My New Home

34. Meals and Melodrama

"Just a dash of powered sugar!" Benji demands as he grabs my hand. I raise an eyebrow. "Well 'dash' isn't a measurement used by Americans- or anyone."

He blows out a breath and takes the opened bag of sugar. "Lemme show!" He's so exited that he can't finish his sentence. He scoops up some sugar with one hand and uses the other to sprinkle the sugar on the finished lemon bars.

"See? Not hard." I smiled and touched his nose. "Not all of us have tiny, cute hands like you. Benji." I show him my big hands- big compared to his at least.

He frowns. "Tiny hands?" He looks at his hands. "Tiny hands?" He said again. I take both his hands in one of mine and hold them tightly. "Tiny hands are cool for sure, Benj." His frown is replaced by his normal huge smile.

"Yay!" He goes back to making the finishing touches on the bars. I can't help but watch him. "Hey Benj?" I said, he looked up at me. "Yeah?" I wrapped him up in my arms.

He squeals and hugs me back. "Love you!" I said to the back of his head. "Love you more!" I sigh into his hair. "'Not possible kiddo." He looks up at me. "Am I your favorite?" I play dumb.

"Favorite who?" He narrows his eyes. "Favorite brother!"

I dip down and whispered. "No," he frowns. "Oh." He said, looking sad. "I didn't finish." He looks back at me. "Your not just my favorite brother, you are my favorite person. Ever."

His eyes lit up and he jumps up and down.

"What's going on in here?" A voice said, we both turn to see Eric. He's standing in the kitchen doorway. He has a warm smile and a case of Pepsi under his arm. I shrugged and walked to him.

"Hey." He said, kissing my forehead. "How are you holding up?" I didn't know.

Between Owen and my father, I was stressed beyond belief. The only person calming the storm in my soul is Benji, who's busy bringing the lemon bars outside to Hank.

"I'm fine. Doing fine I mean." He nods, even if he doesn't fully believe me. "Eric, hey!" Luke comes from outside, he's sweaty. "Yo." Eric gives him a bro hug.

"Jesus man, what the hell have you done to make yourself this sweaty?" Luke looks down at his sweat soaked shirt. "Me and Liam were racing, he has the nerve to say he's faster to me."

Me and Eric sneak a glance at each other.

"And?" I asked. He leans against the stairs. "And what?" I rolled my eyes. "Who won?"

He grimaced. "We had three. He won...technically two but he cheated! So I won!" I patted him on the shoulder.

"Yeah totally." I said sarcastically. He narrows his eyes. "Whatever, I gotta piss." He walks past me and runs up the stairs to the bathroom.

"Shall we go outside? I gotta see if Hank needs help with the grill or not." I follow him to the backyard. I see Liam, equally as sweaty as Luke, trying to catch his breath at the big tree in our yard.

Xander was playing basketball at their hoop with Benji trying to join him but, every time he grabbed the ball, Xander would bounce it out of his hands and dribble it away.

Hank was busy at work on the deck, grilling some burgers and hot dogs. He's got on an apron that says 'worlds best dad' on it. It makes me smile.

"Eric!" Hank said, beckoning him over. They hugged each other. Hank glances at the cans. "Oh could you put those in the cooler?" Eric nods and goes towards the outdoor table where the cooler was. He puts the cans inside the iced cooler. Benji runs up to him and leaves a thankful Xander to play ball alone.