Leilah sighed in her seat, realizing there wasn't anything snacky in the kitchen as Mark scratched at his chin.
"I guess I can try to cook something," He said, making it sound like a question.
-
Leilah sat on the counter as Mark took out some ingredients.
From what Leilah could tell, he was going to attempt to make pasta.
"Don't worry, Leilah! I've cooked before... once." Mark continued pulling out different pots and utensils.
"Oh jeez..." Leilah leaned back on the counter, not sure what to do with her new dad.
-
Mark popped the noodles into the boiling water and let them cook as he opened the tomato sauce, pouring it into another pot, stirring it occasionally.
Mark was surprised he hadn't burned the house down yet! He continued to 'cook' and Leilah watched lazily.
Leilah suddenly giggled at the thought of Mark making her meals before school on weekday mornings, knowing he'd get up early and have it done before she was done eating breakfast.
The best he could make for her under 5 minutes is a PBJ sandwich.
"What's so funny?!" Mark said, turning to face Leilah, his arm still stirring the sauce leisurely.
"I just thought about you making me lunch for school..." she stated.
Mark's eyes grew wide at the thought.
'Imagine that... Me! Making the sweetest little girl in the world a sandwich for school...!'
He thought, the joyous notion making him stir the sauce faster in total anticipation.
"How's that funny?" he asked, composing himself.
"It wasn't a funny kind of laugh, it was a happy kind of laugh! The ones you do when you're okay with what's happening around you and stuff." she concluded, hopping off the counter and walking over to the stove.
"Mark, you're gonna burn it if you keeping stirring it that fast..."
Mark jolted his attention back to the stove, removing the sauce and checking to see if the pasta was ready.
"Wanna learn a cool way to see if the pasta is ready?" Mark asked.
Leilah stared at him, squinting her eyes in confusion.
"Ok..."
He clapped his hands in excitement.
"Ok ok ok! Grab a thing of pasta!" He sad, pointing at the bowl of noodles.
Leilah cringed, but went reluctantly went over to the bowl and pulled one out.
"What do I do with it...?" she asked cautiously.
"Throw it at the wall!"
"What?!"
"Just chuck it at the wall! Trust me!"
Leilah sighed, recoiling her arm and and throwing it forward, sending the pasta into the air.
It hit the wall with a plop, sticking the surface.
"Ok, what was the purpose of that?"
"If the pasta sticks to the wall, then that means its ready!" Mark laughed, patting Leilahs hair as he walked past her, retrieving the noodle and throwing it out.
"Really?" Leilah pondered. "Where'd ya' learn that?"
"My mom taught me, and now I taught you!" Mark said, a smile tugging his cheeks up.
Leilah smiled.
"When am I gonna meet you're mom, or I guess my grandma? Is she going to RTX?!" she asked, jumping up and down.
"No, we'll meet her around Christmas time, when we're able to go over there to Cincinnati for Christmas break," He said, preparing their food.
"Aww..." Leilah said, ploopling back on the kitchen counter once more.
"Don't fret, mouse! You'll meet everyone soon..." He said, handing Leilah her plate and fork.
Leilah mumbled a thank you before digging in to her food. Setting the plate aside, she put her face in her hands.
"What if the don't like me cuz' I'm an orphan..."
Mark set his plate down and wrapped his arms around Leilah.
"Leilah, don't you ever say that word in this house ever again... I adopted you! You're no orphan... This is your house, and you live in it with me."
He looked down at her tear stained cheeks, wiping them away.
"They're going to love you...!" He hugged her again, Leilah hugging back.
"I just know it..."
\\~\\
"Hey, by the way Leilah, the CPS are coming over in a couple of days to see how I'm doing with you. They're probably going to be in and out once they see how awesome of a parent I am!" Mark gloated, pretending to dust off his shoulder.
"Who are they?" Leilah asked.
"Oh, CPS means 'Child Protective Services'. They're ju-"
"THE MEN IN THE SUITS?!" Leilah yelled, stopping in her tracks.
"Yeah, they wear suits. There's nothing to be afraid of though-"
"NO! Don't let them take me away! They're gonna throw me into an orphanage again!"
"Leilah! They aren't gonna take you away! That's not how it works, first of all. Think of it as a check up; they aren't gonna come back after this, I promise."
---
I know you guys really love this story, but it really grinds my gears when ya'll tell me to update...
Please be patient.
I'm only 15
B((((( HOWEVER!
SUMMER IS HERE
Which means more updates, duh
-Rose