Mine

Chapter Forty Nine

Dirk and I sit in silence for a few minutes. The silence isn't uncomfortable. We're both happy to be together even though we're each thinking our own separate thoughts. Dirk's presence is comforting, and I'm sure mine is comforting to him too. I eventually realize Dirk and I have just been sitting on the futon holding each other for too long. "We have to get up." I say pulling away from him enough to be eye level.

"No we don't."

"But we have to call-"

"I'll get to it, ok? Can we just do something normal?" Dirk bumps his forehead against mine and I smile.

"Like what?"

"I don't know, just something we would've done before you went away."

"Hmm, I could teach you how to make a good breakfast."

"I already know how to make a good breakfast. But cooking together sounds nice, and I am getting pretty hungry."

"Well that settles it then, we'll make breakfast. What are we going to make?" I ask standing up.

"I don't know, what ever we can." Dirk stands and grabs my hand to lead me to the kitchen.

"I don't even know what we have."

"Neither do I." Dirk and I stand in the kitchen opening up cabinets and looking around. "Pancakes." Dirk turns toward me with his eyebrows raised.

"Where do you see pancake mix?"

"No, let's make it from scratch."

"You know how to do that?"

"It's not like it's hard."

"Ok then. What do we need?"

"Flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, eggs, milk, butter, and... syrup for a topping."

"Shit Dave slow down." Dirk is digging through the cabinets pulling out some of the things I said. "Ok Milk, butter, and eggs are in the fridge. How much baking powder do you need?"

"Two and a half teaspoons."

"I think we'll have just enough then. Now what?"

"Two bowls and a shifter. You can shift the dry ingredients I'll mix the milk and egg." I pour the correct amounts of each dry ingredient into measuring cups and then leave Dirk to shift them. I mix the egg and some milk and then wait for him to finish. Once he's done I let him mix the egg and milk into the flour as I get the butter. Then once everything is made I turn on the stove and Dirk shapes them and cooks them.

"All that for four pancakes."

"What were you expecting? Twenty?"

"Maybe six or eight."

"Would you really eat three or four pancakes though?"

"I might." I roll my eyes and pour syrup over our pancakes before taking them to the table.

"Well when you get pancake mix I'll make you three or four." Dirk smiles and takes his seat across from me. There's no playful banter as we eat. Dirk seems in a different world and I'm actually pretty hungry. Once we're finished there's another silence between us. I'm not liking the silences that keep falling between us. I blame it on him not calling the police yet. "Alright Dirk, make the call."

"Dave-"

"Don't even try to get out of it. Just get it out of the way now." Dirk sighs and leaves me at the table as he makes the call. I move to the futon and wait for him there. We're probably going to talk out here so there's no use finding Dirk in his room. He can come to me when he's ready. I bet he needs a few seconds to get mentally prepared before reliving it in front of a complete stranger.