#Chapter 109: Enjoy the Process

Agnes Thea and I spent an afternoon the following weekend in the kitchen, the air filled with the sweet scent of rose petals and the sound of laughter. Honestly, it was the most fun I’d had in weeks, maybe even months. Thea was practically bouncing up and down with excitement as we laid out all the ingredients for the perfume. We started by drying some rose petals in the oven, the kitchen quickly filling with their sweet, heady aroma. Thea stood on a stool beside me, watching intently as I spread the petals out on a baking sheet. She carefully helped me space them out evenly, then insisted on holding one side of the pan while I placed it in the oven. I couldn’t help but smile at how serious she looked as we worked, like this was the most important task in the world. While the petals dried, we ground up lavender and sandalwood. I showed Thea how to use a mortar and pestle, which was apparently the best thing since sliced bread for her. “This is so cool,” sh