"It is not our abilities that show what we truly are. It is our choices."

~Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Kelsey was busy washing dishes when the new Chef Vance slid a mixing bowl into the soapy water.

"I heard you catered a party this weekend," he said.

Kelsey nodded. "I did."

"And I assumed you were just a dishwasher!" He said boisterously, meaning it as a joke that Kelsey didn't find funny.

She offered a tight smile and said, "I guess we both surprised each other."

"But, uh, listen," Chef Vance said, an apology in his tone. He rested his forearms against the metal rim of the sink and said, "I'm not sure we should be doing that anymore."

"Doing what?" Kelsey asked, not liking the way his voice sounded like he was speaking to a toddler.

"Ah, you know," his hands moved back and forth, "we're a professional company here. We can't have unprofessional employees doing side-jobs, if you're tracking what I mean."

Kelsey promptly turned off the water and dried her hands. She rested a fist on her hip and turned to him, giving a thin smile. "I got clearance from Chef Romano, and I didn't receive any of the pay—it all went to the company."

Chef Vance straightened and held his hands out in front of him defensively. "I get it, I get it. But, you know, you're not quite a chef. You've got skill! Don't get me wrong. But maybe just—" He rapped his knuckles on the sink. "—keep doing what you're doing."

"Last time I checked," Kelsey said before he could walk away, "you were the assistant head chef. And my orders came directly from Chef Romano, as well as Chef Ivan. And even though I technically have to do what you say, in the end, you won't be the one to fire me."

Chef Vance snorted, his arrogant smile sliding across his features. "Listen babe, I wouldn't try to cross me."

"I'm not going to," Kelsey replied. "I'll remember my place as long as you remember yours."

She picked up a full-sized baking pan and walked past him to put it away. "And don't ever call me that again," she added over her shoulder.

She heard him give a short laugh, but didn't turn around.

She'd had a long weekend, too much on her mind, and Monday came far too soon. She couldn't stop thinking about Ethan; and not in the cute way she would've liked.

When she got home from the party on Saturday, she had immediately opened her laptop.

She had Althea Stellan's name typed in the search bar.

But then she realized that she didn't want to hear gossip from the celebrity webpages or clickbait articles.

She wanted to hear it from Ethan, if she wanted to hear it at all.

Whatever happened between them didn't end well, she could assume. But what about the past Becca had mentioned?

That was the thing—Kelsey didn't want to find out, but then her mind kept making up all kinds of stories and possibilities.

And there was an anger that kept flaring up in Kelsey like an old mosquito bite she couldn't get rid of.

Becca Lynn was poisonous. She'd pitted Kelsey against Ethan, whom she'd claimed was a friend. Was she jealous? Over-protective? Or maybe she just didn't like Kelsey. Althea Stellan had broken Ethan's heart. Why would Becca take away a chance for it to be mended again?

With these thoughts running an endless loop through her mind, Kelsey avoided Chef Vance for the rest of the day and stayed quiet until everyone left after work.

As she swept the floor, Chef Romano walked past, slowing to a stop in front of Kelsey. "You know, intern, I do not like you. But I dislike that new chef even more."

Kelsey took that as a compliment and smiled. "He's got big shoes to fill, I guess."

"Pah!" Chef Romano spat. "He does not have the language of food in his eyes—all he sees is the nose on his face."

Kelsey remembered Ivan using the same phrase. "I don't know, I think he might see past it once in a while if he could get a good view of a pretty face or a stack of money."

To that, Chef Romano actually chuckled, a sound Kelsey had never heard before.

Chef Romano shook her head and started out the door. "'Night, Kelsey."

Kelsey stared after her, her own name sounding foreign to her ears. "Goodnight," she murmured, much too late.

She turned back around in her chair and blinked.

Maybe she's human, after all, Kelsey thought, laughing quietly to herself.

She had decided not to stay late and catch up on some of the sleep she'd been deprived of, in an attempt to push aside all the thoughts clouding her mind.

