Page 85 of The Baking Games
“I never had kids, you know. I wanted them so badly, but it just wasn’t in the cards for me and my husband. I would give anything to have a son like Rhett.”
“You would’ve been a great mother, Maggie. I know you would have given such unconditional love to your kids.”
She wipes away a stray tear. “I would have. But you know God had other plans. Instead, I became an English teacher. I watched so many wonderful children grow up. Some of them still send me letters and pictures of their own kids. The circle of life and all that.”
“I hope to have kids one day. First, I have to find the right man.”
She looks over at me and smiles. “Honey, I think you already have.”
“Connor? No way!”
“Not Connor. I’m talking about Rhett.”
“Rhett isn’t interested in me like that, Maggie. It just looks that way.” I can’t blow Rhett’s cover. I can’t let the audience know that he’s just acting to get votes. It might ruin his game.
“Honey, that man is head over heels for you.”
I laugh out loud. “No, he’s not. One day, after this show ends, I have lots to tell you.”
She eyes me quizzically. “I can’t wait.”
SAVANNAH
The kitchen is buzzing with anticipation. The tension in the air is palpable as the remaining contestants gather around Dan, who is standing at the front of the room. I can feel my heart pounding in my chest. This is the last challenge before finals week, and the stakes have never been higher.
Rhett, Lainey, Connor, Maggie, Zara, and I stand shoulder to shoulder, ready to face whatever the competition throws at us today. Dan clears his throat and raises the microphone to his mouth,
"Welcome to The Baking Games! This is the last challenge before finals week, and today, we have a special theme for you: holiday desserts. You'll design a dessert dedicated to your favorite holiday. That can be Christmas, Halloween, Easter, or even Arbor Day if that's your jam."
Even though what he said wasn’t all that funny, there’s a requisite laugh. Holidays mean comfort, warmth, and nostalgia for most people. So the other contestants, minus Rhett, of course, seem to be excited about this challenge.
For me, holidays were always a letdown. Christmas usually involved a TV dinner if we were lucky, and sometimes we would get a gift from a local charity of some kind, but most of the time, my mother would forget it was even a holiday. Never mind things like Halloween or Easter. I never went trick-or-treating, but thankfully, Sadie did because I took her myself. Once, I even set up an Easter egg hunt in our apartment. While sad to others, those days are among my favorite memories of me and Sadie.
The only time we got to celebrate anything was if the school had a party for it. Going home from school and leaving all the fun behind was always so upsetting. I knew other kids were going on Christmas break to spend time with their families, open their gifts, and sit by the Christmas tree drinking hot cocoa. We didn’t even have a Christmas tree most years, but I don't feel bad for myself. It's just a stark contrast in these sorts of situations where I have to think of something holiday-related when that really hasn't been a part of my past.
Dan continues. "Let's ask a question of one of our contestants. Social media is buzzing with queries for you folks. Connor, tell us, what has been the most surprising thing that you've learned while you’ve been in the house?"
Connor suddenly gets a look on his face. A smirk. I know it well, and I know it isn’t good. He steps forward slightly and turns to look at me and Rhett.
"Well, Dan, I was shocked to learn that Mr. Fancy Pants Pastry Chef over there," he points to Rhett, "doesn't actually work on yachts with celebrities like he told everyone. Turns out he's just a lowly cruise ship cook."
The room falls silent. I can feel the anger radiating off Rhett. I know this will throw him off his game, which is exactly why Connor has done it. My heart sinks when I see a look of betrayal on his face. He thinks I told Connor. I try to catch his eye so I can shake my head and tell him it wasn’t me, but he's turned his head away, his jaw set in a hard line.
Clearly taken aback by this onscreen revelation, Dan tries to regain control of the situation. "Okay, well, thank you for that, Connor. Why don't we go ahead and get to the challenge? You have three hours to create your holiday-themed dessert. Remember, this is the last challenge before the final, so you want to give it everything you've got. Your time starts… now!”
We all rush to our stations, the energy in the room shifting straight to frantic. I’m trying to focus on my dessert and whatever idea I can come up with, but I can only think about what just happened with Rhett.
And then Maggie's words echo in my mind. She thinks Rhett is in love with me. I steal a glance over at him only to find him glaring at me. He is extremely angry, and I can tell his composure is shattered. I don't want this to be the reason that he goes home. I start to walk towards his station, and he holds up his hand and shakes his head. "Don't."
I realize that I'm doing this for my sister. I can't get distracted right now, even if it means that I have to talk to Rhett later if we’re both still here by then. I'm sure we can work this out. But for right now, I have to focus.
I stand in the kitchen for a moment, close my eyes, and try to think of something that I can make. I finally come up with a Thanksgiving-inspired pumpkin spice cake with maple frosting. I will craft a Turkey out of fondant for the top, maybe even a small dinner table with food on it if I have time.
I take a deep breath and try to block out the noise. I have to concentrate. This isn't the time to get lost in thought. I gather my ingredients and start mixing my batter, but my hands are shaking.
"Hey, Savannah?” Lainey calls out from her station, which is now next to mine on the other side. Her voice is dripping with sarcasm. "You look a bit flustered. Everything okay?"
I force a smile. "I'm fine, Lainey. Thanks for your concern."