Page 62 of I Can't Even

Dr. Pepper had always been my drug of choice. I didn’t care how bad it was for me. As long as I died with a Dr. Pepper in my hand, I’d be happy.

Ellodie’s eyes were shining as she said, “Your daily hit of DP?”

“Yep.” I groaned and reached for my burger. “These better be good for how much I just paid for them.”

“They’re decent,” Quincy took the seat beside me, stealing a fry off of Ellodie’s plate. “Family lunch?”

“Hey, no touching!” Ellodie growled, protecting her tray with her body. “Go get your own!”

Hollis caught his ear and tugged, then pressed her lips to his when he turned toward her.

Ellodie grinned as she watched the couple interact with each other.

Meanwhile, I watched her.

“Was a great couple of lunch companions until you sat down,” I chuckled, dipping my fries into the ketchup in a little paper cup on my plate.

I’d need about three more, but sometimes it was easier to just not argue with the ketchup distributors until absolutely necessary.

“That’s not nice, baby brother,” Quincy drawled as he got up to head to the line for his own food. But not before he stole yet another French fry off of Ellodie’s plate again.

Ellodie growled in frustration. “Bring extra fries.”

“And ketchup. Two of them at least,” I ordered.

Quincy gave me the finger and stepped into line.

Meanwhile, Hollis turned to Ellodie and asked, “Not a fan of people eating your food?”

“Not a fan of people eating my food when there’s not much to be eaten,” she said. “I can eat like a man, Hollis. This is going to hold me over until like two o’clock at best. And since I wasn’t at home today, I didn’t have the time to grab any of my regular snacks.”

I scrunched up my nose at that.

Pulling out my phone, I texted my mom and asked her if she could pick up some snacks at the store today and deliver them to my place.

It wouldn’t be a hardship or anything. Mom went to the store every day after work for dinner for her and whomever said they were going to be attending at their house that day.

And since my plan was to bring Ellodie over there with me, I could grab them then.

Mamasauce:

Yes. What kind?

Me:

Whatever. I think the girl will eat anything.

She really would, too. I’d yet to see her not willing to try anything. And every time I’d witnessed her eat, she’d been more than eclectic with her food choices. Veggies. Meat. Starches.

She would eat it all.

Ellodie’s phone beeped, causing her to pull it out of her pocket.

Mine vibrated, but I was in the middle of a bite of hamburger and didn’t reach for it.

“So what was happening downstairs when you came up here?” Hollis asked.

“I…” Quincy started, but Ellodie interrupted.

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