Page 49 of Damien
“You’re silly,” she says on a light laugh as we end our kiss. “Let’s get inside before they send out the calvary.”
As soon as I enter the house, my senses are on overload. Instantly, I’m reminded of Sunday dinners with my family growing up. It smells like a roast has been in a crockpot all day slow cooking. Or at least that’s how my mom always did it. My mouth waters as I anticipate its savory taste. God, it’s been forever since I had a home-cooked meal like this.
“Hope you don’t mind. I threw in a roast to cook with all the fixings before heading off to class, so it’d be ready when you arrived. It’s one of Julia’s favorites. Though there will be a side of broccoli—because that wouldn’t taste as good if it had cooked all day. I like broccoli, but having it mushy? No thanks.”
“Need help with anything?” I ask, setting dessert on the counter out of the way.
“Nope. Julia helped set the table. All we need to do is sit down to eat.”
Julia’s feet tap out a rhythm as she reenters the house from the garage. “They’re almost done and will be right here.”
“Okay. Go wash up. The sooner you eat, the faster you’ll get dessert.”
There must be two modes to Julia, speedy and practically asleep. I have yet to see anything else in my short time with her. She makes me smile as I watch her zoom out of the kitchen.
“Kids…” Vanessa sighs exasperatedly. “If I’ve told her to walk once, I’ve told her at least a million times. I need to get that girl into track or on a soccer field. Softball might be too slow of a sport for her. If you’ll put this on the table, I’ll join you in a second,” she says as she hands me a large bowl of broccoli.
There’s laughter from the hall off the kitchen that interrupts my mission. When Sydney and Vince round the corner, she swats at him. “You did not just say that.”
“If the shoe fits, Syd. You have so many cookbooks, you’ll never use them all.”
Pointing a finger at him, she waves it. “See if I bake for you again…”
“Hey. You know my favorite recipes by heart. I’m sure you’ll manage with a few books in storage for a while. Besides… if you ever need them, you know where to find them.”
When they spot me staring, Vince explains, “Sydney’s moving in, and she has no less than forty cookbooks. I’ve never seen that many. It’s a good thing we have storage in the attic, or we’d have to add onto the kitchen to put them in a cupboard.”
“I don’t need them out for the next year or so. But Iamkeeping them, Vincent Daniel Larson. Some were Gram’s and others I’ve picked up along the way.”
Vince’s smile disappears. “We can pick up a shelf if you want them inside. You know I’m just giving you a hard time, Syd. I didn’t realize where they came from.”
“I’m good with the attic for now. But if I change my mind, I’ll let you know.”
Julia runs into the room. “All washed up, Momma.”
In a matter of minutes, all of us sit at the round table. Vince and Sydney on one side pair off, and Julia plops beside them. “Dame. You can sit by me. Remember—You’ll get in trouble—you have ta take a no thankyou bite… even if you don’t like it. Or Momma gets mad.”
“That’s a good rule to live by. But rumor has it we’re having roast. I happen to love it.” I grin at her cuteness.
“Don’t worry, the broccoli will be good. If you don’t like it though…” she trails off as her eyes linger on the bowl in front of her. Then she whispers, though I’m sure the room can hear, “You can just pass it to me, and I’ll eat it before anyone knows, ‘mkay?”
God, this girl is adorable!
But being the adult I’m supposed to be, I keep a straight face as I whisper back, “Thanks for the offer, I’ll keep that in mind.”
As I look up, I don’t miss Vanessa rolling her eyes and shaking her head. She doesn’t get the chance to say anything because Vince clears his throat and says, “So, Damien, you work on campus?”
“Yeah, I just started a few months ago.”
“Does that mean you’ll be leaving soon… I mean, when your project’s over?” Vince clarifies. His face doesn’t show any malice, just curiosity. Though I’m sure it has something to do with being a protective brother—That’s what I would do with Dani, so I can’t blame him.
“I suppose I will, in about a year from now.”
“Where will you go then?” Julia asks.
“I guess I’ll go wherever my company takes me. I was working in Tacoma before moving here.”
“Why did you move here?” Julia asks with a prong filled with broccoli and a facial expression I’ve seen mirrored on her mother when she’s being inquisitive.
