendall asked, coming up beside her while she began to crack the remaining eggs into a metal bowl.
"Well, it's a time in between breakfast and lunch so people tend to mush the two words together, forming brunch." She casually tossed the empty shells of eggs into the garbage disposal, grabbing a bag of shredded cheese from the frig while she passed the machine.
"But Mommy," He interjected, "It's only eight o'clock. So isn't it still breakfast?" Kathryn paused, nodding her head in agreement. She rested her hands on her hips while she turned to face her son,
"My goodness Kendall what are they teaching you at school? You've gotten so smart!" At that, a huge grin broke out on his face as he simply answered,
"I dunno, lots of stuff."
"I'm sure they are dear." She patted his head, tilting his chin up slightly to plant a light kiss on his forehead. As she returned to sprinkling shredded Monterey jack and cheddar across the watery-yellow surface, Kendall dug his hands into his pajama pockets, embarrassed once again.
Mrs. Knight grabbed the gallon of whole milk, pouring about a cup of the liquid into the bowl, spreading through the eggs and cheese like a white cloud. She swiftly stirred the mixture with a whisk and then twisted the gauges on the stove, flipping them to the medium-high setting. The burner slowly began to thicken the mixture, the eggs, milk and cheese melting together into one loose puddle. A spatula soon appeared in the patient woman's hands, dragging the black rubber utensil through the runny mess until recognizable scrambled eggs appeared.
"Kendall, could you go get the plates? The eggs are almost done." He nodded, darting to the cabinet. Kendall bent his knees, squatting down to peer into the drawer. Bowls, cans, pots and pans lined the shelves. In the back he saw a stack of deep blue ceramic plates, stacked in a neat column. He dug his hands past the obstacles and slowly drew out the plates, careful not to hit their edges on the other dishes.
He cradled them within his arms, headed back to the table with calculated steps until he reached his destination. He was very cautious because not so long ago, he learned what happened when you accidently bang a plate against the counter or if you do not have them firm in your hands. Boom! Onto the floor they go, spreading out in a thousand shards of glass.
Kendall reached the table without any such casualties. He made sure to set them at the proper place mats, wine-red squishy squares used to shield warm bowls from the wooden table top. Kathryn selected herself for the job of retrieving the glasses from the cupboard, not trusting her young son with glass cups from the top shelf. Once she set them next to the two blue dishes on the table, she returned to stirring the eggs and checking the waffle timer. Three minutes and fifteen seconds remaining. She nodded, pleased that she was making good time. Mrs. Knight began piling the fluffy substance onto a serving dish, multitasking by talking to her son,
"So Kendall, how is school going?" With the assistance of the bar stool that served as a chair for the island counter resting in the middle of the kitchen, Kendall hoisted himself up onto the counter, dangling his feet off the edge as he narrated the eventfulness of a third grader's life.
"Yesterday Mrs. Amber taught us how to plant green beans!"
"Green beans? Whatever for dear?" Mrs. Knight asked, gripping the sides of the plate of eggs with hot mitts as she proceeded to the table.
"Well she said that we need to know how to plant flowers. Beans aren't flowers but she said that they are very easy to take care of. Oh and she said we could take them home and eat them once they are done growing!"
"Well plant a good one then, I can't wait to try it!" She set the steaming dish onto a hot mitt in the center of the table, straightening up and pulling a loose strand of hair behind her earlobe, "I'm sure they will taste delicious! I remember having to do that when I was-oh the waffles are done!" Her tale was caught off by a small, repetitive beeping from the waffle machine. The red light flashed, indicating that the waffles were ready to be removed and enjoyed.
"Woot!" Kendall cheered, leaping of the counter, his sock-covered feet landing shakily on the cool marble.
"Kendall!" Kathryn immediately diverted her attention from removing the golden brown squares from the Belgian waffle maker to her son who quickly regained his balance, hoping that his mother had not noticed his descent. Too late, she had.
"What did I tell you about jumping off of furniture?" She chided, folding her arms across her chest, a frown causing her to purse her lips together in disappointment.
"To not to?" He shrugged bashfully.
