Natural Disaster

Black Doll n°I. 90 × 70 cm.

©2012 Mirtho Linguet.

Josh loves to bake cakes. Whenever he does, he feels that he is doing something good. His favorite part is the frosting; it gives him the chance to make something smooth, perfect. And even if it is not so, any flaw in the frosting can be seen as a beautiful flourish.

In front of him is a strawberry butter cream cake that he is wrapping in a turban of pink frosting. He presses the spatula down firmly as he goes around it. He affixes strawberry slices to the top and sprinkles sugar crystals with the tips of his fingers. It is finished. Spatula still in hand, he stands back and smiles as he sucks on the sugar crystals that got stuck under his nails.

"Yeah," he nods and smiles contently.

The broiling heat of the 95-degree day is finally dwindling down as the late afternoon sets in. Josh could have spent the day at the beach like most people, but he hates the beach and its unlimited exposure to the sun. The climate-controlled apartment and its access to the oven and baking needs is more than enough.

The front door sweeps open; the rushing air blows the window curtains in the kitchen. Josh drops the icing spatula into the sink and runs water over it; the pink globs separate and cork the holes in the drain. He takes off his apron, laying it over the back of the dining room chair closest to him, and dusts off his chest and runs his fingers through his hair. The burn mark on his arm catches his eye, the one he told everyone he had received by accidentally backing into the stove.

Standing straight up, he faces the entrance of the kitchen. Heavy, buffalo-like footsteps trample through the living room. Josh inhales deeply and puts on a smile. Karina is home from her job as the assistant store manager of Juicy Couture in Aventura Mall. She has been his girlfriend of ten years, his live-in girlfriend of almost four. She walks into the kitchen and stops abruptly, surprised to see Josh standing there.

"Hey, babe." He smiles widely.

Karina sighs and drops her shoulders. "I forgot today was your day off." A lock of her wavy hair lays serpentine over her shoulder and onto her chest.

Josh walks over to her and kisses her on the cheek. He puts his arms around her; she pats him on the back.

"Mmm," she says, disinterested and looking off to the side. She spots the large Publix paper bag on the kitchen counter. "You went grocery shopping." She pulls away and walks over to the bag.

"Yeah, I did," Josh says to her back.

"What did you buy?" Before he could answer, Karina reaches into the bag. She pulls out a tub of Greek yogurt, a head of lettuce, fiberrich cereal, and flour tortilla wraps. "What the fuck is this?" Karina says, holding up the bag of white flour tortillas.

"Tortillas?"

"But they're white tortillas."

"Yeah?"

Karina chucks the bag at him. "I am on a low-carb diet! You know that! You're only supposed to get whole wheat! Whole wheat! You know that!"

"Now I do." Josh bends down and picks up the tortillas from the ground and checks to make sure all the slices are intact. He goes over to the Publix bag and fishes out the receipt; he smoothes the wrinkles out along the edge of the counter before folding it and putting it back along with the tortillas. Karina, still standing there, folds her arms and sighs.

"You're so fucking stupid sometimes, I swear."

Josh cautiously looks up at her before directing his eyes to the floor. "I just don't see the big deal, really," he continues. "There's very little difference between—"

"There is not! Dr. Oz says—"

"Okay, okay. I will get you your whole wheat tortillas. Just please don't bring up Dr. Oz again."

Josh folds the top of the Publix...