Heroes for Hire

Chapter Five

Holy crap, chapter five! I'ts a little shorter than the previous chapters, but I love where it ends and I can't think of anything I'd change in that regard. I hope you like it!

 © 2013. Heroes for Hire. All rights reserved.

Chapter Five

Breakfast was going great. My parent seemed love-struck, Pappa was jolly, and Astrid’s family was…they were very much themselves this morning. Unfortunately.

“So baby girl,” James smirked in my direction, “how are you in the romance department? Still as hopeless as ever?”

James was only a few months older than me, but as such he’s called me baby girl since he could string words together. With the wavy blond hair and blue eyes than ran rampant in this family he was a lady-killer. However, lacking our seemingly genetic intelligence, he was also a buttmunch.

This, the discussion of my romantic escapades that now possibly came to the shocking number of one, was James’ favorite topic and one I was never spared from when the family got together. My eyes widened in horror as I realized that this, this terrible conversation, would be imminent everyday for the next three years.

“Silent as ever baby girl? It’s okay you know. There are tons of people who’ve never been kissed—nuns for example, and crazy cat ladies, and creeps who live in their mother’s basement. See? You have friends out there, you just need to go and connect.”

“You’re a buttmunch.” I said flatly. He just laughed.

Why? Why did the gods have so much fun tormenting me? How hard would it have been to send me another sweet and adoring older cousin like Daniel? Who was unfortunately absent from brunch.

“I’m serious, have you ever given any thought to becoming a nun? There’s silence, books, and best of all? No boys! It’s the perfect combination for you.”

My eyes narrowed into a glare before my face softened into a look of twisted glee, “Maybe you should stop worrying so much about my love life and focus a little more on your own. After all, getting yourself and your lady friend caught by your mother must have hurt your game, no? I bet the chocolate cake was worth it though.”

His jaw dropped and I gave a sweet smile before putting more jam on my biscuit.

“You told them? Mom!” James yelled. His face was quickly becoming red with embarrassment, much like mine does.

“James! No yelling at my table.” Mummi smacked the back of his head with the spoon and I laughed. Nothing was more satisfying than watching James being chastised by Mummi. Something that happened quite often.

“Come on children, plates into the kitchen. James and I will take it from there.” Mummi said.

“Just me? But Mummi-“

“Theresa helped me cook, you can help me clean.”

“Women love a man who cleans.” I teased.

He shot me a dirty look as we took the dishes off the dining table.

“And boys love a girl who knows how to speak.”

I glared and handed him the rest of the dished, then promptly shut the kitchen door in his face. Jerk.

“Pappa?” I called out.

“In here lille.” He said from the living room.

I smiled. Pappa has always called me lille, little one. I remember a time when I hated it; because it made me feel small, but now it’s just something Pappa and I share, it makes me feel special.