"Good answer. Be more careful dear!" Mrs. Knight sighed, shaking her head in amazement how he never seemed to remember to control his climbing and jumping while indoors.
"Okay Mommy!"
"Good, now come sit down and eat." He crawled onto his chair, excitedly watching as his mother used a pair of tongs to set a waffle onto his plate and then her own, the golden brown dough, the edges crisp and the center soft, hardened quickly in the cool air. She then moved to the waiting eggs, spooning them out so that they slid neatly next to the warm bread, steam rising off the entire ceramic plate.
Kendall grabbed a spoon in his small palm, about to dig into his breakfast. He gathered a large scoop of eggs and was about to plunge them into his waiting, open mouth when his mother tapped him lightly on the shoulder.
"Nuh uh, not until we pray!"
"Oh yeah!" Mrs. Knight shook her head in amusement while they both cupped their hands together, bowing their heads in unison. A calm silence fell upon the dinner table, no one talking. Mrs. Knight's sapphire eyes flickered to her son, gazing at him through her laced fingers.
"Do you want to pray honey?" Kendall glanced downwards, clearly uncomfortable.
"Um…n-no, you're better at it!" A clear, ringing laugh filled the room as Mrs. Knight's shoulders hunched up, chuckling at her son's reasoning. Obviously she was better at praying, she knew how to while he was slowly developing a sense of morals and spirituality. She would work on it, inwardly noting that she would take him to Sunday school more often and get him used to the idea of praying to God in front of people. Until then, it would be up to her to set a good example for her children and anyone else who visited her household.
"Please bow," She began, checking to see if Kendall's eyes were closed. He noticed how her piercing gaze met his bright green orbs, his pupils widened in shock at being caught not following orders. Thus, he immediately closed his eyes and clenched his palms together in a tight pose often assumed by those in the midst of prayer.
"Dear God, thank you for this wonderful meal you have provided us with and thank you for the help I received preparing it. Thank you so very much for keeping us all healthy and please watch over everyone in this family, Mr. Knight at work, Katie, Kendall and myself. Thank you for this beautiful home you have blessed us with and please help us financially, it has been a difficult year but with you, anything is possible." Kendall cracked opened his left eye at this, wondering what she meant by a 'difficult year', but he quickly shut it so that his mother would not catch him not having his eyes closed again as Mrs. Knight continued,
"And God, thank you so much for my darling Katie and for what a good son I have." At his mother's compliment, Kendall smiled, pink dotting his cheeks once again. Kathryn ended her prayer simply asking,
"Please continue to watch over us, protect us today and always and I pray that we use this day to the fullest. Amen." Kendall repeated a quiet 'amen' after her, his eyes still closed and head bowed. Mrs. Knight picked up a fork and then cheerfully announced,
"Now you can eat!" Kendall's face lit up in delight, grabbing his spoon, still with his scoop of eggs, planting the semi-warm eggs into his waiting mouth. He hummed, content with the satisfying food. They continued to chew and munch on warm eggs and toast, happy to finally fill their growling stomachs.
"Oh I forgot," Mrs. Knight suddenly said, reaching to the center of the table for two small caskets, one black and the other white. She tipped the bottles over her eggs, letting little black dots and flecks of clear cubes float down from their perspective shakers, lining the outer surface of the fluffy eggs with seasonings of black pepper and salt.
"Mommy what is that?" Kendall pointed to the spices on his mother's plate, not accustomed to seeing anything else added to eggs.
"Hmm?" Mrs. Knight swallowed and set down her fork on the place mat, wiping her lips daintily with a cloth napkin. "Oh, it's salt and pepper. It makes the eggs taste better. Want to try it? " Without waiting for an answer, she lifted a spoonful of eggs into the air, offering it to Kendall. He eyed the spoon before him warily but slowly gathered he courage to finally put his lips around the spoon and taste the tidbits of eggs topped with pepper. A second later, his face screwed up in disgust, causing Mrs. Knight to crack up, waving a hand in front of her,
"Oh poor Kendall! You don't like it?" He shook his head, his eyebrows crossing in distress. Kathryn covered her mouth with her fingers, attempting to subdue her giggles as she comforted her son,
"Don't worry, you're taste buds will grow when you get a little bit later-I'm sure you'll like pepper then!" His lips pouted as he retorted,
"I don't think so!" His mother continued to laugh, dashing more pepper and salt over her plate, enjoying the rich flavor. Kendall shook his head, his bangs shaking across his forehead as he raised more plain eggs to his mouth, content with the solid food, completely bewildered by his mother's strange eating habits. Grownups were so weird.
