Page 137 of Seasons of Love
I pause before reaching for the bag. “Thank you.” I take the cleaning wipes and get most of the stickiness off her mouth and hands, as well as my neck. Then I place her in the stroller and lean it back a little.
“Well, she’s not complaining, so she must be really ready for a nap,” I say. “Look at that. I get to eat my food warm today.”
Ellis laughs. “I bet it doesn’t happen often when you’re on your own with her.”
“Try never.”
It’s cooler in the house, so Alice suggests placing Sara in Benji’s bed when she falls asleep and then brings out her baby monitor.
Max cuts up all the meat, so it’s easy to pick out different bits. From chicken to steak, Ellis wasn’t wrong. They really have a lot of meat. Alice made so many sides that it’s hard to choose what to have.
I wait for the family to serve themselves before I take some, but Ellis grabs my plate. “Do you want potato salad? Alice’s couscous is always superb. And the roasted peppers. Steak? Chicken? Oh, there’s some barbecue sauce here. Max, can you pass the ribs, please?”
He puts the plate in front of me, and I struggle not to laugh because at no point did he stop to let me answer his questions.
“I guess those were rhetorical questions,” I say, looking at the pile of food.
He grins. “Sorry. I guess I’m a little hungry and assumed you are too. Especially since you’ve been working since early today.”
“Then you better make sure you have as much food on your plate as you put on mine.”
He laughs. “Challenge accepted.”
The food is delicious. I want to stop eating to tell Max and Alice, but I can’t. My moans and nods will have to do.
“Did you hear about the next town meeting?” Max says.
“What about it?” Ellis asks between mouthfuls of potato salad.
“They’re discussing the planning permission of that parking lot on the south side by the church, but they’re closing the meeting to the public.”
Ellis coughs. “It’s a closed meeting? How is anyone supposed to challenge it?”
“I think that’s the point,” Alice says. “Do you think Tyler might know something? After all, he’s close to Father O’Reilly, and there’s no way they’d do anything without consulting the church.”
From the way Max snorts as he takes a bite of his steak, it sounds like he’s not so sure about that. I’m inclined to agree, but I don’t want to weigh in on this particular conversation.
“I can ask him this week,” Ellis says, and I’m glad the conversation ends there and moves on to other topics.
I particularly enjoy watching the siblings bicker over Christmas and whose turn it is to host their parents this year.
I’m not used to eating this much in one meal, though, so I’m full before I finish all the food Ellis put on my plate.
“This was amazing and by far the best food I’ve ever had. Sorry, I can’t finish it. I’m not used to such large portions.” I give Ellis a look.
“You mean my expertly reheated leftovers aren’t cutting it anymore? That hurts my feelings so deep,” he says, putting a hand to his heart.
“What can I say?” I shrug. “Good effort. Must try harder?”
“Damn, bro, you’re being roasted better than this chicken,” Darius says.
Max throws a bunched-up napkin at him.
“Mommy, is Uncle Ellis being roasted for real?” Marnie asks, scrunching her nose.
Alice laughs. “It’s just an expression, honey. It means someone is making a little bit of fun at his expense.”
“Ah okay.” She seems happy with the explanation.
