LWP 13

Chapter 4

~~~Toast~~~

When he went to the kitchen, Finn was already washing the dishes. Toast huffed and the country boy turned around. "Oh, howdy, sir. Ah thought Ah'd caused 'nough trouble that Ah otta earn ma keep."

Toast scoffed. But if he wanted to work, then he would work. "Clean them and set them aside," he told him. "I'll put them away. I have a system."

He nodded. "Yes'm, sir." He did as he was told.

As hard as he tried, Toast couldn't find a spot on any of the cups, plates, or silverware. "Impossible..."

"What was that, sir?"

He shook his head. "Enough with the 'sir.'" He began putting the dishes away as Finn watched him. He glared back. "What?"

He held his hands up. "Nothin'! Ah'm jus' seein' what all Max sees in ya."

"What, you think I'm not good enough for her, country boy?"

"Nah nah! I do! Ah'm sayin' Ah can see so much!" Finn smiled. Toast gave him a look and he explained. "Ya cook since she struggles with that."

Toast stopped him right there with a laugh. "Oh, she does more than struggle."

Finn laughed nervously. "An' ya clean the house."

He shook his head. "I don't want her to do all the work like with her mum."

"Yer protective of her."

"Well, she doesn't do it herself."

"Ya wait on her like a princess."

"She is, though."

"Ya see?" Finn exclaimed with a smile. "She's Cinderella an' yer Prince Charmin'!"

Toast took a step back. He thought a second and realized he was right. They were living a paranormal Cinderella story! He cleared his throat. "What are you? The Internet?"

He rubs the back of his neck. "Nah. Jus' a young country boy tryin' ta make up fer ma past."

Toast's face softened. He had to admit that his own past wasn't exactly made up of his proudest moments, either. "Right. Very well, then." He turned to walk back upstairs. "I'm going back up to I and Max's room. You may continue with the dishes." Then he left without giving Finn a chance to speak again.