Page 81 of Hello Forever
Epilogue
NINE MONTHSLATER
Cax
“The doorbell is ringing,”Mark said. My brother lay flat on his back on the floor, a paperback thriller held overhishead.
“Then get it, you lazy oaf,” I prompted. “I’m up to my ears in potatopeels,here.”
“I’ll do it,” Axel’s mother said, wiping her hands on herapron.
“You shouldn’t have to, Ann,” I protested, but she was already on her way to the door. I took two steps away from the kitchen island so that I could give Mark a little kick at his ankle. “Nice manners, kid. Waytogo.”
His only response was to turnthepage.
I went back to the task at hand—prepping potatoes. This past year Axel had worked hard to teach me to cook. And I’d worked hard learning. Cooking was fun when it involved following my hot boyfriend around thekitchen.
And while I wished Mark would have slightly better manners, I wasn’t going to make a big deal about it. Because his comfort level with our new family situation had drastically improved since the early days. He regularly invited his friends over now. And last week I’d heard him introduce Axel to his wrestling teammate as “Cax’sboyfriend.”
It had been tempting to say, “See, did that kill you?” But I didn’t do that, and I’m sure he wasgrateful.
“Hey guys! HappyThanksgiving!”
I turned to see Jason enter the kitchen, carrying three bottles of wine. “Hey, man. Thanks for bringingthose.”
“It’s the least I could do.” He set them down on the island and looked around. “I love what you’ve done back here. This is lookinggreat.”
“Thanks. Caleb did a lot of it.” Our friend and neighbor had helped us tear down the wall between the kitchen and the den, so the floor plan could be more of a family space, like the oldhouse.
“Will we see them today?” Jason asked, shrugging offhiscoat.
“Not until later,” I said. “He and Josh are having dinner with their family in Cheshire. But they might stop by for a drink thisevening.”
“Where’sAxel?”
“In here!” Axel yelled from the dining room. “I’m trying to figure out if the fireplace flu works, or if I’m just going to smokeusout.”
“Need a hand?” Jasonoffered.
“Nah—I think I got it.” He appeared a minute later, smiling, smelling a little like smoke. “Happy Thanksgiving, man.” He shook Jason’s hand. “Glad you couldjoinus.”
Axel’s mother joined us in the kitchen again. “Boys, we need to get those potatoes boiling. This turkey is almost done. And Axel has to put his famous pretzel rolls intotheoven.”
Suddenly, Mark sat up. “Axel made pretzelrolls?”
My eyes drifted over to Axel, who winked. “Hesuredid.”
“Awesome,” my middle brother said, putting a hand to hisstomach.
“You get one only if you set the table,” Axel’s mother said. “And Cax—we need thosepotatoes.”
“Sorry.” I went back to the task at hand. “I’m a good worker, but I’mnotfast.”
Axel held out his hand. “Can I take over? There’s only one peeler and…” Hegrinned.
“I’m not offended.” I handed it over. “I’llquarterthem.”
In the time it took me to say those three words, Axel had seized a potato and peeled half ofit. “Deal.”
