Daring Dreamers Club #2

by Erin Soderberg

  “The goal isn’t perfection, Piper,” Dan said, frowning at her. “It’s about getting a little better, one step at a time. You’re the one who always tells me that, in the kitchen, being perfect doesn’t matter. You learn from your errors, and then move on knowing a little more than you did before. It’s exactly the same thing with math. Right?”

  Piper had said that. But it sounded crazy now. She was supposed to go on TV, on a show that millions of people would watch, and there was still so much more she had to learn!

  By the time Friday rolled around, she was a ball of nerves and energy. Every time she picked up a cooking tool or thought about another gadget she needed to test out or learn how to use, she felt her breath quicken and her heart start to race. What if she didn’t win? What a waste of time all of this would have been!

  “Piper?” Mr. Mohan said, calling her name just as they were being dismissed for recess on Friday. “Can I speak with you for a moment?”

  She hung back as her classmates raced toward the playground. She glanced at her math notebook, knowing full well that her teacher was going to ask her about that failed quiz. It had been folded up in the back of her notebook for almost two weeks now. She had always known she couldn’t hide it from her parents forever.

  “Our next unit test is coming up in math,” Mr. Mohan said. “I wanted to check in with you to see how things have been going over the past few weeks. Do you need any extra help, or—”

  “I think I’m ready for the next test,” Piper blurted out, hoping it was true. “I’ve been working really hard, and I know I’ll do better than I did on the last quiz.”

  Mr. Mohan nodded. “I’m still waiting for a parent’s signature on that last quiz,” he said quietly. “Have you shared it with your mom or dad yet?”

  Piper chewed her lip. “Not yet,” she said slowly, an idea forming in her mind. “But, Mr. Mohan, I have a proposal for you.”

  Her teacher laughed. “Why am I not surprised?”

  “How do you feel about me retaking the last quiz?” she said. “You can test me with different problems, but make it a quiz on the same basic material. If I improve my score, we agree that I don’t have to show that bad quiz score to my parents.” She smiled hopefully at him. “I’d like a chance to show you I’m learning from my mistakes. I don’t know if I’ll get a perfect score, but I’ve been studying and practicing problems at home. I’ve figured out some strategies that help me break down these story problems. I know I can do better than last time. Isn’t that what matters? That I’m learning and improving?”

  Mr. Mohan said nothing for a long moment. Then he nodded. “That seems totally fair,” he said. “I’d like to see if you’re improving and moving in the right direction.”

  Piper thrust out her hand to shake on it. “Then it sounds like we’ve got a deal.”

  “I brought you something,” Piper told her fellow Daring Dreamers later that day. She pulled a plastic container out of her backpack and popped open the lid. “I finally finished the baby food surprise challenge. I was mad at myself for giving up last weekend when everything went wrong. So I got three new jars of baby food and finished the challenge last night. My family ate all the sweet potato and fruit tarts before I could pack them up to share, but I had a few of the mashed pea ones left over. They’re actually pretty good.”

  “It’s awesome that you gave it another go,” Ruby said. She sniffed one of the pea-green-colored balls. “But I’ve got to be honest, Piper. These snacks look…creepy.”

  “Looks can be deceiving,” Piper said, wiggling her eyebrows. “Remember, I had to cook everything using my Bunsen burner, so they’re not going to be super pretty. Taste before you judge.” She glanced at Milla. “No dairy or nuts.”

  Milla took a timid bite, grateful as always that her pal was mindful of her food allergies. “It’s so sweet!” Milla said, surprised by the flavor of the odd-colored ball. The dough was soft and light, and the filling inside was creamy and unexpectedly citrusy. “How did you do that?”

  “It’s all about mixing the right ingredients,” Piper said, beaming. “Science, my friend. Food science.”

  “So how are you feeling about your big day tomorrow?” Ms. Bancroft asked. “Are you ready?”

  “I guess?” Piper said, shrugging. “You’re all coming to watch, right?”

