Now this one is a long one. Make sure to grab a snack and enjoy the adventure!
The different raiser- in case you’ve never read this series before… here is a quick summary of The different raiser: In Amazing middle school the whole 8th grade has just been given a big project. Fundraising a cause in need! How? None of the students can answer that one yet. While some kids began on this tough project right away, some have been cutting it close to the deadline… and with mysterious crimes and talking animals popping up all around the city, some of the kids at this school need more than luck to pull off all they plan to.
When Katelin came back downstairs, she noticed what was probably the most strangest thing she'd ever saw. Her (evil) cousin Jane, was baking.
Immediately she was confused. “Jane! What are you doing?” Katelin had to ask.
“What does it look like I’m doing? I’m making some… cookies!” Jane answered, scooping spoon-fulls of peanut butter and placing them into a bowl.
Katelin noticed that Jane said what she was baking a little unsurely.
“Jane cooking!?” Jane’s little brother yelled from the living room, where he was watching TV. To him, Jane cooking was like saying pigs can fly. Everyone ignored him.
“Jane, are you sure you know what you’re doing? Do you even have a recipe?” This was Katelin’s nice way of saying, you suck at making desserts. What’s gotten into you?
“What? Only you can make stuff in this house? I’m just making some cookies for all of us to enj-joy.” Jane giggled in the middle of her ‘enjoy’, since she knew what she was really up to, and every time Katelin stared at her, it made her want to giggle just thinking about how Katelin would look after everything she had planned was done and over with.
Katelin glared at Jane. “Sure. Just don’t make a mess. The inspector will be here at any moment now.” Katelin took the cinnamon muffins she made out of the oven, since they were finally done. She then went up into her room to practice what she’d say to the inspector.
Jane soon threw some chocolate melting wafers into another bowl and shoved it into the microwave. Jane was so tired of hearing ‘the kitchen inspector will this’ and ‘the inspector is that’. Jane was also so tired of her cousin! Katelin had this project for school in which she had to fundraise a cause and take pictures or film a video of her fundraiser as evidence that she actually completed the project. Katelin had chosen to fundraise a garden shop that was being threatened of having to close down. Since baking was her strong suit, she had chosen to have bake sale! But since Katelin was only 13 and didn’t have the license to sell her foods to others, she had decided to get the license by starting her own baking business!
But to go from amateur baking to having a full on business, Katelin had to earn licenses and other stuff Jane wasn’t interested in, but there was the fact that her kitchen had to be inspected by a professional state kitchen inspector in order to continue on her quest to becoming a professional baker and opening a business.
Normally, Jane would have been so uninterested that she’d leave the kitchen even if she was hungry and stay in Katelin’s room playing an app on her phone until the inspection is done and over with. But today was different. A few days ago Katelin had tricked Jane into thinking she had bitten into a cookie that had bleach in it, and after Jane had freaked out, Katelin told her it was a prank.
The nerve of her! Jane thought. And that’s not even the end of it!
Today Katelin had refused to help Jane with Jane’s school project. Jane was supposed to write a two-page essay on how one person can make a difference in society, with an example of who is changing the city or the country right now.
How did her teacher expect her to do that? Jane didn’t have a magic wand or anything that would automatically Write two pages in a little more than a week.
Katelin has it so easy. Jane ruminated. All she has to do is Pass some stupid kitchen inspection that an adult would usually take and then bake over a hundred treats for a bunch of people Who will hopefully donate to the cause of saving city garden shop. Could her life get any easier!?
At least I’ll get her back. Jane was thinking as she listened to the microwave’s radiating hum as it liquified the chocolate. Jane was a master grudge holder and an expert at brewing plans out of spite. I’ll make sure she gets exactly what she deserves for telling me I ate a cookie filled with bleach and not helping me with my project.
After the chocolate melted, she added it to the peanut butter, and stirred it until it was sticky and looked gross.
After the mixture was as thick and nasty-looking as it could be, she added some chopped peanuts to the mix. If the mixture could look any grosser, it did.
I almost can’t believe I’m doing this. Jane thought to herself. She turned to Handsome, whose drooling had made a puddle on the floor.
Jane looked Handsome up and down with a disgusted look, and soon Handsome saw the drool he had left while laying on the floor.
