"Hmmm… I think it needs more salt and pepper."
A brown-haired woman hummed to the tune in her head as she dances around the stove getting the proper seasonings for her stew. Hinawa adds about 3 shakes from the seasoning holders, thinking about what else to put in her soup. She adores living in Tazmilly with Flint. Married for about 17 years and two 12-year-old boys, on a house close to the ocean, and a fond neighbor, Lighter, and son Fuel, life could never be better.
Lighter recently moved in front of their home since they're children loved to play with each other so much. It didn't take away much from their usual lumber lifestyle, but it made Fuel happy and this important to Lighter.
The community school just up inside Tazmilly made it more convenient for the children to learn altogether, but in their proper grades and classrooms. Lucas, Claus and Fuel are both in the 7th grade just on the brink of becoming teenagers. Flint and Hinawa were going to have their hands full with questions.
Other than puberty she was excited for them to take music classes. Claus on the guitar and Lucas on the piano was a remarkable combination. The people of Tazmilly were a very warm community, whatever someone needed they could deliver (at least with what they had on the island.)
A keyboard and guitar were enough to listen to her boys enchant her ears. She looks at the clock, reading 4:00 pm. Her boys were going to be home any minute now, and dinner for four was a big task but not too big for her. Such a whimsical woman, she only looks on the positives in life. It's like she was the queen, and her family's love was the only thing to fuel her.
On the side of the oven was a large bowl for the vegetables. Adding them would add a more zing to the taste. It took the twins awhile to like vegetables, but they still weren't keen on them.
"I got it! Mashed potatoes and bread rolls should finish off the meal!" She says matter-of-factly. She goes around the pantries looking for any packets of the powder. Hoping none of the men had misplaced items, she found the last 2 just hiding next to the sugar and coffee.
A knock on the door, she takes the two packets and tear them open into another large bowl. Another pot on the stove with about it filled to the brim with water.
"I'm home honey-pie!" Flint pushes the door forward bringing in various paper bags also full of groceries. He moves toward the living room, door wide open with Boney pulling a yellow wagon. Stacked within are 3 large packets of water bottles.
"Now Flint, what made you get so much? It better not be more sun screen; the Summer is over you know?" He comes walking to his wife, and pecking her mouth. Hinawa never minded Flints beard. It added to his charm and cuteness in her mind. It made her giggle from all the hair brushes on her cheeks.
"I got just the right supplies! There's a hurricane headed close by, can't let us be abandoned without electricity. Plus, we're going to need the water when our faucets won't work and we'd be goners!" He says, boney prancing around to his older owners. He received scratches and Hinawa continued to their conversation.
"I highly doubt we'd need… Frisbees and Badminton equipment." She snickers lightly. Flint only takes out and flashes his savings card to the Tazmilly Mart. Shaking her head, skirting back to tend to the chicken soup and place the mashed potatoes to cook.
"Can't wait to take a bite into this! Smells great!" He says going to the front to close it. "Well, just to let you know, from the television they say this storm will only brush past us. Either way, we needed more to put into our stock! Just make sure the chickens and cows will be safe." She says placing some vegetables into the soup.
Flint grabs the newspaper, considering the sports sections of the island. Only about 3 sports have been adopted to the island and everyone is excited to see such a turnaround. Tennis, soccer and baseball. Maybe one of the boys would be excited to join a sport, or even take em to one?
The steps outside creek, and in comes Lucas and Claus. Right on their faces, Hinawa saw what she deemed to be stress on the two. School is unpredictable and now, she was sure they might want to talk about it. Claus' face might have just been punched but was hiding it really well. Lucas' screamed of something like: "It's always one thing after the other! Damn!"
"Welcome home, boys! I hope you made room for your stomachs!" Like the light at the end of the tunnel was lit, both the blond and red-head followed by their father rush over to the kitchen, dropping all their things onto the wooden floor and shoes still on. Everybody grabbed their plates, bowls, spoons and a chair for Boney to sit at the table with.
