Myleen Trevino

Turn The Page

It's spring and Clara's culinary school is out for spring break. If it was up to Clara, she would prefer that school stay in session, because there was nothing more than to be finished with school, and start her career as a Chef. Clara was eager to get out there and show the world her love for food, passion for cooking, and one day have her own restaurant. On her drive home a reckless women failed to break on time, and Clara hit the back of her car. Clara's car would not start nor move, and this is how Clara's dream of finishing culinary school came to a pause. Living in Los Angles, with no transportation to get to work or anywhere for that matter is pretty tough. Clara decided to get a job to help her to get another car, but she needed to make money fast. Her best friend Sam suggested she nanny or cook for a wealthy family. Sam, told her that it was great money and sometimes they even let you live in their guest home. Clara found this to be a great option, and culinary school would be put on hold, until she got herself another car. She applied with a family in Beverly Hills, and was able to move into their guest house, all expenses paid, and she herself was paid very well. This family had one child who was 9 years old, but had an old soul about him. The family informed Clara that were would be travel, as they have vacation homes in Costa Rica, and another in France. Which meant she had to travel with them if need be. Clara spent her days in the family's extraordinary kitchen, where she cooked delicious meals for the family. Several months went by and the family decided to take a trip to their home in the South of France. Clara was invited to join, as they needed her to care for their son, as they had some business to do. They arrived at this beautiful home in Palombaggia Beach, which the home was so near to the ocean, you could almost taste it. Clara had never left the country, much less Los Angeles. As they all settled in for the night, Clara could not help to think about how devastated she was about not being able to finish school, she had no car, and yet here she was in France. Although, things seemed to be unclear, Clara was sure that this path had to be leading her to something good. The next couple of days went by and the family decided to take their sailboat out. The weather was clear, warm, and so inviting. The family and Clara sailed away into the ocean, and it was so breath taking and peaceful. They arrived to this smaller island called Hidden Island, which the name was definitely fitting as it only allowed the exclusive to set foot in. The family, decided that Clara take a couple days off and go explore the island, which had restaurants, bars, music, snorkeling, and other activities to enjoy. Clara, was excited but yet felt alone on this captivating island. She headed straight to the beach to enjoy the ocean, the sand, and the warm sun. As she laid in the water, the ocean tickled her toes, while the sun made her cheeks warm and rosy. Clara, decided that it was time to head back and possibly find a place to enjoy a delicious dinner. As she was walking towards the main land, it got a little rocky, and she felt something poke her under her foot, that it made her tumble into the sand. Clara looked under her foot and saw something black, so she dug it out until she finally realized that it was a little black notebook. Clara, grabbed the notebook and started walking towards a restaurant that she could see up ahead. Clara, sat down an ordered La meuniere, which roughly translated the term à la meunière refers to a French cooking technique in which a whole fish or fish fillets are lightly dusted in flour and then sautéed in butter. Anything sauteed in butter made Clara very delighted, for anything cooked in butter had to be exquisite. Clara paired her meal with a sauvignon blanc, and the sounds of the ocean behind her. As Clara grabbed into her bag she felt the notebook and pulled it out. She opened to the first page and it read, Turn The Page, but you must follow step one through four. Well, Clara was curious at this point and read onto the next page. The next page read, "If you follow steps one through four, you will receive twenty thousand dollars." Clara, shut the little black notebook, and was astonished! She said to herself, "Twenty thousand dollars?" Clara knew what she could do with that kind of money. She could get her car and finish her last semester of culinary school. That next day, Clara took the notebook out again and turned to the next page. It read, "Step one, Leave your job." So she read on the to next page, her curiosity grew stronger. "Step two, go to Paris, to address 127 Rue de la Pompe." Step three, tell my son to come home." Step four, you have one week to get him back home and I will pay you twenty thousand dollars." Clara, jumped to her feet and told the family that she was taking a train to Paris, and she would be back by next Monday. The family agreed that a soon to be chef, should take advantage of what France had to offer. Clara, arrived to the address on the notebook and knocked on the wooden door, that seemed to be from a photograph of a magazine picture. A tall, strange gentleman answered the door with no shirt, and just his jeans. Clara, unsettled, demanded that he put on a shirt and get on the next flight out to see his Dad. He laughed and said "Hi, I'm Preston, who are you?' Clara, always liked that name Preston but that was the least of her concern, because her mission was to get this strange guy on a plane, and get her money. Preston, shut the door on her and Clara was in totally shock and dis belief. Clara, yelled behind the door and said, "I'll be back tomorrow, be packed and ready to go!" That next day Clara arrived to the same address and knocked on