“It’s not my fault! You try not to slobber with jowls!” The dog barked.
“Oh sure,” Jane started, but then thought better. “Actually, that’ll work! Keep it up dog. Slobber as much as you want.”
Handsome tilted his head at Jane, then thought about what he thought Jane meant. “Oh! I get it! This is how we’ll get back at Katelin! She hates cleaning up my slobber, I think it’s one of her peeves. I almost feel too sad to do this to Katelin, and right before the inspector person gets here.” Handsome barked.
“If that’s the only thing you think I’m doing to get her back, you are in for a very rude awakening.” Jane mumbled.
“What?” Handsome barked back.
“I asked where the black and green food coloring is.” Jane fibbed.
“I brought my cars to make an extra messy kitchen.” Jerrel said holding up a toy sports car.
Jane finally found the food coloring was. She smiled. “Good.”
Jane was smiling at Jerrel, which made him suspicious of her. She never smiled at him, unless she was about to do something really mean.
“Are you sure Katelin said we can mess up the kitchen?” he had to ask again.
Jane frowned, annoyed. She didn’t have time for this, especially not since Katelin and the Kitchen inspector would be here any minute. “Yes! I told you the inspector liked messes, didn’t I? So help me make a mess!” Jane said quickly and quietly.
“Okay-okay.” Jerrel said in a tone someone would say ‘geez’ in.
Everyone sat there until Jane slowly cut open a flour bag. Then she turned it over and plopped all of it on the floor, ounce after ounce falling to the floor, leaving a great puff of white smoke all around them.
“Cool! A snow road for my cars to drive on!” Jerrel soon flopped to the floor and drove his cars through the flour, making tracks in the kitchen as he went.
And that’s when chaos erupted: Jane had started to spill syrup all over the counters while Jerrel stated to place little bits of candy everywhere to make it look like Katelin had just had a new recipe idea-if that idea involved throwing things around the kitchen.
Handsome was just a walking mess by default. Not only had he drooled in the kitchen, but he was also shedding immensely at this time of year and had left dog hairs all over the place. Plus his paws were not exactly at their cleanest.
And Jane’s ‘cookies’ were coming out perfect. They were gross-looking, but they didn’t smell bad. Eh, at least they look bad. Jane mentally said to herself before she dropped two drops of black and one drop of green food coloring into her creation. Then she swirled it together, scooped it in a piping bag and got to work on the floor.
Soon they heard the doorbell ring and Jane’s heart seemed to skip a beat out of nervousness. The kitchen inspector was finally here!
Katelin rushed downstairs. “They’re here! They’re here! Everyone act formally. You too Jane!”
Jane rolled her eyes, then swooped down to Jerrel’s level. “Here put this on,” she handed him an apron.
“Why am I gonna wear this?” Jerrel looked weirded out.
“Because you have a chance to eat all the sour candy in the world if you’ll just do as I say.” Jane whispered to him.
“How!?” Jerrel whispered excitedly.
And so Jane whispered what she had in mind in his ear and ran upstairs.
Handsome rushed over to join Katelin. “I’ll help you with the interview Katelin!”
“No!” Katelin yelled to the dog. “If they hear you speak we’ll both be toast! Plus the kitchen inspector may not like dogs! Come stay in the laundry room.” Katelin then tugged on Handsome’s collar.
The dog very reluctantly followed Katlin into the laundry room.
As soon as she closed the door, Handsome whined. Now, Katelin hated, absolutely Hated with a capital H, when her dog cried. It made her feel sad too, even if it was the right thing for Handsome, like taking him to the vet when he wasn’t feeling well. But she steeled herself through it.
“You will get a treat for this afterward, I promise.” Katelin said to the laundry room door before heading to the front door.
She opened the it to find a lady who smelled like she had gallons of perfume on. She had on makeup Katelin thinks the lady thought was supposed to be unnoticeable but was definitely noticeable to Katelin. She had her (fake) hair in a messy braided bun and a mole just above her upper lip on the right side of her face.
“Hi,” Katelin said cheerfully.
“Hello,” the lady said with a tight, practiced, forced smile. “Where’s your kitchen?”
“Down the hall, pass the living room, on your left.” Katelin instructed her.
“I’m Sheila, and all I’m gonna do is inspect your kitchen to see if it’s…” Sheila started walking.
