“I know, I was just sayin’ it,” she said, following him.
“Where do you keep the bread?” Gage asked, trying to get them moving, sensing an argument coming on. With the kids’ help, he found the coffee components, made the coffee—in all honesty, he was an expert coffee maker—and then started the bacon sizzling. He assigned Hunter to making the toast, and busied Em with stirring the eggs before he poured them in the skillet to cook. The time ticked away, but Gage kept an eye on the clock as they finished the eggs.
About then, he heard Trent coming down the hall, footsteps heavy with residual sleepiness. He could hear Trent flipping on lights, and what sounded like opening the kids’ bedroom doors as he passed by on his way toward the kitchen.
“Hunter, Em, it’s time to get up. Hit the floor guys. Only one more week left of school,” Trent said, and the kids started giggling. Gage shushed them and they stood ready for him to walk in the kitchen.
“Say surprise when you see him,” Gage said in a quiet whisper.
“Rhonny, I don’t even understand why you’re awake, but thank god you are.” Trent came around the corner, pulling his T-shirt over his head, and stopped in mid tug.
“Surprise!” the kids yelled, standing next to Gage. They were both on their stepstools in their respective stations, finishing up their part of breakfast. Gage stood in the middle of them, letting the worry of the moment show on his face, and he shrugged his shoulders.
****
“What’s this?” Trent asked. Hunter hopped off his stool and ran to Trent who scooped him up.
“Daddy, Gage was coming in the front door, and I was getting a drink of water. He was going to surprise you with breakfast, and he said we could help!” Hunter’s body became straight as a board as he wiggled free, done with being held.
“I made the eggs with Gage, and we were quiet,” Em said, spatula in hand moving the eggs around the pan, flipping some out as she stirred. “Ooops!”
Trent came through the kitchen, looking at Gage with a very clear what the hell expression on his face. He bypassed Gage and grabbed a cup to pour coffee. “I think I need a cup of this before I form any more of a response. You wanna cup, Gage?”
He turned to see Gage helping Em finish the eggs and making sure she stayed safe near the stove.
“A cup would be lovely,” Gage said. He poured another cup, then pulled plates, silverware, and napkins out of the cabinet.
“It smells good in here,” Trent said, giving Gage the cup of coffee. “The cream is in the fridge. You shouldn’t have done all this.”
“It’s my pleasure, handsome,” Gage said, turning to give him a wink.
Trent jumped in to fix the kids’ plates, pour their milk and get them settled at the table. Gage followed suit fixing his own plate and pouring more coffee before he sat. As Trent fixed his plate, Rhonny came through the kitchen door, stopping in mid-stride, looking at Gage, then Trent. Her eyes focused on the kids, then Gage, then back to Trent again. Her long hair piled on her head, held together in a messy knot, and she wore pajama pants and a tank top.
“Good morning, guys?” she said, her brow narrowing.
“Rhonny, we cooked breakfast with Gage,” Em said.
“I see,” Rhonny said, still looking at Trent like he’d completely lost his mind.
“Gage surprised us… He was coming in when Hunter was getting a drink.” Trent left it hanging there, taking his seat at the table. He could see when the explanation made sense, and she finally turned, heading straight for the coffee.
“I see, well, lucky me. I get the morning breakfast chores off. Gage, I had a great time last night. Thank you for inviting me,” Rhonny said, pouring her coffee.
“I’m glad you had a good time. I hope my brother didn’t spoil your night, he seemed very attentive,” Gage said, scooping eggs into his mouth.
“He was nice, I think we might go to dinner on Saturday night if Trent doesn’t need me,” Rhonny said, grabbing a slice of bacon and coming back to the table. She sat on a barstool, her leg bent, foot in the chair, eating the bacon.
“That’s ‘cause Rhonny’s in love,” Hunter said.
“Whatever, squirt! You better hush and eat that breakfast or I’m telling your dad you have a girlfriend at school!” Rhonny said, lifting her brow, acting like she let the secret out.
“What? A girlfriend?” Trent asked, looking over at Hunter.
“Rhonny!” Hunter yelled.
“He does, Daddy, I forgot I was going to tell you. I told Rhonny,” Em said. “Her name is Holly.”
“Holly and Hunter, that’s cool. Is it the Holly in your class?” Trent asked his red-faced little boy. Hunter refused to speak, keeping his head down. Trent reached over and rustled his hair, looking down, trying to catch his eye. “Hunter, I don’t care if you have a girlfriend. It’s fine, buddy. It’s normal at your age. The books said it, my man…”
“They’re going to get married,” Em said, and Hunter finally lifted his head, glaring at her.
“Not until at least ninth grade,” Hunter said. “But, Daddy, she has to stop saying ‘come here’ so much. She makes me stop playing with my friends to come here and play with her.”
“Yeah, girls are like that,” Gage said, and Rhonny laughed.
“All right, guys, we have to get dressed. It’s already close to seven. We only have a little while before we have to leave,” Rhonny said. She got them up from the table, working them out of the kitchen.
“Hunter, come here a minute,” Trent said, and Hunter walked around the table, keeping his head down as he came to stand by him. He wrapped an arm around his little boy and pulled Hunter in close, bending down to talk quietly to him. “Son, I’m very proud of you, and you can tell me anything, you don’t have to keep secrets. I want you to have a good life, okay?”