Chapter 12: Home Cooking
"Yeah financial planning…mm-mm, never been one of my strong suits," said Ron.
"It's worse than that Ron. It's cooking," replied Kim melodramatically.
Walking down the hallway the next day, Ron asked, "When was the last time someone took Home-Ec?"
"I don't even know who the teacher for the class is Ron." As they neared the classroom Kim continued, "Home-Ec. I can't believe we got stuck with such a lame elective."
"Yeah…Hey, I wonder if we get to eat what we make," Ron said with some enthusiasm. He opened the creaking Home-Ec classroom door.
"Where is everybody?" Kim asked.
"We are everybody," Ron replied.
From behind them Mr. Barkin started authoritatively speaking, "Listen up people. The regular Home-Ec teacher retired six years ago and nobody noticed 'til this morning, so I'll be covering this class," as he put on a cooking apron.
Well that's why I haven't heard of any teach for this class since I've been coming here, thought Kim.
Mr. Barkin looked up at the pair of students and said," Uh, where is the class?" as he looked across the classroom.
"Present," Kim and Ron replied in unison.
"Ugh…take your dusty and filth covered seats please."
"Alright granny's boy, let's see what you can do," Barkin said as he handed Ron the apron.
As she watched Ron took up the eggs, juggled them and cracked them. Kim thought, since when does Ron have the coordination to juggle? Coming quickly out of that thought, she realized Ron had already started the mixer to blend the ingredients together. She quickly expressed her shock by only managing to say "Huh!?"
After a few minutes the timer on the oven went off. Ron pulled the loaf of bread out of the oven and placed it on the counter. Upon sniffing the aroma, Mr. Barkin simply said, "Hmm…Impressive Stoppable." Turning to hand Kim a cooking apron he said, "Possible! Let's get cooking!"
"No big," Kim said as she took and put on the apron. If Ron can do it that easily, it can't be that hard, she thought. She looked the mixer and thought I'll just start with the eggs like Ron did as she said, hmm."
After dropping all the eggs into the bowl Kim thought, maybe picking up all four at once wasn't a good idea, but they're in there now. Just need to mix the batter now. With that she closed her eyes and put her hands around the mixer. Please be kind to me, Kim silently spoke in her mind to the mixer as she pressed the button. She quickly tightened her grip on the machine and opened her eyes when the mixer made a WHEEE sound. Before Kim knew it, she was bouncing down the floor with mixer in hand.
Watching Kim bounce, Ron could only think, did that really just happen?
Partially into the next Home Economics class, Kim had once again fumbled the eggs into the mixing bowl. Feeling that reading the different mixing terms on the buttons could help her, she spoke aloud, "Let's see, there's mix, blend, beat, cream, knead, churn…Oh here, whipped ought a do it." Upon pressing whipped she gasped, "Ah" as the whole mixture and bowl shot straight up into the air before Rufus pulled the plug.
"Whoopsie," stated a nervous Kim as Mr. Barkin stared at her with batter dripping down his face.
"Maybe a more competent student can tell you what you're doing wrong," said Mr. Barkin through clenched teeth. Then he simply stated, "Stoppable."
"Be glad to Mr. B," responded Ron as he let an egg roll down his arms and into his hand. Walking up to Kim, Ron thought, I don't know why Kim is having a rough time with this. She disarms doomsday weapons and this is just operating a mixer. Maybe this is like the whole Mankey spirit week thing. She's just nervous. Defeat international super freak versus handling Josh Mankey. Maybe she just needs some perspective. "You know for someone who can disarm a doomsday device, you seem to have major mixer issues."
"Ron, this machine hates me," said a dejected looking Kim.
Yup, just perspective. KP will have this down in no time Ron thought as he shook his head at Kim. He sat on the counter and said, "It senses your fear." Seeing the skeptical look she gave him he softly added, "Watch me," as he turned on the mixer. Letting the vibrations of the mixer flow through him, Ron started to say philosophically, "let beating of the blades and the beating of your heart merge together," as he hugged the machine. Ron added, "You and the mixer become one." With that he shut off the mixer. As he put it back on the counter, he said encouragingly, "Now you try and tell me what you feel."
Kim looked skeptically at the machine and closed her eyes as she balanced it in her hands. As soon as Ron turned it on, she wrapped her arms around the machine and replied, "I feel ridiculous."
"That Kim, is why you fail," said Ron.
At the next class, Kim walked away from the counter toward the window while Ron was pulling out the chocolate cake he had just baked. Seeing Bonnie doing photography class outside, she said wantonly to no one in particular, "Take me…with you."
Watching Kim from behind, Ron thought, Kim really isn't getting the hang of this yet. He looked at Rufus and asked, "Any ideas on how to help KP so she doesn't feel ridiculous about cooking?"
The naked mole rat just looked at his owner and shrugged his shoulders.
A small ping was heard as the timer went off. Ron took his cake out and handed a piece to Mr. Barkin.
Mr. Barkin took a bite of it and commented blissfully, "It's like a chocolate cloud."
"Yes, I was going for cloud."
"Well that settles it; I'm officially turning this class over to you."
Not sure if he can do that but, "a Booyah!" Ron thought then said as he high fived Rufus. As Kim jumped on her Kimmunicator to talk with Wade, Ron danced around with a measuring cup and mixing bowl. While enjoying his recent success and whipping together another batter, he thought. Wait teaching the class. DUH! I could tutor Kim... like she helped by tutoring me in Algebra before and after that mission with the Phoebus project. I wonder if some scientist has made something like that for cooking. They did it for math so why not cooking? The Ronster figured this one out on my own. Booyah!.
Ron's mind rant was interrupted by Kim saying, "Ron, we're heading to Europe."
