Page 9 of My Monster, My Choice
“Here you go.” I place the plates in front of her.
“Oh, thank you! You didn’t have to do that,” she says.
“Of course, I do. You’re hungry and we can’t have that.” I tuck her hair behind her ear. “Enjoy.”
I head back into the kitchen to where her son is.
“This one’s mine an’ yours,” he says, stacking ham and cheese carefully onto bread. The sandwiches are larger than the others, double deckers.
“Do you think we can eat all that?” I ask.
“Yes!” he says. “We’s big strong guys who like our veggies.”
I’m not sure where the veggies are in the sandwich.
“So, you likka my mum?” he asks, eyes on the sandwiches he prepares.
“So much,” I answer truthfully.
“Why?”
“When I first saw her, I felt like someone punched me in the gut. I thought she was the most beautiful female I’ve ever seen. I love that she’s tough. She’s strong. I want to take care of her and keep her safe. And,” I conclude, wriggling my tentacles, “I can give her lots of hugs.”
He presses his fingers to his mouth as he giggles. “An’ you likka my bruther? Ree?”
“He’s my best friend.” Best is probably pushing it, but I’m sure Relion thinks we’re close.
“You likka kids? Even if they sometimes stinky?” Kenny scowls.
“Yeah, I likekishren. Sometimes the stinky ones.”
“Okay.” He turns to Rebecca. “Here, ‘Becksa.”
Carefully, he scoots the plate with the two double decker sandwiches her way. Rebecca smiles and expertly flips them onto the sizzling grill with a pat of butter.
“Let’s make our bowls,” I say.
“Okay. I only likka little soup.”
Probably because his sandwich is monster-sized. I fill a bowl halfway, earning his approval.
“Make sure you get some fruit,” Rebecca says to him. “Relion says he wants you big and strong.” She winks at me.
“Yeah, I already knows that,” Kenny says. “Elex, you wanna same fruit as me?”
“I’m sure I’ll like whatever you do,” I agree, reaching for the plates Rebecca has flipped out for us.
“You wanna drinka pop, Elex?”
“Nah. I’ll save my pop for dinner. I’ll drink water for lunch.”
“Yeah, thatsa what I was gonna say too,” Kenny agrees.
I snort. I’m sure he asked if I wanted the sugary soft drink because he thought I’d say yes.
We head to the dining room and I seat him in a chair someone placed across from hismaman, setting down his plate and drink. Then I hiss at Sydney, who sits next to Christina. “Scram.”
She rolls her eyes and grabs a chair alongside the wall, vacating her spot so I may sit next to Christina. I set my plate down along with my drink and a piece of pie I brought for her.