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So wasn't that cute? I thought so ; ) Next part is even better!
*The Belgian movie star Jean-Luc Varn Darn is the violent Belgian movie star that attacked Gustavo in the episode "Big Time Blogger" when Gustavo texted that he hated "Brussels" intending to say he hated Brussels sprouts but accidently only texted the one word Brussels, which is the capital of Belgium. I just wanted to clarify that if you were wondering who the advertisement on the Belgium Waffle Maker was. This is completely random but my family has a waffle maker named "Chef Louie," it is so cute :3
I do not own or claim copyright to BTR
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Mrs. Knight daintily stepped onto the cold marble tile, making her way to the family room which occupied the majority of the space downstairs. Her socks made little patting noises as she walked over and settled into burgundy couch, the soft cushions enveloping her weight. Kendall crawled up the side of the couch, plopping down next to his mother. The two sat in silence, listening to Katie suckle at the rubber nib of the plastic bottle, greedily sucking down the formula that she so desired.
"I think we figured out what she was screaming about…looks like she was just hungry." Kendall nodded in agreement at his mother's statement,
"Very hungry." She chuckled good-naturedly, ruffling the wispy blonde bangs belonging to her son,
"You knew exactly how to calm her down. How'd you get so smart Kendall?" He blushed, shrugging,
"I just knew." A wide smile broke out across Mrs. Knight's face,
"You're doing a great job; you'll be an amazing big brother for Katie." Kendall beamed, his chest swelling with pride as he cupped his hands and placed them in his lap, swinging his feet back and forth,
"Really Mom?" Mrs. Knight adjusted Katie in her arms, propping the bottle betwixt her daughter's mouth and her hand before humming,
"Mmm-hhmm…of course you are!" She chewed her lip, glancing at her son and how he was gazing at Katie in wonder. She licked her lower lip, wetting it in order to make it easier to speak,
"Hey Kendall, do you want to feed her?"
"What?" He exclaimed, almost falling back on the couch in shock. He composed himself and sat up on his knees,
"Can I Mom?" His mother in response burst out laughing at how excited her little boy was,
"Sure dear! Just sit back and be gentle." Kathryn shifted positions, the mint green silk material of her night gown swishing as she twisted her upper torso in order to face Kendall. She lightly pushed her son back into the pillows, Kendall scooting back and readjusting himself so he was not sitting in the crack between the pillow seats. Once he was securely sitting on the couch and ready to take Katie in his arms, Mrs. Knight passed her precious bundle into his waiting embrace.
"Now Kendall, you have to prop her up like this." She grabbed his arms and moved them into the correct holding position for him, continuing her instructions,
"That's good. And now, just tilt the bottle…yeah just like that!" Mrs. Knight praised him, inwardly laughing at how hard her son was concentrating on the task she had given him; his thick eyebrows crossed in determination to do his very best. She leaned back, taking in the image before her: her two children snuggled into the couch with one another, the older one taking care of her youngest child. She pressed a palm to her chest, feeling her heart flutter underneath her ribcage. Kathryn sighed absentmindedly, cupping her neck with a hand,
"What a wonderful father you'll make." Kendall's acute hearing was able to catch her words despite the fact that they were barely audible. A light pink blush arose on his cheeks as he looked down at the small figure in his arms, drinking the milk contently.
The package in his arms was rocked to and fro, causing Katie to yawn and curl up into the nook of her older brother's chest. After a few minutes, the steady rhythm of motion, soothing and comforting, soon lulled the tiny babe to sleep.
