Page 86 of It's in the Contract
Zeke reaches for something on Suzy’s desk that I didn’t notice before. “I doubt you got to eat dinner yet, so I brought you a plate.” Zeke holds out a plate of lasagna and salad to me, a fork ready to go.
The tears well up again. “Thank you,” I manage to choke out. I take the plate and busy myself stuffing my face with the gooiest, cheesiest lasagna I’ve ever eaten. I moan even louder than Mr. Mochi.
“Good?” Zeke asks.
“Soooo good,” I groan around a mouthful of noodles. “Tell your mom I love her.”
“I think it’s happening!” Suzy says.
I turn away because I don’t want to watch the actual event, especially not while I’m eating.
“Mr. Mochi!” Suzy cries. “You did it!”
I turn back to see Suzy on her knees next to Mr. Mochi’s cage. Two tiny, wet babies are laying in the hay next to their exhausted mama. My heart melts.
“They’re like big, furry jelly beans,” I say.
“So cute!” Zeke says. “Mia is going to freak.”
That’s right. “I forgot Mia wanted one. Is your mom okay with it?”
Zeke grins. “She finally relented. Who can say no to Mia?”
I smile back and set my empty plate on the floor by my feet. My stomach is full and my heart has healed, just a little. “No one.”
Suzy picks up one of the babies and cleans it off with a soft cloth. It has brown and white patches like its mama. The other baby is mahogany brown with small white specks. “They’re so beautiful.” Suzy cuddles the little guinea pig close to her chest. “Which one do you think Mia would like?”
“Don’t you want to choose which one you want to keep?”
Suzy looks at the two babies. “No. I think Mia should choose. But I’ll have to check and see when guinea pigs can be separated from their mom.”
“Looking it up right now,” I say, pulling out my phone. My belly is so happy I want to fall back on the bed in a food coma.
And there’s this voice in my head saying that I ate too much, and I’m going to regret it later when I hop on the scale. But it’s just one meal . . . it can’t hurt me that much, right?
I focus on my search. “Looks like Mia can get her baby guinea pig in a month.”
Zeke grins. “She’ll be thrilled.”
Suzy looks up at Zeke. “You’ll help her take care of it, right?”
“Of course.”
I bend down next to Suzy on the floor and pick up the other tiny guinea pig and wrap it in another soft cloth. I bring it close to my face and feel the damp fur against my cheek. “They’re so little and perfect.”
“Good job, Mr. Mochi.” Suzy strokes her guinea pig’s fur, and I swear I hear a little happy squeak. “You did it, girl.”
Suzyand I perch on stools around the kitchen island, sipping cups of steaming jasmine tea with honey. Zeke has gone home to tell Mia the exciting news and to show her a picture of the two piggies so she can choose. The dishes are piled high in the sink and pots with crusty bits of rice are on the stove. Suzy’s parents keep the restaurant immaculate, but no one wants to clean up when they get home. I don’t blame them.
“Mr. Mochi did good.” I take a sip of tea.
Suzy smiles. “Yeah. And they’re SO CUTE.”
“Have you picked out a name for yours?”
“I’ll wait until Mia chooses hers so I know which one will be mine,” Suzy says.
I hop off the stool. “Want to help me practice royal icing?”