  “I wouldn’t miss it,” Ms. Bancroft said with a smile.

  The other girls nodded. “My mom and Mari’s dad are driving everyone there,” Milla told her. “We’re supposed to be at the studio by noon?”

  “Yup,” Piper answered. Then she shook her head. “I just hope I win. Otherwise, this is all for nothing. The stress, nerves, hard work…”

  Ms. Bancroft gave her a funny look. “Is that really how you feel?” she asked.

  Piper shrugged. “It’s ten thousand dollars, Ms. B. I definitely want to win.”

  “But this experience is about so much more than the prize money,” Ms. Bancroft reminded her. “When you dream big, it’s important to savor every step of the journey, and not just focus on the end goal.” Ms. Bancroft paused, and then said quietly, “Let me tell you a story. It’s about me, when I was around your age.”

  Piper and the other girls listened intently. Ms. Bancroft rarely told them much about herself.

  “The summer I turned twelve, I was sent to live with my grandparents, who I’d only met a few times in my life, while my parents sorted through some things at home,” Ms. Bancroft began. “As soon as I got to their house, I decided it was going to be a miserable two months. I started counting the days until I could go home again.

  “I moped around on the couch every day, watching movies and wishing the summer would hurry up and end. I’d been sent to my grandparents’ house against my will, and I was determined to make things difficult for everyone. I was a pretty unpleasant kid, to be honest.” She laughed.

  “Sounds like you were a real delight,” Mari said, giggling.

  “My grandparents didn’t own a lot of movies, but they did have Snow White and Sleeping Beauty, which I enjoyed. I watched both movies a hundred times that summer. I spent hours dreaming about how great it would be if I could flee my grandparents’ stuffy house and live out in the woods with a pack of dwarves or a fairy godmother for company. I envied both of those princesses, because their lives seemed so much better than mine,” Ms. Bancroft explained.

  “The grass is always greener in someone else’s yard, right?” Zahra agreed. Piper had heard people use that saying before but had never really known what it meant. Now she got it.

  “I sometimes heard other kids who lived in my grandparents’ neighborhood playing outside,” Ms. Bancroft continued, “but I didn’t know any of them, and frankly, I didn’t really want to know them. They weren’t my friends, and I knew I was leaving at the end of August—so why bother?”

  “Ms. B!” Piper said, giggling. “You had a bad-itude.”

  “I know,” Ms. Bancroft said, laughing along with her. “I didn’t make things easy on my poor grandparents.” She held up a finger and said, “But then one day, I was watching Sleeping Beauty and started to realize that she and Snow White and I were more alike than I’d ever realized. Both Aurora and Snow White were living away from their homes, Snow White with a houseful of strangers and Aurora with temporary guardians…and yet they had both figured out how to make the most of the situation they were in. Watching their stories helped me realize that I could be mopey and whiny and complain about being away from home and spend the whole summer waiting for it to end…or I could make the most of it and enjoy the adventure. That was a big turning point for me.”

  Piper loved hearing Ms. Bancroft’s story, but she didn’t understand what this had to do with her or her experience on The Future of Food.

  Ms. Bancroft went on, “I asked the five of you to write about obstacles and fears in a previous journal assignment for a r
eason. I hope you remember that you can face challenges and difficult situations head-on and come out stronger on the other side—or you can let them knock you down.” She nodded at Piper. “Tiana had big dreams, but she had to overcome all kinds of obstacles to achieve them. And just like you, Piper, she refused to give up. Her perseverance and hard work helped her to achieve those dreams. As long as you’re still enjoying yourself and making progress toward fulfilling your big dreams, then no matter what happens tomorrow,” she said with a smile, “you’ve already won.”

