It's Been a While

I hummed loudly as I continued waltzing around the kitchen. Even if I wasn’t cooking or searching the cabinets for the hidden stores of alcohol, it was a relatively open and secluded place, especially since work had started again for everyone who lived in the immediate area. I was often left alone with the kids and occasionally Aiden and Natalie when they finally took a break from last minute wedding panic.

“Daddy says you’re an actress,” Cherry stated simply. All three of our siblings had chosen to stay where the action was even though Dom decided he liked day care better than being surrounded by a bunch of girls. Even as we spoke we could see Brendon from the kitchen window putting his excessive energy to good use and helping Aiden pitch the giant tent the guys had somehow managed to get a hold of.
I stopped my dancing to answer her but didn’t want to go into exactly what I did.

“He’s right. I am an actress. I get to go up on a big stage and pretend to be lots of different things. What do you girls want for lunch? I’m going to have to make something for when Brendon and Aiden come inside and Natalie’s out with Georgia talking to her crew, so that leaves the lunch making up to me. Any requests?”

“French toast,” Bandit decided, causing Lily to immediately scowl.

“French toast isn’t lunch food, silly. Sandwiches are lunch.”

“Tell you what,” I intervened before someone got bit and beckoned them closer. “We can make French toast sandwiches. Lyn-Z was nice enough to get some strawberries and bananas from the super market.”

With three exclamations of agreement I made the French toast and cut the fruit so the kids could go at it and decide what they wanted.

“This one’s for Uncle Aiden,” Cherry declared, holding up a sandwich that was spilling out the sides with fruit and syrup. “And Lily made one for Brendon. Lily, show Becca.” Lily’s was much neater, but still showed that it was crafted by a small child.

“Beautiful! Let’s call them in so we can eat together.” I struggled for a moment to open the large window, but eventually it allowed me to lift it to a position wide enough for me to stick my head out and yell into the yard.

“So, Becca,” Aiden started because he was the first done with lunch. “You’re an actress and a baker?”

“I was a baker’s assistant for a while. Acting didn’t take off for me until just recently so I needed a side job. I was a waitress for some time too, but that didn’t last long.”

“You know, you could probably get a job here at Natalie’s theater. Be closer to the family, you know? You should always have a support system.”

“I would love too, but I have my Chicago friends. They’ve been my second family since high school and I can’t just leave them forever. If there’s a job or two here that I can take before the reunion’s over then that’s fantastic, but it can’t be permanent. I may even take up Bob’s suggestion of learning a techie trade so I can be connected to the theater even if I can’t act.”

“I’m home, beautiful family!” Gavin called into the house, leading me to believe that Jill wasn’t too far behind, probably with Dom in tow.

“Gavin, for the last time, you’re not related to them.”