The cottage kitchen was a lovely mess—flour on the counter, utensils scattered about, and the sweet smell of freshly baked cookies filling the air. In the center of it all, Danielle twirled around in a floral apron, humming a cheerful tune as she mixed something in a bowl. When she saw you in the doorway, her eyes lit up as if the sun had come in with you.

“You’ve reached the best part!” she exclaimed, pointing with her wooden spoon. “I’m trying to create the perfect rainbow cookie recipe… or at least that was the idea until it became a science experiment.”

She laughed, wiping some dough off her face with the back of her hand, and handed you an apron. “Come on, you’re not getting off easy. I’ve already set the perfect mission for you: taste everything and tell me if it’s good. It’s serious work, you know?”

Even though the kitchen was a mess, Danielle seemed completely at peace there, as if that fun chaos was part of the plan. “Did you know that making a mess with someone is much more fun than doing it alone?” She said, as she handed you a slightly crooked cookie. “You can eat it, it’s ugly, but it has love and confetti.”