"i'll be home late. it'll be up to you and ethan to make dinner. can you handle that?" anna asks with a smile that you can't help but love. i nod, reciprocating the smile and she pulls me in for a hug.
something i never got from my own mother.
"you're sure you don't want to see her? it's her birthday." the woman asks, her tone gentle and soft.
"i'll be okay anna," she holds me at arms length, tears filling her eyes. she plants a kiss on my cheek before going to her car and starting up the engine.
"hopefully she will be too." i mutter as anna pulls out of the drive, leaving me in the front yard.
"..oh yeah, a real shit show." i walk in to ethan talking to some of the younger kids in the living room, all of them spread out on the floor, and he's sitting on the edge of the coffee table while they look up at him with admiring eyes. i rush over, slapping his arm.
"don't use that language around them." i scold. he looks at me with a mischievous grin, not flinching once as i pinch him.
"okay mom," then he looks back to the kids.
"sorry kiddos, that's the last of my stories." he shrugs, and they all start to blame me, whining like there's no tomorrow. i clap my hands, silencing them. ethan looks surprised.
"who wants cookies in the kitchen!" i exclaim and all four kids get up in excitement, running to the expansive kitchen. the back of my hand hits ethan's chest.
"we've got dinner tonight. you and me."
"oohh, hit me harder next time baby girl." while i'm walking away, i put both my middle fingers up in his direction, swaying my hips as i walk away.
++++
"so what is it exactly that got you in here?" i ask ethan while i'm boiling potatoes for mashed ones for dinner. he has opted to go purely off of my directions, and i find it kind of cute that he's completely owned up to the fact that he can't cook whatsoever. i follow up my question quickly.
"if it's too personal-"
"parents were involved in drugs. my sister, brother, and i got split up. different homes, different schools."
"wow." i trailed off, pointing my attention back to the stove.
"don't feel bad for me, fox. it should've happened a long time ago. i mean, of course, i miss my brother and sister. especially my brother."
"were you two close?"
