Monster Chef by Margaret McHeyzer

Author:Margaret McHeyzer [McHeyzer, Margaret]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2015-03-17T16:00:00+00:00

TWENTY-ONE

Pierre

Emma is such a spirited little girl. She certainly keeps me on my toes. She can run circles around me and still not be tired out.

“Come on, Pierre,” she squeals with delight as we kick the soccer ball around.

“I think it is time we have something to eat while we rest for a short time.”

“I don’t want to rest. I want to play,” she yells excitedly.

“Come, we will go eat, let the food settle in our tummies then we can go on the monkey bars and climbing frame.”

“You’ll go on the climbing frame with me?” Her gorgeous, big brown eyes light up as she happily anticipates us playing.

“Of course I will. I like hanging like a monkey, although I do not have a tail so I cannot hang upside down.” She grabs the soccer ball and begins walking back to where Holly has laid out lunch.

“Here you go,” Holly says as she hands Emma a small bottle of antibacterial hand sanitizer. Emma squirts some, then automatically turns to me and gives me the bottle.

The act so innocent, though full of trust. She’s already accepted me and is comfortable around me. I feel the rift in my heart begin to heal. She effortlessly brings me joy and happiness, something I did not realise I needed.

“Are you alright?” Holly asks, looking up at me.

“I am fine,” I answer with a smile, caught in a funny feeling of contentment. I belong here. I belong beside Holly and I know I must protect Emma.

I sit on the blanket, and reach out with my hand to rub Holly’s thigh. Emma’s eye catches the movement. She smiles toward me then turns and smiles at her mother.

“Are you and Mummy boyfriend and girlfriend?” she asks me.

“Would it be okay with you if your mummy and I were boyfriend and girlfriend?” I take half a baguette, rip it open and begin to stuff ham and salad into it. But I’m also holding my breath as I wait for Emma to tell me what she thinks.

“Are you going to get married?” she asks.

“We never know what the future will hold,” I answer her. Holly is quiet, and I think the way her eyes are darting between Emma and myself, she may be assessing me and how I am with her daughter. But I will not lie. I will not pretend to be anyone other than the man I am.

“Will you and Mummy have a baby?”

Holly’s strangled groan tells me we’ve arrived at a touchy subject. “Again, ma petite, I do not know what will happen. All I know is that I like you, and I like your mummy and I want to be part of your lives. But I will only be part if you want me here.”

I hand Emma the half baguette I’ve prepared for her. “Bon appétit,” I tell her.

She takes it and stares at it for a few seconds. “Mummy makes me my lunch,” she says as she picks up the baguette and begins to eat it.

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