“If it’s cooking safe?” Katelin finished.
“Yeah.” Sheila barely confirmed by a whisper. Before the inspection even started Katelin was already wondering what she did wrong.
Sheila rushed past Katelin then stopped short right before the entrance of the kitchen. Her eyes looked like they were bulging out of her head and her mouth quickly dropped open.
Katelin's heart was having an internal cardio work out as she went to stand next to Sheila at the entrance of the kitchen.
There was the most terrible, horrible mess that greeted Katelin and the inspector. Flour was everywhere and chocolate chips scattered were in a trail around the room. There were even vegetables ripped into shreds on the floor. Not to mention the toys Jerrel had left everywhere.
“Oh my god.” was all the inspector could muster. She stepped inside to examine the mess that was the kitchen. She slipped on a piece of carrot and almost fell down but Katelin caught her just in time.
“I am so sorry.” Katelin apologized. “This mess wasn’t here when I was downstairs.”
“What were you doing in here?” Sheila said in an outburst. “Experimenting with veggies and sweets?”
“No! No, I don’t know how all this got here!” said Katelin.
“I...I’ve never inspected a kitchen like this.” Sheila was trying to find the right words for how she felt, but she kept blanking when she looked at all the mess. “Is that...dog hair!?”
“No!” Katelin said immediately. She picked the hair right off the floor. It definitely was dog hair, but if Sheila found out, Katelin was done for.
That’s when Jerrel came out of the huge, also messy pantry, happy and with a ‘smooch the cook’ apron on. “Hello.”
“Who are you?” Sheila asked him.
He recited what Jane told him to say. “I’m Jerrel. She left me here to cook ma'am." He pointed at Katelin.
Katelin's mouth dropped. “I. did. Not!” Katelin said honestly. She couldn’t believe Jerrel was lying on her like that.
“Where was she while you were in the kitchen?” Sheila asked him.
“Oh, upstairs in her room.” Jerrel answered.
Sheila couldn’t believe it.
She turned to Katelin ounce before turning back to Jerrel. “Where are your parents?”
“Uh, at the police station.” Jerrel wondered as to why the lady asked that.
Sheila’s mouth involuntarily dropped again.
“They work there! His parents work there! He’s only staying with me because his parents have some schedule complications at their police stations and can’t watch him until they get things straightened out.”
“At the police station?” Sheila looked like she was scared of Katelin.
“Yes! And they're not my parents. They’re my aunt and uncle. We’re cousins. And did I mention that they work at the police station?” Katelin panicked.
“Ah.” said Sheila. “Is the kitchen always like this or did you do all this just for me?”
“Just for you.” Jerrel answered happily. Jane had told him that the inspector liked messes and that the mess would prove Katelin cooks a lot. Katelin did cook a lot and Jerrel was glad the inspector noticed his work.
“Na-uh, it’s messy like this all the time. We weren't out for you in particular.” Jane lied with a smile.
“No it isn’t! She’s lying!” Katelin glared at her terrible cousin.
Sheila was beyond bewildered and disgusted. She looked like she was going to spontaneously combust. she was beginning to take steps out of the kitchen when she stepped on something squishy.
She closed her eyes and slowly put her hands up. “I don’t even wanna see it. Just tell me. What, did I step in?”
It was disgusting looking. Katelin thought she might barf herself.
It was a weird, clumpy dark brown-green mush.
“Oh! You must have stepped in dog poop!”
“DOG POOP!? THERE WAS DOG IN HERE!?” Sheila screamed
“Of course!” lied Jane. “You didn’t know Katelin lets her dog in here while she cooks?” Jane looked at Sheila like it was the most obvious thing. “That’s a constant!”
Sheila looked horrified.
“I don’t! I really don’t have him in here when I cook!” Katelin said honestly.
“Yes you do! Didn’t you have him in here while you were baking those cinnamon cupcakes earlier?” Jane said smugly.
“Yeah you did! I remember! Don’t you remember him being in here?” Jerrel said. He felt sad and confused. The inspector looked scared. This was going nothing like Jane said it would.
It was two against one.Though Katelin badly didn’t wanna look bad, she had lost the battle. “Yes, I do remember Handsome being in here. But it was only that time! I promise I don’t always have him in here!” Katelin hoped that Sheila was still listening, but she looked outright dazed.
