“Alright Girls, are you ready?”

“Yes Mommy!” Syndesi and Agape echoed in unison.

“Let’s get started.”

Before she finished her words, Agape took out a bowl and placed it on the table. She tilted her head upwards. Arms akimbo. Each cheek filled with a ball of stockpiled air. A splitting image of Theodore from Alvin and the Chipmunks. Eagerly waiting for Mom’s lavish praise of acorns.

“See Mommy, I already prepared the butter and sugar in advance!”

“That’s lovely! Thank you Agape. I know I can always count on you.”

Mom gently patted Agape’s head as reaffirmation. Agape was grinning from ear to ear like a Cheshire cat. But without the creepy teeth. Only the cuteness.

“Syndesi, can you help to cream the butter and sugar?”

“Of course!”

Syndesi had been learning to bake from her mother since she could remember. She had exceptional talent and experience far surpassing her age. But for some reason, her cookies always seemed to be a little lacking compared to her Mom’s.

“Mom, I’m done creaming the butter and sugar. Shall we move on to the next step?”

“Let me take a quick look. Hmm, this needs more working.”

“Alright, how about now?”

“Not quite.”

“Now?”

“Still not enough.”

“Now?!”

“Almost.”

Syndesi clasped the metal fork and punished the butter and sugar without rest. The speed of torture increasing as her eyebrows tightened and arched downwards. Her nose wrinkled. She bit her lips subduing the eruption of a volcano. As Syndesi thought to herself, Agape took the words out of her mouth.

“Mommy, Mommy. Isn’t it already pretty consistent? Can’t we just skip to the next step? I’m getting hungry.”

Agape rubbed her hands on her stomach. Hypnotised Mom with her big round eyes. But they were no ordinary eyes. Remember Puss in Boots from Shrek? Yes, those enchanting eyes.

Aww, just give that kitty some food.

Mom lowered her body. Removed the butter and sugar crumbs trapped in the strands of her light brown hair. She looked into Agape’s eyes and smiled.

“Girls, tell me, why do we bake?”

“TO EAT DELICIOUS COOKIES!” Agape exclaimed.

Mom looked over to Syndesi for her answer. But Syndesi faced the opposite direction. Her eyes peered at the blank space to the side with her mechanical hands still moving. The pitiful butter and sugar were screaming in horror. But the fork beat them into place. The soundproof wall of thoughts isolated her from all reason.

“I have been baking for so many years. How can I not be able to do something as simple and basic as creaming?” Syndesi pouted and murmured under her breath. Her exasperation had clearly reached the peak.

“OH I KNOW! I KNOW! Is it to share it with the people you love?”

“You got it right Agape!”

“hehe”

“When we bake, we do it with love. Because we want to share the love and joy with the people around us. That’s what makes the cookies delicious.”

“YAY DELICIOUS COOKIES!”

“I don’t get it! Baking is all about skill. Even if Agape showered the cookies with ALL her love. How could she bake better cookies than me? Yes, this doesn’t make any sense. There’s no way her cookies are better than mine. She even mistook salt for sugar the other time round...”

Syndesi had so many thoughts she wanted to unleash but she couldn’t. Not when she saw what her sister was doing.

Agape skipped around the kitchen like an excited rabbit hunting for her carrots. Her eyes glued to the tray of baby carrots Mom slid into the oven. When the orange light fades, she knows her carrots will be ready.

“Cookies. Cookies. Can’t wait for DELICIOUS COOKIES!”

Meanwhile, Syndesi quietly placed the metal fork on the checkered tablecloth. The butter and sugar heaved a sigh of relief as they could finally breathe. Their prison master walked back to her room in her stained apron. Shutting the door ever so silently.