Page 31 of Fostering Chemistry
"How about it?" Aaron asked Diego.
But before Diego could say anything, Raymond jumped in, and I almost groaned.
"But the leaves are only there this month," Raymond protested. "What’s he going to do the rest of the year?"
Jenna jumped in. “Shovel snow if we get any? Clean out gutters?”
Aaron wasn’t happy with Raymond. "Would you feel better if after he raked the leaves, we bagged them all up and scattered them around the yard each week for him to rake all year long?"
I laughed, as did Evan. Raymond’s face turned red.
"Diego?" I asked. He looked a little surprised that I’d addressed him directly, since I generally tended to avoid doing that. Butmaybe that meant he’d be more inclined to listen to me now. “Can we try it? Just because you’ve always done things one way doesn’t mean that that’s the only way.”
"I say we give it a shot," said Aaron.
Jenna and Evan nodded.
"What do we do, vote?" I asked. "Do we vote on things like this?"
Aaron said, "Usually it’s up to our fearless leader."
"No, let’s vote," Diego said. "All in favor of trying this new division of labor?"
I raised my hand, as did Aaron, Jenna, and Evan.
"All opposed?"
Raymond raised his hand.
Since Cody hadn’t voted, Diego asked him point blank. “Do you want to try this?"
Cody was silent for so long I didn’t think he was going to answer, but Diego waited him out.
"Yes,” he finally said.
"All right, it’s settled then. Who’s on dish duty tonight?"
"Not me," I said, smiling with relief on several fronts.
"Nor me. I mashed so many potatoes I think I strained a muscle,” Aaron said.
"Don’t expect a Purple Heart," said Diego, but he was good-natured. I couldn’t help admiring that he was willing to try something different.
As the others got up and carried plates back to the kitchen, Aaron asked if I wanted to watch another episode ofAmerican Adventures.
"Sounds great.”
A minute later I was in my favorite place in the whole house—on the sofa right next to him. He spread a blanket over our legs, but then he paused. “Wait, are you hungry? I could go get us a big bowl of?—”
“We just ate,” I interrupted. “There’s no way I can eat popcorn right now.”
There was a gleam in his eyes. “I was going to say a big bowl of mashed potatoes.”
The sound I made was half groan and half laugh as I smacked him in the arm. Ow. His biceps were hard. "How much more mileage are you planning to get out of the ten pounds of potatoes thing?"
"Quite a bit."
It was fun hanging out with Aaron, and I didn’t check my phone until I was back in my room upstairs.