  On Saturday morning, Piper set her alarm for six. But at five-thirty on the dot, her eyes popped open and she flew out of bed. After a quick shower, she pulled on the loose navy blue pants and pale yellow top Zahra had helped her pick out for her big day. Then she wrestled her hair into braids and, using green pipe cleaners for support, twisted the braids into two lopsided buns, one on each side of her head. Her hair reminded Piper of rainbow cinnamon buns—Zahra had promised the silly and whimsical design would help her look the part of creative chef.

  No matter what she looked like, she felt comfortable, confident, and one hundred percent Piper. She was ready to take on The Future of Food.

  Contestants had been told to arrive at the studio by nine. Her parents were both coming early with her. Finley and Dan were going to ride to the studio with Milla’s mom so they wouldn’t have to sit around all morning waiting for the filmed portion of the competition to begin. Piper was excited to have some alone time with her parents. In a family of five, that didn’t happen very often.

  Milla called a few minutes after seven to wish her luck and remind her that they would all be cheering for her. “I don’t know if we’ll get to see you before filming starts,” Milla said. “So just pretend we’re all giving you big hugs before you go onstage, okay?” Piper was grateful to have such great friends.

  As Piper and her parents drove to the set, the three of them chatted about nothing in particular. It was obvious her parents were both trying to keep Piper’s mind off the competition, and she was grateful for the distraction. Still, the drive felt like it took forever—but they pulled into the parking lot at ten minutes to nine.

  Piper was grabbing the car door handle when her mom reached into the backseat and placed a hand on Piper’s leg. “Can I just say how proud we are of you?” she said. “You’re going to be fantastic today.”

  “Thanks,” Piper said, smiling. “I’m proud of me, too.”

  Her parents laughed. “You are really something, Piper,” her dad added, twisting around to face her in the backseat. “Fearless, smart, and confident. That’s quite a combination. I’m not sure where you got your kitchen and science smarts, but it’s always fun watching you do your thing.”

  “For real?” Piper said. “But it’s just food science. It’s not like this is a soccer tournament, or a math competition, or one of Finley’s supercute dance recitals.”

  “It’s not just food science!” her mom said, a strange look flashing across her face. “What you do in the kitchen is amazing, Piper. I hope you know we both really admire your creativity. And what you do at Helping Hands, not to mention the way you contribute with our family dinners, is really cool.”

  “But…,” Piper said, looking from her mom to her dad. “Sometimes I wonder if it’s easier for you guys to be proud of Dan and Finley. I mean, Dan wins all those trophies, prizes, and certificates. And Finley is, well, Finley. I’m just the boring, nonathletic, not-so-smart leftover.”

  “Oh, Piper,” her mom said, shaking her head. “That’s not what you think, is it?”

  “Sorta,” Piper confessed. “I really want to win today so I finally have proof that I’m the best at something, too. Sometimes, I feel like all I ever do is make a huge mess of things.”

  “That could not be further from the truth,” her dad said firmly. “One of the things I love most about you is that you forge your own path. You question things, you look at problems differently than other people, and you solve them in your own way. You’re the best at being you.”

  “I am certainly good at that,” Piper agreed. Then she frowned. “But what if I don’t win today? The ten thousand dollars—”

  “You can’t think about that,” her mom said.

  “But…,” Piper began. “But don’t we need the money so Dad doesn’t have to take that job in Chicago?”

  Her parents glanced at each other. “What job in Chicago?” her dad asked.

  “You were interviewing with that company you do work for in Chicago, right? For a full-time gig?”

  “I’ve been talking about doing more work for them, yes,” her dad said. “They did offer me a full-time position, but I told them I can only consider it if it’s a work-from-home position.”

  “So then we wouldn’t move to Chicago?” Piper asked hopefully.

  “No one’s moving to Chicago,” her mom said. “My job is here, your school is here, your friends are here. But your dad is going to pick up more work no matter what.”

  “I’m bored,” her dad said, shrugging. “I’ve been a busy stay-at-home dad for years, and without any of you hanging around during the day, I’m going a little crazy. I want to work more.”

  “Even if I win ten thousand dollars?”