Once she was certain that her daughter would not awaken, Mrs. Knight scooped her from Kendall's arms and stood up in a very slow fashion, careful to use only leisurely movements. She cupped the back of Katie's head, cradling it as she left the couch and headed into the kitchen which lay to the left of the staircase.
"So honey, what would you like to do today?" She called over her shoulder as she set a sleeping Katie into a play pen surrounded by a child-safe gate, setting the baby on a fleece blanket. It was Saturday and since they had been abruptly woken up in the dark hours, the big hand of the great grandfather clock that resided between the staircase and the entryway to the kitchen was painstakingly crawling towards the fullness of seven o'clock in the morning.
Kendall hopped off of the couch and followed his mother into the kitchen, scratching his head in thought. Before Kendall could come up with an answer, Mrs. Knight already had a solution,
"How about I make us some breakfast?" Kendall immediately nodded, his stomach suddenly feeling vey empty and neglected. Kathryn rummaged through the refrigerator, gathering ingredients in her arms.
"Could you set the table dear?" Kendall obeyed, pulling open the cabinet that held the silverware. He retrieved two placemats, napkins and forks, one for each of them. After arranging the dishes, he returned to his mother's side, helpfully setting the ingredients she fished out onto the counter top.
Once everything was gathered, Mrs. Knight measured then started mixing the flour, two teaspoons of baking powder, a pinch of salt and three tablespoons of sugar into a huge metal bowl. After the dry ingredients were sifted, she progressed to whisking in a drop of vanilla extract, melted butter and one forth cups of milk, swirling the wet and dry items together until they created a thick and smooth mixture.
Kendall looked on, studying her movements and professional deductions, fascinated that his mother knew exactly what to do. Unbeknownst to Kendall, Mrs. Knight was checking the directions that were printed on the back of the new Belgium waffle maker that she had bought a few days ago at the supermarket, the package covered with the bright advertisement of popular Belgian movie star Jean-Luc Varn Darn*. Observing the next step listed on the back of the device, Mrs. Knight picked up a white oval, cracking it on the edge of the bowl in order to release the golden capsule hidden beneath the hard outer shell. She tossed the remains of the egg shell into the sink, pushing it into the garbage disposal to dispose of later. Turning her attention back to the bowl, she picked up the whisk and started twisting up the dough.
Out of the corner of her eye, she spied Kendall peering up at her from his spot besides her. She tilted her head, looking at him inquiringly,
"Want to stir?" He shook his head sideways in a 'no' at first, not wanting to take his mother away from what fun she looked to be having but then after a few seconds, he finally relented and lifted his tiny chin up and down.
"Aw don't be shy, come on Kendall!" She picked up the bowl from its spot on the counter and sat on the ground Indian-style, crossing her legs and patting the marble floor, indicating that she wanted Kendall to do the same. Once he complied, she passed the bowl and whisk to him. In the beginning, he sloppily twisted it, jittering the whisk back and forth in the same spot.
"No, no Kendall, you've gotta turn it in circles. Here let me show you." She stretched her forearm until it met with Kendall's right wrist and closed around it. Slowly, she rotated both of their hands in a circular motion, guiding Kendall in the right course of action to properly stir a compound mixture.
"There, it's that easy." She released her hold on his hand, letting go and waiting to see if Kendall would take the initiative to continue. And continue he did! After a few shaky first attempts, Kendall got into the swing of things and began stirring with gusto; enjoying the motion of churning the ingredients together and watching them all combine into one large doughy element.
"Woah Kendall! Slow down!" Mrs. Knight cried, cautious of the concoction spilling over the edge of the bowl. Kendall immediately returned to a snail's pace, not daring to move the tool fast after his mother's warning. At his sudden lack of enthusiasm, she laughed, running a comforting hand across his back,
"Don't worry, you were doing great-you were just stirring too fast. You have to find a good pace in the middle, don't rush it but always put the best effort you can into it. Give it your all, a hundred and ten percent, right Kendal?" She turned to face him, her sparkling blue eyes connecting with his bright green orbs.
"Right!" He shouted back in reply, a huge smile on his face.
