“It sounds like we have a clear winner!” Pierre announced. “Will the creator of the Eggs-ellent Eats please come forward?”
The caf? fell silent. All the animals looked around, eager to see who the mystery biscuit baker was. After a few long moments, a high, faint squeak rose from the corner of the room.
“It was me,” the little voice’s owner said.
The crowd of animals parted as something made its way to the piano. It moved along the floor until it reached Berlioz’s piano bench. Berlioz bent down and helped it climb up to the keyboard.
It was a hedgehog.
“Spike?” Toulouse asked, his eyes wide with surprise.
“Hello, all,” Spike said, then shyly hung his head. “I’m so happy you liked my treats. Thank you.” Spike then turned to Berlioz. “Thanks especially to you, Berlioz, for helping me find all the ingredients I needed.”
[Картинка: img_27]
“Berlioz…helped you?” Marie asked.
Berlioz twitched his tail nervously.“I…um…did. Spike told me he wanted to make up a treat recipe inspired by his favorite food, eggs, and his favorite season, spring. I thought it was a great idea and wanted to lend a paw! So I went into the park and asked every animal I saw what flavors and smells meant springtime to them,and we came up with the list of ingredients. I came up with the name Eggs-ellent Eats, too!”
“Why didn’t you tell us that you and Spike were entering the Bake-Off?” Marie asked.
“You and Toulouse were already arguing about helping different teams, and I didn’t want us all to be mad at one another.” Berlioz turned to his brother. “Toulouse, remember when you said you entered the Bake-Off with Nadine and Leon because you wanted to try something new?”
Toulouse nodded.
“It was the same for me,” Berlioz continued. “I can be more than just the musical kitten in the family.…I’d like to be other things, too—like someone who can run special events at the caf? and advertise them to all the animal customers out there.”
All three kittens were quiet for a few moments, letting that sink in.
“You did a great job, Berlioz,” Toulouse finally said.
Marie sighed.“And, Toulouse, your treats looked and tasted amazing.”
Pierre cleared his throat and let out a soft bark.“It sounds just right to me that each Bake-Off entry had some help from one of the kittens. I’m pleased to officially announce Spike, the hedgehog, and his delicious Eggs-ellent Eats the winner of the Purrfect Paw-tisserie Dog Biscuit Bake-Off!”
The animals started to cheer again, but Spike frantically waved his little paws around.
“No, no, no!” he cried. “Please stop!”
[Картинка: img_28]
The caf? fell silent.
“What do you mean,stop?” Nadine asked Spike.
“I don’t want to be called the winner!” Spike replied.
“Who wouldn’t want that?” Leon added.
“We’re happy for you, Spike,” Claudette said. “Your treats really were the best.”
Spike smiled.“I’m glad everyone liked them. But I didn’t enter them to win or get them on the menu. That’s why I didn’t put my name on the entry. I baked them because it made me happy, and it made me even happier to see all my friends and neighbors eating them.”
“So, wait,” Nadine said. “You did all that work just forfun?”
Spike smiled big and puffed up his spines.“I did.”
Toulouse turned to his littermates.“Marie, Berlioz, I have an idea! Spike just reminded me why we started the caf? in the first place: because we all love making things and sharing them. Nadine and Leon and Claudette, you feel the same way, right?”
“I do like winning,” Leon said. “But…maybe that’s not so important. I really liked sharing the biscuits we made with all of you, too.”
“I agree,” said Nadine. “And, uh…maybe we got a littletoo competitive and forgot that the treats are the best part. Claudette, your biscuit was super delicious.”
Claudette smiled.“Thanks. I liked yours, too.”
“What if…” Toulouse began, “we added allthree biscuits to the menu?”
After a moment, Berlioz said,“I love it!”
Marie smiled.“I’ve been wanting to have more dog biscuits in the pastry case. And, Toulouse, if you can do some of the baking, I’ll have more time to start singing again. If Berlioz is okay with that, of course.”
“I’m okay with that!” Berlioz said. “It’ll free up some time for me to promote the caf?.”
“So it’s a paws-up from you both?” Toulouse asked eagerly.
“Paws up!” Marie said.
“Way up!” Berlioz added.
[Картинка: img_29]
Toulouse gave Pierre a nod, and Pierre got ready to make another announcement.
“Everyone,” Pierre barked, “we have some exciting news!”
[Картинка: img_8]
The next day, the three kittens and three puppies sat together in the alley outside the Purrfect Paw-tisserie.
Claudette hugged Marie.“I’m going to miss you so much.”
“Me too,” Marie replied. “Your humans come visit Pierre’s humans every few months, right? So you’ll have lots to tell me when you come back again.”
Nadine and Leon wagged their tails.
“And we’ll never forget how much fun we had on our Paris adventure,” Leon said.
“We’re so glad we met you!” Nadine added.
“Us too,” Berlioz said.
“Would you all want to come visit us in the country sometime?” Nadine asked. “You too, Claudette! We can go on a sniffing adventure together.”
Claudette barked her approval.
“I would love that,” Toulouse said. “I could bring my art supplies, and paint without having to guess what colors things are.”
“So we won’t all say goodbye,” Marie said. “Just au revoir…until we see you again.”
“Yes!” Claudette said, then booped Marie on the nose. “That’ll be soon, I promise.” She bounded up the alley and turned at the corner to meet up with her human family.
“See you soon, Monsieur Artiste,” Leon said to Toulouse, playfully swatting him on the nose.
[Картинка: img_30]
“Go find some great new hiding spots in the park for us,” Nadine added.
“I will,” Toulouse said. “But how are you two getting home?”
“Pierre told us where we can hop on the back of a truck headed to the countryside,” Leon replied.
“I’ll find one first!” Nadine cried, launching herself up the alley.
“Not unless I do!” Leon called, chasing after her.
The kittens watched them disappear around the corner, then turned to one another.
“So…” Marie said.
“It’s just us again,” Toulouse added.
“And a Paw-tisserie full of customers,” Berlioz reminded them.
“Who’d have thought, just a short time ago, that we’d be running a caf? together?” Marie wondered aloud. “We were so good at teamwork when we started the Paw-tisserie. Then we got all jealous and competitive. What happened?”
“I don’t know,” Toulouse replied, thinking hard. “I guess I saw you having fun with your baking, and I wanted to try, too. I felt really sad when you were teaching Claudette but not me.”
“I’m sorry,” Marie said. “I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings.”
“And, Toulouse, I get lots of ideas for promoting the caf? and for exciting events,” Berlioz told his brother, “but that seemed like your thing, with your art shows and signs. I thought you’d get annoyed if I did that kind of stuff, too.”
“Berlioz, that wouldn’t annoy me…but someone keeping a secret from me does!” said Toulouse.
“Got it—no more secrets,” Berlioz said, and the brothers smiled at each other.
Marie had been thinking hard.“I guess I felt like my only job was to be the chef here, so I had to be really good at it. I didn’t mean to be so competitive.”
“Me neither,” Toulouse said. “I just wanted to prove myself.”