The Luna Choosing Game

With a statement like there, I had no polite way of backing out. Not that I would. These kids needed me,

and Elva was already having fun with them, playing on the slides.

Nicholas and I would just have to put aside our differences long enough to help the kids. After that, we

could go back to not getting along as usual.

After confirming I would be staying, the caretaker offered to lead me and Mark inside.

“I’ll stay out here,” Mark said. “Keep an eye on the kids.”

I was grateful. If he watched Elva, I knew I wouldn’t have to worry.

Inside, I joined Nicholas in the kitchen. He was washing dishes, preparing for the day’s main event:

lunch. And what an extravagant lunch it would be, if the piles of containers were any indication.

“Did you bring all this from the palace?” I peeked under the aluminum foil on one of the containers. Inside was at least ten servings of garlic potatoes.

“One of the cooks is particularly fond of me,” Nicholas said. “She makes special servings when I ask.”

must really like you. There’s a

goes to a good cause. Plus, I make sure she’s well compensated

wonder

on a wet stack. Grabbing a towel, I went to

and began to dry.

dishes to me to dry. It reminded me

dating. How many times had we shared moments just

location wasn’t all

used to help out the kids at

there, it was the least I could do to pay some of

times, he went even

never stopped,” he said.

Elva, with her sickness, we couldn’t always go like I had used

a year, Elva and I help out at an orphanage closer to

Nicholas grunted in acknowledgement.

didn’t want to reminisce, but it was hard

conversations like this,” I said. “Do you remember that time

that dish and I caught it? I’ll never forget. I felt like a

were going to surprise me. You were ready for

it.”

didn’t remember that. “What

at me. His face