Page 52 of Night Shift

"There's buttons," Yousuf pointed helpfully. "But I'm not allowed to use it by myself."

"Bowl first," Tyr suggested, opening cabinets at random. "Where would your mom keep the big mixing bowls?"

"That one!" Yousuf pointed to a cabinet near the stove. "The glass ones."

Tobi rummaged through the pantry. "Oil... we need oil. There's olive oil and something called vegetable oil. Which one?"

"The box says vegetable oil," Tyr read over his shoulder.

"There's a difference?"

"Apparently." Tyr shrugged. "Don't ask me, I haven't cooked since the 1400s."

They gathered their supplies on the counter - bowl, oil, eggs that Yousuf carefully carried from the fridge, and the mysterious electric beaters.

"Okay, plug it in," Tobi directed, holding the mixer like it might bite him.

"Maybe read the instructions first?" Tyr suggested dryly.

"How hard can it be? You just..." Tobi pressed a button. The beaters whirred to life at top speed, spraying the dry brownie mix across the counter.

"Turn it off!" Tyr ducked as powder flew past his head.

Yousuf dissolved into giggles as Tobi frantically jabbed at buttons. "No, the other one! The big button!"

The mixer finally fell silent. Tobi stood frozen, covered in a fine layer of chocolate powder. "Well," he said finally. "That was educational."

"Maybe we should add the wet ingredients first?" Tyr brushed brownie mix from his brother's shoulder, fighting back his own laughter.

"Now you tell me." Tobi glared at the mixer. "I liked cooking better in the Middle Ages."

Tyr watched as his brother and Yousuf finally managed to get all the ingredients combined into something resembling brownie batter. The kitchen looked like a war zone - chocolate powder dusted every surface, eggshells littered the counter, and mysterious splashes of oil decorated the backsplash.

"There!" Tobi declared triumphantly, pouring the mixture into the glass baking dish. "Now we just pop it in the oven and-"

"Pre-heat to 350°F," Tyr read from the box. "Did anyone turn on the oven?"

Tobi's face fell. "Oh. No."

They all turned to stare at the oven's control panel, a bewildering array of buttons and digital displays.

"Which one turns it on?" Tobi jabbed randomly at buttons. Nothing happened.

"Maybe this one?" Yousuf pointed to a knob.

Tyr twisted it, but the display remained dark. "There has to be a power button somewhere..."

"Oh, wait!" Tobi punched the air triumphantly as he discovered a button labeled 'BROIL'. He pressed it, and the oven hummed to life, the display glowing. "See? Got it!"

"Are you sure that's-" Tyr started, but Tobi was already sliding the brownie pan onto the top rack.

"It says thirty-five minutes." Tobi pulled out his phone and set the alarm. "Perfect! Who's ready for some TV while we wait?"

Yousuf bounced toward the living room. "Can we watch Paw Patrol?"

"Sure thing, buddy." Tobi ruffled the boy's hair as they settled onto the couch.

Tyr sank into an armchair, trying to ignore the nagging feeling that something wasn't quite right about their baking adventure. The smell of warming chocolate began to fill the air as Yousuf's show played on the screen.