I move toward the standing mixer, throwing ingredients in, taking care to

measure with conviction. Cooking is one thing, but making is another; there is

no room for measuring mistakes. An extra tablespoon of sugar could ruin the

whole dish.

Karl grins, his voice cutting through the tension. “Don’t forget to breathe, Abby,”

he reminds me, shooting me a wink from across the table.

I let out a breath. “I’m breathing.”

“Yeah, sure,” he says, sliding the bowl of lemon zest toward me. “Everyone

knows that breathing involves keeping your chest perfectly still, your shoulders

stiff, your face red.”

Enter title…

help but chuckle. “Alright,

a little while longer, zesting and whipping. The

faster than I expected,

for the nutmeg—only to pop open

of cumin. “What

up, eyes narrowing. “That’s not

it’s not.” I frantically search for the correct spice, but

“Maybe the labels got messed up.” I pick up

lid, and inhale. But the jar, labeled

panic rising. “Paprika in

here?”

into our spice

another jar labeled

bound to be the right one.

glance at the clock makes

hunting for spices than I would

documenting my struggle. Stifling a curse, I dump

and get back

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