Happy New Year (for those of us of the Asian Persuasion)! It is the year of the Sheep (or goat or ram, whichever part of the Ovis family you prefer.)

So I wanted to update for that. I got this idea from theWriterunknown. Thank you. Keep those ideas coming. It might make it into a story.

Guest: "Borrowing" things may be a running gag or not. I think people in Providence will get wise to that, don't you? So wait and see.

I don't own the characters.

"So what do you think? Can I make this?" Beverly asked Circe.

Circe shrugged. "Beats me. It looks complicated."

"Well no, the basic is pretty straight forward. It's the details I've got to worry about." Beverly looked through the recipe.

"You're really going to make it from scratch?" Circe peered over her friend's shoulder.

"Yes, I think I can do it." Beverly said confidently.

"You're actually going to ground the maza?" Circe looked from the recipe to Beverly.

"Well there's a place in town that does it for you. I can also pick up some real chile from Hatch, New Mexico, too."

"Wouldn't it be easier to just take him to a restaurant? " Circe wondered.

"Yeah, but I want to make something special for his birthday, you know?" Beverly looked at the recipe again.

"I know you want to impress the boyfriend." Circe smirked.

"Circe! It's more than just to impress. He's been talking about how much he misses his Abuela's cooking and since his birthday is coming up I wanted to surprise him with his favorite dish." Beverly lectured.

"Well, if cooking mishaps run in your family..." Circe said uncertainly.

"Listen, only Becca can't cook and we could never figure out why. She once burnt water... water!" Beverly said offended.

"That's a talent." Circe agreed.

"Yeah, I'm the cook in the family. But this is something I've never made before." Beverly said worriedly.

"Well, it can't hurt to try."

"No, it's more than try. This has to be perfect." Beverly glared at her friend.

"Why?" Circe shrugged. "It's a lot of effort for someone as dense as Caesar."

"Because this is my first time doing something for him." Beverly ignored Circe's comment. "I want him to know how I feel."

"Get him a card." Circe said facetiously.

"Circe! " Beverly playfully slapped her friend on the shoulder.

"Joking, joking… well, not completely. But anyway, so you're really gonna do this." Circe asked.

"Yes," Beverly said determinely.

"Well, then let's go get those ingredients.

0o0

In town Circe helped Beverly pick up the specialized ingredients. They also made a detour at the mall to browse through some dresses. Once they came back they brought the ingredients into the Providence's kitchen.

Circe had to go on duty so she left Beverly going through the recipe.

Circe came back a few hours later to find her friend sitting in the corner of the kitchen with her head on her knees. The kitchen looked like a gory murder scene. Red splotches were everywhere, some dripping from the ceiling.

"What happened?" Circe asked shocked.

"It didn't work out." Beverly muttered with her head still down.

"No duh, what happened?" Circe gingerly stepped over some red stuff.

"Well it was going well until I poured the red chile sauce for the tamales into the blender. " Beverly said as she looked up. Then as an after thought she added, "They really need to get an immersion blender."

"Yeah yeah then what?" Circe prompted.

"I guess the temperature was too hot because it exploded everywhere. Then while I was distracted the water boiled over in the steamer and soaked the tamales. Everything is ruined and I don't have time to try again. Caesar's going to be so disappointed." She said despairingly. Tears formed in her eyes.

"Hey, I'm sure he won't care." Circe tried to comfort her.

"Are you kidding? He got into an argument with the waiter last week when he used lemon in the guacamole. He said it had to be a lime! I've ruined his birthday surprise!" Now tears were starting to come. She buried her head again.

Circe got up and bit her lip. She didn't like seeing her friend this way. She quietly slipped out and went to Caesar's lab. She walked in purposefully. Caesar was looking at something on his electron microscope. She walked over and whacked him over his head.

"Oww, hey, what did I do?" He asked her indignantly.

"Listen, science boy," Circe growled. "I have a very distraught friend in the kitchen who thinks she's ruined your birthday."

"What?" Caesar was confused.

