Page 65 of August
“Me?” Myra asked. “Um… None.”
“See?” Adele said, laughing. “I told you so.”
“Told me what? She just doesn’t like it. Doesn’t mean you’re right. More cheese is always good.”
“Lasagna has cheese in it,” Adele explained. “Save the parmesan for spaghetti or something.”
“Or fettuccine,” he suggested.
“The sauce is literally just butter, cream, and parmesan cheese. You need more?”
“Yes. Who doesn’t?” AJ argued.
Myra laughed a little.
“I swear, they’re normally well-behaved,” Elisa whispered to her.
“It’s fun,” Myra said, finding it to be true. “They’re fun. They’re so alike, aren’t they?” she asked when she saw how they both scooped salad onto their plates and added the same toppings from the separate bowls on the counter.
“What?” Elisa laughed loudly. “Myra thinks you two aresoalike.”
AJ and Adele both laughed.
“We’re totally different,” AJ said as he popped a crouton into his mouth.
“Yeah,hehas no manners,” Adele added.
“Shut up,” he said through his laughter. “Get the stick out of your butt. We’re at home.”
Myra turned to Elisa then and saw her smile, knowing it was because her son had used the word ‘home’ to describe the house Elisa had bought for them and had spent months painstakingly putting together before they moved in so that they could feel like it was home.
“Let’s sit,” Elisa said to them. “We’re pretty informal,” she added to Myra. “Just grab whatever you want and have a seat. Wine?”
“Are you having wine?”
“Yes,” Elisa said with a wink.
“Can we have wine?” AJ asked.
“No,” Elisa replied. “You can have grape juice.”
“In a sippy cup,” Adele joked. “Because he spills everything.”
“I don’t spill things.”
Myra laughed.
“We don’t have any sippy cups, so just don’t spill it,” Elisa joined in.
“I’m not drinking grape juice,” AJ stated as he grunted and walked to the fridge. “I’m getting a soda. Adele?”
“Yeah. Thanks. Do you want ranch on your–”
“Yeah. Thanks,” AJ replied with the exact same pacing as his twin.
Myra kind of admired how the two of them could be going at it, even in jest, but then it was back to them taking care of each other the next minute by asking if the other one wanted anything. Elisa handed Myra a plate and gave her a soft smile. Then, Myra scooped lasagna and salad onto her plate.
“Get the bread. I made it myself,” AJ said to Myra.
