Chilli

It was a cool Saturday evening at Firehouse 51 and the squad were getting ready for one of the greatest nights of the year – the chilli cook-off. Since the competition began in 2002, the overly competitive side of each member of the firehouse appeared at full throttle and they didn't doubt that this year would be any different.

For the past few years, Brett had managed to get this shift off work. She didn't fancy sleeping in the bunk room with a bunch of guys after they'd eaten a copious amount of beans. This year she hadn't planned any different. She would stay at home, Emily and Stella would come over, they would watch a movie with the kids, get them to bed and then enjoy some girl time. But as luck would have it, she got the dates mixed up and now they were stuck in the firehouse at the mercy of the chilli.

"Ok everybody listen up!" Boden announced as he walked into the lounge. "It is time to get the chilli cook off started. You know the rules, I don't think I need to reiterate them, but – we do have a slight change this year. We have a special guest judge." He said as everyone's ears perked. "Our judge is someone that I know has impeccable taste and incredibly high chilli standards. So please, show some respect for Miss Annie Casey." He said as Annie walked out and everyone slow clapped her.

She smiled proudly, "Thank you gentlemen. My taste buds may be that of a ten-year-old, but I can assure you – know a good chilli when I taste one." She boasted as everyone smirked. Annie was a funny little girl. She was so bright and in tune with everyone around her. She had a bold, sarcastic sense of humour but was also so very sweet, just like her mom.

"Don't you think this is a little unfair?" Joe challenged. "She is clearly bias…" he said as he motioned over to Brett and Casey as they leaned against the back counter.

Casey smirked, "Blood is thicker than water, right hun?" he teased towards Annie. He'd like to think that his daughter would be sympathetic towards his chilli, she claimed that it was delicious!

"Sorry daddy…" Annie began as Casey's face fell. "I will be completely fair throughout this entire process." She made clear.

"Ok… but I'm just saying that genetics are stronger than you think." Casey reasoned. "My girl's got Casey taste buds, she knows good chilli when she tastes it."

Brett quirked an eyebrow, "What about Brett taste buds?"

Casey scrunched up his nose, "Redundant against Casey taste buds." He concluded as Brett glared at him and playfully shoved him away.

"Annie what are you looking for in flavour?" Gallo asked as everyone listened in intently.

"Uh… something tasty. Obviously." Annie replied with a furrowed brow. "I can say no more because the last thing we want is repetitive chilli making – I don't want to taste the same thing 8 times over."

Boden smirked, "What can I say? I had to bring in the expert this year" he said as Annie giggled. "Ok, judging commences at 8 – away you go."

Casey quickly turned to Brett, "We need to switch partners."

Brett quirked an eyebrow and folded her arms across her chest, "And why would we need to do that? I thought your taste buds were better than mine?"

"They are" he teased further as she rolled her eyes. "But our judge is half me half you – think of the power a Brett-Casey chilli would have" he reasoned with his wife.

Brett looked at Casey like he'd lost his mind. "This chilli making thing has gone way too far into the overly competitive zone."

"Yet I don't see you cooking mom" they heard Annie say beside them as they turned to look at her. "And I know neither of like you to lose. Need I remind you of a particularly competitive football game last weekend?" she asked as both Brett and Casey looked to their feet. 51 had challenged another house to a football match last weekend and naturally, 51 won, but Annie and her brothers had never seen their parents go so hard for a game. They were like wild animals.

"Ok, we get it, we're competitive monsters…" Brett held her hands up and admitted. "So I guess we better team up then." She conceded.

Casey smiled, "Let's get to it – Annie, you'll know it's ours when we taste it because it is going to blow your mind." He warned his daughter as she giggled and nodded her head.

"Oh keep wishing old man…" she teased as Casey pouted. Annie was mean when she was judging…


8pm came around before anybody realised and it was time to judge the chilli. Everybody placed their pots down and stepped back. They were proud of their achievements and each were convinced they had produced the best chilli.

"Ok, let's go, winner takes all" Cruz said as he held up the hat full of money.

"Annie, if you would do the honours" Boden said as he handed her the box with the special chilli tasting spoon.

They all watched intensely as Annie went around, tasting each of the chilli, and giving very little away by her facial expression. The moment she tasted her parents' chilli, she knew exactly whose it was. Not because of the taste, but because of the hopeful expressions across their face. When she finished, she pondered over it for a brief moment before turning around to face everyone.

"We have a very clear winner chief" she told Boden who motioned for her to continue.

She turned the winning pot around with a smile, "Pot number 5"

Everyone groaned and Brett and Casey looked on in horror.

"Honey!" Brett whined. "Your taste buds failed you."

"Oh they didn't fail me. Yours was amazing, but this one… wow. Outstanding work."

"Who is pot number 5?" Hermann asked as nobody came forward to claim it.

"That would be ours, thank you very much" they heard a voice behind them say as they turned around to see Jack and Elliot take the money from Hermann.

"Boys – what are you doing here?" Casey asked his teenage sons. He thought they were at home for a night.

"When we heard about the impending chilli competition, we decided we couldn't miss out on an opportunity to make some cash" Elliot explained as Jack sorted through the money.

"Easily I might add." Jack said with a laugh as he and Elliot fist bumped.

"Unbelievable…" Annie grumbled with an eyeroll.

"Hold on…" Brett said as she walked towards her boys. "Since when do you two know how to cook?"

"That's the beauty of it – we don't!" Jack said with a laugh.

"We just showed up, found a recipe and went with it… turns out we have a bit of a knack for chilli" Elliot said proudly.

"If all else fails, I think we could make it as a famous cooking brother duo" Jack agreed.

Brett smirked, "This is perfect… now you can cook at home!"

Elliot and Jack's faces fell at the same time, "Oh no… no, no, that's not what this is about, this is just a money-making venture, I don't remember signing up to any hidden clauses—"

"Well now that we know what excellent chefs you are, why wouldn't we exploit that?" Casey asked.

"And why wouldn't you want to feed your family boys?" Annie added, loving the torture this was causing for the boys.

"Better yet – you should come and cook for all of us here at 51." Hermann suggested as they groaned.

Jack clenched his jaw and slammed the money back into the hat, "We just wanted some cash. None of this!" he said as he stormed out of the lounge.

Elliot snatched the money up, "But we'll still gratefully take this, thanks Annie" he said with a wave of the cash before rushing out after his brother.

"This – is an amazing discovery." Brett said with a little gleeful clap.

"What? That the boys can actually read?" Annie taunted, poking fun at the fact that her brothers actually managed to read a recipe.

"No…" Brett said sending Annie a warning glare. "My boys can cook!"

Annie nodded, "Yeah, at least they're good for something – but certainly not much else."

"Annie!"