Picky Eater

Ch 22: What's wrong now?

"Alright, little girl, let's do it." Nino dropped to his knees, matching his niece's level with a huge smile. He rubbed his fist into his palm, preparing for battle. "On one, okay?"

Evie held up her tiny fist and nodded.

Nino counted down. "Three, two, one!"

Her shoulders jumping, Evie popped a pair of scissors out and Ben held his breath, seeing Nino did the same. They immediately did it again with Nino recounting, "Three, two, one!"

Both revealed scissors again and Evie whined pitifully, bobbing up and down. Nino snorted and they both started hitting their hands again. "Alright, come on," Nino said. "First one to win, win's it all, okay? Let's go, Evelyn. Three, two, one—!"

"YES!" Evie roared with her pair of scissors high in the air as Nino's flat hand hovered between them. Ben laughed, opening his hands for a high five. Evie smacked his palms a little too hard and he flung back against the couch. Obviously not noticing, Evie ran upstairs, shouting, "Come on! We have to pack! When do we leave? I've never seen the beach before! Can we go today?"

There was more commotion, doors and drawers opening and slamming with Evie asking question after question. Ben chuckled. "I may have created a monster." He looked back at Nino, who was already on his way to the coach, settling his hands on the top and enclosing Ben inside. "Did you let her win?"

Nino shrugged. "She always chooses scissors."

Ben laughed again, but his laughter faded out, surprised by the serious look in Nino's eyes. He was doing this thing all morning: just staring at Ben as if he was searching for something. Ben supposed he hadn't found it yet. Leaning closer, Nino pecked Ben's lips, making Ben jump and his skin hot. His eyebrows almost flew off his face. "Wh-what?"

"What?" Nino cocked his head, more amused than anything. "I can't kiss you anymore?"

"No, I mean—yes? No, I just..." Ben shook his head, all his muddled thoughts rattling around his skull. It sounded like scattering pebbles in there. "I just thought you might've gotten it out of your system last night," Ben said. It never occurred to Ben that Nino might kiss him again, that Nino would be so affectionate during the day for no reason.

"What is it that I got out of my system?" Nino asked.

Ben opened his mouth, trying to pin down the right word. "I guess... me?"

Oh.

Something flickered in Nino's face and whatever he had been searching for, he found it. Nino cupped Ben's face and kissed him again. Just kissed him. Pressing their lips together in a long, deep kiss that paused the world around them. Pulling back, Nino said, "I'll find the place and arrange the travel. You have enough to worry about."

"Do I? Packing won't take that long."

"I'm not talking about packing." Nino smirked. "You have to figure out what you're going to tell Lincoln."

***

"Hey, baby, it's Ben," Ben said over the phone, holding onto Evie for dear life. With a yelp, Ben reminded her, "Evie! Be careful, be careful—you're gonna pull my arm out of the socket."

Evie groaned and still pulled, but now with only a third of her strength. Having become a master, Ben braided two French braids that fell down her shoulders. She wore a big puffy yellow dress and strappy sandals. Requesting for them to match, Ben wore a pair of linen white shorts and a yellow Hawaiian shirt covered in pineapples.

"What's wrong now?" Lincoln replied, already on guard.

"Why do you think something's wrong?" Ben gawked, feigning hurt, even though Lincoln was technically right. Ben squinted through his sunglasses at the clear blue sky. Not a single cloud was blocking the blazing hot sun. The heat zapped away what remained of Ben's energy after the drive, the flight, and getting to the car rental place. It also took that amount of time for Ben to hype himself up enough to call his best friend.