Hinawa hastily gets a vase to set the roses in the middle of the table, covered in a sunflower themed cloth. Napkins are already at the table, Flint brings out the cups, and they all start taking their fair share of food.
Lucas gives a peck to Hinawa's left cheek, thanking her for the delicious meal they were going to begin. Claus took her right cheek gaining access to a lot of the chicken and broth from the steaming pot. She giggled at her boys, and everyone settled down into their seats. Mashed potatoes were taken in giant spoonful's, covering the half of their plates with the other mixed with vegetables.
Boney is sitting on a baby seat on top of the regular chair, a bowl with a chicken leg, some lettuce and Flurina Dog Chow.
"You wanna know what happened to me at the Grocery store today?" Hinawa entices, taking a fork full of potatoes then vegetables. The others perk their heads up, some crumbs and soup falling off their chins.
"I go into the store, minding my own business, and pick out the cart to start my shopping. Then I overhear these women and their rather loud conversation."
At the produce section, she was merely picking out the apples, bananas, oranges and pomegranates. The loud conversation was between two people named Brenda and Sheela. "You think your child can beat my son at Soccer? Give me a break!" "Why of course I do! At least I don't feed my son so much junk food."
"You wanna go Sheela?" "If you're up for it Brenda!" Unsure if she was going to get mixed in with a rowdy crowd, Hinawa said she rushed out of there and hoppity-hopped her way into the meat section. She looked for the most tender but freshest morsel they had for sale. She lightly squeezed to ones closest, lightly pressing to see if it was hard.
At the time, all of them seemed outright excellent to take but she only needed one. Not that she was greedy, when her eyes met the prices on the lower right corner she gasps to herself.
The grocery store had outrageous prices now and then, but $10 for one chicken? That didn't have any meat on it to begin with? She horridly drops the chicken back into its place with the others. The stench was something everyone noticed when it came to butchering, so it attracted the flies too.
Not the small ones near garbage cans, the big ones that fed on flesh even if it wasn't dead. She overlooked the ones that were covered with flies, and met the only 3 left that were deemed right prices. She didn't want to seem picky either, but she needed to move on.
After this she went to get the cereal, where a dark red liquid was obscuring the floors from white to red.
"I told you Barbara, you can't keep wine in one hand and everything else on the other." A clerk scolded a woman, most likely an acquaintance he's known for quite a while. Barbara shakes her head pinching the bridge of her eyes and nose.
'Darnit!' Hinawa was hesitant about tracking footsteps and wheels covered the substance all over the floor. Not wanting to make it look like she dropped the stuff.
"Here you are Miss Hinawa!" Nana pokes her head out from the top of the shelves, spooking the brown roots of the woman. Into her cart were cereal of Smore's with marshmallows, Bran Flakes and the multicolored cereal loops.
"Thank you dear! But what are you doing up there?" She asks. Nana gave her the news that most middle school students had to do community service so she was doing it early into the year so not to doze it off and forget about it last minute. Her family also gets 15% off everything they buy, and that was the only good part. She said her goodbye to her neighbor, continuing her trek through other aisles.
"But mom! I gotta have it, please, please PLEASE!?"
"Now Brandon! We can't keep getting you chocolate bars and taking you to the dentist every other month because of your cavities. Now be quiet, you're making a scene!" a rouge-brown haired man said, trying to keep himself from dragging the boy out of the store and back home with nothing tow.
Now with the vegetables, chicken, cereal and much needed kitchen supplies in her disposal, it was time for her to head to a cashier. Well… Cashier would an understatement. By going to the front of the store, the line to the one person out of this place had about 5 customers ahead of her.
She let out her frustration, sighing that she won't get to get home in time to watch her favorite sitcoms. There wasn't a small candy kiosk like every cashier aisle contained so she looked at the recent customer trying to make sense as to what was causing such a line. Some customers preferred going to self-check-out. Hinawa always goes to people, and she could never understand how to use those machines without it going off on her every minute.
