FRIENDS LIKE YOU! lucas mendoza

CHAPTER EIGHT

Sammi honestly was actually pretty good with cooking and she enjoyed it. Actually, ever since she was little she loved cooking. She even had one of those play kitchens when she was a little girl and would pretend to be a chef at a restaurant. So she was downstairs in the kitchen, helping Lori make food for a birthday party for her client who could be a potential work partner for her. 

Sammi was helping Dave chop celery while Lori put the meat in the oven. "Alright, that is in the oven." Lori closes the oven and gestures to the kitchen where food and some cooking supplies were at. "I'm gonna start on the petit fours and, you guys," She turns to face Dave and Sammi, her smile falling when she saw how slow Dave was chopping the celery. She puts one hand on her hip, pointing at the celery he was chopping. "Is that the same piece of celery you were working on five minutes ago?"

Dave smiles proudly, setting the knife down as he leans back against his chair. "But how precise is that dice?" Lori stares at him with an annoyed expression, both hands on her hips now. Dave looks at her worriedly. "Was it the rhyme or that you want me to move faster?"

Lori shrugs. "Does it have to be one?" Dave nodded and immediately went back to work faster.

Lori looks at Sammi with a relieved expression to see she was already working on her second celery piece. She stands behind her, putting her hands on Sammi's shoulders and smiles. "I am so glad you're helping." Sammi glanced up at her with a smile and went back to chopping celery.

Lori then goes back over to the kitchen island to start on the petit fours just as Alexa walks inside using the side door. "Hey." She smiled at her daughter when she walked by.

"Hey." Alexa greets. "How's, uh, how's it going? Need help with anything?" She asks, glancing at everyone with a nervous expression. "I need a distraction. I'm so nervous about Spencer getting on the team." 

Sammi nods in realization. "Oh, that's right. Spencer is trying out for his college basketball team."

"Yeah," Alexa smiles nervously. "And I really hope he gets in."

"Well, you can help me and Sammi with chopping celery." Dave suggested.

"I can't." Alexa shakes her head, walking towards the living room area. "I'm too nervous."

"Mom, I'm hungry." Lucas whined as he walked downstairs.

"Honey, I'm a little busy right now. You're gonna have to eat tomorrow." Lori responded. Lucas furrowed his eyebrows and tilted his head to the side, his lips forming into a frown.

"Or you could just get something yourself." Sammi chimed in.

Lucas points at her with a smile on his face. "Good idea." Sammi chuckled and shook her head while he walked over to the fridge.

"Oh, check it out." Dave grins. "Now I'm precise and fast. That doesn't rhyme, but-" He winces, stopping cutting and holds up his finger with a pained expression on his face. "Fudge nuggets, my finger!

Sammi glances at him with concern. "You alright?" 

"Yeah, I'll be fine." Dave replied, walking over to the counter. 

"Can I feel sorry for you tomorrow?" Lori questioned.

"No need." Dave shakes his head, grabbing a towel. "I'll use the, uh, pain as a motivator." He grimaces, covering the cut with the towel. "Ooh, am I motivated."

Sammi didn't even realize that Lucas had started chopping the celery his dad was chopping until Lori said something about it. "Oh, n. No. No." Lori had a panicked look on his face and Dave called out to him to stop him.