I never spend the night with girls. My bedroom is my sanctuary. My place to relax and unwind.
I never wanted to bring a girl into my bed. Until now.
If I thought she’d agree to it, I’d ask Tina to move in with me and share my bed permanently.
Who knew sleep could be so enjoyable?
I flip the sheet off and make my way to the bathroom to shower. I undress and I swear there’s come on my boxers.
What the hell? Did I have a wet dream? What am I fifteen?!
After I shower I find another pair of boxers to wear and head out to the place I’m sure Tina will be.
I walk into the kitchen and find Tina with her back to me. Her pajamas look so sexy on her. When she stretches up to reach into the cupboard for spices, the hem of the shorts rides up. Nice.
She’s got a batter made and is getting ready to cook up pancakes. I love pancakes. My mom makes me pancakes whenever I’m there for the morning.
I walk up behind her, put my arms around her waist and chuckle when she yelps.
She turns around, pushes my shoulder and shouts, “God, Nik! You scared the life out of me!”
Her face is trying to hold a look of contempt but she’s smiling. I move closer to her, hold her hips in my hands and ask, “How’d you sleep, sweetheart?”
Tina swallows hard. In a quiet voice she says, “Just fine. How’d you sleep?”
I smile big and say, “Best sleep I’ve had in a long time. ”
Her cheeks flush and she turns to the skillet. She clears her throat then speaks, “I’m making pancakes for everyone. Can you see if they’re up?”
I walk over to the bedrooms and knock. Max is the first up and when the door opens I burst out laughing. He’s black and blue. His nose is swollen and his lip is split. I’m laughing so hard I use one hand to hold onto the door frame and hold my stomach with the other. I can’t believe little Tina inflicted this much damage on such a big guy.
He scowls at me and says, “Laugh it up, knucklehead. ” Then he goes to Ceecee’s room to wake her.
I walk back into the kitchen. Tina has a stack of pancakes ready. She hums while she cooks. It sounds like she’s humming ‘The way’ by Fastball. I like that song.
Tina holds the platter of pancakes out to me and asks, “Could you please put this on the dining table?”
We never eat at the dining table. I don’t even know why we have a dining table. We normally eat on the go, at the breakfast bar, or on the sofa. But I nod and take the platter over for her.
When everyone takes a seat at the dining table, Tina emerges from the kitchen with another stack of thinner, wider crepe-like things.
Nat, who looked barely alive when she emerged from Max’s bedroom, sees them and gasps “Pala?inke?!” It sounds like Pa-lah-chink-eh. Nat groans “You know I’m a Pala?inke-holic. ”
Tina smiles and places them right in front of Nat then walks over to a seated Max. She touches his face softly and says, “I’m so sorry, honey. I know they aren’t cupcakes but this is all I could find the ingredients for in the kitchen. And I’m going to serve you. I’ll be your waitress this morning. ”
Max takes her hand and kisses it. He assures, “Don’t worry about it, doll. I’m a big boy. ”
Tina looks at him with adoration and kisses his head.
She sits and claps her hands together. She looks at the food and says, “Well, c’mon, don’t leave your tummies rumbling. Dig in!”
Ghost is the first to take a pancake and that’s everyone else’s cue to attack the food with gusto. There’s Pancakes, Pala?inke, fruit salad, orange juice, coffee, butter, syrup, and jelly on the table. And it’s all wonderful.
The pancakes have cinnamon in them and taste great. We all try the Pala?inke which you spread jelly on and roll them up before eating them, they’re good. The cantaloupe in the fruit salad is perfectly sweet. And the coffee is heavenly.
I’m a little surprised that Ceecee has managed two pancakes, one Pala?inke, fruit, and juice. She never eats well in the morning. I look closer at her and she takes bits of pancake and puts it over the side of her chair. I don’t hide it when I look under the table and she stiffens.
I see a black and white cat sitting next to her chair, licking its mouth and purring. And that’s where Ceecee’s extra pancake got to.