17 Magic Ingredients
The firefighters burst through the back door of the townhouse and doused the fire in the oven quickly. The press that was camped outside heard the smoke detector and called them immediately. Then, in spite of the disarray of the kitchen, the frayed nerves of having the back door pushed in, and the foam from the fire extinguishers that put out the oven fire, Helena complied when asked to sign autographs for the FDNY staff.
Myka smiled as the fire chief gave a short, but stern lecture about fire safety in the kitchen as he joined both women in the library.
"Are you insinuating that I do not know how to work the temperature mechanism on my own oven?" a very indignant Helena asked the firefighter.
"No, I am telling you nothing cooks at 545 degrees for thirty minutes …or more…without bursting into flames," the fire chief said. "Oh and Miss Wells?" he said as they packed up. "Thank you and Miss Bering here for volunteering for the annual 'Guns and Hoses' softball tournament next week in Central Park. It'll be a sellout crowd for sure."
Of all the things that came out of the man's mouth that annoyed Helena - that was the worst.
"Softball tournament?" Myka asked, looking at Helena.
"Don't look at me. I don't even know what softball is," Helena declared.
"Ha," the firefighter laughed. "I'm glad the police team got you in that case, Miss Wells. Miss Bering, I'm assuming you know what softball is?"
"Yes, yes I do," Myka said.
"Then on behalf of the entire Fire Department of New York, welcome to the team," the jovial man said and left.
"We're playing softball?" Myka asked again.
Helena reached inside her dress side pocket and withdrew the piece of paper that contained the list of things she was going to show Myka – over dinner – over the brownies that now resembled – well, nothing either of them had ever seen.
"Yes, I thought it meant cheer from the stands," Helena said, looking down at number three. There it was. "I don't know how to play softball."
Myka had to laugh at how adorable the genius was when admitting she couldn't do something. It was rare.
"Think of it as a physics experiment – motion, speed, distance, gravity, force," Myka said, putting it in terms that Helena could understand.
"With drag coefficient?" Helena said, her eyes lighting up.
"Well, of course. Air resistance for projectile motion," Myka said slowly as she wiped a smudge off of Helena's chin again.
"I love it when you speak physics," Helena said.
Myka would have demonstrated more of her understanding of physics in the transfer of heat – in a safe environment – if it weren't for the fact that Tracy was finally calling her back. Sadly, Helena bid Myka goodbye as she went upstairs to shower and remove an equal amount of food off her body as Leena would find in the kitchen tomorrow.
"Tracy!" Myka said, sitting down on the sofa. She smelled her dress to see if smoke had gotten into the fabric. It hadn't.
"Myka? Mom tells me you have some exciting news!" Tracy practically screamed on the other end.
"Yes," Myka started slowly. "Helena and I are engaged," she said, although she wondered if her sister hadn't already heard.
"OK, I knew – I heard it on the television. You're both engaged?" Tracy said, tripping over her own thoughts.
"Well, yes that's how it works. Weren't you and Kevin both engaged?" Myka asked.
"Yes of course, silly, but I meant – you both have rings?" Tracy clarified.
"Yes," Myka said, smiling as she gazed down upon the five carat bright gem. "I gave Helena Grandma Bering's ring."
"Wow Myka, that's like our only family heirloom, but I guess I can see that," Tracy said, as Myka clenched her eyes and jaw. "Did Helena like it?"
"Of course she did," Myka said and suddenly wished Bridget was there so she wouldn't have to repeat this dialogue.
"Well, it's just she has so much, Myka. She's been engaged before…..,"
"Tracy! I'm going to ask you nicely to keep an open mind about the woman who is responsible for you having a job," Myka said and tried not to grit her teeth.
"I sent flowers!" Tracy said defensively. "OK fine, I get your point. I just worry about you, Sis."
That phrase alone was enough to send Myka over the edge. "I know…."
"When's the wedding because I have to give them notice at work even though I do run the largest account at the agency," she said in a sing-song voice.
"Yes, I'm familiar with your account," Myka said and left off the derogatory ending to that sentence.
"So when is it? Dad said he's paying, but I told him he will never be able to afford Helena's taste in anything. I mean, could you picture her walking down the aisle in our church?" Tracy rambled.
"We have not really had a chance to talk about anything yet," Myka said, letting out a long sigh at the end of her sentence.
"Don't you want to ask me something?" Tracy said in a high voice.
Myka took a minute to let the questions she wanted to ask play out in her head. She couldn't phrase one of them to sound polite. "Tracy, we're….."
"Daddy says you're the lawyer, you should draft the pre-nup," Tracy blurted out.
"Tracy, I have to go. There was a fire in the kitchen. Yes, everyone is okay, but there was smoke," Myka said to get off the phone.
Maybe she could handle her family one at a time, but when they all talked for each other; it was like talking to all of them.
