Stirring Up Trouble (14 page)

“Yeah.” I tapped on my chin with my oven-mitt covered hand. “I just don’t feel like it’s exactly right.” The image of the deviled ham flashed through my head. “Let’s add deviled ham.”

Dad shrugged. “Sounds good to me.” He started scribbling on the spreadsheet. “What should we try first?”

“How about the canned tuna and fresh trout?” I reached for a teaspoon of the trout we’d run through the blender and then a spoon of the store-brand canned tuna. Not the white albacore. The cheap kind that probably had bits of all kinds of other things in it too. I opened the can of deviled ham. Then, I lined our biggest cast iron pot with fresh aluminum foil and added the ingredients. Once I was satisfied that they’d combined, I reached for the unicorn horns. Unicorn horn powder and toad slime produced a blue steam when they mixed.

“Cross your fingers,” I said to Dad. I was running out of unicorn powder.

“Gotcha.”

After dropping a pinch of the powder into the mixture, I held my breath.

C’mon.

I glanced at my dad who seemed as into this as I was. Three. Two. One.

Blue steam.

“It worked,” I screamed, jumping up and down.

Dad gave me a big hug. “Congratulations, scientist.”

“I can’t believe it.” I hadn’t been this elated since, well, Jake’s kisses. Now, I could help Anya’s grandmother without feeding her toad slime.

“I knew you could do it.” Dad grinned as I jumped around some more.

“I did it! I did it!”

“Uh, Zoe,” Dad said.

“I did it!”

“Zoe. The uh experiment.” He motioned to the stove. The cloud of blue steam was spreading outwards and could take over the kitchen any moment. I could almost feel my hair frizzing.

“Oh, yeah,” I said and ran over to add salt to neutralize it. The steam cleared.

I couldn’t seem to help jumping. Jump. Jump. Jump. “Dad, do you realize what this means? How many potions have toad slime?”

Dad smiled at me. “I think you’ve mentioned it once or twice.”

“Hundreds. Hundreds. Maybe even thousands.” I pulled the foil off the pot and dumped it in the stinky trash. The cats were going to love this when we took it out back. With a smooth motion, I pulled some more foil and lined the pot. “One more test before we get too carried away.”

I mixed the dried tulip petals with the toad slime substitute. Then, I added a raw egg and some soil. I gave Dad a hopeful glance as I walked over and poured the mixture into the dead-looking tulip on the windowsill. Seconds later, stalks sprouted with bright yellow blooms. The plant looked like it was fresh from the florist.

“I don’t believe it,” Dad said. “You could make a fortune selling flowers out of season.”

“I have bigger plans, Dad.”

“Right. Wow,” he walked over and touched a petal. “Beautiful.”

I grabbed a different can brand of deviled ham and tried again. It worked.

I tried another.

“The deviled ham seems to work in three different brands,” I said. “Let’s try the tuna.”

I opened a can of tuna from a different store and mixed the ingredients. Nothing.

I tried another. Nothing.

Starting to freak out, I opened another can of the same brand we used the first time. Success.

“The tuna matters. The deviled ham doesn’t,” Dad said. “Let’s assume the trout doesn’t either, but it won’t hurt to buy some tomorrow from different vendors.”

“I can’t believe it really works. I have to call Mom.” I ran for the phone.

“You really are going to do it. Aren’t you, Zoe?” Dad’s tone suddenly turned serious.

“What?” I asked as I picked up the phone from the counter.

“Save lives. Become a brilliant chemist. Make a difference.”

I gave him my best “well, duh” look. “I’ve been telling you that for years.”

“I’m so proud of you.” His eyes gleamed with pride and I thought for a second he might tear up.

“Thanks, Dad.”

“Now, you are planning to keep researching this substitute and carefully document any differences from potions with the original ingredient,” he said returning to scientist mode. He went back to the spreadsheet on the island and made notations.

“Yes, Dad. I’m on top of it.”

“I’ll buy up all the tuna available in this same packaging.” He stood, walked over to the tuna can, and wrapped it in foil. “I’ll send this off to be analyzed so we’ll know the amounts of the tuna parts versus other fish and the percentage of various tuna elements.”

I knew recreating the experiment was not a sure thing, but I had faith in myself, and in my dad.

