Chapter 3 (Who is that?)

Claire's car stopped and the chipettes hopped out stretching their limbs and tails from the drive.

"Man, I hate sitting in a car" Brittany complained as she clicked her neck.

"That's why we don't sit in cars too often" Jeanette said as she swept some dust of her skirt creating a small whirl of dust in front of her feet

"Yeah, we usually sit in private planes and limousines" Eleanor added.

"Aren't limousines cars too?" Whitney asked.

"I wouldn't say so. They are vehicles used to transport important people or well... chipmunks like us." Brittany replied "By the way, what do you think of our house? It's not much but it's very cozy and the chipmunks live close by."

"Whitney hadn't paid much attention on the house but now she lifted up her head to see the best house she had ever, well... seen. "It's incredible!" She shouted with her voice full of amazement.

"Really? Because it doesn't look much from the outside but...

"No,no! It's just perfect! Looks very home like and a place you can have fun." Whitney said.

"You're right about that" Eleanor said "Especially when the chipmunks are here!"

"Hey! Aren't they coming tomorrow" Jeanette interrupted.

"Oh my gosh! You're right!" Brittany exclaimed "It's going to be so much fun when they meet you"

"You know guys... it really sound that they are your boyfriends or so..."

"No they are not!" Jeanette said quickly 'But I really hope that they were' She thought to herself.

"Really, because you're acting like they are."

"You're just seeing things, but hey! Let's get inside. It's pretty cold here already" Brittany said changing the subject.

"Then I guess I'm not needed here anymore" Whitney's assistant said.

"Guess you're not" Claire said "I'll take it from here"

"Thanks" she said and turned to Whitney "Whitney... best of luck to you."

"Wait! Don't go! I didn't even get to ask your name yet." Whitney yelled after her.

"It's Betty, Betty Jackson, and in case that you are wondering I'm Molly's sister." The assistant said and disappeared in the car.

'That was Molly's sister?' Whitney thought 'No wonder she had everything arranged so well.'

"Whitney! Are you coming!" Brittany yelled at Whitney who just stood on the lawn stunned from the fact she had just heard. "I'm coming, I'm coming!"

Everybody took their jackets off and scurried to different parts of the house, but Whitney, of course, was left in the hall with Claire because she didn't know the house yet.

"So, why won't you come to cook some dinner with me and Ellie?" Claire suggested.

"Sure, why not." she replied and also took her jacket off revealing her new white clothes.

"You should probably take those clothes off or they'll get dirty while cooking."

"But I don't have any other clothes!" Whitney paniced as she remembered something "I accidentally left all my luggage and clothes back at the motel!"

"Well, don't worry. I'm sure Brittany and Jeanette will borrow you some clothes. I'll go ask 'em. You two can start preparing ingredients for the salad. Whitney, ask Eleanor what to do." Claire said and turned away to ask other girls for some clothes.

"So... have you ever cooked before?" Eleanor asked.

"I've tried but it's too hard for me because all the utensils are too big and heavy"

"Don't worry about that. We have custom-made utensils especially designed for us chipmunks."

"Really? I didn't even know those things existed."

"They actually didn't, before the chipmunks arrived or actually before Theodore arrived because he's the only one of them who can actually cook or bake." Eleanor said almost dreaming.

"So, he can cook, but does he cook well?"

"WELL? He makes the best food you can imagine! He has taught me everything I know about food and cooking" Eleanor said but then blushed as he realized that she had almost shouted those words.

"Well, then I guess he CAN cook, but hey! All this talking about food is making me hungry. Should we start preparing those ingredients already?"

"You're right" Eleanor said and composed herself as she always did when it was about cooking."Could you get me that bowl and I'll get some knives and chopping boards."

"Sure"

Whitney headed for a large green bowl as Eleanor hopped on another counter and started looking for knives and chopping boards and when she found them, she returned to Whitney.

"Okay then. I guess you haven't used a knife before, have you? Well, anyway, I'm going to show you some basics about using it." she said and grabbed a chipmunk sized knife in front of her "Hold your knife exactly like this. Keep a steady, firm grip on the handle, so that it won't slip and hurt you as you slice or cut something."

Whitney followed Eleanor's instructions and held her knife in front of her keeping a steady, firm grip on the handle. "Is this good?"

"Yes. Now let's get some vegetables."

"I can get them, just show me where they are."

"They are on the bottom shelf of the fridge"

"Okay" Whitney said and started walking towards the edge of the counter.

"Umm.. Whitney."

"What?"

