Page 111 of A Taste of Vanilla

“I’m here because the lock on her apartment door is bad, the lock on her back door is worse, and her oven has uneven heat.”

“My oven has a name,” I say quietly.

Everyone looks at me.

Dev leans forward from the espresso machine. “It does?”

“It does now,” I say.

Oliver rolls his eyes. “No.”

“Yes.”

“Halston.”

“My car has a name.”

“Your car is a dirty liar.”

“Yet she has an identity.”

Marley looks briefly pleased. “What’s the oven’s name?”

I stare at the oven through the kitchen doorway. It stares back.

Stainless steel. Slightly temperamental. Loyal but flawed.

“Agatha.”

Warren blinks. “Agatha,” he repeats.

“Yep.”

“Your oven’s name is Agatha.”

“She has a rich inner life.”

“The left side underheats.”

“Many women have that issue.”

Oliver whispers, “I need this day to end.”

Dev calls from the espresso machine, “I support Agatha!”

Lisa says, “Agatha needs maintenance.”

“Thank you,” Warren says, gesturing toward her.

She nods. “You’re welcome.”

I point at her. “Betrayal.”

She shrugs.

Warren looks at me again with an almost smile.

Marley smacks me. “No.”