"Are you trying to tell me you won't accept these coupons? They're still good!"
"Sir, they've expired I can't let you use these."
"But the manager said you take expired coupons! Let me go talk to them!"
"Oh, we do receive expired coupons sir! The ones from 2 weeks ago, not from 4 years!"
The male employee tried to be as reasonable, not wanting to make a ruckus. His inner spitting cobra was slithering into his person just ready to pounce on the poor man.
"I'll take you right here Hinawa!" A supervisor named Monroe motioned her to come to him. Reluctantly, she skipped her way over to the front desk giving her upsy-daisy smile. Bronslow apologizes for only having one employee. The others were out helping get items into the back.
Out of nowhere, a foul stench invades both of their noses and mouths, making Hinawa cough and spit at the grueling odor. Her scrunching face told the story all too well about what all grocery stores had in common. Besides all the decorations welcoming people in, the cheery cashiers, and bargains the foul odor of sewage lingered somewhere in the store.
"We still haven't even found the source of that!" His face screamed in the stench as well. With the scanner beeping every item in without fail and the buttons going clickety click for the fruits and vegetables.
"Your total is about 53 dominos."
To Hinawa, the term "dominos" used as a common currency on this island was peculiar. From the other townsfolk, the popular form was in dollars. However, the tallest man in the town that rings the bell denied a wealthy billionaire's offer to cultivate the island further for more advancements.
A thought-out decision, and the billionaire didn't want to strike a fuss and just left them in peace. From time to time he, his wife and son would visit for vacations. Their son always wants to keep visiting, since the beaches and warm springs always made him excited.
"Thank you, Monroe! Have a great day!" The cheery woman stated, received a wave and commenced to the doors for the exit. Skip in her step, her mind in the clouds, a swarm of fruit flies fluttered above her, most likely waiting to target their next delicacy to lay their offspring. Man were grocery stores unsanitary.
"All this time, I'm still not sure why those women couldn't just resolve their argument about sports." She continues sipping her soup, and grabs a bread roll. Flint laughs heartedly at Hinawa's story. "I find it unbelievable!" He continues snickering making her laugh as well.
The twins smile at them, and ask to be excused as they've eaten all their dinner. Hinawa remarks that both her boys are starting to become big men by how fast they ate and growing. Claus and Lucas are just about to rival Hinawa's height and soon enough they would outgrow their father and starta farm themselves.
They regather their stuff, silently huffing to themselves from the days treks.
"Boys remember, don't use up too much of the water ya' hear?" His wife waves it off, watching their sons go upstairs. Flint starts to tell Hinawa about his day, while they continue finishing their food.
In silence, both boys went inside their shared bedroom and dropped their bookbags to the floor, flicking the lights on and moving the button next to their bed, activating the A/C unit. Big bean bag chairs, one giant table for the two to study on together.
"The usual, Claus?" His blond counterpart asks. Claus merely nods and confirms it. The redhead goes into the closet for privacy of taking his clothes off.
Lucas didn't mind, he had his basket out near the TV for his clothes. Like a routine they do, shirt comes off first, so do the shorts, the white undershirt, socks and all he's left in is his underwear. Out of the closet comes Claus with the blonds' ocean patterned large towel and his own with forest and animals.
The older boy was also just in his underwear, gives the towel to Lucas and both head on out the door. The bathroom was right next to their room, another in the parents' master bedroom.
With 2 clicks, the door open and closed, and twisted with the lock with ease. The twins put both of their towels right on top of the toilet lid, and both outright stretched their limbs, free of the laborious school day.
Claus let his undergarment go down first, then Lucas and both stood in the cold air naked. Lucas turns the water on, churning both knobs so that the water was just the right temperature. Lukewarm to hot was their favorite. His brother grabbed the sponge scrubbers, shampoo and soap and both hopped in, closing the curtain.
"Ooooooo ~. How did your day go Lucas?" Like that they started a conversation, letting the water cascade and heal the stress filled skin and bone.