the door. This time Preston was not with out a shirt but amazingly dressed from head to toe. Now he looked like something out of a magazine. Clara had to focus because she only had a week to get this man home to his Dad, which clearly is very important to him, because he's offering to pay someone an extremely large amount of money. Money that could save my life, thought Clara. Clara, then spoke up to Preston and told him about the little black notebook. Preston went on to say, that "yeah my dad gave that to someone before and she failed her mission." "She must of threw it out to the ocean and gave up." Clara, said "Well I'm not giving up, this money could help me in so many ways, and I need this." "I'm not a quitter!", said Clara. Preston wanted to go get something to eat and offered Clara to join him. They spent that whole day together and he explained his side of the story, and why he doesn't want to go back. Preston's father wanted him to take over the company but Preston didn't feel ready, and wanted to find himself. Clara, decided to hold back on her story, because she didn't feel that a stranger that she didn't even know, should know about her life. All she wanted was to get this man home and get her money. Clara, was persistent and arrived back at Preston's place the following day. Preston, decided to take Clara to some of the most amazing restaurants that France had. It was Preston's way of distracting Clara's mission to get him to go home. They first had breakfast, then lunch, which paired with delicious fine champagne and wine. Clara had lost herself for that moment and was taking in all the pleasures that France had to offer. Clara, talked to chefs of every restaurant, which were friends of Preston, and they gave her advice, and recipes, that she could take with her. Clara was absolutely lost in the food, wine, and abeyance. Later that night, after too many glasses of wine, a walk through the city, with an Eiffel tower twinkling as bright as a star, Clara finally opened up to Preston. She told him about culinary school, her car accident, and the family she worked for. That next day she woke up with cherry red lips, and a headache that pounded her brain. Clara, had only two more days, and she was running out of time. Preston had another adventure up his sleeve, ,and wanted Clara to see the wine vineyard he was working on to buy. Clara saw Preston's passion, like she herself had the same for cooking, but at the end of the day he must also not neglect his family. The wine vineyard was spectacular, and had a old castle, that was turned into a boutique hotel. It looked like they we were spending the night in this castle, because after tasting some of the most mesmerizing wine, it looked like we couldn't go to far. Now Clara understood why the other person quit her mission, with Preston being so smooth, tall, handsome, and had passion for what he loved. There was no way of getting this Man back home to his father. The next day, Clara woke up and saw that Preston was still asleep in the next room beside hers. Clara, headed downstairs quietly and found the kitchen. She opened the refrigerator and found everything and anything she needed to make breakfast. Clara, decided to make one of her favorite dish, which was egg, and cheese souffle, with a side of crumpets. The smell of deliciousness filled the castle and in no time Preston came down to the kitchen. Preston, took one bite and looked into Clara's eyes. At that moment he knew that she too had a passion like he did, and didn't want to take that away from her, like his father was doing to him. Preston, grabbed his bags and told Clara that he had to go, and that Clara should go back home too, or where ever she needed to be. Clara, understood Preston, because she too had the same love for what she wanted to do in life. Clara, decided that no mater how she was going to finish school, or get her car, it would all happen in time. Clara, couldn't just let Preston give up on his dream, and she too had her dream that she wanted in her life. Preston left and Clara left back on a train back to the family that Monday morning. The family was happy to see Clara, and they all left back to Los Angeles that next day. Clara, had a lot on her mind but she knew as soon as she got back to the States, she would figure out her plan to get her car and finish school. A month went by and one day as Clara was leaving out the door of the guest house of the family, an older gentleman was standing out on the front yard. He introduced himself as Mr. Michael Mckay. She recognized that last name, as it was Preston's last name. Mr. Mckay, handed her an envelope and said "thank you." Clara was surprised and said "for what?" Mr. Mckay explained that Preston came home and told him about his wine vineyard, his passion to start his own business, and about a young women who had the same passions too. Mr. Mckay, drove away, and left. As he drove off, Clara opened the envelope and pulled out a check for twenty thousand dollars. Clara, put her had over her mouth and was so astonished. Clara, used that money to buy herself her car and finish the last semester of culinary school. On Clara's graduation day, a tall, handsome, Man walked up to her and said, "congratulations!" Clara, turned around and gave Preston the biggest hug, and thanked him for coming home to see his father. Preston, told Clara that he would come spend more time with his family and would like to start his own family as well. Preston got down on one knee and purposed to Clara, and told her that he loved her. Clara said yes, and she moved to France, where she and Preston have a wine vineyard and a restaurant of their own. Preston, always gives his compliments to the Chef, and Clara always makes sure they spend time with each other's families. The End!