The reason of his happiness was that the phrase was used by his father, Kenneth Knight. He had always taught his son from infancy to do the very best he could in every aspect of his life, to live with a purpose and to never give up. Although Kendall was still too young to fully grasp his father's important life lesson, he realized the significance of it and took it to heart, always trying to do what was right, to listen to his mother like his father said he should and to do his best.
During their fun in the backyard and when it was cold enough in the winter to tread onto the frozen ice for hockey, Kenneth would shout out, "Give me a hundred and ten percent!" in the beginning of the game or playtime and then once again at the end, he would ask his son if he thought he did his best. Kendall's answer was usually a very enthusiastic cry that he did his best and he often did, thoroughly enjoying sports and succeeding in them, first of all because he thought they were fun and his second reason, was because his father would be proud of him if he did well. If he did poorly, he would normally be upset until his father calmed him down, telling him to not beat himself up about it but to try harder next time.
"Good," Mrs. Knight nodded, proud that he son remembered the lesson her husband constantly drilled into his head. She smirked, enjoying how her husband tried so hard to be involved in their son's life despite his busy schedule. Being a member of the Minnesota Wild's professional hockey team was difficult and time consuming business yet it put enough food on the table and provided a decent standard of living for the unit family of four.
The russet-haired woman retrieved the whisk from her son, finishing up the process of stirring so that she could get breakfast underway. The task of stirring the mixture into a sleek liquid finally was completed, allowing Mrs. Knight to continue with the next step: coating the waffle iron with a non-stick cooking spray. She grabbed the can of Pam, tugged off the cherry red lid and pressed down on the lever, releasing an opaque film to spray out and cover the iron basin.
Once the grease-like substance settled into the grooves of the appliance, Kathryn lifted the bowl and poured enough batter to cover the entire waffle grid without overflowing the tray. Swiftly, she shut the lid, letting it hiss and sizzle as the heated metal collided with the milky fluid that had dropped on the outer edges of the waffle maker.
"We have to wait five minutes for those waffles to cook." She knelt down to reach her son's height level, resting her palms on her thighs, as she mused
"Just one waffle isn't going to fill a big boy like you up. Want me to make you something else?"
"Yeah!" He jumped up and down excitedly, exclaiming, "Eggs, eggs, make me eggs!"
"Eggs…let's see if we have any left." She straightened up, shifting her weight onto each foot as she sauntered over to the refrigerator.
"Waahhh!"
"Aww Katie!" Kendall cried, rolling his eyes over to his baby sister who was wiggling along the ground in the pen she was placed in, apparently awake from her snooze. Mrs. Knight stopped and adverted her attention to her daughter, picking her up gently before plopping her tiny body into the medium sized highchair positioned next to the dinner table. She pulled a teething sucker from a nearby drawer and placed it into the wailing mouth, preoccupying her baby's attention. She then returned to the refrigerator, finding the desired carton in a matter of minutes.
"Good news honey, there are four left. It's not much but it'll make us a nice little brunch."
"Mommy, what's brunch?" Kendall asked, coming up beside her while she began to crack the remaining eggs into a metal bowl.
"Well, it's a time in between breakfast and lunch so people tend to mush the two words together, forming brunch." She casually tossed the empty shells of eggs into the garbage disposal, grabbing a bag of shredded cheese from the frig while she passed the machine.
"But Mommy," He interjected, "It's only eight o'clock. So isn't it still breakfast?" Kathryn paused, nodding her head in agreement. She rested her hands on her hips while she turned to face her son,
"My goodness Kendall what are they teaching you at school? You've gotten so smart!" At that, a huge grin broke out on his face as he simply answered,
"I dunno, lots of stuff."
"I'm sure they are dear." She patted his head, tilting his chin up slightly to plant a light kiss on his forehead. As she returned to sprinkling shredded Monterey jack and cheddar across the watery-yellow surface, Kendall dug his hands into his pajama pockets, embarrassed once again.