"I think you don't need that knife when you get the vegetables."

"Oh... oops..." She said embarrassed and returned the knife on the chopping board and headed to fridge.

"Whitney made her way to the fridge, opened it and grabbed a bag of random vegetables and returned to Eleanor slowly but surely dragging the heavy bag behind her.

"Okay, let's start by slicing some tomatoes. Now, grab a tomato." Eleanor ordered.

"Okay, what now?" Whitney said placing a tomato on a chopping board.

"Now we'll wait."

"Okay!... but... why?" She asked wondering.

"We're waiting for Claire bring you some spare clothes because it's going to get messy from now on."

"Oh, right..."

They didn't have to wait for long before Claire returned with some clothes from Jeanette and an apron.

"Now we can start, first step, grab the knife the way I taught you"

"Done" Whitney replied holding a knife firmly in her paw.

"Step two, Slice the tomato in pieces." Eleanor said as she already had sliced two tomatoes while talking.

"O-okay." Whitney said and dug the knife's edge in to the tomato and for her surprise, it went through with ease. "This ain't so bad after all!"

"Of course it isn't! Just remember to keep your fingers away from the blade of the knife and you'll do fine."

They started cooking with full steam but because Whitney was just a beginner, she just had to cut some vegetables for the salad, but she didn't mind. She enjoyed every single moment of it. She was actually cooking!

Just 30 minutes later, they finished cooking and looked at the treats they had produced; Spaghetti bolognese and Whitney's salad which was very colorful because the many, many vegetables she had used just to try out her abilities.

"Brittany! Jeanette! It's time for dinner!" Claire shouted.

"Sweet! At least if it tastes as good as it smells! And it smells great! Claire, you don't have any idea because you don't have a sense of smell of a chipmunk, but I can tell it's marvelous!" Brittany exclaimed as she hopped on the dining table.

"Maybe I don't, but I can still tell you that it smells great for me too."

"Eleanor, I already started your homework, because you made us food" Jeanette said as she also appeared in the dining room.

"Thanks Jean! I appreciate that."

"And you know that we all appreciate your food"

"Thanks" She said giggling.

"No problem. Speaking of which, what do we have on menu tonight?"

"Spaghetti bolognese and green salad made by Whitney"

"Really?" Brittany said " I thought she was just watching as you cooked"

"I got to help a little" Whitney admitted blushing. "Eleanor taught me so much about cooking as I chopped the vegetables, so just thank her."

"It wasn't that much." Eleanor said modestly "And besides, I learned everything from my dear Teddy bear"

"Your dear Teddy bear?" Brittany teased.

"Well... Yeah!" Eleanor stated surprising everybody and gaining the looks of her sisters. "What? What do you care if I like him?"

"Oh nothing... just got a little surprised that's all. And besides I think I also have a slight crush on Alvin you know..." She almost whispered.

"I know what you mean." Jeanette said "I think Simon is just so... cute."

They all sighed except Whitney and Claire who just watched the chipette's dreaming. " I really hope that they also have some kind of feelings for us too."

"I'm sure that they have" Claire interrupted "But let's eat! I'm starving."

"Great! I want to taste that salad, it's so colorful."

"Gimme that spaghetti!"

'I wish I could be in love too' Whitney thought and started eating and chatting with the chipettes about chipmunks, clothes, singing and of course, Whitney herself.

After thirty minutes, they finished the meal.

"Thanks for the meal!" Brittany said " I think it's my turn to wash the dishes."

"Oh... You don't have to" Claire said" I think you girls have some catching up to do so I'm washing the dishes tonight."

"Thank you so much Claire!" Brittany exclaimed and hugged her as well as she could with her 8 inch body.

"No problem."She responded "you probably want to get to your pajamas and go to pick a movie and I'll join you after the dishes. Oh... by the way, Jeanette and Eleanor, could you make Whitney pajamas too?"

"Sure! We'll make 'em quick!"

"I'll design it!" Brittany exclaimed " I think you prefer white so... let's go!

The chipettes rushed to their room to get some fabric and made Whitney a beautiful, long nightgown and after that went to the living room to pick a film.

They picked Titanic because they were all on a romantic mood and Claire brought them some ice-cream. They watched the film and after that immediately went to bed. Whitney got to sleep next to Brittany who said she wouldn't mind. They all chatted through the night because next day was Saturday and they didn't have to get up early for school and the chipmunks would not come until 2 pm so they had plenty of time to sleep.

They didn't realize that there was actually more than just the chipmunks who were coming...