Turning my attention to the phone, I dialed Mom’s cell.

She answered immediately. “Zoe? What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, Mom. Relax.” I could barely contain my excitement.

“Sorry,” she said over the chatter and clinking of the restaurant. “I worry when you and your father get together to,” she lowered her voice, “uh, cook.”

“Mom!”

“Well, you did blow up the kitchen that time.”

“When I was nine. And we were using a chemistry set, not, um, other stuff.” Did she have to bring that up every time?

“I still smell the melted laminate countertops when I take a deep breath.”

She was so lying. We’d totally remodeled since then. “Mom. Listen. I did it. I found the substitute.” And I found myself jumping up and down again.

“For toad slime?”

“Yes!”

“Oh, um,” I heard her mutter to someone, “new band. She’s got tickets.” Then to me, she said, “That’s so great. I’m so proud of you! It’s not easy to get those tickets. We’ll celebrate when I get home.”

I giggled. Mom was a horrible liar. I guess that’s why I’m so bad at it. “Whoever you’re having dinner with is going to think you’re psycho.”

Mom groaned. “He already does.”

Ah-hah. “So it is a he!”

“Crap.”

Then, I realized Dad could hear me. I looked over to see he’d put his hands in his pockets and was shuffling around.

I could tell Mom was smiling as she said, “I’ll see you soon, Zoe.”

“Okay, Mom. Bye.” I disconnected.

“Listen, Zoe,” Dad said.

It almost sounded like he wanted to talk about something serious, but that couldn’t be it, because he never talked about feelings and stuff.

“It sounds like your mother is ready to start dating.”

“Um.” What was I supposed to say to that?

Dad started looking at his shoes and jingling the change in his pocket. Surely he wasn’t going to keep going down this road.

“Zoe, I know we. Well, I. Mostly me, I guess. I’ve made it hard on you and it’s hard enough being a teenager.”

True.

“Zoe. You are very important to me. I don’t want you to feel like you come second to anyone.”

I had no idea what to say. Dad and I had fun together. At least we used to. But this heartfelt thing was completely out of character for him. All I could do was gape like a fish.

“Are you dying?” I asked.

His eyes widened in surprise. “No.”

Thank goodness. “Are you marrying Sheree?”

“No.” He shook his head. “Not yet anyway. I just felt like we hadn’t had any time together lately. I know you’re having to deal with your feelings about me leaving your Mom…”

I really wasn’t ready for this conversation. I just wanted it to end.

What was I supposed to say? Oh, no, Dad. I’m fine with it. It’s great you left Mom and started dating. And I couldn’t say what I really felt either. That he’d betrayed us and I was mad at him. That he should behave like a grown up.

“Anyway. I want to make sure you know I’m here for you. When, or if, you need me.”

“Okay,” I said over the lump in my throat, because despite the anger, I was touched that he was trying.

“Good,” he said, his shoulders relaxing a little. The jingling sound stopped. “Should we go out to dinner to celebrate?”

I didn’t need a mirror to know what I looked like. I’d been standing over a bubbling cauldron. And honestly, I didn’t feel like going anywhere. I wanted to celebrate with Mom.

I couldn’t wait to tell Milo. I wished there were more than three people in the world I could share this with, but I couldn’t tell anyone else. We’d tell the Alchemist’s Council later. After more research. That would be awesome. No one my age had ever done anything like this.

But first, Mom and I would have to talk it out. She didn’t want me getting too much attention. The Order might try to interfere with my education. Mom wanted me mainstreamed. And so did I. She was afraid I’d lock myself in a lab and not come out until graduation. And she was probably right.

“Not with the fuzzy head, Dad. But how about we make some fajitas and eat here?”

“Good idea,” he said and opened the freezer to dig out the frozen fajitas.

I started packing up my equipment.

Still flying high on Friday from the success of the toad slime experiment, I started to actually have faith that I wouldn’t be punished for Indiana.

After school, I used Dad’s credit card to order more supplies off the Internet. Unicorn horn was expensive, but I didn’t have any ideas for creating a substitute for that yet. Then I tested the four trout samples Dad had left for me. They all worked.

Mom hugged me when she got home. “We aren’t going to tell the Council anything yet about your findings. We have thirty days, and that will give you time to do some more experiments without some overbearing scientists second-guessing your every move.”

