Repairing the Hurt

Chapter 11

We have our first family dinner in over a year. Luke and Nathan run out to the store to pick up some ingredients for dinner.

They come back with more than just dinner.

"What do you plan on doing with all that food?" North demands when they walk in, arms loaded with bags.

"We did her grocercy shopping," Nathan shrugs.

"You set me up for the rest of the month!" I exclaim, watching them unpack the neverending supply of food.

"Please tell me you bought her more than just junk food," North tries to say calmly.

Luke looks a bit guilty and doesn't answer.

"We got her real food, too," Nathan reassures, discretely handing a bag to Luke for him to unpack out of North's view.

I huff at them and help to unpack. Children.

They bought too much food. Vegetables to make North happy, a few frozen dinners for late nights, baking ingredients no doubt due to Luke, canned goods, and that's all I unpacked. Nathan and Luke unpacked the rest, whatever that was.

Nathan's pushed out of the kitchen, North taking his place as we get to work.

It feels almost as if we're in an emergency room. We each take turns demanding something, holding our hands out only for the very object to be placed in it a moment later.

We work around each other, or try to at least. I keep bumping into Luke, but by the fifth time when I hear him snigger, I know he's doing it on purpose.

North yells at him everytime, saying the kitchen is a dangerous place, not a playground.

"Luke!" North yells again, looking at us with his hands in the air.

Luke and I are busy making the dessert, each of us coated in flour and looking guilty.

We both freeze at North's voice. I turn slowly and I feel a grin cross my face as an idea hits me.

He sees my face and scowls further, "Think carefully," he warns.

Oh I'm thinking very carefully.

Behind me on the cutting board, I reach back and grab a handful of gooey dough.

"Don't do it," he warns.

"Do it," Luke whispers beside me, moving away to avoid the crossfire.

I do it.

I throw the handful of dough at North and it hits him right in the face, splattering a bit onto his shirt and hair.

"I can't believe you did it," Luke whispers in awe.

I feel my face turn bright red. I can't believe I did it either.

North takes a deep breath, his whole chest moving up and down.

Luke jumps over the counter and is out of sight.

I look back at North.

Then he charges me.

I yelp and try to run but there's nowhere to go.

He envelopes me in his arms and rubs his face against mine, sharing the dough and flour.

I'm giggling, trying to push him away, but he just continues to smear the dough on my face.

I pull away enough but he moves to my neck and it's so ticklish, I can't help but laugh. I laugh so hard, my eyes start to water.

He gets most of the dough off and I'm still laughing, my whole body shaking. It's one of those laughs that start in your stomach and just never end.