A Pocketful of Gems

Chapter 5: to set before a king - Part 2

A metallic tapping woke me.

"Hey, kitten, heard you're sick." Dad was in my doorway, leaning against the frame.

"Yea," my mouth tasted like a restaurant dish cloth, "stomach flu."

"That's awful," he dug his spoon into a container in his hand and scooped up a large chunk and shoved the laden spoon in his mouth, "need me to get you anything?"

I looked at the large bottle of water and the glass on my nightstand and couldn't stop myself smiling. I vaguely recalled being put to bed.

"No, Im good." He took another heaping spoonful from the carton, "what are you eating?"

"Your Ben and Jerry's," he replied sweetly.

I laughed dryly. He took another scoop.

"You must have a death wish."

"Its good, are these things bits of cookie crumbs? And the Greek yogurt gives it this sour flavour that's piquant."

"Mom!" I bellowed. She popped up behind him with her spoon at a ready.

"Yes, Kitten?" she dug her spoon in and took a spoonful. "Whoa, this is good."

"This is torture," I yelled at them, "it counts as child abuse."

They looked at each other and laughed. Mom stopped and smacked her hand to dads shoulder.

"Oh, babes, I saw some lemon pound cake in the fridge, lets make a Greek yogurt trifle."

I rolled over and wrapped my pillow around my head covering my ears.

"I hate you both," I sobbed. "When I'm forty and I convince Spencer to marry me I'm not inviting you to our wedding."

Mom kissed my forehead. I released the pillow.

"We're only teasing, Kitten," she tucked hair behind my ear.

"You can't marry, Spencer," dad knelt beside my bed shaking his head, "he's just to... help me out here, Charisa."

"Yellow?"

"There's that, too, but I was going for cute - men shouldn't be cute..." He trailed off. I stared at them. Dad stared at my wall for a long time, stroking his four day old growth.

"It's probably a passing phase, Ray." Mom sat on the bed, beside him, "like when she wanted to marry that little girl in kindergarten."

"The blonde in the Pokémon hat?"

I bolted upwards, blushing fiercely.

"Out, both of you," they laughed and ran to the door together.

"We thought you were a lesbian for years," mom said from the doorway.

"Up until a few days ago, actually," dad added.

"Ray, you still wanna make that trifle? I saw a can of whipped cream in the fridge door." I plopped back on my pillow.

"Eat and drink to your hearts content, I will have my vengeance." I shook my fist at them.

"Oh? Risa dear, you think Spencer knew who the blonde girl was?" dad asked. I glared over at him. He smiled and took another scoop of my Froyo.

Mom frowned, "I don't see why he would."

"Wasn't he in her kindergarten class too?"

"Dad, you absolutely can't ask him!"

"And why not?'

"You just can't please."

He grinned wide around the spoon in his mouth, "what's my silence worth to you?"

I inflated my cheeks, "you're extorting your own daughter?"

"It's not extortion if the child is legally yours."

"You sure?" mom asked, already giddy with the notion of extorting me.

"Yea, read it in a magazine on parenting." They each took another scoop of my Froyo.

"In which case, cook dinner Sunday," she stuffed the laden spoon into her mouth.

"What?"

She forced the cold lump down, "is that a no?"

"No, no," I smiled, "dinner, Sunday, on it."

"And clean the garage out."

I glared incredulous, "but mom already-"

"That was for her silence, not mine."

"Fine," I crossed my arms, "anything else."

"I'm good," she licked the back of her spoon. "Ray?"

"I'm good too," he turned to mom. "How are your feet?"

"...aching," they closed my door.

"Ugh!" I threw myself back on my pillow, "how am I an only child when you two hump like bunnies? And put the damn yogurt back in the fridge first."

I closed my eyes. I opened them and looked up at the Milky Way.

My phone wasn't under my pillows. I moved the water bottle on my nightstand and saw it there.

I had messages from Mitchell Gordon, some cousins, Auntie Gale and Spencer.

Future husband: Whn u wake up, try to eat somthng pls

Me: Im not sure im ready yet

It took him fifteen minutes to reply.

Future husband: Ok

I left u som crackers in the draw

Me: TY

Future husband: De nada

I wanted to see him. I told him so.

Future husband: Srry

Helping out in bakery

Me: K

Future husband: Im srry

Me: me too

                            -
I stuffed the phone under my pillow, rolled onto my back and looked back up at the Milky Way; feeling alone in it's vastness.

                          ***
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