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Lisa and the neighborhood ladies were gathered on the sidewalk chirping away like highschool girls discussing about some cute guy at school. They were congratulating her for her latest sponsorship to a new cookbook. It's been a while since one of their 'neighborhood sisters' left. Mona was one heck of a lady, and she wasn't just some homemaker, they said her hands were magical. She'd look at a recipe and her hands would whip up one hell of a dish. Her oven loves her, and oh, no one can forget her homemade jams! Her homemade jams were to die for!
But oh, how Lisa envied her. Although they were both known to be the closest of friends in the neighborhood, heck, they were even nicknamed 'Mona Lisa', but you could see the green eyed monster staring from a distance when Mona isn't around. Lisa would look out the window and right across the road sits Mona's house, one homely and quiet place that hosts those who would like to visit for tea.
Nobody really knew why Mona and her little family moved away. Nobody knew except Lisa, of course.
You see, Bakersville is famous for its over the top mouth watering food and bakes. They even have a group of committee overseeing the community's baking activities, from baking classes to food festivals. Every year Bakersville would host the nation's biggest cookout and baking competition, gathering the best and craziest enthusiasts from every corner of the nation and beyond. The winner will get $10,000 in prize money as well as sponsorships from various cooking magazines. But the best part; a cookout with the President's family. Apparently the President has a lot of love for cookouts.
I'm gonna win that cookout, you'll see! Those thoughts rang loud in her mind as Lisa prepared her best secret recipe. You'll see, Mona. "My milkshake brings all the boys to the yard, and damn right, it's better than yours!" singing on top of her lungs as she tried to beat the blender's volume while making her morning shake. Needless to say, her screeching voice proved too hard to bear that it even made the neighbor's baby cry.
The event gathered thousands of visitors to Bakersville, and with every stage of competition, the ones that made it to the next round got lesser. As you would have guessed by now, Mona and Lisa were in the race, and boy did they give their all. It was amazing that they both got into the final round, and while there have been many rounds of extravagant themes, the final round came out as a surprise. The theme; jam. Lisa was almost furious when the theme was announced, but she thought of a better way to win, and that was to sabotage Mona by secretly taking away some of her ingredients.
In the end, Lisa won the final round of competition with her homemade apricot jam, while Mona came second with her mix berries jam. Little did Lisa know, Mona knew all along. And while she could have called her bluff and exposed her close friend's selfish doing, Mona decided to let it be and gave way for Lisa to win. She couldn't be bothered with the competition, but that day she lost a friend. On the day Mona left, she left a jar of jam on Lisa's porch. Underneath it was an envelope that wrote; to be opened after tasting.
As she looked out from her kitchen window right across the street, she gave out a proud satisfied smile as she saw the moving truck driving away. She scooped up a dollop of jam and spread it on her toast, took a bite and her eyes widened and shut as she felt her tastebuds being baptised by such divine taste. She opened the envelope and the note read;
Damn right, it's better than yours. I can teach you, but I have to charge.
art and flair courtesy of @PegasusPhysics