Stopping mid-thought and mid-dance, Ron replied, "Uh?" Then he said, "Whoa!" as Kim just grabbed him by the collar as she headed out the door.
After getting back from Europe, Kim said, "So we know we got Shego and Junior working together. The questions are why and what are they up to? Petty theft isn't exactly high on Shego's list of things to do."
"The stuff they got is useful though. Well except for the hair gel, but that's Junior," replied Ron.
"Thank you, Captain Obvious. The supplies are going to be used to steal something more valuable, but what and why? It's not like Shego needs the practice. Junior would, but not Shego."
Hmmm, practice? I wonder if Kim would be more comfortable with cooking and feel less ridiculous with more practice.
""Earth to Ron," said Kim breaking Ron out of his train of thought. "Maybe we should call it a day; your focus seems to be wandering again."
"Sure thing KP. Bueno Nacho later?"
"Sure. I'm actually meeting with Monique later, but after that I catch up with you. I don't really want to think about food that much right now. In the meantime I'll have Wade look and see what the deal with Shego and Junior might be"
"Cool. Later KP," said Ron as he headed to his place while Kim headed towards the mall.
As Ron was on his way home he passed by the Possible residence as Mrs. Possible was getting out of her car with some groceries. "Hey Mrs. Doctor P." Ron shouted as he approached the house. He added, "Need any help taking the bags in?"
"Sure Ron, I appreciate the help," she replied.
As Ron put the bags he was carrying on the counter, Mrs. Possible asked him, "How's school going?"
"The Home-Ec class has been fun. I never knew we could cook in school."
That's the class Kimmie was grumpy about getting when she came home the day they signed up for electives, thought Mrs. Possible. She asked for confirmation, "Isn't that the elective class you're taking with Kim?"
"Yeah," responded Ron. With a quick moment of inspiration Ron asked, "Do you think Kim and I could practice cooking here?" That would give her some practice and it would be fun here too, he thought.
Kim's mom thought about it for a moment. "Sure Ron. Your mom has already told me about some of the things you've cooked at home. Just let me know when you want to practice with Kim so I can make sure the boys stay out of your hair," said Mrs. Possible. Then she thought connivingly. Maybe I'll make a deal with the boys? They let Ron tutor Kim in peace and I would let them secretly videotape it. I'm sure it would be a very sweet home video.
"Villain's Digest? Bad guys have their own magazine?" asked Kim.
"Complete with want ads, including one placed by Senior Senior Senior," replied Wade over the Kimmunicator.
"Tutor wanted, excellent pay, meals included," read Kim.
"I bet my meals are better," interrupted Ron.
"Hey…focus Ron. Tutor wanted. Get it, that explains what Shego's doing with Junior."
"Hey…she's tutoring him, just like I'm tutoring you in Home-Ec."
"Yeah…great," replied Kim as she thought all your tutoring consists of is telling me not to be afraid of the mixer and other machines, which hasn't exactly been helping me much. She spoke again ponderingly, saying, "So, now we just need to figure out what she's tutoring him for."
Ron walked into the Possible home, ready to try another tutoring session with Kim. "Yo KP, I'm here."
"Up here Ron," Kim shouted from her room.
As Ron walked into the room he saw Kim had the Kimmunicator in her hand with Wade on the line. After he walked up to her, before he could say a word she said, "The Seniors are all about the challenge." As Ron sat on her bed she continued, "They only go for stuff that's really valuable and heavily guarded."
Ron simply responded, "You know, we could just run a web search for the words really valuable and heavily guarded."
Kim responded, "Ron, we're talking a devious criminal mind here. It's not going to be as simple as…"
"Got it, great idea Ron," Wade stated over the Kimmunicator.
"I can cook too," added Ron.
"Hmph," Kim replied.
As the pair walked out of the house to catch a ride to get to Texas, Kim asked, "Was the cooking comment really necessary?"
"Kim, sometimes you make things way too complicated."
"Like?"
"Using a simple web search…or thinking too much while you're cooking."
"Let me guess, 'just be one with the mixer. Don't fear it.' Can't it just be use fewer eggs or use this mixer setting."
Before Ron could answer her, the helicopter was heard above them. It dropped down the rope ladder for the two teens. They climbed up and headed off to the cookie factory.
"Junior isn't the only one who's been tutored. Ironic, no?" said Kim. All I had to do was literally be one with the mixer. Plus have some confidence in myself. Adding my mission mojo to the mix is always a plus too. Ron was right; sometimes things are much simpler than they appear to be.
"Too bad about your restaurant," stated Kim.
"Yeah, well, when the health inspector saw a live rodent, you know, serving the food, the die was cast," Ron replied.
"Uh-oh, sorry," Rufus chimed in.
"Bright side, I hear like half the student body wants to get into Home-Ec now."
Well at least you can get into an elective you like now Kim, Ron thought before he said, "And Photography's wide open. You could jump ship."
"Nah. I think I'm gonna stick it out here," Kim replied, then stopped, centered herself, and turned the mixer on.
She got it. Booyah! "Hey, not too shabby KP; I'm seeing major improvement."
"No big. I've got a great tutor." Who knows to keep pounding the rock until stubborn me gets it.
After looking at each other Ron asked, "So are you up for some home cooking tonight at your place."
"Sure, the tweebs owe me a week of peace and quiet if I can cook them one edible meal."
"Since when?"
"I made a bet with them I could cook a complete edible meal when we got back from the mission."
"What did you wager?"
"It amounted to a get out of jail free card they could cash in for one incident."
"Get out of jail?"
"Mom and Dad not finding out."
"So a double dose of home cooking then?"
"Yup. Let's get going. It's not like I'm inventing Nacos after all." Kim replied wittily.
"Sure KP. I'm right behind you."