I excused myself from the backyard.

In the spacious kitchen, Cecily was frantically prepping the ingredients.

When she saw me, it was like she’d just spotted a lifesaver. “Sylvie, what should I do? My cooking skills are pretty basic.”

Looking at the chaotic counter, I thought, “Basic? This is terrible.”

I quickly tied on an apron and said, “Let me take over.”

While I wasn’t a top-tier chef, making a few simple dishes Helena liked was a ...