At Your Service ✓

[Chapter Twenty] Shawn

Chapter Twenty- Shawn

I ran that park every day and I had no idea that I would run into them especially in the rain like this. Sure I knew it was close to her house now but it's also the closest park that wasn't on base and since I didn't want people to see my struggling I went elsewhere.

I tried to tell her no, this isn't the way I wanted to spend a night with her I wanted her to spend time with me because she wanted to not because I was paying her or Lalexia was pressuring her but it didn't seem like that was going to happen anytime soon.

I showered and then watched them brush each other's hair and you could tell that they were very close.

She pulled us into the kitchen and Mari looked right at home and I was very uncomfortable in here. I felt like if I looked at something wrong the place would explode.

She grabbed tomatoes and did something before dropping them in boiling water and then ice water and Lex grabbed a stool

"Shawn you can do this." she called me over and I watched her peeled the tomatoes and put them into another bowl. She moved her stool aside and I stood there peeling them and putting them into a bown for Lalexia to put her hands in a squish. When we got the last of them she was a complete mess and so was her area.

Mari looked at her adoringly and went to grab a towel and I moved to her to help clean up the best I could when she put her tomato covered hands on my face and laughed a sweet little sound

"Lalexia Josephine Hansen!" Oh no, the full name came out. She bottled her laughter and looked at Mari who was shaking her head at her

"Sorry." She looked at me and laughed again and Mari fought to keep a smile off her face when she looked at me. She handed me a towel and grabbed the bowl of tomatoes and went over to the stove to pour them in a large pot.

I took the hint and cleaned both myself and Lex off and then the counter as Lex went and grabbed a bunch of things that Mari used to make the sauce. And then she put a lid on it and looked at Lalexia

"I want a real apology missy or no baking for you." Lalexia walked over to me and wrapped her arms around me to give me a big hug

"I'm sorry Shawn, that wasn't nice of me." she said and I looked down at her and pushed her hair away from her face

"It's okay kiddo." I told her and she looked over at Mari who looked satisfied with her apology.

"Okay now cupcakes or cookies?" she asked Lex who opted for cupcakes and insisted that I helped.

We got those in and Mari boiled the noodles and she had the timing down. The cupcakes came out as she dished up dinner and I sat down with them to eat and it was delicious like I expected it would be.

"Shawn what's your favorite color?" she asked me

"Green, how about your?" I asked

"Orange, I like it because no one else does and it's sad that no one does." She told me seriously and I watched Mari out of the corner of my eye

"What about you Mari?" I asked her

"Purple." She told me and took another bite of food.

"Shawn how old are you?" she asked me

"I'm almost twenty-eight."

"You're older then mommy." She said

"I know. Mommy's four years less than me." she nodded

"Where did you grow up?" she asked

"In New York, it's up higher than here."

"Why do you live here?" she asked confused