Gemotions

Agnes’s hands trembled as she clutched the newspaper. A photograph of “Madame Evangeline’s Éclairs” stared back at her, resplendent and golden-brown. Her heart hammered against her ribs. She’d made those exact pastries for the church bake sale, years ago. The recipe, passed down from her grandmother, was her secret. Now, the celebrity chef, Madame Evangeline, was claiming it as her own.

A cold sweat slicked her palms. She fumbled for her spectacles, shoving them up her nose. The article gushed about the secret ingredient: "a pinch of magic," according to Evangeline. Agnes scoffed. It was a pinch of cardamom. She felt a knot tighten in her stomach, a feeling like someone had just stolen a piece of her soul.

She knew what she had to do. With newfound resolve, she smoothed down her floral dress. She would get her secret back.