Bubblegum kisses Part 2

*For the first part of this story, go here: http://aduckinherpond.blogspot.com/2008/05/bubblegum-kisses.html


Callie turned to the culinary creatures in horror. "My mother's coming! You've got to hide!" she cried.

"Where?" the hippo asked, swishing his tail.

Callie looked around, scanning the kitchen in desperation. "The cookie jar!" she said, grabbing it off the counter and pulling off the lid. "It's perfect!"

The elephant made a noise like a stuck trumpet. Pink bubbles spewed from his trunk. "No!" he shouted.

"Bubbles?" Celia said, momentarily distracted by the pink bubbles floating around her head. She pressed a finger to one as it floated by and dropped it on her tongue.

"Why, it tastes like cotton candy!" Celia cried. "That's amazing!"

"You should see what comes out of the other end," the hippo said, grinning wickedly.

"They taste like bubblegum when I'm nervous," the elephant mumbled.

Callie heard the door creak open. "Darling?" her mother cried. "I'm home!"

"Oh no," Callie gasped. "Quick! Jump in here!" She held out the pockets of her apron and the hippo and elephant jumped inside. She shoved the bowl containing the remaining batter into the oven and hid the baking pan in the dishwasher.

"Don't you do anything magical," the elephant muttered to the hippo. The hippo twitched his tail and grinned.

"Hello darling," Callie's mother said, breezing in and kissing her daughter on her cheek. "Have you been good?"

"Oh yes," Callie said, edging in front of the oven. Her mother sniffed the air. "Have you been baking? Is the oven on?" She reached for the oven door and Callie plastered herself against it.

"It's a surprise," Callie blurted out, hoping her smile looked innocent. With the elephant and hippo squirming in her apron pocket, she really was sorry she had ever tried cooking.

"Oh, a surprise," her mother smiled. " You didn't use the big oven, did you? Remember, no cooking when I'm not at home! There could be a fire or you could burn yourself..."

"I know." Callie smiled so wide she could swear her molars showed. Her mother rumpled her hair.

"Why don't you clean up your mess?" her mother said. "Then we'll take a walk and go swing at the park."

"Great!" Callie smiled so hard her cheeks stretched. She waited until her mother left the kitchen. Then she rushed over to the warm oven and gasped. Three new creatures stared up at her from the bowl.

"Hello!" a purple kangaroo cried.

"Do you have any leaves?" a caramel giraffe inquired.

"Hello!" a green moose shouted. "Do you have a fridge? It's stifling in here!"

Callie stared silently at the creatures. The hippo and elephant peeked over the edge of her apron. The elephant blew his trunk, and pink bubbles filled the kitchen.

At that moment, Callie knew that her life would never be the same again.