Page 27 of Bred By the Minotaur
“Oh.” Milo looks vastly disappointed by this.
“But we were going to play some Monster Masher, right?” Hank pinches the boy’s furry cheek. “Do you want to go get it set up? We can order pizza tonight.”
Milo’s eyes get big and round, his eyebrows lifting. I’m startled by how much this expression reminds me of myself.
“Pizza?” he exclaims, and I’m promptly forgotten. He rushes headlong into the house, his tiny tail flicking wildly behind him as his little hooves gallop up the steps. Then he vanishes inside.
“I should, um, probably go,” Hank says awkwardly, hovering like he wants to go after Milo.
Oh, right. I’m just on a walk, and I’m creeping around his house.
“Yeah, of course. I hope you guys have a fun night playing Monster Masher.”
Hank hesitates, biting his lip with one of his big, square molars like he’s thinking hard.
“Do you want some pizza?” he finally asks. “If you don’t want to, I understand. No pressure, or?—”
Before I can think twice about it, I answer, “Yes.”
Why? Why did I say that? Because I wanted to. Because the last thing I want right now is to walk back to my sister’s house, and instead, the lights are on inside Hank’s cute two-story suburban home, warm and waiting.
And Milo. Who is he? What is he?
Hank’s eyes light up like the sun. He grins widely, and gestures for me to walk on ahead of him, in through the open front door.
Who knows what I’ll find on the other side?
Eleven
Hank
She actually agreed. She’s coming inside my house. She’s going to spend time with Milo and me, and I think my heart just might explode out of my chest as she steps through the front door.
“Pizza! Pizza!” Milo is calling out as he races into the living room, then around through the entryway back to the kitchen again.
“Shh,” I tell him, picking up my phone. “I have to order it first.” I glance at Phoebe, who’s standing in the entryway like she’s not sure where to go or what to do with herself. “Sit down, if you like. Water? Soda?” I start putting together a pizza order, then stop. “What do you like on your pizza?”
She looks like a deer in the headlights. “Um...”
Milo sprints into the room again. “Pepperoni! Double pepperoni!”
I don’t miss the fond smile that Phoebe has on her face as she watches him blaze past.
“Double pepperoni is fine with me,” she says gamely. “Can we get those breadsticks, though? I love them.”
I’m surprised—and more than pleased—that she would ask.
“Of course. I’ve even got some rewards points to spend.” We probably order pizza more often than we should, but who’s going to stop me? Milo knows not to talk to Grandma about how much we eat pizza.
Once I’ve got the order placed, I offer to show Phoebe around the house. Yeah, maybe it’s a little bit so that she can see the guest room. I don’t know how she’s been enjoying staying on her sister’s couch, but I imagine it gets awkward after a while. If anything, I’d say Phoebe looks stiffer than the last time I saw her.
Or maybe she’s just really uncomfortable here.
“Will you give her a tour?!” Milo asks. “Dad, can we show her my bedroom?”
Phoebe grins at him. “I’d love to see your room.”
I pat his head. “Of course you can show her.”
