Aisling's Summer Diary

Chapter 16 | Proactivity

A wise woman (my Gran) once told me that no one will do for you what you can do for yourself.  So with that in mind, I am going to get school myself in the fine art of cooking at a proper restaurant!  Just as soon as I can find one that’ll hire me...

6 p.m.

I have called every restaurant on the beach—including the chippers!—and not ONE of them will take me on, even when I told them I’d work for free!  “Not enough experience,” they said.  Well how am I supposed to get experience if no one will hire me? 

So it’s back to the drawing board for Aisling, and Ali has graciously volunteered to be my guinea pig.  On today’s menu: banana splits a la Fitzsimons!  “They’re good, right?!” I said.  “Secret family recipe.”  Ali nodded, his mouth working slowly.  He set down his fork.  “You don’t like it.”  He propped his elbows up on the table between two and half empty ice cream bowls.  I guess he has had three.  They can’t be that bad, so.          

Out of the blue, Ali told me he was thinking of performing his act in front of a “real” audience.  He wanted to know if I thought it was a good idea.  Honestly, my first thought was, “What? We aren’t a REAL enough audience for you?,” but I knew what he meant.  Your friends are always going to cheer for you, no matter what.  Ali needed to test himself against a unbiased crowd.  “I think it’s a good idea.  But isn’t that the whole idea of magic college?”  “Right, but—”  What Ali needed was MORE sugar!  I could make him a Peach Melba!  I haven’t tried that one yet.  But before I could, he was scooching out of his chair and making for the door.  He said he “had to go.”  I’ve seen that look in his eyes before.  He’s meeting up with someone!  

Siobhan breezed in just as he disappeared, cross as ever.  She accused me of violating the pact!  Apparently Slater’s sister, the oh-so-cool Fiona, had ratted me out!  I did a lightening mental check—haven’t seen Slater (of my own volition) in an entire day.  Innocent as charged!  “Then what’s Fiona on about?” Siobhan wanted to know.  That sneaky little—GRRRR!   “I AM NOT SEEING SLATER, alright?!”  If I was only hanging around for him, would I be going through all this trouble?  Of course, that’s only partly true, but I had to say it or else Siobhan wouldn’t have trusted me to help her through this whole mad ordeal.  It was, let’s say, a well-intentioned fib.  

“How’s the, emm, cooking going?” she asked.  Grand, grand, if you like course after course of ice cream.  I offered her Ali’s half-finished sundae, but she said no thanks.  Is my cooking really THAT bad?!  You’d think Siobhan of all people would at least try one of my creations!  She was the one that put me up to this, and I needed all the pointers I could get.  She told me she had to “get going” to sort out the entertainment with Ali.  Where was he anyway?  I had a pretty good idea, but I kept my mouth shut.  If “Gavin the Mysterious” had an alter life, Chef Aisling was not going to be the one to blow his cover!

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