“I knew I heard his voice.” said Jerrel
“Wha- dogs can’t talk!” Sheila said, near cumbustion. “How did you hear its voice?”
“Well, most dogs don’t talk, but this one does.” Jerrel said truthfully.
“Don’t listen to him, he’s delusional!” said Jane. “He thinks animals can talk, but we're taking him to see people to make him stop thinking that.”
Katelin and Jerrel looked shocked at Jane.
“What!? None of that is true!” Jerrel stared daggers at Jane.
“Isn’t it Katelin?” Jane said smugly. “I mean, does your dog really talk? Because if so, I have every right to turn him into the authorities.”
Stung, Katelin knew what she had to say. “No, he doesn't talk.”
“What, but Katelin!” Jerrel started, but she avoided his gaze. Katelin just couldn’t let her dog be given away to be dissected and tested on.
“I thought state laws were clear about no kids under the age of ten in the kitchen when cooking for business!” Sheila recited. “And if this one,-” Sheila placed a hand in Jerrel’s direction, “-is clearly crazy, then why are you letting him out and about in the kitchen during an inspection?”
“Look, he isn’t crazy! He just… I didn’t know he was in here. ” Katelin said sadly. “Don’t listen to Jane!”
“I can’t listen to any of you because all of you have a different truth! You even had a dog in here!” Sheila yelled.
Jane decided to add fuel to the fire.“Katelin doesn’t watch him very well. Especially when she’s in the kitchen trying to bake. Want to meet him?”
Sheila looked like she was going to faint. “No.”
“Oh, you really should, he’s quite friendly, you’ll forgive him at once!” Jane told her.
Jane walked out of the kitchen and Sheila the kitchen inspector froze for a second before speaking.
“This is no place to serve people, Katelin. You’ve failed the inspection. I won’t allow people to eat baked-goods that come from a place with traces of dogs and messy kids and a trashy environment.”
Katelin looked beyond sad. “No! please! it’s just stupid Jane’s fault all this happend! I know it is! One more chance! I promise-”
But Sheila was already walking out of the kitchen. She had made it to the grand main hallway when Jane opened the laundry room door. “Inspector lady, meet Handsome!” she said before Handsome rushed out at her.
Handsome may have been a talking dog, but his doggy senses kicked in once he saw a human he'd never seen before. His tail began wagging faster than a fan spins and he troted over to Sheila.
Sheila, who happened to be scared of dogs screamed and ran for the door.
Naturally, her running made Handsome want to chase her and he chased her all the way to the door before she opened the door and rushed out. By then Katelin had grabbed the st. Bernard's collar and held him back.
“Handsome no!” Katelin yelled as decently as she could, as Handsome’s tail was smacking her.
Jerrel had helped hold Handsome back too, and had pushed him back just enough to close and lock the door.
Complete silence for three minutes.
“Well that was a bust.” Jerrel allowed himself to say.
That’s when Katelin could no longer hold it in. she cried. And cried. And she didn’t even notice she went from whimpering to bawling.
Jane felt guilt brewing in her chest cavity. Oh no, I hate guilt. She thought. Now she thought she was a horrible person. To her cousin, to her brother, and to the (probably) only talking dog in the world.
“So I’m crazy now huh?” Jerrel said angrily at his sister. “I should have never helped you. I hate you.” Jerrel said. Jane felt like a knife had just went through her heart.
As Katelin continued to cry, Handsome came over to lay by Katelin’s side, and licked the tears off Katelin’s face.
As he did this, Katelin laughed and began to cheer up. She took a breath before she said, “Handsome, I’m sorry I didn’t tell mom and dad that you can talk. I just was afraid that…” she sniffled. “They’d take you away. Since you can talk and all, they might sell you for money. Mom’s a dog food scientist. She might even turn you into other dog scientists who might study you in an isolated lab or something. I’m sorry.”
Handsome thought about this. “It’s okay.” he said, and he no longer believed that Katelin treated him wrong. She was treating him just right. And he knew that together, they could face anything, no matter Jane or dog scientists.
Katelin and Handsome both then pondered on what to do next. But they both knew that whatever either of them said, they would listen, because they were family through and through.
TO BE CONTINUED.