"Give me the almonds," Jocelynn said, making fists with her hands and giving her sister a determined look.
"Jocey…" Ashlynn started
"You said I needed something to do." Jocelynn wiped her hair out of her face and sat up straight, and there was a brightness in her voice that surprised both of them. "You said the tea was the problem."
"Well, this isn't tea," Jocelynn said. "Give me the horrible almonds and tell me exactly how you want them and I will sit there and skin every single one of them, and when Mother walks in and asks who made it, you are going to tell her the truth," she insisted, pointing a finger at Ashynn's generous chest as if she wanted to poke her.
Ashlynn stared at her for a heartbeat, feeling Jocelynn's will firming right before her eyes, and a small smile formed at the corner of her lips.
"And after the almonds, I'll stir the rice too," Jocelynn added. "On one condition. You have to finish telling me the story."
