Florecer

Plain Honest

        "Don't put that there."

     Both Lily and Danny groaned in dismay. Lily stopped pushing the new couch and left it where it sat, not wanting to continue moving it when Tracy was clearly not satisfied no matter where it was. Danny was distressed about the situation because lunch was promised hours ago. Lily felt the same way, but she was going to say something about it.

     "Come on, Trace. Pick a spot already. We're starving."

     "I'm trying! You're not putting it where I want it."

     Rolling her eyes, Lily thumped her forehead down on the arm of the couch. She screamed silently into the material for three seconds. Then she lifted her head and said, "I'm giving you five more minutes before I take Danny down to that burger place by the freeway."

     Danny perked up, his eyes sparkling. Since moving into the new house all that was really had for dinner was restaurant food, and he had a fondness for that family burger place already.

     "No," Tracy whined. "We've finally got everything set and you know I've been dying to use the new kitchen."

     "Five minutes," Lily repeated. Though she was excited to use the kitchen, too, she was ravenous. Tracy could test out the new appliances some other day.

     "Oh, come on."

     Lily ignored her sister and looked to Danny. "Get your jacket, buddy. We're having burgers tonight."

     Giddy, Danny sped off to his room. Tracy sulked uselessly and restarted bossing Lily around to get the furniture where she wanted it. Unfortunately when the five minutes were up she still couldn't decide where she wanted to leave Lily's fat recliner or the side tables. Lily threw her hands up in defeat and went to fetch her car keys.

     Everyone piled into the car, even Tracy, and off they went. When they got there they decided to stay and eat rather than order something to-go. Danny ordered a sloppy burger that had him messy from nose to chin, and both Lily and Tracy laughed when he accidentally snorted a bean and it went flying across the table when he blew it out. He blushed in embarrassment but kept eating.

     "Oh, we should go to the store after this," said Tracy as she nibbled at the last of her fries. "We still need stuff for the bathrooms. Did you get curtains yet?"

     "No. I was going to but the furniture people came to drop off my bed set. I got the TV for the living room, though. We can set it up when we get back."

     "The internet and cable?"

     "Got it all yesterday. The wires are all in and the boxes are waiting to be used." Lily turned to Danny, happy that he cleaned himself up. "How's your room coming along?"

     He smiled cheerfully. "Good. I put all my stickers up."

     Lily rubbed his head roughly but playfully until he was giggling. "I'll put my desktop in there soon, okay? Then you can play your games."

     His smile turned into a grin. He reached over to steal a fry and received a tickle beneath the table. He kicked out on instinct, but Lily kept going. Tracy chuckled at the scene. Her phone rang in the middle of it and she answered just as she pushed at Danny's shoulder to keep him upright. He fell over anyway in a fit of laughter.

     As Lily picked him up, Tracy said, "Hello?"

     Lily looked toward her sister, holding Danny at bay and rubbing his belly. He burped and tilted his head tiredly. Tracy continued to speak into her cell, humming and giving short, but excited answers. Lily raised an eyebrow.