“We could serve samples of what we cooked,” Michaela mused, chewing her lip. “The judges would like that.”
“There’s only one problem,” Jaden confessed, studiously ignoring how he could smell Michaela’s shampoo. “I can’t cook. Like, at all. I set spaghetti on fire.”
Michaela blinked. “…How?”
“I still don’t know. I was gonna repeat it, change a couple variables, but Mom thought maybe it was best if I didn’t.”
“Maybe not the solar oven, then,” Michaela said, running her finger down the list. “Do you think we have time to test the ones about plant growth?”
“Probs not. The fair’s in a couple weeks, and we have to make a really awesome display too.”
“Hm,” Michaela sighed, the side of her head bumping Jaden’s as she leaned in to squint at some of the notes Jaden had scribbled. “What is this about the ‘golden ratio’?”
“I read about it a couple weeks ago,” Jaden explained, pointing to a sketch of a nautilus shell in the notebook’s margins. “It’s supposed to be, like, the mathematically perfect ratio. The measurements of beauty, in terms of people and buildings and things–it’s in, like, all the Renaissance paintings. But it’s more than that, it’s repeated all over in nature,” he said, unaware that she was tracing its shape in the air as he spoke, and the way Michaela was staring at him, enraptured. “In everything. In the flowers, in the bees…in us. Drew Barrymore was talking about it in her photos.”
Michaela smiled, small and sweet, and tucked a straying lock of Jaden’s dark hair behind his ear. “That’s beautiful.”
Jaden half-laughed, glancing down and adjusting his glasses. “It’s just a ratio.”
“But you love it.”
“Yeah. Yeah I do.”
“Then maybe we should do a project on this,” Michaela murmured. “Maybe see how much faces in magazines match the ratio?”
“I hate fashion magazines,” Jaden admitted, his face scrunching. “They’re stupid. And I don’t know if it’s flashy enough for the judges, you know? They all like explosions and stuff.”
“You say that like you don’t,” Michaela teased, and Jaden laughed. “Why is ‘acid and base reactions’ crossed out?”
“It’s too much like those fake volcanoes. All the stupid sixth graders are gonna be making those.”
“Fake…volcanoes?”
“Yeah,” Jaden said, before turning to stare dumbfounded at Michaela. “You’ve never made a volcano?”
“No,” Michaela said, looking increasingly confused. “You can make volcanoes?”
A slow, wide grin grew across Jaden’s face. “Have you got baking soda an’ vinegar?”
*****
“What do you say to Pastor Mike, Jaden?”
Jaden shuffled his feet, but under the disapproving glare of his mother and the livid eyes of Pastor Mike, he relented.
“I’m sorry for sneaking into your house and setting off a baking soda volcano.”
“And?”
“And for doing it in Michaela’s bedroom. And for doing it without your permission.”
“And?” his mother asked again. Jaden squirmed.
“And for using up all your baking soda and vinegar?”
“That about covers it.” Sadie Alexander sighed, resting her hand on her son’s shoulder in a mix of comforting and preventing him from running, and turned to Michaela’s father. “I am so sorry about this–Jaden’s a big ideas guy, he doesn’t always think them through.”
“That is clear,” Pastor Mike smiled ruefully. Michaela had disappeared somewhere after her dad had come into the room and shouted an awful lot of things that really had not sounded very nice. “‘But we had our science experiment covered. It’s almost done. I can’t imagine what Mickie was thinking.”
Jaden felt his mother stiffen next to him, but Sadie’s tone was nothing but civil when she answered. “Well, these are good events for encouraging students to become interested in science when they’re very young. The more invested they are, the better I guess.”
“Michaela doesn’t need help with her work. She already has top grades in science, and she is going to be a world class surgeon someday.” He said proudly.
“I’m sure she will be,” Sadie said, her smile brittle. “But for now she is a child, and the fairs are good fun. I’ll be happy to pay for any damages,” she added, smiling widely, before Mike could reply. “Just send over the bill. I’ll be sure to have the kids do any science at our house instead of yours in the future.”
“Oh no I didn’t mean that he couldn’t come over. I just meant-“ Mike hastened to correct the impression but Sadie was already walking to her car.
Her arm firm on Jaden’s shoulder, Sadie steered Jaden away from the Sanderson’s fancy white brick house back over to the car. Jaden squirmed out of his mother’s arms as soon as they were inside the car, brushing off his t-shirt and jeans, both of which were stained with vinegar and baking soda.
“What were you thinking, Jaden?”
“She’d never made a volcano!” Jaden said indignantly. “Her dad way overreacted, anyway. The mess wasn’t that bad. He probably doesn’t even need a new rug.”
“Be that as it may,” Sadie sighed, “It isn’t our place to make those calls. Especially when it comes to other people’s families.”
“But Michaela’s not happy! He treats her like a kid.”
“Jaden…” Sadie sighed, tying up her dreadlocks. “It’s complicated, honey. You’ll understand–”
“I’m in fifth grade now, Mom, you can’t keep using that excuse forever.”
“I know,” his mother said, reaching out and running her hand over Jaden’s head. “But I can use it a little longer.”
“Mom,” Jaden complained, shrugging off the hand. “Stop treating me like a little kid!”
“Okay, okay,” Sadie laughed, parking in her driveway. “You can call tomorrow and see if her dad will let you come over and you two can work on your project, okay? And you’re going to call first, and use their front door. Agreed?”
“Fine,” Jaden sighed, alighting from the vehicle.
“And when we buy Michaela a new rug, the money’s coming out of your allowance.”
Jaden’s head shot back up. “But that’s like 40 dollars!”
“Better get saving, then.”