Page 25 of Ten Kisses

"That's still the mantlepiece," he said. "It's in two pieces right now. This one goes on top of that one. It's going all the way up the wall to the ceiling. Sixteen feet.

"Oh, my goodness. This is going to be one giant piece?"

"Yeah, you see how the pattern lines up?"

I could see that he had indeed made a geometric pattern on the right side and the left. I stared, marveling at it.

"This is amazing, Salem! It's so beautiful."

"It'll be better once I get it all sanded and polished."

"How are you so talented?" I asked, still marveling at the giant wood structure. "This is going on top of this?" I asked, pointing at each of the massive pieces.

"You've seen the fireplace cut out in the house. I told you I was making that mantle go up the wall."

"Yeah, but I don't guess I pictured it like this," I said, staring at it. "I hope I can afford to pay you to make stuff in my house one day."

"You already have one of my—" Salem started to mention the counter, but I cut him off when I remembered.

"Oh, yeah, I already have something you made," I said, smiling. "I can't get greedy, but goodness gracious Salem. This looks like something you'd see in a movie. I wish I knew how to build something like this… even though I have no time for anything besides chocolate."

"Being good at chocolate is a gift."

I laughed, and suddenly I saw a beam of light enter the room when the door opened.

"What's up, brother?" Phillip called from across the room, seeing us standing there as he opened the door.

"Hey," Salem said.

Then he turned around and we glanced at each other as if to say, 'Thank goodness we weren't kissing'.

He turned to face his brother. Phillip was in the room with us by then, crossing our way and smiling at us.

"What's up Molly Ringwald?" he said.

"Nothing."

"What are you doing here? Did you come over here to help my brother choose paint colors, or what?"

"She came to bring me some chocolate."

"Chocolate?"

"Did you see the counter he made for me?" I asked.

"I did," Phillip said, looking at me and coming to stand near us.

"It's so beautiful. I figure I owe him chocolate for life."

"I thought you already paid him for that counter," Phillip said.

"I guess you don't think I deserve chocolate, too," Salem said, taking a swing at his brother's shoulder.

Phillip grinned broadly and squared up with his brother, shuffling his feet and shadowboxing without skipping a beat.

Salem shook his head. "Don't even… I will take you out."

"What makes you think you can do that?" Phillip said, dancing around. He was in a good mood, and I smiled at the side of them acting like teenagers

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