Page 62 of Stolen Kisses

He carries her, like the little monkey she is, into the restaurant. “Oh my gosh! Look at all of the different pancakes.” She changes her hold to one arm, twisting her body to look at the pictures on display. “I like all of them!”

I laugh, poking her tummy. “I think your eyes may be bigger than your belly.”

There are so many different options on offer for kids and adults alike. Green monster pancakes, blue ghost pancakes, multi-color unicorn pancakes, pink princess pancakes—there are just too many to name. There’s even a range ofAvenger-themed pancakes on offer which Lachlan and Austin would love. “What are you going to have, Munchkin?”

“Can I please have the unicorn pancakes?” She’s always got such great manners.

“Absolutely. What about a drink? Would you like a chocolate milkshake?”

She holds her hands together under her chin, almost as though she can’t contain her excitement. “Yes please.”

“Dad, what are you having?”

“I’ll have the apple cinnamon buckwheat pancakes and a cappuccino, thanks.”

I nod toward a pink booth over by the window. “You guys go take a seat and I’ll place our order.”

Dad and Kennymake their wayover to the tablewhileI order and pay for our breakfast. When Ijoin them, I catch the tail end of Dad asking Kenny what I gave her for her birthday. I wink at him for playing along with my plan today.

“He was too busy to go to the store.SoI didn’t get any presents for my birthday.” She looks at me with wide, hopeful eyes. “You’ll go to the store next week, won’t you, Uncle Theo?”

“I’ll see. It’s a bit tricky if you’re with me. I can’t surprise you.” Her shoulders drop in disappointment. Dad rubs a hand over his mouth to hold back his smile, but I can see the creases deepen around his eyes.

She looks at Dad. “Pappoús, did you get me a present for my birthday?”

He looks at me and I tilt my head forward in a short nod. “I do have a present for you. Once we get to your house, I’ll give it to you. Okay?”

“Yay, okay!” Kenny looks at me, giving me a ‘see,hedidn’t forget’ look.

Our pancakes are delivered. Kenny’s bowl of multi-colored dollar-sized pancakes, with marshmallows, ice cream, and strawberry drizzle is almost as big as her head. “Can you take a photo? Iwannashow Austin and Lachlan later.”

My heart clenches as I take out my phone to photograph her pancake masterpiece. I hope Emma and her family are still coming over this afternoon. I haven’t contacted her to check, because I don’t really know how to come back from the way I acted the other week. Kenny sorts her tiny pancakes into groups according to color before she begins to eat them in the same order as a rainbow—because why the hell not.

“I see you still like your chocolate, Theo.” Dad uses his fork to point at my chocolate-flavored pancakes drizzled with chocolate sauce along with a complement of chocolate ice cream. As if that wasn’t enough chocolate, I also went with a chocolate milkshake.

“Yeah. Can’t seem to kick the habit.” I cut off a portion and take a substantial bite to punctuate my sentence. Maybe that’s why I can’t get Emma out of my head. Her silky chocolate hairremindsme of my favorite treat. Dad laughs at me shaking his head, before going back to his ‘healthy’ pancakes. “How are things going at the restaurant?”

He tilts a flat hand side to side in a so-so action. “It’s tough finding employees who are as invested in the restaurant as I am, as Anna was. They seem to think it’s okay to do a half-job instead of putting their best foot forward.”

“Yeah, I tried having a couple of employees over east. It wasn’t worth the hassle. They never paid attention to the small details, gave the jobs less than one hundred percent. I’d rather work by myself.”

“Pappoús, I could help you in the restaurant. I’m a good helper. I help Uncle Theo all the time and Emma showed me how to be safe in the kitchen.” Her little legs kick back and forth underneaththe booth seatas she rattles off her resumé.

Dad makes a big show of thinking it over. “You know, I could really do with your help, but I’d get into trouble if I hired you.”

Kenny’s eyebrows drop downover her eyes, so much like her mother’s. “Why?”

He reaches across the table, pinching her nose. “Because you’re too little, yet. But you keep practicing your skills so when you’re the right age, you can start helping at the restaurant straight away.”

“But I’m five now. I’m a big girl. I start kindergarten soon!”

“Yes, you are. But you don’t want to getPappoúsinto trouble, do you?”

She shakes her head quickly. “Nuh-uh.”

We finish up atPancake Paradiseand while Dad walks back to the parking lot with Kenny, I quickly jog down the street to get some flowers to take to Mom and Anna’s grave fromBlooms and Balloons. I make sure to get peonies and gardenias, their favorites. I find the scent of the gardenias too strong, but my sister loved them.

“Dad, did youwant to comein the truck with us to visit Anna and Mom, or follow in your car?”

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