“Put on some clothes.”
Leo glanced down and blinked, as if surprised by his nakedness.“Come inside,” he said, his tone less belligerent.“It’s cold out here, and the boy will catch a chill.”
Betrys gave a curt nod, and Leo acknowledged her agreement by turning and striding back inside.
“Who is that, Mother?”
“That’s Leo Mitchell.He’s a…ah…a friend,” she decided.“We have food inside, maybe even some of your favorites.”
“Do you think there will be sweets?”
She held out her hand, and her son clasped her fingers and followed her into the old stone building.Outside, the dwelling appeared dilapidated and uninhabitable, while the interior was a direct contrast of stylish comfort.She wondered if the Mitchells had done this on purpose and decided they had.It made a perfect getaway.
“Would you like a hot drink?”Leo asked.
He was making it for her?She nodded in dumb shock and watched him make a pot of the tea, the drink a lot of the resort guests drank.She’d never drunk the beverage until her visit to Ione Island.
“What about your son?”
“I want to drink what you’re having,” Ricci piped up.
Betrys frowned.“Will it hurt him?”
“No, my brothers and sister and I all drank tea from an early age.I’ll make some ham and cheese sandwiches too.”
Now Betrys stared harder.“You’re doing women’s work.”
“Preparing food isn’t a woman’s job,” Leo said, his hands busy as he spoke.“Who said it was?I’m hungry and enjoy eating.My mother taught all of us to cook.I’m a better cook than my sister.”
“What’s a sandwich?”Ricci asked.“Mother, is that an alien food?”
“On Petros, the women make food.”Betrys placed her hand on her son’s shoulder in a request for silence.“Our tasks are—were—distinct and defined so everyone knew their place.”
“Not on Earth.Women undertake lots of jobs that used to be the male domain.”
“I want to learn how to cook.”Ricci’s face was earnest as he stared at Leo—now wearing a green robe.
“What’s your name?”Leo asked.
“My name is Ricci,” her son said.
Leo shot her a look then studied her son.“Where do you live?”
“Spiderus Mansion.”Ricci moved closer to Leo.“It’s good there but I don’t see Mother very much.”
Leo cast her another quick glance, this one considering, and she could almost see his mind shuffling the facts Ricci had innocently leaked.
“Ricci, don’t get in Leo’s way.”She spoke before he started to ask questions.
“He’s not in the way.”
“What is this stuff?”Ricci asked, his chatter and curiosity providing a barrier between her and Leo’s questions.
“That’s bread,” Leo said.“You can help me make the sandwiches.”
Betrys stood back and let Leo guide Ricci in the making of what Leo called toasted sandwiches.She’d never heard of them either, but Leo grabbed her attention as he interacted with her son.He didn’t talk down to Ricci, didn’t growl at him when her son became too enthusiastic and dropped fillings on the floor, didn’t treat him as the enemy.
Leo handed her tea in a beautiful cup that sat on a matching saucer.“Go and sit.Relax.Ricci and I have this under control.”