She was about to leave when her phone rang.

Her brother's name lit up the screen and she immediately picked it up. "Hey Jacob! Long time no chat."

"Hey, Kel," his voice sounded exhausted. Worn.

"Everything okay?" She asked.

There was a pause. "Do you have a minute?"

Kelsey subconsciously glanced around. "Yeah, of course. What's wrong?"

"Has Mom or Dad called you lately?"

"No, I haven't heard from them in over a week."

Jacob took a deep, trembling sort of breath. Kelsey had only heard him like this once—during his first semester at college. A student he'd been friends with got killed in a car accident and Jacob was devastated.

She imagined him, his olive-colored cheeks dotted with red splotches, something that always happened when he was upset or stressed, his curly hair a mess after he'd raked his fingers through it a hundred times. And the way his fingertips would drum against his leg.

"Mom... she..." Another breath. "She had an affair, Kel."

Kelsey leaned against the counter, the air suddenly sucked from her lungs. It was a while before she could speak. "What—why? How? Does Dad know?"

"Yeah," Jacob said. "She's been seeing this guy for three years now. Dad had no idea."

"Three years?" Kelsey echoed, her stomach churning.

"Yeah. Right under our noses this entire time."

"How'd Dad find out?"

Jacob audibly cringed. "I'd rather not articulate. You can imagine."

Kelsey closed her eyes to still her throbbing head. "I can't believe this."

"I know," Jacob sighed deeply. "I mean, I knew they weren't doing so good, but..."

"I didn't think they'd go out like this," Kelsey finished. She took in a breath through her nose and straightened, trying to collect her thoughts. "Are you back home from school?"

"Yeah, I got back last week."

"Were you there when it all happened?"

"No, thankfully," he admitted. "Apparently Dad found out on Wednesday, I got back Thursday."

"Are you doing okay?"

He thought for a minute. "I mean, I guess. Everything sucks. Dad acts like a ghost, and Mom is sickeningly nice, but she's going to visit Aunt Josephine in Manila tomorrow."

"I'll come back home," Kelsey offered, "you don't need to deal with this by yourself. I'll take the next flight to Kansas if you'll pick me up."

"No, don't do that," Jacob said. "I've already made plans to visit a friend in South Carolina for three weeks."

"After that, then," Kelsey promised.

"Yeah," Jacob consented. "That'd be nice."

"Maybe you and I can make a pillow fort, watch Predator, eat Skittles, and forget all this crap for a while," she added weakly.

Jacob gave a half-hearted laugh. "Look forward to it."

Kelsey licked her dry lips. "Try to get some rest, alright? If you need to talk some more, just call whenever."

"Alright. Thanks, Kel. I'm really sorry."

"It's not your fault."

"Love you."

"Love you too. Bye."

Kelsey dropped her phone onto the counter and buried her face in her hands. She didn't even feel like crying, but the news hit her harder than she would've expected.

Her parents had been at odds for so long now, she thought she'd be ready for anything.

An affair? Fine. Divorce? Eminent.

But what she felt inside reminded her that there was still a false hope she was clinging to; the thoughts of "maybe they'll make amends", "maybe we'll be a family again", "maybe everything will be okay" were always in the back of her mind.

The news reminded her that the light she thought she kept seeing wasn't there. Maybe it had never been.

In the silence of the kitchen, Kelsey heard the lobby door ring open.

Chills raced down her spine; she knew who it was.

At first, she was repulsed by the idea of seeing him. She deserved answers. An explanation.

But when Ethan appeared through the kitchen door, that sweet, welcoming, happy smile settled on Kelsey and suddenly all she wanted was to grasp a strand of what used to be.

She wanted to forget the party. To forget her parents. To forget the Ethan she didn't know.

She smiled back and lifted a boxed mix.

"Brownies?"

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Hello everyone! Hope you enjoyed! 

~Thoughts of Chef Vance? XD

~Do you think Kelsey's parents will make amends?

~General thoughts?

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