A sunny start, OTA

[stepfordbot]

Routines are important. Establishing them, maintaining them- a lifetime spent with a house full of children that required minding and strict standards to follow as to their care filled Grace's days and gave her purpose. As the family waxed and waned, as the children grew and lives became infinitely more complicated the routine changed. But one thing remains the same no matter how old or young, no matter how full or empty the house has become. The most important meal of the day.



Nutrition dictates a certain variation now and then, but a single dish tends to surface over and over. Be it the dietary value or the aesthetic- or that it was one of the few ways she could, when they were young, offer the children a moment that was close to normal. Normal children aren't raised with an unloving and distant father, Normal families don't run drills with knives and violence instead of nursery rhymes and storybooks. Normal families and normal children had eggs sunny side up with smiling faces made with bacon.

Which is on the menu today alongside a stack of pancakes and a few prepared, wrapped and warmed sandwiches of egg, sausage, cheese, and english muffins for those that need to eat and run. Sliced fruit and glasses of fresh squeezed orange juice.

She's singing under her breath, something simple and lilting as the smell of bacon fat and frying eggs fills the air. No matter what happens, she's been able to feed and provide. As soon as the first set of eggs are finished she calls out- "Children! Eggs are ready."

Comments

[belay]

"Gladly," Lara replies, taking the bowl and heading to the counter with it. Pulling her hair back and washing her hands, she digs around in a drawer for a straw, using that to hull the strawberries quickly and carefully. There's not much in the way of wasted fruit, either.

"My mother taught me this when I was five, and it's been my favorite way of doing this," Lara says after a bit, looking up at Grace with a smile.

[stepfordbot]

"Less waste, everything clean and uniform?" Doing it by hand with a paring knife is- it takes quite a bit and isn't always the neatest, though it doesn't surprise Grace to consider Reginald ordered things done in a certain way simply to take up time better spent with the kids. He's no longer a consideration, so she watches Laura for a moment, head tilted, memorizing the motion. "I'll have to remember that."

[belay]

"Everything clean and uniform. Not to mention, when she made chocolate covered strawberries for special occasions, the chocolate center was always a delightful surprise for people."

Lara smiles fondly but a bit sadly at the memory of her mothers passing. It had been in the news, too. Amelia Croft, passing away from some horrible disease they couldn't cure. And shortly thereafter, her own fathers death. But Lara refuses to think about it and instead, digs again in that drawer for another straw, holding it out for Grace and pushing the bowl of strawberries between them.

"Here, let me show you," she says, carefully demonstrating how it's done. "It takes some practice, but you're an intelligent and talented woman, Grace. You'll get it in no time, I'm sure."

[stepfordbot]

Grace finishes another stack of shaped pancakes, setting them in a warmer until the rest of the kids and their guests arrive. With nothing else on the stove for the moment, she can sidle next to Laura, observing the neat, precise motions of straw hulling. After three she takes the offered straw and mimics the gesture perfectly. Even hole, proper depth, no more green. "The next time I make a cheesecake, I'll have to try that."

Topped with stuffed, chocolate covered strawberries? It'd be a lovely way to end a meal. Once certain she has the right of it Grace nods to herself and works through a few more, one ear out for anyone new filtering in through the doors.