Mrs. Knight grabbed the gallon of whole milk, pouring about a cup of the liquid into the bowl, spreading through the eggs and cheese like a white cloud. She swiftly stirred the mixture with a whisk and then twisted the gauges on the stove, flipping them to the medium-high setting. The burner slowly began to thicken the mixture, the eggs, milk and cheese melting together into one loose puddle. A spatula soon appeared in the patient woman's hands, dragging the black rubber utensil through the runny mess until recognizable scrambled eggs appeared.
"Kendall, could you go get the plates? The eggs are almost done." He nodded, darting to the cabinet. Kendall bent his knees, squatting down to peer into the drawer. Bowls, cans, pots and pans lined the shelves. In the back he saw a stack of deep blue ceramic plates, stacked in a neat column. He dug his hands past the obstacles and slowly drew out the plates, careful not to hit their edges on the other dishes.
He cradled them within his arms, headed back to the table with calculated steps until he reached his destination. He was very cautious because not so long ago, he learned what happened when you accidently bang a plate against the counter or if you do not have them firm in your hands. Boom! Onto the floor they go, spreading out in a thousand shards of glass.
Kendall reached the table without any such casualties. He made sure to set them at the proper place mats, wine-red squishy squares used to shield warm bowls from the wooden table top. Kathryn selected herself for the job of retrieving the glasses from the cupboard, not trusting her young son with glass cups from the top shelf. Once she set them next to the two blue dishes on the table, she returned to stirring the eggs and checking the waffle timer. Three minutes and fifteen seconds remaining. She nodded, pleased that she was making good time. Mrs. Knight began piling the fluffy substance onto a serving dish, multitasking by talking to her son,
"So Kendall, how is school going?" With the assistance of the bar stool that served as a chair for the island counter resting in the middle of the kitchen, Kendall hoisted himself up onto the counter, dangling his feet off the edge as he narrated the eventfulness of a third grader's life.
"Yesterday Mrs. Amber taught us how to plant green beans!"
"Green beans? Whatever for dear?" Mrs. Knight asked, gripping the sides of the plate of eggs with hot mitts as she proceeded to the table.
"Well she said that we need to know how to plant flowers. Beans aren't flowers but she said that they are very easy to take care of. Oh and she said we could take them home and eat them once they are done growing!"
"Well plant a good one then, I can't wait to try it!" She set the steaming dish onto a hot mitt in the center of the table, straightening up and pulling a loose strand of hair behind her earlobe, "I'm sure they will taste delicious! I remember having to do that when I was-oh the waffles are done!" Her tale was caught off by a small, repetitive beeping from the waffle machine. The red light flashed, indicating that the waffles were ready to be removed and enjoyed.
"Woot!" Kendall cheered, leaping of the counter, his sock-covered feet landing shakily on the cool marble.
"Kendall!" Kathryn immediately diverted her attention from removing the golden brown squares from the Belgian waffle maker to her son who quickly regained his balance, hoping that his mother had not noticed his descent. Too late, she had.
"What did I tell you about jumping off of furniture?" She chided, folding her arms across her chest, a frown causing her to purse her lips together in disappointment.
"To not to?" He shrugged bashfully.
"Good answer. Be more careful dear!" Mrs. Knight sighed, shaking her head in amazement how he never seemed to remember to control his climbing and jumping while indoors.
"Okay Mommy!"
"Good, now come sit down and eat." He crawled onto his chair, excitedly watching as his mother used a pair of tongs to set a waffle onto his plate and then her own, the golden brown dough, the edges crisp and the center soft, hardened quickly in the cool air. She then moved to the waiting eggs, spooning them out so that they slid neatly next to the warm bread, steam rising off the entire ceramic plate.
Kendall grabbed a spoon in his small palm, about to dig into his breakfast. He gathered a large scoop of eggs and was about to plunge them into his waiting, open mouth when his mother tapped him lightly on the shoulder.
"Nuh uh, not until we pray!"
"Oh yeah!" Mrs. Knight shook her head in amusement while they both cupped their hands together, bowing their heads in unison. A calm silence fell upon the dinner table, no one talking. Mrs. Knight's sapphire eyes flickered to her son, gazing at him through her laced fingers.
