A Storm in the Desert (On Hold)

Chapter 11

Jason held his coffee cup just below his lips, inhaling the pungent steam as he admired the lighter hue of blue now painting the eastern sky. He looked back down at the Ipad on the counter in front of him, his finger slowly scrolled the page, as he tried to see what she saw. Hearing furtive whispers, he closed the internet window and shut down the tablet as two little girls tip-toed into the early morning shadows of the kitchen. He smiled, looking out the window again, listening to their tiny feet pad toward him. Soft fingers touched his knee and he glanced down at Esme's big brown eyes. He brushed an errant curl back from her face and she leaned against his leg for a moment. Pushing herself up on her toes, she looked over the counter then up at him.

"Want a boost?" he asked.

She nodded.

Bending, he picked her up and set her on the cool granite counter, then help Ambra up as well. Both little girls watched him closely as he sipped his coffee. "Are you hungry?" he asked.

Esme just looked at him and Ambra said, "Grandpa will be right out, he'll get us cereal."

Jason smiled a little behind his coffee mug, "He will? Cause I lived with him for a long time and he never got me cereal in the morning."

Ambra cocked her head, tipping her chin toward him in a very Lily manner, "Who got your cereal for you?"

"My Mom. Isn't that who usually gets it for you?"

Ambra snorted, "No!"

"No?"

"She's not a morning person, so we always get our own cereal and even pour our milk."

He nodded, "I see, so, why are we waiting for Grandpa?"

"Mom told us if we climbed the shelves again she break our legs and we'd have to sit in the recliner all day like the other invalid." The little girls looked at each other.

Jason's mug had stopped halfway to his mouth, "Thinks I'm an invalid, does she?"

Esme patted his hand where it sat on the cupboard next to her.

He winked at the girl, "We'll see about that."

Esme nodded.

"Wait, what did you say? You climbed the pantry shelves?"

"Only once," Ambra decided, but at Esme's sideways glance added, "to get cereal."

Esme looked up at Jason, a little worried line between her eyebrows.

"Well, as long as it was only once then," he winked at Esme. "Maybe we should find a new place to put cereal?"

"That's what I said!" Ambra replied. "But mom said we weren't going to change around your kitchen, we're the guests."

"Is that what she said?" he murmured. "Well, you are most certainly not guests. More like my personal slaves," he said, setting his cup down and walking into the pantry. He pulled down two boxes of cold cereal and looked at them. "Do you guys like this stuff? Frosted Mini-Wheats? Raisin Bran? There's not even any marshmallows and they're brown. I wouldn't even eat this. I can see it's time for me to get out of my recliner and take charge here. What else is she making you eat that humans shouldn't be subjected to?"

The little girls giggled as Jason shook his head in disbelief at the tragedy of their cereal choices.

"We need to make a list." he said.

"What are we making a list of?" came Lily's sleepy voice as she stepped in from the living room.

"Ways to prevent any more invalids from entering the house," Jason said trying not to traumatize the girls by looking like he could eat their mother alive. She was twisting her hair into a floppy bun on the top of her head, dressed in shorts and a tank top, barefoot. He swiveled on his cast, sliding his arm around her waist and catching her mouth in a kiss. A kiss that went on longer the more she protested.