Seventeen Secrets about Boys

Chapter Three

Chapter Three

                Pancakes.

                That’s what I saw when Rose led to me to kitchen; pancakes were everywhere. To my right I saw Jaden pitch one at George who ducked and it landed on Sinclair’s leg. It stuck for a moment before slowly slipping downwards and hitting the floor with a plop. Ew.

                “Jaden if you throw one more pancake you’ll go straight to your room!” The man of the night finally yelled at the doe eyed three year old who slowly backed away with tear filled eyes.

                “Oh, hey Evelyn. Sorry, I, um, didn’t see you there.” Darcy stuttered.

                Putting on a smile I walked passed him to pick up the pancake off the floor as Sinclair looked at it with confused eyes. “It’s no worries.” I took a look around the kitchen pretending to just now notice the mess. There was pancake batter on the top cabinets as well as the oven door, scattered pancakes across the floor and some that were oddly clinging to the cabinets that lined the floor with syrup dripping down them.

                Darcy looked so completely stressed and I could only understand why at least part of the reason. Behind his clear blue eyes held a deeper pain that I knew went beyond the pancake mess and the new stranger in his home. And all of the boys he had to take care of, of course.

                “Hey, I know I just got here and all, but you look like a mess. Why don’t I clean up and you go do whatever Darcy does, huh?” I could see the eagerness of wanting to accept my offer in his eyes, but the deeper emotion beneath them that wanted to refuse.

                “You know what? Scratch that; I’m not going to give you a choice. Leave. Now.” That was a little bold for me, I had to admit. But you’ve got to strike when the iron is hot and it just so happened that the iron was burning. I walked over to a slightly stunned Darcy and took the spatula from his hand. “Go, this will be great bonding time for me and the younger kids.” I smiled, gesturing to George who was sitting beside my feet.

                “Well…” Darcy scratched the back of his head. “I guess so. But if you need any help please don’t hesitate to call me.” I nodded at him before he disappeared down the hallway.

                “So,” I said, bending down to pick up George. “How are we gonna clean this mess up, huh?”

                “He doesn’t talk.” I looked up from George’s eyes to see Marcus standing before me. “He hasn’t talked since mom died, not even that baby gibberish.”

                “But he was only one at the time; did he even know how to talk?”

                “George is super duper smart.” Was all Marcus said.

                “Well…” I began, wanting to drop the subject. “Do you want to help me clean up?”

                Before he got the chance to respond, Marius ran into the kitchen yelling, “I do! I do! I do!” Smiling down at him, I cradled George in my right arm and reached my left hand to take hold of Marius’s small hand. “Well I suppose we best get started, shouldn’t we?” I was met with a bright smile.

                Walking to the cabinets I told Marius to get a spatula and scrape the pancakes on the cabinets to the floor. “Anybody know how these got up here?” I questioned, shooting a pointed look at George whose cheeks burned scarlet.