Page 23 of Cookbooks and Demons

“Hello, I’m calling on behalf of Scarlet Promotions…”

Just then Helena’s personal mobile lit up, silently alerting her that Chris was calling. She flipped it over so she wouldn’t be tempted to answer her friend.

“Okay, what can I do for you?” The woman on the other end soundedannoyed.

“I would like to set up a tastingwith you.”

“We don’t do tastings. We’re a catering service,” the woman said impatiently.

“Yes, we are looking to hire a catering service,” Helena said through gritted teeth. She was too tiredfor this.

“For how many people?” the woman said business-like.

“Fifteenhundred.”

“How many?!” the woman said, finally perking up.

“Fifteen. Hundred,” Helena said slower, now getting annoyed and letting her voiceshow it.

“Who are you again?”

“Helena Rhodes. I represent Scarlet Promotions. We are interviewing caterers for the Winter Rose Ball. Can I please set up a tasting appointment with you?” Helena said, trying to sound moderately civil as she spelled it out.

There was a long pause on the other end. “Our Executive Chef will have to call you back,” the unhelpful woman said, very unsure now. Helena left her contact information and thankfully got off the phone.

“Ugh,” she grumbled under her breath. “Only four more to go.”

Helena didn’t know what to expect as she wrestled her keys into her house’s door.

Just before she turned the key, she stopped as a thought hit her.

I left a demon at my home, alone.All day.

She didn’t know why that reality was hitting her then, but she turned to look around at the quiet street she lived on. Her house was a small one bedroom, a forgotten relic from an earlier era. The majority of the houses like hers had long been knocked down and replaced with three-story apartment buildings or three-flats that made her house seem like someone’s kid sister tagging along with the older kids.

She didn’t see anyone else on the street or hear very much outside of the usual city noises just a street away from this fairly quiet oasis. No one suspected that a demon wasso close.

Taking a deep breath, Helena fortified herself. “It’s alright. He isn’t going to be hereforever.”

Just then her phone rang out, playing “Dancing in the Streets.” She almost dropped it when she picked it up, catching the sight of “Chris” written across the screen again.

“Oh, dammit,” she said as she hit the answer button on the phone, then wedged it between her shoulder and cheek, so she could use her free hands to try to get her door open.

“Hey Chris, sorry about not calling you back. I was on other calls all day at work,” she said into the phone as she turned her key, then paused as the faintest smell of something hit her nose. She supposed she shouldn’t have been surprised that her houseguest had cooked dinner. What else was a food demon left to his own devices going to do?

“Yeah, that’s okay,” Chris said, sounding tired on the other end of the line. “I just need to talk to someone about a thing I’m wrestling with.”

“Here, just give me a few minutes to get into my house…” Helena said when she finally got the door popped open. A richer wave of food smells enveloped her, drawing her into her home with its enticing aroma.

“Yeah, yeah, I’m okay. Just take your time. I can wait,” he said, sounding tired and sad, which concerned Helena since he was usually the most jovial of people.

“Hey, I’m home!” she called as she stumbled through the doorway only to be greeted to quite the sight on her dining room table. It was covered with dishes, more than enough to feed a dozen people, all plated like they were ready for their close ups. On her TV, mounted to the wall in her designated living room, a cooking competition of some sort wasplaying.

“What is all this?” she cried out but got no response. “Rafferty?”

“Helena, is everything okay?” Chris shouted from the phone.

She pressed it back to her ear. “Hey, I’m sorry, Chris. Can I call you back? I have a … thing I got to take care of first,” she stated as she stared at the feast on her table.

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