Chocolate Dipped Watermelon

The characters names were altered, and most events were changed for the plot.

Chocolate Dipped Watermelon

An 8 year old boy was moving a box of ice cubes next to a machine with, standing in the kitchen. His favorite time was brunch.

Shain smiled at his sister near him,

with gratitude. "Hey, call for Mom."

"Thiryeththir."

Zayley, six years old, jumped and let out an a laugh as she began towards the doorway. She was satisfied of her ability to release any energy which annoyed her friends, and especially, her brother. She was calm around only one.

Zayley lightly stepped into the other room, eyes on a

cotton and linen curtain.

Because of their insulating purposes, the cold was trapped in the room in wintertime, but summertime called to open windows, as it was now. Breezy air fluffed up into the fan, letting in a halo of scents: green leaves, sunflowers, and sidewalk.

The room seemed glad to be refreshed. Brown and simple bullatin-like furniture from the thrift store accented the lovely interior. All of this transmuted into a vague idea once it reached her brain, though it felt fully comprehended in her heart. She marched to the other room, shifting her pace into a delicate tiptoe, as if on a stage. She leaned into the lounge room, eyes on that one she liked to relax around.

Martha rolled her shoulders, after scuffing off dirt and moving it into a six inch pot to cover back over with damp soil. Her love for the small eucalyptus seeding was undying.

This day has been something she needed. Years travelling throughout the cosma, and she finally could plant that seed that her Major had given her to cherish.

It had been dried for a century now, and it was three centimeters across. This seed asked for a careful daily inspection and a gentle routine of the mind.

The seed was not an Australian eartherner's eucalyptus. Those grew quickly, and the were across this world. This was a slower being.

The better quality soil, the less efficiently it will be growing, though only stronger

and more valuable it's worth

becoming.

She had respect for that.

"Mom."

Small, brown, intuitive eyes stole the moment's

center of adoration. Speckles of bright sandalwood mixing with a grey square of reflection from the room.

Martha smiled and stood, motioning for Zay to follow.

They trailed into the washroom, and the sink bubbled with warm water. Once dry and clean, the mother's pretty and capable hands brushed the back of her daughter's head soothingly. The fan whirred and the sink ran out of stray drips after a few seconds.

"What brings you here, Zay?"

Excited, Zay leaned against the sink vanity.

"I need the panko crumbs. They are so fricking high up!

Me and Shain are making something for Auntie! I'm worried it won't turn out well, though." Sadness rested in her pupils so fleetingly, and then her energy returned.

Zayley rested her wrist on her collarbone, breathing.

She had been learning to self soothe and regulate after an incident months earlier.

Understanding, Martha smiled at her daughter. "Let's get it down." They chatted through the rooms, moving quickly.

Shain, his hands encaptured in lettuce and seasoned tomatoes, looked around the room as he prepared the fridge snack, the best thing you could peck at whenever the cooler was opened as you were waiting for the fried foods to be set on the table, warm and crackling.

"Shain, Mom is walking better." A voice announced this from the side of his hearing aid.

He looked up at his sister, who was smiling at Martha. Both were quiet and supportive as their mother smoothly but slowly stepped into the kitchen.

"Alright you both, what are you making for us and Aunté?"

"Katsudon, but with fish?" Martha looked thoughtful. She inspected, noticed the greens and tomatoes ready to go in the bowl as a healthy side that Shain was learning to arrange in simple patterns as part of a homeschooling routine.

All nodded in unison, upbeat. Shain and Zayley stood back as Martha volunteered to fry the food, careful with the popping oil. They talked, resting.

The Sun was still and radiant, waiting, when the time came to bring the meal over to Aunté.

Gathering up the plates and silvers,

Bags and one tote carried it all.

"Hey, your pesks are here to feed you poison."

Aunté removed her brown glasses, a french grimace on his playful visage. He was sitting on the porch swing of his small house, as Electric blue picket fence sections and modern lighting systems hummed.

"Kids! How are you and how is your mom?" He held out an antique platter of fruit squares dipped in dark chocolate, as always.

Zayley brightened, proud.

"We're doing amazing! Look at Mom!"

Two green eyes met hazel, shy. The moment became uncomfortable, awkward. Zayley and Shain acknowledged that this was unforeseen. Why was Mom acting different? Ever since the last month of spending visits over, the room had been evolving.

"Zay, me and Aunté have been friends for a long time. How do you think we met?"

Shain shrugged, and then shock darkened his face. "You are sisters, haven't you known eachother oftever?"

"Sisters?"

The dialogue took no time to register. Months of Zayley and Shain mispronouncing Auntéli.

Both pairs of eyes fixated on eachother, and a gush of flibbergafting erupted.

"Babies, that's on you. Auntie is over in New Mexico. She is the actual sister. Auntéli is a nice gentleman I have not told you about until this spring, although we have known eachother for a few years now. You have just been mispronouncing his name, silly gibleys."

The siblings sat in silence, allowing pale cognition to form and begin processing. This process halted by Shain suddenly mumbling, eyes bored.

Zayley nodded. The two adults inclined, listening,

holding back laughter.

A few more concentrated nods, joined by the shake of a head, and deep thought. "We should have been told sooner." The children frowned, and both adults cracked up all the further. The siblings looked upset to the point of betrayal turning sour.

Aunté breathed, motioned for the irresistable smelling food to be opened, eyes cheerful and grateful, ever the peacemaker.