They rubbed at their bodies trying to massage muscles, just wanting to rest.
"A lot to say the least. I had to go lugging around my trumpet everywhere cause my band class doesn't have space to store instruments." They both wash their hair, scalps feeling purified by the coolness of the water.
"I still can't believe they make us take gym clothes every day! It's such a pain in the butt!"
"Tell me about it! I had to run the mile today, and I swore both my knees gave out on me."
Claus smears shampoo within his hands and lathers it onto Lucas' head. He could feel his brother relax into his touch. Did their father even know they were doing this? Regardless, if it meant saving water and spending time together, then it was worth it.
Lucas does the same with his hands to Claus, the latter sighing in relief watching the bubbles on Lucas' head fly off like dandelion petals.
"It's like they want to ruin your life way before you gotta start on your own." Lucas shits the water to a hotter setting, both relishing the rains of the pipes. Redhead washes his head off first, then the blond who in turn gets it in his eyes. They could never be damaged from the sapphire they've always been. Much like Claus'.
The lather sponge was then smothered in liquid soap in Lucas' hands. Claus already turned around and let Lucas massage his muscles and the pores of his skin. Between the two of them, they only let their trust fall in each other's arms.
He scraped along the shoulders, his back in circular motions, then around to his stomach to which Claus giggled. Both knew about being ticklish in that area but they couldn't help but let out laughs and snickers.
He gave Claus the sponge to do his bottom region and legs. Bathing together is nothing to be ashamed about, and these two were somehow an (the only) example of it.
Now Claus put the red sponge down, and lathered the same strawberry liquid soap, putting it in the water and did the same actions. Doing the shoulder down to arms, along with the armpits and back. He's more susceptible to tickling Lucas to hear his innocent laugh.
Both take turns washing excess soap off their bodies, and continued their talk.
"I don't see why Algebra was invented. I think it's for some sort of witchcraft."
"Same goes for science. I can't connect crap from one chromosome to another animal!"
"We really gotta take it easy. We're still growing but that doesn't mean we have to put everything into school, right Claus?"
"Of course. I just hate getting up early in the morning."
The water continued coming down and before Lucas could open his eyes from rinsing his hair, he got smooches to the forehead and cheek by Claus. This startled him, not before he gave his own little pecks around the others face. "Forgot to give you those before we left. Sorry if I scared you." Claus says squeezing his twins hand.
Both now content with the state of their physical beings, skins cleansed and muscles soothed, they pull the curtain, grab and wrap their towels around their waste. Claus shuts off the water from both the hot and cold faucets, leaving the curtain open for excess steam to leave.
They walked back to their now cold bedroom, Claus back into the closet to fetch his evening attire and Lucas the same.
Lucas and Claus both sported loose t-shirts of star patterns scattered on the front and back, and one of DCMC. Shorts were blue and checkered for Lucas, Claus green with diamonds in a zigzag pattern.
Lucas turns on the TV and switches the channel to the weather station where anchor men and women appeared, laughing about their day and what new things they learned from other people around the world. Claus grabs a comforter blanket from their bed and lies back into a periwinkle bean bag.
The blond comes in for a landing, giving Claus his 3GS and his book. Claus wrapped them both snug and tight, cuddling in Lucas' warmth with arm rubs. The other laughs again giving a smooch to his cheek.
From afar, they faintly see lightning and Lucas can feel them both tighten under the sheet. "Maybe later we can help each other with homework? That is if school gets cancelled for the next week by the coming hurricane."
Claus flicks to a news station, fast eyes catching that the Tazmilly school was indeed going to be closed for the rest of this AND next week.
"I guess so. I love you." He mutters, the second Lucas looks up and puts a small peck to his lips. Blushing hard, the blond pushes himself back into him but lies his had under the others chin. "I love you too." He stammers.
Like that, they forget about the entirety of their day, and let loose the comfort and love in the chair, with Claus playing and Lucas silently reading. Heavy days were bad, but are far better when you have someone to spend them with.