"Do you want to pray honey?" Kendall glanced downwards, clearly uncomfortable.
"Um…n-no, you're better at it!" A clear, ringing laugh filled the room as Mrs. Knight's shoulders hunched up, chuckling at her son's reasoning. Obviously she was better at praying, she knew how to while he was slowly developing a sense of morals and spirituality. She would work on it, inwardly noting that she would take him to Sunday school more often and get him used to the idea of praying to God in front of people. Until then, it would be up to her to set a good example for her children and anyone else who visited her household.
"Please bow," She began, checking to see if Kendall's eyes were closed. He noticed how her piercing gaze met his bright green orbs, his pupils widened in shock at being caught not following orders. Thus, he immediately closed his eyes and clenched his palms together in a tight pose often assumed by those in the midst of prayer.
"Dear God, thank you for this wonderful meal you have provided us with and thank you for the help I received preparing it. Thank you so very much for keeping us all healthy and please watch over everyone in this family, Mr. Knight at work, Katie, Kendall and myself. Thank you for this beautiful home you have blessed us with and please help us financially, it has been a difficult year but with you, anything is possible." Kendall cracked opened his left eye at this, wondering what she meant by a 'difficult year', but he quickly shut it so that his mother would not catch him not having his eyes closed again as Mrs. Knight continued,
"And God, thank you so much for my darling Katie and for what a good son I have." At his mother's compliment, Kendall smiled, pink dotting his cheeks once again. Kathryn ended her prayer simply asking,
"Please continue to watch over us, protect us today and always and I pray that we use this day to the fullest. Amen." Kendall repeated a quiet 'amen' after her, his eyes still closed and head bowed. Mrs. Knight picked up a fork and then cheerfully announced,
"Now you can eat!" Kendall's face lit up in delight, grabbing his spoon, still with his scoop of eggs, planting the semi-warm eggs into his waiting mouth. He hummed, content with the satisfying food. They continued to chew and munch on warm eggs and toast, happy to finally fill their growling stomachs.
"Oh I forgot," Mrs. Knight suddenly said, reaching to the center of the table for two small caskets, one black and the other white. She tipped the bottles over her eggs, letting little black dots and flecks of clear cubes float down from their perspective shakers, lining the outer surface of the fluffy eggs with seasonings of black pepper and salt.
"Mommy what is that?" Kendall pointed to the spices on his mother's plate, not accustomed to seeing anything else added to eggs.
"Hmm?" Mrs. Knight swallowed and set down her fork on the place mat, wiping her lips daintily with a cloth napkin. "Oh, it's salt and pepper. It makes the eggs taste better. Want to try it? " Without waiting for an answer, she lifted a spoonful of eggs into the air, offering it to Kendall. He eyed the spoon before him warily but slowly gathered he courage to finally put his lips around the spoon and taste the tidbits of eggs topped with pepper. A second later, his face screwed up in disgust, causing Mrs. Knight to crack up, waving a hand in front of her,
"Oh poor Kendall! You don't like it?" He shook his head, his eyebrows crossing in distress. Kathryn covered her mouth with her fingers, attempting to subdue her giggles as she comforted her son,
"Don't worry, you're taste buds will grow when you get a little bit later-I'm sure you'll like pepper then!" His lips pouted as he retorted,
"I don't think so!" His mother continued to laugh, dashing more pepper and salt over her plate, enjoying the rich flavor. Kendall shook his head, his bangs shaking across his forehead as he raised more plain eggs to his mouth, content with the solid food, completely bewildered by his mother's strange eating habits. Grownups were so weird.
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So wasn't that cute? I thought so ; ) Next part is even better!
*The Belgian movie star Jean-Luc Varn Darn is the violent Belgian movie star that attacked Gustavo in the episode "Big Time Blogger" when Gustavo texted that he hated "Brussels" intending to say he hated Brussels sprouts but accidently only texted the one word Brussels, which is the capital of Belgium. I just wanted to clarify that if you were wondering who the advertisement on the Belgium Waffle Maker was. This is completely random but my family has a waffle maker named "Chef Louie," it is so cute :3