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 ton of food

I make sure she’s well compensated

wonder she liked

finished washing a plate then set it aside on a wet

and began to dry.

was… domestic. Him washing and then passing the dishes to me to dry. It reminded

had we shared moments

location wasn’t all that

remember at the Academy? We used to help out the kids at the orphanage like this all the

the least I could do to pay

accompanied me. Often times, he went even

never stopped,” he said.

same, but after Elva, with her sickness, we couldn’t always go

and I help out at an orphanage closer

Nicholas grunted in acknowledgement.

to reminisce, but it was

our best conversations like this,”

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

you were going to surprise me. You were

it.”

remember that.

stopped scrubbing at a dish to glance at me. His face was entirely passive, but