Chapter 9 — The Family Teams Up to Clean the Kitchen Counter and Floors
Andrew unrolled a thick sheet of paper towels.
He handed the damp cloth to Rebecca.
Rebecca walked over to the marble countertop.
She began wiping away the smeared white frosting and crushed berry filling.
Sticky trails of sugar came off with every wipe.
Andrew moved toward the dark wooden floor.
He dropped to his knees right beside the stray paw prints.
Chloe knelt down right next to her father.
She grabbed a dry paper towel from the roll.
Chloe helped wipe up the tiny white paw prints near the kitchen island.
She scrubbed gently at the sticky spots on the dark planks.
Andrew cleared the rest of the ruined dessert debris from the marble surface.
He tossed the ruined cake remnants into the trash can.
Buster watched the cleanup operation from just outside the kitchen threshold.
Andrew had set up a lightweight baby gate across the doorway.
Buster rested his chin on top of the wooden gate.
He stared longingly at the remaining specks of frosting on the counter.
The golden retriever let out a soft whine.
Buster was temporarily gated out of the kitchen to prevent any further snacking.
Rebecca tossed the used cleaning cloths into the sink.
The marble countertop was finally cleared of the ruined dessert debris.
The dark wooden floor shone clean once again.
Rebecca wiped her hands on a dish towel.
She looked down at the empty spot where the dessert used to sit.
Rebecca smiled warmly and suggested they bake a brand-new cake together with Chloe as a replacement.