Page 8 of Royal Fling
“What do you think?” She laughed when I practically ran to the kitchen to get a load of the deep-fried doughnuts waiting for me in the kitchen.
“Let me,” she said when she saw me lifting the icing sugar and the chinois ready to dust some on the puff-puffs.
“I am perfectly capable myself, and you know that better than anyone.”
She walked away from me with an eye roll and opened the fridge. I had grown up with her eye roll and her teeth-kissing, and her tutting when I, or any of my siblings, actually, behaved in a spoiled, unprincely way, but something about her face struck me at that moment. It looked familiar, and not because it was one of her signature expressions.
As she retrieved the bottle of milk from the fridge and poured some in two glasses, I realized who she reminded me of.
The handsome man at the airport.
How odd.
“You know if your mother saw you doing that…” she mumbled.
I laughed and carried my own plate to the kitchen table.
“There are a lot of things my mother wouldn’t like to see me do.”
Nonny kissed her teeth and joined me on the other side.
“Don’t be cheeky, young man,” she said.
I chuckled and filled my stomach with sugared puff puffs enjoying a normal conversation with my Nonny.
It was good to be home.
Three
Luke
The night chaos of London—alive and buzzing even at that time—gave way to quiet quaint little streets and big houses that reeked of expense.
The taxi driver stopped in front of a large, two-storied house, decorated entirely in the kind of limestone that London architecture was known for.
I paid the cab fare in the colorful pound bills and got out, grabbed my suitcase from the trunk, and walked to the gate.
There was an engaged column on either side of the door forming a white arch around it, and the front yard was ridden with garbage. Perhaps I could get my brother’s house cleaned while I was here.
I pressed the key into the hole and entered the darkened house. A beeping sound started as soon as I did, and I used my cell flashlight to find the security alarm panel and punched in the code to disengage it. It wasn’t hard to memorize. It was his date of birth. How safe.
I rolled my eyes and found the light switch and then made my way to a cozy living room that led to an open plan kitchen and dining table with way too many seats. Considering my brother lived alone and had very few friends, I couldn’t see how he had such use for a ten-seater table, but maybe I was missing something.
After all, I hardly knew him after twenty years apart.
I gave myself a tour of the house, plugging in the fridge so I could make use of it tomorrow, and decided to check out the takeout options since I was too exhausted to venture into the kitchen. Not to say anything of the fact that his cupboards were hardly stocked.
I found an envelope on the kitchen counter in my search for menus, and it was addressed to me.
I opened it, taking out the letter inside when I heard a scuffle behind me. Was there someone in the house?
I tiptoed to the edge of the kitchen and pressed my back against the fridge, taking a deep breath.
I leaned my head to the side, trying to take a peek at the hallway.
At the same time, a spritely figure appeared with a candlestick raised above her head and a deep furrow on her face.
She almost brought it down to my head, but I took several steps back and put the kitchen island between me and crazy lady.
