Chapter 6

The next morning was only Tuesday, yet Mal felt like it should be Friday. Such a busy week already. And it wasn't even close to being over. This afternoon she and Ben were to go to Auroria for tea and sit through her forced fake apology. Mal doubted she meant it. She knew it was a rouse to get out of the punishment Aurora had put her under.

At around 10, Belle contacted them and said Aurora pushed the tea off until tomorrow. Mal had to admit she was relieved it was put off for another day, and that she would be down in a while for their next task.

Mal and Ben decided to give themselves a day off from homework. The started working on council work they had with them. They didn't want to get too involved with school work of they had another task to do. Belle arrived just before Lunch. "Hi kids." She said walking in. "How are we today?"
"Fine thank you." Mal said. Ben hugged his mother and kissed her cheek.

"Good, I need you two to come with me. We need to go to your next task."

Ben and Mal exchanged looks and followed Belle out the door. The limo was waiting. It took them off the Palace grounds and into the village. Once there, they arrived at a home. They got out and Belle knocked on the door. The door opened and there was Annie and her parents. "Today, Annie's parents have to take a little trip, and you and Ben are going to watch Annie." Belle said. Annie's parents kissed her and climbed into the limo with Belle.

"Uncle Bennie, Auntie Mal, you guys are gonna watch me! I am so excited." Ben looked apologetically at Mal.

"I am sorry."

"It's fine Ben. It's Annie, we can handle this." Mal turned to Annie.

"Hi, Annie, how is my favorite younger girlfriend?"
"Ready to play." She jumped Ben's arms. "What are we gonna do first?"
"Have you had lunch Annie? Cause Ben and I haven't eaten yet."
"Nope, I am hungry." Annie said jumping out of Ben's arms and grabbing Mal's hand and pulling her into the kitchen. "I want Mac and Cheese."

"Ok. I can do that." Mal set about making the Mac and Cheese Mrs. Potts taught her how to make. She was just about done, when she heard Ben and Annie whispering.

"But that's not how mommy makes it uncle Bennie. Mommy's isn't that color. I want mommy's mac and cheese."
"Annie, Mal is an excellent cook. I promise this mac and cheese will taste great."
"Uncle Bennie I want Mommy's mac and cheese." Annie pouted, then broke down into tears. Mal turned and placed the plates onto the table, and Annie pushed hers away. "I want Mommy's mac and cheese!"

"Sweetie, Auntie Mal makes great mac and cheese." Ben pleaded.

"Annie, I have a deal for you." Mal said. "Try one bite of my Mac and Cheese and if you don't like it, we can make Mommy's together." The crying preschooler looked at Mal through tear filled eyes, and nodded yes. Mal held out a bite of her Mac and Cheese and Annie took a bite. She chewed it, then sat there for a minute. She looked at Mal, then Ben, then the plate. She picked up the fork and started to eat. Ben looked at Mal and beamed.

"How did I do Annie?" Mal asked her.

"I like mommy's too, but well yours is yummy. Can you teach mommy how to make this one too?"
"I would love too." Mal said sitting at the table next to Ben. He was still beaming at her.

"Uncle Bennie stop staring at Auntie Mal and eat before it gets cold." The little girl pointed out.

'You were great just then' Ben mouthed to Mal. She winked.

"What do you want to do after lunch Annie?" Mal asked her.

"Not take a nap. I am too big now, I am almost 7."

"Annie you just turned 6 right before Christmas." Ben laughed. "What do you want to do now?"
They played all afternoon. Around 4:30 they made cookies, then dinner.

"So miss Annie, what do you do after dinner?" Ben asked.

"Well I have school tomorrow, so I need a bath." She stated.

"Ok, can you do that yourself, or do you need help?" Mal asked her.

"I am a big girl Auntie Mal, but momma always turns on the water so it's not too hot."
"I can do that for you." Ben said. "While you and Auntie Mal pick out your pj's."
"ok, cool." Mal and Annie went into her room, and Ben filled the tub.

After her bath, Mal and Ben took turns reading her a story. Annie was on her third story when her parents arrived back home. "Mommy, you need to have Auntie Mal and Uncle Bennie watch me more, we had lots of fun! And mommy Auntie Mal makes yummy Mac and Cheese. Not your Mac and cheese, but its yummy."
"Mal, will you show me?"
"Of course. I wrote it down while Annie was in her bath."
"Really, she took a bath? I have such a hard time with that. Annie, wait until you go to school tomorrow, during share time, you will have a great share."
"I will?"
"Sure, have any of your friends ever had a king and a knight baby sit them?"
"A king and a knight?"
"Uncle Bennie is a king and auntie Mal is a knight, remember. Uncle Ben is King Ben and Auntie Mal is Lady Mal."
"I…no one will believe me." She said defeated.

"I have an idea." Mal said taking out her phone. She took a picture of herself, Ben and Annie on her bed. And another pretending to read her a story. Mal then emailed them to Annie's mothers email, who printed them. Ben and Mal then signed them.

"If they don't believe you now, then they are silly." Ben said.

"Oh thank you Uncle Bennie. No one believed me when I said you were my uncle Bennie. And that I am going to be in your wedding someday."
"If we have time, maybe we can come see your friends at your school one day." Ben added.

"Yes please. Thank you uncle Bennie."

Mal took the picture one more time and added, to our future flower girl, Annabelle. Above her and Bens signatures.

On the ride home, Belle looked at Mal. "Feel better about being a parent Mal?"

"I think so thank you."
"No problem."