Four plump egg yolks. One pint of fresh milk. A heaping tablespoon of butter. A pinch of salt, and of course... a teaspoon of vanilla extract. As I whisked the bubbling mixture, feeling the heat of the stovetop tickle my wrist with each rotation, I pictured myself as one of those cackling witches you read about in fairy tales. However, reality wasn't so magical. I wasn't standing over some mystical cauldron in my laboratory of arcane instruments. I was just your ordinary teenage girl, doing ordinary work in the back of a perfectly ordinary bakery.
Now, as it happens, one of my good friends is a witch's apprentice. For the record, neither she or her teacher were the cackling sort. But she often showed me the spells she’s working on or regaled me with the details from her latest fantastical adventure. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't envious at times, but really I was just grateful she let me peek into her world at all. Otherwise, how else could someone like me experience magic?
If I had one complaint, it's that I've been seeing her less lately. While I was used to seeing her almost daily for breakfast or an after-shift snack, recently she’s been taking on some extra studying. Not that I should complain. Isabel is really working hard and I want to support her dream.
Anyway, there was plenty keeping me busy too.
"Coming through!" My dad announced, entering the kitchen with a tray of dough ready for the oven. "How's the pastry cream coming?"
"Um, just about done I think." Large bubbles were bursting on the surface, reaching the thick, custard consistency I was looking for.
"Good, let's check on the puff pastry then. They should be cool enough to work on by now."
"O-Okay!"
Just because my imagination wandered didn't mean I was unhappy, or even bored. On the contrary, I loved being involved in my family's business. Thanks to constant guidance from both my dad and mom, I was learning lots every day. See, I was an apprentice too.
That afternoon, my dad was teaching me the Hawthorne family recipe for mille-feuille, our shop's specialty. It was a tricky confection, with many, many steps and complicated details. In fact, the dessert's name means thousand sheets. It was light and flaky, rich and buttery. It was too labor intensive to make daily, but whenever we did, we were sure to sell out... and in short order too!
The pressure was on. I didn't want to mess up!
I retrieved the pastry from the cooling rack and my dad proceeded to show me how to cut the sheet into even squares. He cut with the speed and precision of a master, his movements smooth and confident. My hands were shaky and uncertain.
"Erm, is this okay?"
My dad comforted me with a pat on the shoulder. "Relax, you're doing fine. You've got this, kiddo!"
A soft color rose to my face, his praise radiating warmth through my umber cheeks. I took in a deep breath of relief, reassured by his encouragement.
Maybe I can handle this after all?
Or... maybe not...
There were still dozens of steps left, from assembling the cream filling, preparing the chocolate topping, and then, of course, stacking the dessert itself: pastry square, cream, pastry square, cream, pastry square.
It was mind-dizzying!
Fortunately, my dad was gentle and patient, stepping in whenever he needed to.
"You want to press firmly, but keep the pressure even. You don't want to break the pastry." As he demonstrated, he lowered his voice as if even his tone could shatter the fragile sheet. "Like this, see?"
"Got it." I stammered, betraying the confident nod of my head.
We finished stacking the dessert, I topped it with more cream and chocolate, and... voila! After admiring my handy-work, I looked up at my dad for approval, but he was already gazing my way with a big smile on his face.
"Who wants mille-feuille?" My dad proudly announced, opening the door so I could enter the storefront from the kitchen.
Customers immediately began crowding the counter. "Aren't we lucky? What's the occasion?"
"Our daughter has been working really hard lately." My mom, who had been working the counter, pulled me into a side hug. I tried to pull away out of embarrassment, but with no real success.
"You really think so?" I asked, squirming in her arm.
"Of course we do!" My father winked.
"We're proud of you sweetheart." My mom said with a kiss to my forehead.
"Eat up everyone!"
Hands reached for the desserts and my heart started to race. The final test.
"W-Well?" I asked after several moments, shuffling my feet. "What does everyone think?"
"Honey, this is delicious!" My mom covered her mouth with an open hand, a look of surprise on her face.
"You really made this?" One of the regulars gasped, his eyes shining with delight.
"Wow! A regular chip off the old block!" Another customer shouted.
As they all reached for seconds, laughing with one another and showering me with praise, it made me realize this is what baking was all about.
Maybe I didn't need to be a witch to experience magic after all.
***
So? What did you think of the first Chronicle? I hope it gives you an idea of what to expect going forward: these vignettes a great opportunity to check in on some of the other characters who may not appear all the time, but undoubtedly are working just as hard as our beloved protagonist.
Though Heidi isn't the first side character to make an appearance in Wis' Apothecary, she was the first side character I ever created. She first appears in The Thorny Truth, which was the third published story of volume one - even if chronologically it was actually the first story I wrote... starting it all.
As such, I thought what better character to feature in the first Chronicle than Heidi? She may not be a playful vampire or an accomplished witch athlete, but she's got a charm that's anything but ordinary. Not only is she a loyal friend, but she's a hardworking daughter too. And that's downright magical in its own right!!
If you liked this, please feel free to share with your friends and loved ones! These Chronicles, of course, will be completely free to read. But if you liked what you saw and are hungry to read more, please check out volumes one and two of Wis' Apothecary. Book three is coming later this year, and you undoubtedly will be seeing Heidi again!
Until next time, thanks for reading!
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