Hannah’s 4th Note: If you want to make your dessert really fancy, garnish the slices with chocolate curls and extra caramel whipped cream.

Yield: This Chocolate Flan with Caramel Whipped Cream serves 6 to 8 people unless you invite Andrea’s husband, Bill. Bill is absolutely crazy for this dessert. He boasted to me that he could eat a whole flan all by himself, and I believe him.

Chapter One

Chapter One

“I’d better steady the ladder for you,” Hannah warned as Lisa picked up the star ornament that fit on the very top of their Christmas tree and climbed up the first rung. “Are you sure you want to go do this? I really meant to get a new ladder after last year, but I forgot.”

“That’s understandable. The only time we use a ladder is at Christmas. But don’t worry, Hannah. I can do it. I’m not afraid of heights, at least not usually.”

“But you are right now?” Hannah asked, hearing the slight quaver in her young partner’s voice.

“I’m a little nervous, that’s all. It’s just that the top of our tree seems like a long ways up.”

“You’re right, Lisa It is way up there. We got a sixteen-foot tree this year.”

“I know, but it didn’t seem this tall at the Christmas tree lot.”

“That’s probably because it was flanked by two blue spruces that were taller.”

“How tall were those?”

“They were twenty-footers, and this one would have looked a lot shorter in comparison.”

“I’m glad we didn’t get a twenty-footer!” Lisa gave a little laugh. “I know it’s impossible, but this tree looks like it’s growing taller by the minute.”

Lisa climbed up another rung. Then she reached down to hand Hannah the star tree-topper. “Will you hold this until I get about halfway up? I want to hold on to this ladder with both hands.”

“No problem. Just let me know when you want the tree-topper and I’ll give it to you.”

Hannah held the ornament with one hand while she steadied the ladder with the other. The ladder wobbled, and she wished she’d remembered to shop for a new one.

Lisa climbed up the fourth rung and looked at the top of the tree again. “Let’s get a shorter tree next year.”

“We will. I promise.”

“And a new ladder.”

“That, too. I’ll call Cliff at the hardware store right after we’re through decorating the tree.”

“Sounds good.” Lisa climbed up another rung, and then she stopped. “I’m almost up high enough. Hand me the tree-topper, Hannah. I’ll bend down.”

“And I’ll stretch up.” Hannah reached up with her right hand, but she kept her left hand firmly on the ladder. “Here you go, Lisa.”