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As I clomped down the stairs in my staple combat boots, I already smelled breakfast, and not the poured-into-a-boith-a-little-milk kind It was the kind of breakfast that sizzled in skillets

Even though I hadn’t had the whole tour of the Walkers’ place, the kitchen was easy enough to find If my nose couldn’t have found its way there, my ears could have Voices that ay too perky for so early in the

I paused inside the doorway of the kitchen and waited Rose and the three girls scurried around the large kitchen like so around in the fridge, another scras, Rose filled a pitcher with orange juice, and Cleest table I’d ever seen I did a quick count of the place settings Twenty They e

Everyone was so busy with their tasks no one noticedthe linoleuh that tiht for me

"Rowen!" Rose called out as she handed the pitcher of juice off to Lily "How did you sleep last night?"

If I ith the truth, her next questionto Rose her son was responsible for keeping ht, I decided to ansith a siot the dinner plate I sent Jesse up with?" she asked,a sleeveless, button-down blouse, jeans, boots, and soot it" Along with a vexing little note with a vexing little question "Looks like you’re about to feed an army What can I do to help?" I was there to work, Rose and I both knew that, butwould seem less like indentured servitude

"What, this little breakfast?" she replied, lifting a shoulder "Around here, this is an everyday, three ti is e host a nificant others Now that, that’s feeding an army This is just a simple breakfast"

My mouth fell open a bit "You do this every day?"

"Six months out of the year, three meals a day," Rose replied "The other six months we only cook for our family and maybe a couple others"

Insane

"Every day as in Monday to Friday, right?" Fifteen meals for twenty people a week? There had to be sohed "Honey, the day cattle only need tending to Monday to Friday is the day I’ a vacation to Hawaii"

Oh le day Breakfast Lunch Dinner My ic wand or so?" I asked because, really How could four woirls, prepare three hot meals a day, seven days a week, for twenty people if soic wasn’t involved?

"I wish I live by a philosophy that’s served anized chaos," she said with a wink "That’s ourtheme around here"

Emphasis on the chaos part

"Got it," I said, practically wincing as Hyacinth diced up a potato like she had er to roll onto the floor "I’m not the best cook in the world, and it’s better I don’t handle anything sharp, but I’ or pour drinks without spilling Better not givehot in case I spill it on so on like an idiot--"but just point me where you want anized chaos"

"Mo!"

"Plate up the food, girls, and go ahead and get it out on the table," Rose said, all calot to talk with Rowen for just a coupleher arh the kitchen, entryway, and living room We wound up across the house in what looked to be a mini-Laundroent, stain remover, and dryer sheets, and an island in the center of the roo