That thought makes me snigger and Mary Lisa looks up at me with wounded blue eyes.
Something leaps in my chest. Even though she’s annoyed me today, I don’t want to hurt her feelings. “That wasn’t at you, girlie.” I lean in and whisper in her ear. “Want to know a secret? I was laughing at Logan. His cholesterol is a little high and Emily’s got him on a strict diet. He’s not even allowed to eat a whole pizza.”
When I lean back, she’s grinning, clearly pleased to share the joke, and the pressure in my chest eases.
Ginger carries the assembled pizzas out of the room, presumably to the kitchen to be cooked. She’s juggling two pizzas at a time and looks a little overburdened. When she returns, I offer to help her.
“Oh, no. I’ve got it. You should be free to meet everyone. Maybe you can get the games going again while the pizzas are cooking?”
That, I can do.
Since Jack and Sammi have sent their pizza off to be cooked, I enlist Jack to help me, and this time I make sure to catch Cynnie’s eye while I’m speaking. “Should we try to reclaim our Chutes and Ladders dignity?”
“Sure.” Jack chuckles.
“Would you like to play with us, Cynnie?”
She nods and bounces over.
“But that gives us an odd number,” Mary Lisa objects.
“That’s not a problem.” I call to the other single little I’ve been introduced to. “Would you like to play Chutes and Ladders with us?”
The cute brunette lights up and skips over to us, getting a hug from Cynnie.
As we head over to the table where the game’s set up, Amy says to Cynnie, “When did you sneak in?”
“I’zsolate today,” Cynnie replies. “My phone didn’t remind me. Don’t know what happened.”
Amy huffs. “You know what happened.”
“I really set it this time,” Cynnie protests.
“I meant your grandma.”
I glance back to see Cynnie shaking her head, but her eyes are downcast, and her cheeks are red.
I wave everyone into seats and once they’re down, I ask, “Would anyone like a special drink?”
Four hands go up and I smile at the littles. This is even more fun than taking care of Ty, since they don’t whine like a teenager.
“Everyone okay with milk and bananas?”
Cynnie shakes her head and looks down at the table while the other littles nod their heads.
“Great, three Max specials coming up,” I say before I squat next to where Cynnie’s sitting. “Are milk or bananas the problem, girlie-girl?”
“Milk,” she says with a tiny lisp. “I’m ‘lergic.”
“I’m sure I can find a substitute.”
She looks up, eyes bright again. “You’d do that?”
“Of course.”
“Can I’z oat milk if you can find some? That’s my favorite.”
“I’ll see what I can do.” A thought hits, tightening my chest again. “Wait, you didn’t put any cheese on your pizza, did you?”
