Always, Tulip

▫️Seven

The idea of passing by Ginelle's store crossed my mind severally but I don't think she went to work on weekends. It would also not be appropriate after being there yesterday.

I just couldn't be helped.

I went down to get some breakfast and quickly prepared some pancakes that I'd learned to make from Reece. He was a friend of mine who worked at the military as the tech specialist.

We'd known each other for quite sometime long before we even joined the military. I had visited their family countlessly especially after the military academy when they got to know me.

I felt appreciated by his family thus I rarely felt out of the loop when they visited. I finished setting the pancakes just as the door bell rang. As usual, I knew who to expect this early.

I took my time getting to the door knowing too well that Reece was waiting on the side. He frequently showed up at my place on Saturday mornings just to eat.

Apparently with his mother's guidance, my cooking skills had surpassed his. At first I thought she was just praising me so that I didn't feel terrible. I hardly knew how to handle anything in the kitchen.

"Took you so long," Reece sighed as soon as I opened the door but I shot him a glare as I gave him a this-isn't-your-base-look.

"Masha," a small force collided with my legs that my glare dropped instantly and I knelt down to embrace Mayella, Reece's sister.

I easily lifted her up to my chest as I stood up. She was too small for her age granted she was only five. I felt as if I was holding a new born baby, not that I'd ever held one, but she was very small.

"I missed you Masha," she played with the neck of my t-shirt as she smiled up at me, her brown hair falling behind her small back in two pigtails.

"Didn't you go to school today?" I tried teasing her, lightly playing with her chubby chin. Her amber eyes widened as she looked at Reece as if in alarm.

"It's Saturday remember?" She was still not familiar with the school days and I laughed at the cute glare she was sending Reece having thought he'd failed to prepare her for school.

"You lied," she tried hitting my chest once after realizing I was just messing with her. Reece walked past us into the house no doubt headed for the kitchen.

"Just joking," I easily carried her in, closing the door gently behind us. My house was ever clean but when I had their company, it was literally a whole mess.

Just like now, Reece had already plastered many plates on the table as he messily ate and I could hear regular drops of water from a tap that had not been tightly closed.

Mayella shuffled in my arms to get down once she saw her brother feeding on some pancakes and I let her down. She really liked my pancakes.

I went to get a clean plate for her and add some syrup that she liked on them. Reece adjusted her up the high coach after getting her a piece from his plate.

"Thank you Masha," she smiled broadly as I placed the small plate in front of her. The table was however far away for her reach so I asked her to come to my side so that I could feed her.

"Any plans?" Reece spoke with his mouth full and Mayella shifted beside me and angrily pointed his mouth. She then opened her mouth and turned my way to eat more.

I shrugged my shoulders as I leaned back on the sofa watching as Mayella softly chewed. "You never have any," Reece grumbled as he finished his last stack of pancakes, "don't know why I asked."

I chose to ignore him as I fed Mayella. She had moved from her original spot, crawling to the other end though she came back after swallowing. She was the type of child to eat while moving.