The Mysterious World of Eddy Shade

Chapter 16: Barbecue

     When Edith arrived home she was greeted by the smell of a grill burning. As she pulled up the drive and into her garage she noticed Eddy's car parked out front along the street. Edith got out of her car and she breathed in the heavy smell that was hanging in the air of the near by grill. As she walked into the house she looked into the living room and discovered that the sliding glass door had been slid open, and the screen door pulled shut, and the heavenly smell of cooking food was pouring in from of the back yard. As she made her way towards the back door she could see Eddy standing near the brick alcove that the grill sat in on the outer edge of her porch. He jumped back when he opened the lid to check on the food and flames jumped up at him. She could not help but chuckle. The flames quickly subsided and he used a pair of tongs to flip whatever he was cooking. 

     Edith had only expected Eddy to pick up food on his way back to the house, not to actually cook it as well. She had to admit to herself however that what ever it was it did smell good. She slid open the screen door and stepped out side, closing the screen behind her. Eddy turned around at the sound of her joining him and greeted her with a small smile. 

     "I decided I would make us dinner tonight. Kind of my way of saying I am sorry for all the trouble I have caused you. Also to say thank you, for your help, and letting me stay here." 

     "You didn't need to do that. I mean it's nice, but you didn't need to" Edith said. "Listen I may have overreacted. But my brother is important to me, and the idea of . . . well him getting hurt. It scares me. A lot." 

     Eddy looked her in the eyes "I will do every thing I can to make sure that that never happens" 

     "I know you will." She broke eye contact and looked at the ground for a while feeling uncomfortable and a little embarrassed, then looked back up at him. "So what are we having?" she said in a desperate attempt to change the subject. 

     "Well" Eddy said smiling wide and pointing at the grill with the tongs "I have some stakes on the grill here." He then leaned over to the big blue cooler next to him and opened the lid. "We also have corn on the cob." As Edith leaned over to look she could see through the steam that raised from the cooler several bright yellow ears floating in the scalding water the cooler had been filled with. "I also have some potatoes boiling on the stove that I plan to mash up once the stakes are done." 

     Edith looked at him with a satisfied look "wow. Who knew a police detective could be so domestic?" 

     "What you think cops can't cook? I love to cook. We don't just live off doughnuts and coffee you know. Most of us any ways" he said with a smirk. 

     Suddenly they heard a loud thump followed by a loud "owe" of complaint from behind them. They looked over to see the tall man sliding the screen door aside and rubbing his forehead. "You know there's a screen there" Edith said "you better not have broken it like the last time, or you will be paying for the replacement this time." 

     "The door is fine, and so am I by the way. Thank you so very much for your concern." Xander looked over at his friend "look at you Eddy, cooking dinner and all. You better not be doing this in an attempt to hit on my sister" he said then let out a light chuckle. 

     "No nothing like that" Eddy said "just my way of saying thank you. Besides you know I have a girlfriend." 

     Edith looked at him with a little surprise "I didn't know that." She then smiled a little "Oh I see how it is. You go and come stay over at my house, eat my food, then tell me you have a girlfriend. So typical" Edith then began to laugh "So what's her name?" 

     "Rose. Well have been together for a year next month. You should meet her some time."

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