"OK, well say hi to my future sister-in-law for me," Tracy said, yelling as if she could tell Myka was disconnecting the call.
"I will," Myka said and then hung up.
The call had been the most exasperating part of her day – and that included the fire.
By the time Myka climbed the stairs, Helena was showered and refreshed, and applying a new face cream that she concocted in the lab at Wells Corp. Myka looked every bit as exasperated as she felt.
"Myka darling, are you okay?" Helena asked when she saw Myka's expression.
"Tracy," was all she uttered. Helena was already on it. She had suspected that Myka's family would have great concerns, not just because she was marrying a woman, but because she was marrying her.
"Myka, I'm sure your parents and Tracy are hearing all kinds of things," Helena said, helping Myka off with her dress.
"I don't care….," Myka said, getting angry, but Helena rubbed her shoulders and pulled her into her.
"Myka, we cannot be naïve about this. They will be worried about the person you are marrying and we should help them deal with all of this," Helena said in a soothing tone.
"I am not putting on a show for them, Helena. I did that my whole life," Myka huffed.
"I would never ask you to do that," Helena said and Myka knew it.
"I'm sorry, I just get so ….," Myka said, apologetically.
"Families do that, Myka. Families are a collective…," Helena explained as she ran a warm bath and took out a jar of white crystals. "...They thrive on the unison of each person playing their part, even if it's a poorly managed system."
Myka was trying to pay attention to Helena's analysis, but she just wanted to sink into the warm water. She undressed and Helena held her hand to help her into the tub. "….when one of the collective tries to change themselves, and ergo their role, the family dynamic feels threatened and members swarm to get you back in line."
"You make us sound like bees. The Bering bees," Myka laughed.
"Not unlike the insect kingdom at all," Helena said. She pulled Myka's hair back and put a soft pillow behind her head. Then Myka stretched out as the warm water engulfed tense muscles.
"This feels really nice, Helena. Thank you," Myka said, as Helena stroked her face.
"And this will feel even better," Helena said as she opened the jar and took out a handful of the crystalized chips.
"What is that?" Myka asked.
"A little something I developed in the lab. It's actually seventeen ingredients, but they are primarily made up of citric acid, sodium bicarbonate, chips that are heated to 600 psi that allows tiny pockets of carbon dioxide gas that forms tiny bubbles in the crystals that will be released when it sinks in the water," Helena said proudly.
"Are they any good at taking away stress?" Myka inquired.
"That….," Helena whispered in Myka's ear as she dropped the handful of crystals into the water, "….and so much more."
Within seconds, the mineral chips floated down, landing on Myka's legs. Their outer shell disintegrated in the water and the chemical reaction began. Vigorous, tiny explosions cascaded in the depths of the water. Myka's hands shot out to hold onto the sides of the tub and the pulsating sensation filled her legs and everything in between until an explosion erupted inside of her.
"Oh my God, Helena!" Myka said, gasping for air as the pulses subsided. "How did that? Oh my God."
"Oh good!" Helena practically squealed. "They work!"
"Oh yes, Helena. They….work," Myka said, trying to catch her breath.
"Well, we're very cautious at Wells Corp. We like to test our products over and over, to make sure they are of the highest quality," Helena laughed as she bent down and kissed Myka.
"Please be careful with that, Helena," Myka said because she was certain there was a low threshold for overdosing.
"Perhaps I should send some to your sister? Or your…," Helena teased.
"Helena!" Myka said, unable to get the thought of the package arriving at her parents' house out of her head.
Later that night, as the couple lay in bed, Helena handed Myka the Mayor's list.
"Oh this sounds like fun, actually," Myka said, pointing to the Mayor's City Gardens event.
"What do we have to do?" Helena asked.
"We're going to dig up abandoned lots and turn them into gardens," Myka said, thinking it was a great idea.
"Can't we just take them grocery shopping?" Helena asked, wondering what one wears to a dig. She would have to research that.
"Teach a man how to fish, Helena," Myka said, snuggling closer.
"I don't know how to fish, although I imagine it's easier than softball," Helena reasoned.
"Well, it doesn't matter what the event is, Ms. Wells, I will be right there by your side," Myka said, kissing Helena.
"Oh good, because one of the events is being a presenter at the Tony's…," Helena said.
"What?" Myka said, looking at the list. "On a stage? Broadcast live?"
Myka sunk beneath the soft comforter, but Helena was right there to comfort her.
It was the Mayor's hope to bring many award shows to the City. If the Tony's televised broadcast received good ratings, he could attract other shows to come to Manhattan. The Mayor's overall plan was already seeing good results.
Since announcing Helena and Myka's guaranteed upcoming appearances at his events, his approval rating was already headed in the right direction.
When the story of the fire at the townhouse broke that night on the ten o'clock news, Millie sat up straight in her recliner and asked –
"How much guajillo did she put in?"