Fire and Ice

Real Lives, Real Feelings

"So you're sure this is his favorite and not yours?" Lexi asked Luke as they tugged on the wagon filled with grocery bags.

"Well...it's his and my favorite. Dad tries making it and I dunno it just doesn't taste that good so when we want spaghetti and meatballs he takes me to this restaurant and we get big plates of it. He really does love it, honest Lexi" Luke said sincerely

"Okay, I believe you" Lexi smiled.

She actually couldn't wait to get back to the house and get cooking. It had seemed like forever since she had been able to cook a gourmet meal and her homemade sauce was one of her favorite things to make, even if it did take all day. Walking up to the front door, Lexi watched as Luke fished out the key from under the doormat. Walking back inside, they carried the bags into the kitchen and began putting things away.

"Luke, you ready for some lunch?" Lexi asked him

"Yeah, I am kind of hungry" Luke said putting away the sweet treats Lexi had bought him.

"How about a grilled cheese and some fries?" Lexi asked

"That sounds great!" Luke smiled.

Cutting up the potatoes like french fries, mixing them with all sorts of spices, Lexi threw them in the hot oil and began preparing his grilled cheese with thick cut bread and three different cheeses. Finishing his lunch, she called him to the kitchen and began on her sauce as he munched quietly.

"Lexi....this is the best grilled cheese and fries I have ever had in my life, how do you make stuff taste so good?" Luke asked in wonder

"Well, I went to a school where they taught us how to make stuff taste really yummy. It's not really hard though, if you want you can help me make the spaghetti sauce and maybe someday you can make it for your dad yourself" Lexi smiled and then suddenly felt sad knowing she wouldn't be here to see it or to taste how his first sauce turned out.

"That would be awesome" Luke said excitedly

Picking him up and setting him on the counter, Lexi began instructing him as they put in the tomatoes, tomato paste, spices among other things. Showing him how to crush garlic, Lexi smiled at his wide eyes as he tried it himself and smiled. Dumping the rest in the pot and putting it on to simmer, Lexi helped Luke down off the counter.

"Okay, we just need to let this cook slowly for a few hours and then I'll show you how to do the rest" Lexi explained.

Luke smiled and nodded

"I can't wait to tell daddy that I helped make this, he's going to be so proud!" Luke grinned

"I have no doubt he's proud of you every single day Luke" Lexi smiled. "Okay listen, I'm going to clean up around here and wash our muddy clothes from yesterday. Can you get any laundry from upstairs for me and bring it down to the laundry room?"

"Sure Lexi!" Luke said and went tearing up the stairs.

Walking into the laundry room off the kitchen, Lexi smiled at all the muddy clothes remembering how much fun they had yesterday. Putting the clothes in a rinse cycle hoping to get out some of the mud before she washed them, Lexi grinned at Luke who was having a bit of trouble lugging the large laundry basket.

"Wow, you have some muscles there bud, this is pretty heavy" Lexi said, taking the basket from him.

"Yeah, dad doesn't have a lot of time to do laundry that much so there's a lot. He cleans all the time but I think he hates laundry" Luke said frowning

"I bet" Lexi chuckled softly. "Okay I'll get the laundry going, you can go watch some TV until I need you again"

"Okay" Luke said and ran back into the living room.