“Good.” I’d been worried she’d want to tell them sooner. Luckily, magical people zealously guarded their privacy. We had a Bill of Rights that closely resembled that of the United States. We’d been persecuted enough throughout history to value our freedom. The Council could only monitor those who’d engaged in serious criminal activity in the past, so there wasn’t any way they’d know what was going on with us.

“Now, if you can tear your mind away from the earth-shaking discovery, you made…” She walked over to a department store garment bag she’d left on the couch. “I picked up something for you.”

Bracing myself for little girl pink, I cringed as she pulled it out. “Oh my God, Mom. I love it.” I jumped up to grab the stunning electric blue dress. The style was straight out of Cosmo, simple, but totally in right now.

“I thought you might like it. They say it’s a knock off of what the designers have been making for young Hollywood.”

Young Hollywood. How pathetic. But I loved the dress.

“Go try it on,” she urged. “I can’t wait to see you in it.”

“Kay.” With a huge grin on my face, I ran for my room.

Dad called as I finished getting ready.

“Just wanted you to know they’re headed your way.”

“Thanks.” I guess that meant he was at Sheree’s again.

“It’s so great that you kids are going together as friends.”

Friends? We were supposed to be playing this as a date. Had Jake really said friends? “Oh, well, I guess.” Had Jake slipped up? Not to mention my desire for him to take our date seriously.

“Kent’s mother will bring you kids back here after the dance. Is that okay?” He kept talking because he knew I’d agree. “I’ll get to see you all dressed up, and then we’ll head over to my apartment.”

“Right.” That’s how Jake and I had planned it anyway. We were hoping they’d both witness a big kiss. We needed to hit those two where it hurt. Their parenting skills.

“Have fun, hon. Oh, and I did that shopping you asked me to do.”

“Great. How much did you find?”

He lowered his voice. “I picked up fifty-seven cans of that store brand.”

“Thanks! That’s a lot more than I thought you’d find.” That would give me a pretty good supply even if that brand of tuna turned out to be the only one that worked.

He cleared his throat. “I, um, went to six stores.”

The thought of him driving around town to different groceries made me smile. He really was a great dad. “You’re the best.”

“See you soon.”

“Bye, Dad.” I shut my phone and turned back to the mirror.

My eyes were heavily lined which I don’t usually do. Mom said I could get away with more makeup at night. She also said she had to approve my face before I left because she didn’t want her fifteen-year-old daughter running around looking like a, well, ho.

I studied my reflection. I didn’t look like a ho. I looked a lot like that princess I’d been in my daydream.

Mom’s gasp in the doorway drew my attention.

“You look wonderful,” she said. Her eyes got glassy like she was about to cry.

“Don’t cry, Mom.” I ran over to hug her, carefully holding my face away from her to keep from ruining my makeup.

“I’m not. I want you to have a great time.”

I wondered how long it would be before I had to watch her get dressed for dates. She’d told me last night that she didn’t plan to date Dave and that she really didn’t think she was ready to get back out there yet. She promised to tell me when she was.

The doorbell rang, and she hugged me tighter for a second before tossing me backward. “I’ll go get it.” She took off down the hall at a run.

“Mom, it’s really not necessary,” I called. But I knew she wanted to make sure Jake came in so she could get a look at the two of us together.

Jake looked awesome. He wore a blue jacket with his khakis. He’d even put on a tie. I’d never seen him do that before. The amazing thing was that he didn’t look at all like a waiter. He just looked hot.

With an awkward glance at my mom, he stepped closer to the stairs. His eyes widened and his smiled. “You look great, Zoe.”

“Thanks,” I said, my face burning with embarrassment. I could almost hold my own with Jake in private. But Mom’s prying eyes were just too much.

“Let me get my camera,” Mom said and dashed for the kitchen.

With a groan, I turned to Jake. “I don’t suppose we could sneak out the front door now, could we?”

“No way. Your Mom would hate me forever. And my mother would just make us come back in.” He tugged at his tie.

“Chicken.”

“Here I come.” Mom ran from the kitchen with the camera. “Stand over by the fireplace.”

We complied. Jake draped his arm across my shoulder and we smiled for the picture.

“Just one more,” Mom said, messing with the zoom on the camera. “I promised Sheree I’d give her copies.”