Page 19 of Serving my Dragon
My phone rang and, recognizing the tune, I answered, “Hola, Mama.”
“You are needed to carry stuff.” No hello. No how are you doing.
Welcome to the life of being an only son. “I’ll be right there, Mama.”
Since Polly napped in a sunny spot, I quietly snuck out and strolled up the road to Mama’s house. I entered to a familiar savory smell, only it wasn’t just Mama sweating in the kitchen. A flushed Kayleigh beamed at me. “I made dinner, but there’s too much for me to tote. Thanks for lending your muscles.”
I dare any man not to be tempted to flex.
“The girl is a natural cook.” Mama offered some rare praise. “Excellent sense of taste.” An even bigger compliment. According to Mama, you didn’t make food by measuring each ingredient precisely. It was about texture and flavor, adding a pinch of this or that until the right combination was hit.
“I can’t wait to taste it. Will you be joining us?” I asked Mama.
“No.” She shook her head. “Not while you have that lizard.”
“Polly’s a sweetheart,” Kayleigh stated. “But I get it. I’m terrified of mice. Whenever we’d get one in the house, I’d be up on a chair, screaming. Dad would holler at Mom to put the gun away, but Mom never did holster it until Dad got a box to scoop up the mouse and put it outside.”
“I like using a broom,” Mama confided. “Smack it over the head and then sweep it through the door.”
“You will not be smashing Pollita,” I sternly warned, and then changed the subject because Kayleigh’s comment struck me as a little nuts. “Did you say your mom tried to shoot a mouse in the house?”
Kayleigh’s lips curved. “She wanted to, but Dad wouldn’t let her, seeing as how the last time she fired a shot it took him forever to fix the hole in the ceiling. The bullet hit a pipe in the upstairs bathroom and, well… let’s just say it made a mess.”
“What was she shooting at?” I couldn’t help but ask.
“Bat. It found a hole in a screen and flew in.”
“Your mother had a fiery spirit.”
“She was pretty awesome,” Kayleigh admitted. “Dad used to say I looked just like her, but I’m not as brave, I’m afraid.”
“At least you inherited her birthing hips,” Mama commented, nodding with approval.
“Mama, you can’t say that. It’s rude.”
Kayleigh, however, snickered. “I don’t mind. It’s nicer than being told I’m too fat. Besides, it is kind of a compliment, seeing as how I want lots of babies.”
Mama patted her arm. “You will have many. Carmelita has seen it.”
Wait, when had my aunt done Kayleigh’s fortune? And just who was Kayleigh having babies with?
Not something I could ask, nor should I care. Kayleigh would only be here a short while until her affairs got sorted. A good thing, too, because my matchmaking mama appeared to be taking too keen of an interest.
“We should get this pot home while it’s hot,” I exclaimed before Mama could embarrass either of us any further. A good thing I did have a bit of muscle since they’d cooked up a large batch of food.
Dinner was delicious. Or was it the company I enjoyed? Polly declared it the best meal yet, but within the hour, she crawled into my lap, a hot and shivering ball of misery.
“What’s wrong?” I asked with concern. “Did the meal disagree with you?
“The molting is upon me.”
“And how long will that last?”
“As long as it takes,” murmured Polly, before closing her eyes.
I glanced at Kayleigh who shrugged. “Reptiles shed at different rates and I would imagine how they handle it differs as well. I wouldn’t panic. After all, Pollita doesn’t seem concerned.”
“But she’s burning up.” The heat of her radiated.