  Her dad nodded. “I’m looking for more work because I like to be busy, and I miss working full-time. I know it will change some things, but I want to challenge myself. And just to be clear, if you win ten thousand dollars, that’s your ten thousand dollars—to save for college.”

  “If I don’t win, is college off the table?” Piper asked, tilting her head.

  “No,” her mom said. “And this is not the time to have that discussion. It’s time for us to go inside.” She patted Piper’s knee. “Are you ready to show the Kitchen Wizard who’s going to rule the future of food?”

  Piper hopped out of the car. “I sure am.”

  * * *

  —

  When the three Andelmans stepped inside the enormous warehouse set, a tall, thin woman holding a clipboard rushed over to them. “Welcome!” the lady said. “I’m Lydia, one of the production assistants. You must be Piper?”

  Piper nodded. She could feel the buns on each side of her head bobbing along. Somehow, because the buns had been Zahra’s idea, it almost felt as if Zahra were standing and nodding beside her—and that made her feel a little less nervous. “Piper Andelman,” she said, thrusting her hand toward Lydia.

  “We’re excited to have you on the show today—your audition video was super fun, and we love your creative spark,” Lydia said, shaking Piper’s hand. “I’m going to show you around the set, give you some time to check out your workstation, then walk you through your schedule. Sound good?”

  “Sounds good,” Piper said. From where she stood, she could see hundreds of lights set up around an industrial kitchen set. There were dozens of official-looking people bustling around. Piper craned her neck, trying to spot the other contestants.

  Squinting, she gazed across the room. She noticed someone wearing chef whites on the far side of the set. The man’s handlebar mustache had been waxed into two delicate curlicues over his top lip, and his face was immediately recognizable. “Is that…,” she began, looking to Lydia for confirmation, “Arlo VanDries?”

  Lydia smiled. “Sure is. His son is one of the other contestants on today’s episode.”

  Piper gulped. “Arlo VanDries has a son? And I’m competing against him?”

  Piper’s mom looked at her with a questioning look. “Who is Arlo VanDries?”

  Piper sighed. “Only the executive chef of Arlo’s Bistro.”

  “That fancy French restaurant?” her mom said in a voice that was not at all reassuring. “Like, Arlo of Arlo’s Bistro?”

  “That’s the one,” Piper answered. She had spent some time the previous summer researching local chefs. Mr. VanDries was the most famous of the
bunch. He had been trained by big-name chefs in New York City and spent several years learning even more about French cooking in the south of France. He had won awards! Surely his son knew a few—or a few million—things about cooking. “I’m competing against Arlo VanDries’s kid,” she said quietly. “Who else am I up against?”

  “It’s a good mix today. You all come from very different backgrounds, which will make for a fun show.” Lydia glanced down at her clipboard. “Today we’ve got Jack VanDries, Frankie Catapano, and you. You’ll get to meet them when you go into makeup.”

  The name Frankie Catapano sounded familiar. As soon as she realized why, Piper’s eyes widened. “Frankie of Frankie’s FancyCakes?” she asked, hoping she was wrong. “The YouTube star?”

  “The one and only,” Lydia said with a smile. “Her cake-decorating skills are incredible, aren’t they?”

  Piper squeaked in agreement. Though she’d known she would be competing against some great chefs, the thought of going up against a YouTube star (whose videos she had been following for over a year!) and a famous chef’s son made her stomach clench with nerves. How could she possibly beat either one of them? Was it too late to back out?

  “You’re going to adore both contestants,” Lydia said reassuringly. “Don’t let anyone’s fame or background intimidate you. And remember that you deserve to be here just as much as anyone.”

  “Uh-huh,” Piper said, gulping.

  Lydia patted her on the back and guided her toward the kitchen. “Just try to have fun with today’s challenge, and don’t be afraid to take some chances. That’s what the Kitchen Wizard and today’s guest judge will love to see more than anything.”