Cherry Chocolate Surprise

Ahhh...between tea-ing and visiting family, I've fallen tragically behind this weekend. So today I'm posting the first part of a children's story I've been working on that I'd love your feedback on. I'll post the entire story in segments this week - it's  short and sweet.

I beg you to imagine it wonderfully illustrated. Are there any artists in the house?

I've must run now as my Mama, Darcie and I are going to sit and watch an episode of the Midsummer Murders before heading to lunch and the airport.

Enjoy and tell me what you think? I think I see India May with glasses...

Little India May didn't see her Aunt Ruby come to a complete stop in the baking aisle of the grocery store. She bounced off Aunt Ruby’s back side and landed in a very un-ballerina like heap on the floor.

"There's Gertie Callister," Aunt Ruby whispered to India May, not seeming to notice India May now lay sprawled on the floor of the baking aisle. "Did you see that? That sly ol' Gertie just picked up a bottle of maple syrup."

Aunt Ruby looked down at India May as if India May always sat sprawled on the floor of the baking aisle. "Do you think maple syrup is the secret ingredient in her butterscotch bonanzas?"

India May shook her head and shrugged her shoulders. She usually never knew the answers to Aunt Ruby's questions. She shook her head and shrugged her shoulders a lot.

India May started to get up and Aunt Ruby bent over to brush the dust off India May’s pink tutu.

"Well, my Little Banana Dumplin," Aunt Ruby went on, "You know how I feel about Gertie's butterscotch bonanzas. They're too crumbly for my taste."

Gertie Callister disappeared around the corner as Aunt Ruby started again pushing her cart down the baking aisle. India May straightened her glasses and followed Aunt Ruby, this time from a safer distance.

As Aunt Ruby and India May walked by the syrup, Aunt Ruby picked up a bottle of the maple and turned to India May. "Do you think maple syrup would be a nice touch?"

India May shook her head and shrugged her shoulders.

"You're right." Aunt Ruby put the maple syrup back on the shelf. "Let's go home, Sweet Peach. It'll be teatime soon and there's still chocolate to be shaved."

India May giggled as she imagined a huge chunk of chocolate covered with shaving cream waiting patiently at home for Aunt Ruby.

Smiling, Aunt Ruby, asked, "What's so funny, Kitten Cake?"

India May shook her head and shrugged her shoulders. She then spun in a perfect pirouette for Aunt Ruby right in the middle of the baking aisle.

Aunt Ruby clapped her hands. "Perfect! Absolutely perfect!"

Once at home, India May practiced her plies in the middle of the kitchen. Aunt Ruby bustled around India May, pulling bowls from the shelves, eggs from the refrigerator, and flour from the cupboard. Aunt Ruby didn't notice that the bag of flour left a snowy trail behind her as she carried it across the room.

She cracked three eggs into one of the bowls and didn't notice the shells that fell to the floor. She rushed over to the stove just in time to stop melting butter from bubbling out of the pot.

She then began furiously beating the eggs and melted butter together with a large wooden spoon. She didn't notice that most of the butter and eggs were flying out of the bowl and falling onto the table.

India May liked watching Aunt Ruby bake. She liked pretending Aunt Ruby was a mad scientist mixing up purple monsters wearing pink tutus. Sometimes she pretended Aunt Ruby was a good witch stirring up magic potions that changed fire-breathing dragons into flying puppies.

Aunt Ruby stopped stirring and declared, "By this afternoon, Puddin Cup, that blue ribbon will be right back where it belongs! Right where it should have gone after last year's Teatime Bake Off."

She waved her wooden spoon at an empty spot on the wall behind India May. India May ducked as a large glob of the egg and butter mixture whizzed by her head and landed with a splat on the wall.

To be continued...