Story Summary: The children get a taste of Uncle Cam's macaroons.

Ages: Rhen (6) Lilah (6) Matt (3) Tyler (6)

Macaroons

"Uncle Cam, are you sure you know what you're doing?" Lilah asked.

"Of course, I do." Cam responded with a confident smile. "Why do you ask?"

"'Cause that's not the same stuff Mommy puts in her cookies." Rhen answered dubiously.

"Don't worry, I've made these lots of times. It's my grandma's recipe and she made the best macaroons this side of the Mississippi. You'll see." He turned back toward the counter, missing Tyler's cringe of disgust, and started humming as he mixed ingredients. He was completely oblivious to the chorus of groans behind him.

()()()()

The twins peered suspiciously at the plate of cookies sitting in front of them on the messy table while Tyler and Matt stood a safe distance away.

"You try one first." Lilah told her sister.

"Why me?" Rhen's eyes grew wide in fear.

"'Cause you're older."

"By eleven minutes!"

"So?"

"Maybe Ty should try it first. It's his daddy's recipe."

"No way!" Tyler spoke up, backing away even more.

Rhen rolled her eyes in disgust then poked at one of the cookies. "They feel edible." She picked one up and carefully sniffed it. "They smell like coconut."

"Don't do it, Rhen!" Tyler warned but it was too late.

Rhen placed the cookie cautiously in her mouth and took a bite. She chewed for a moment before her face contorted and she spat the horrible concoction into the napkin her twin was holding out for her.

"I told you so." Tyler said with a shake of his head as Rhen continued to splutter.

"Wen gonna be okay?" asked a worried Matthew.

"Yeah, buddy. The cookie is just yucky." Ty said, patting the 2-year-old on the shoulder.

"Yucky?!" Rhen yelled, affronted. "This thing is horrendous!"

"What's 'rendous mean?" Matt asked. Before anyone could answer, though, Cam came back into the kitchen.

"Hey, Jacksons, Ty. We gotta go to the mountain."

"Are Mommy and Daddy there?" Rhen asked excitedly, momentarily forgetting about her cookie trauma.

"Yup, and Uncle Jack, too."

That announcement was followed by a chorus of cheers as all four children headed for the car at full speed.

"Hey, you guys want me to pack some macaroons for the ride?"

"No!" they all yelled in perfect synchronisation and ran even faster, as far away from Cameron Mitchell's macaroons as they could get.

The End