"Look Beverly tried to make tamales but they didn't turn out right. Now she worried that you'll be disappointed. "Circe explained.

"Me, I didn't even know she was making anything. Oh wait, she did say she was going to surprise me with something. But tamales are hard to make especially for a beginner." Caesar frowned.

"Yes, so I want you to march into that kitchen and make her feel better." Circe demanded.

"How?" Caesar asked startled.

"I don't know! I'm not her boyfriend. You figure it out!" With that she grabbed him by the arm and hauled him out of his seat.

"Wait, right now? What about my..." Caesar started to protest.

"Whatever it is it can wait." Circe said firmly.

"But, but, but," Caesar tried to protest again.

"No buts!" Circe insisted as she dragged him down the hallway and into the elevator. A few minutes later they were standing outside of the kitchen.

"What am I supposed to do?" Caesar asked again.

"Make her feel better!" Circe shoved him in.

Caesar stumbled through the door then slipped on some sauce. He fell on his back.

"Caesar? Are you okay? I'm sorry. I was just cleaning this mess." Beverly's tear stained face hovered over his.

Caesar didn't get up. He noticed some sauce had gotten on his shirt. He tried some of it.

"You know this is pretty good." Caesar said thoughtfully.

"What?" Beverly sniffled.

Caesar sat up. "I said it's not bad." He scooped up some of the sauce that was on the counter with his finger and put it in his mouth.

"This is just like Abuela's, except it's usually not on the ceiling and floors."

"Yeah, about that…" Beverly tried to explain.

"And is that tamales I smell?" Caesar continued.

"Oh well, I tried to make some, but they got water logged. No wait Caesar! I don't think they're..." Beverly held out a hand to stop him from touching the mess.

"This is delicious." He declared as he scooped the mush that was a tamale into his mouth. He swallowed it whole. He grabbed another and shoved it into his mouth as well.

Beverly looked on slightly shocked as Caesar proceeded to eat all 12 mushy tamales while dipping them in the sauce on the counter.

"Umm, next time I'll make sure they are less soggy and the sauce is actually on the plate and not on your clothes." Beverly said uncertainly.

"I think whatever you make is fine. You are a great cook." Caesar said.

"Really?" Beverly looked like a load had been lifted from her shoulder. "You like this?"

"I love it. But if you'll excuse me I left my electron microscope on. See you later when we cut my birthday cake?"

"Of course, I wouldn't miss it." Beverly nodded.

"Great, see you then." He quickly left but instead of going to his lab he ran to his room. He passed by Rex.

"Hey, bro what's up?" Rex greeted.

Caesar didn't answer he just rushed passed. Curious to see what was wrong he followed his brother into his room. Running to his bathroom Caesar bowed before the porcelain god.

"Bro, you all right?" Rex said from outside the bathroom.

"I just ate 12 tamales." He gasped.

"Why?" Rex asked surprised.

"I wanted to make Beverly feel better. She thought she ruined my birthday."

"So you forced yourself to eat bad food." Rex wrinkled his nose.

"It wasn't that bad but they were... wetter than they were suppose to be."

"And you ate all of them."

"Yes."

"So she would feel better?"

"Yes."

"Bro, you're nuts."

"Depends on who you ask."

"Well, I'm saying it. I'd never eat something disgusting just to make someone feel better."

"What about Dr. Holiday 's cooking?"

"OK, but that's different."

"Uh-huh." Caesar pushed himself off the toilet and cleaned himself over the sink.

"Anyway can you still eat cake?" Rex asked.

"I don't think I can eat anything for a week. Can you pretend to give me a piece and then make it disappear? " Caesar groaned.

"Sure, bro, but you must be in love." Rex grinned.

"Either that or I have serious heartburn…maybe both." Caesar said. Then he added. "Do you think that counted as a date?"

"I think it should just because of what you had to do." Rex agreed.

"Good because I was having a hard time coming up with something to do this week." Caesar said relieved.

Rex draped an arm around his brother. "Caesar, you have a lot to learn."

"But how about some antacid first?" He asked rummaging through his medicine cabinet.