~Lily~
I wake up to the beautiful sound of Ines snoring her head off. I put a pillow on my head and try to get back to sleep, but she's going like a bloody chainsaw. Finally, I get up and head into the kitchen, where Jack's mum is bustling around.
"Morning," I say
"You're up early. How did you sleep?"
"Good thanks. Yeah, I'm an early riser. Can I help with anything?"
"Oh, that'd be good. I'm making you kids a special breakfast for your first morning here together."
"Oh, that's nice of you. What do you want me to do?"
"Well, I'm doing pancakes and I've made the batter so if you could cook them while I fry eggs?"
"Yeah, of course. I love making pancakes." I set about chucking the batter into the pan and turning the pan on as I wait for the batter to cook. When it's done, I grab the pan by the handle, flip the pancake up in the air and catch it on a plate.
"Voila!" I say.
"Nice trick. How long have you been practising that one?" Jack says, sneaking up behind me.
"Jesus Jack!" Jack's mum laughs quietly behind us.
"Really, though, nicely done." She says.
"Well, nice to know someone appreciates me" I reply.
"Of course, sweetie. Jack, do you want to help with breakfast?" Jack's mum asks him.
"No thanks, woman's job in the kitchen."
"Misogynistic bastard," I reply to him.
"But seriously, I can't cook at all."
"It's okay, I can teach you if you want."
"Yeah, that would be good, if you could?"
"Course. Alright, so, you've got to chuck about a ladleful of batter into the pan, and then..." As I take him through the basics of cooking pancakes, I feel him hold my hand with his spare one, and I twine his fingers through mine.
"Well, this is a very cosy scene," Connor says, walking in.
"Oh, hello, Connor. How are you?" Jack's mum asks him.
"Good thanks."
"By the way, Connor, if you want your girlfriend, she's doing an uncanny impression of a chainsaw in our room," I say, as he looks at me quizzically. "I mean she's snoring. Really badly."
"Oh. Attractive."
"I know right? I woke up about an hour ago and it was like there was a freaking wild animal in the room. Sorry about the language Mrs Harper"
"Please, call me Annie"
"Okay. Um, thanks." I say, awkwardly. I turn back to the frypan.
"Jack, the batter's about to burn."
"Oh, crap." He turns around and flips it over.
Perfect. Well done, my rising cooking star." Annie says, giving him a big smoochie kiss.
"Jeez, mum."
"Oh, my little boy's a little embarrassed." I have to stifle a laugh because I can see the look on his face. I know how he must be feeling, but... it's hilarious.
"Naw, it's okay, Jacky Boy," I say, patting his head. Everyone starts laughing at him and I feel bad, but we're all friends and family, it's our job.
"Don't worry, Jacky. It's our job" I say, voicing my thoughts. The rest of the cooking session goes in relative silence as we finish off the pancakes.
"Should I go and grab Nez?" I ask.
"Oh no. Oh no, no-no. You do not want to do that, trust me. she will actually have your head."
"Ah, well. She has to get up sometime." I say, walking out of the kitchen.
"Hang on, I have to see this," Jack says, running out after me. I laugh quietly and we walk down the hall to mine and Nez's room.
"Ines? Sweetie?" I ask as she groans. "Come on, we've got breakfast ready," I say, still using a sweet as honey tone.
"No." She grunts.
"Get the fuck up, lazy bitch. Come on, up!" I yell and turf her out of bed. Jack doubles over laughing as Ines lies on the floor, still basically asleep. I drag her by the hands down the hall and prop her up in a chair. "You don't deserve this food, you know. Are you grateful?"
"I hate you."
"Well, I might have to take it back. Anyone want Nez's pancakes?" I say as I offer them in the general direction of the table and everyone grabs one off her plate. I put her plate back down in front of her as everyone tucks in. She just sits there numbly for a while as she properly wakes up and after a while shakes herself off and goes to the kitchen to get more. I feel a big smile spread on my face. This holiday is going to be awesome.
"Oi, Lily. You want to go down the beach today?" Jack asks me.
"Oh, yeah. What's the temperature like?"
"Hot as outside. We can grab some lunch at the fish and chip shop if you want."
"Yeah, that'd be great. Are the others coming down too?"
"Of course. What did you think?"
"I thought... it might just be you and me," I say, stepping closer. He starts to laugh as I do the same. I can never take romantic sappy stuff seriously, and neither can he.
