The next day arrived, and with it, the challenge Caroline had set for Noah. He brushed his teeth and got ready, slipping back into the suit he had worn the day before since he’d be heading out with his dad after breakfast.
As Noah walked downstairs, he was greeted by the familiar scene of Emily and his parents in the kitchen.
“Morning, Dad. Morning, Mom. Morning, Emily,”
“Morning, Noah!” Emily chirped excitedly.
Caroline eyed him from across the kitchen, her gaze serious but playful. “Are you ready?” she asked, a hint of a challenge in her voice.
Noah nodded, a grin tugging at the corners of his mouth.
He reached for the second apron hanging on the rack. “More than ready.”
He turned to Emily, who was watching intently. “Emily, me and Mom are going to have a cooking contest, and you’re going to be the judge. How does that sound?”
Emily’s eyes widened with excitement. “Really? I get to be the judge?” She nodded furiously. “Yes! I’ll be the fairest judge ever!”
Noah chuckled. “Perfect. Now, are we cooking the same thing or different things?”
Before Caroline could respond, Emily jumped in with enthusiasm. “Different things! That’s way more fun!”
Caroline smiled softly and gave a small nod. “I guess we’ll go with whatever the judge says.”
The kitchen transformed into a battleground as soon as Caroline and Noah tied on their aprons.
It wasn’t just a friendly family cook-off anymore; the room was filled with competitive energy.
Emily, perched at her makeshift “judge’s table” at the kitchen, bounced with excitement, fully embracing her role.
David sat back, watching with an amused grin, but he could sense this wasn’t going to be an ordinary breakfast.
Caroline moved first, diving into her usual routine like a master. Her hands moved with grace, quickly gathering ingredients, and in no time, her knife began to fly across the cutting board.
“chop, chop, chop” echoed through the kitchen as she sliced through vegetables with perfect precision.
Every move she made had years of experience behind it—smooth, calculated, confident.
But out of the corner of her eye, Caroline glanced at Noah, curious to see what her son was up to.
What she saw made her pause for just a moment.
Noah, calm and collected, was moving with a confidence that surprised her.
He cracked eggs into a bowl with a single motion, whisking them into a perfect, airy mixture with such smoothness that it almost seemed effortless.
He moved quickly, but there was something masterful about it—a precision that rivalled her own.
“Where did he learn all of this?” Caroline thought, narrowing her eyes slightly. “He’s almost as good as me.”
She had expected Noah to know his way around the kitchen, but this was different.
There was a flow to his actions, a quiet expertise that spoke of more than just basic cooking skills. His hands moved with such familiarity, almost like he had been doing this for years.
The way he stirred, the way he tossed in the ingredients without hesitation—it was impressive.
But then she failed to notice something else.
Noah wasn’t going full force. He wasn’t showing off or trying to completely outshine her. He was holding back, just a little.
Just enough to stay close, but still keep an edge when it came to the final product.
As she sliced through another vegetable, flipping it into the sizzling pan with ease, Caroline couldn’t help but admire her son.
“He’s good—really good. Where did he pick this up?”
Meanwhile, David, who had been casually watching the duel from his seat, raised an eyebrow.
His gaze moved between Caroline and Noah, and something about Noah’s movements caught his attention.
Noah was stirring a sauce with careful attention, seasoning it with a level of finesse that most amateur cooks wouldn’t even think about.
His wrist flicked just slightly as he added herbs, letting them fall gently into the mix.
He was testing the consistency, watching the colour, and adjusting the flame. The pancake batter he was working with was coming out perfectly golden, bubbling just right as it hit the hot pan.
David leaned forward in his chair. “Where did this come from?” he thought, genuinely surprised.
“I didn’t know he could cook like this.”
Noah was moving like he had been born in the kitchen. His techniques, though not flashy, were polished, and refined.
He was keeping pace with Caroline, matching her at every turn. The room was filled with the tantalizing smells of freshly cooked vegetables and pancakes.
David chuckled to himself. “Looks like Caroline’s got some real competition today.”
Back in the heat of the kitchen, the competition continued. The oil in Caroline’s pan sizzled as she expertly tossed her vegetables, sending a light mist of steam into the air.
The vibrant greens and reds mixed beautifully, and the aromas wafted across the room, making Emily’s mouth water.
Caroline stole another glance at Noah. He was now grating cheese with the same steady rhythm she had come to expect from a professional.
His movements were clean, and efficient.
Noah caught her eye for a brief second and flashed her a grin, one that said, “Told you.”
Both competitors worked quickly but gracefully, the kitchen transformed into a stage where every move carried weight.
Noah’s pancakes were perfectly round, golden on both sides, stacked neatly and drizzled with syrup.
Caroline’s stir-fry, vibrant and fresh, was a dish of expert craftsmanship, with the vegetables cooked just right—crisp yet tender, full of flavour.
The clock ticked down, though, in reality, only mere minutes had passed since the competition began.
Emily’s eyes darted back and forth between her mom and Noah, her excitement growing as the final dishes neared completion.
Finally, both Noah and Caroline stepped back, their masterpieces complete. They set their dishes before Emily, who looked between the two plates with wide eyes. I
In front of her were two vastly different dishes, each one smelling more delicious than the last.
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