by Chloe Tew (P6 2021)

              “Claire! Wake up!  It is Grandmother’s birthday!” My two mischievous younger brothers shouted, jumping up and down on my bed.  I stirred, annoyed that they had awoken me yet again.  However, realising that my grandmother was being discharged from the hospital, without hesitation I quickly woke up from my deep slumber.  I hastened to the bathroom to get ready, ignoring my two brothers who were still jumping happily on my bed.

              After getting ready, I sprinted down the stairs and headed to the kitchen.  I retrieved all the necessary ingredients from the cabinet and placed them in a neat row on the counter.

              “Sister, we are bored.” My brothers whined in a soft tone, trying to step into the kitchen.  I spotted them eyeing the ingredients on the countertop.

              “Sorry, maybe later.  I am busy and please stay out of the kitchen,” I snapped sharply.  “How about you go and play with Fluffy?” I suggested.  Their spirits plummeted after I had chased them away.  I turned my attention to the ingredients.  I mixed the flour, sugar and a pinch of salt in one bowl.  I then whisked the ingredients together, with milk and eggs in a mixing bowl until there were no lumps and poured the batter into the baking tray.  I placed it in the oven for twenty minutes.  The mouth-watering around of the cake wafted out of the oven as the cake baked.

              After twenty long minutes, I took the cake out of the oven.  I placed my wonderful creation on the countertop and took a moment to admire it.  Just then, my playful dog pounced on the kitchen corner and dove right into the cake.  All I saw was crumbs flying in all directions as my dog attacked the cake, only stopping to smack his lips.

              My eyes widened and jaw dropped.  I saw my little brothers who had left the dog’s cage open shaking in fear.  My mother emerged from her room and was greeted by a ruined cake and a very satisfied dog.

              “Mother, Tom and James opened up Fluffy’s cage and he ran out of the cage and ruined it,” I told her pointing at my brothers.  “I just wanted to bake a cake for Grandmother and I had told them…” I could see my mother seething with rage.  Without waiting for me to finish, she pulled them into a room and gave them a serious tongue-lashing.

              I was stuck between the devil and the deep blue sea.  “Great! Now I have to think what I am going to do with this mess of cake!”  I thought as I heaved out a big sigh.  If I bake another cake, I would not have enough time before my Grandmother gets home.  After weighing all the pros and cons, I made a hard decision.  Thankfully, there was a part of the cake Fluffy had not touched.  I decided to take the smashed cake crumble it up and roll it into balls and decorate them.  Racing against time, I quickly constructed the cake pops which I had once seen on the television and decorate them with sprinkles.

              “Bang!” I heard the door slam.  I peeped through the kitchen door and saw my father pushing my grandmother into the house on a wheelchair.  I swiftly but carefully decorated the last ball and brought all of them to the dining table.  As I walked through the kitchen door, everyone burst into a rousing rendition of “Happy Birthday”.  Everyone started clapping as warmth and love filled their hearts.

              After the singing, my grandmother held onto the knife gingerly and cut the cake pops with a steady hand.  Everyone participated in some activities that I had organised, talking and laughing in great merriment.  At the end of the day, everyone had an unforgettable time at the party.  My brothers and I embraced my grandmother with a warm hug, grateful that we had a Grandmother like her who always plays with us and even sews clothes for us during Christmas despite her age.

              That day, I learnt not to be so irresponsible ever again.  As the saying goes: What worries you, masters you.  As a result of the worrying incident, I have only become a better baker.  Memories of that day would be forever engraved in my mind.

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