“Do what?” Sven asked.
“Come through the walls,” Magnus griped.
“Frustrated you can’t?” Sven teased.
Magnus grunted and continued whisking a bowl of eggs. “If you must know, I’m making omelettes. Spinach and goat cheese, with mixed berry bowls and fresh sourdough bread. Would you like some?”
“I would and I need you to set a place for Flo.”
Magnus’ eyes widened. “Ah, she’s here?”
“She is.” Sven squeezed Flo’s hand and smiled at her. “She can become solid and we’re wondering if she can eat. She doesn’t need to, but we’re testing a theory.”
“I see. I can make her an omelette as well. If she doesn’t mind spinach and goat cheese?” Magnus asked the opposite wall.
Sven stifled a chuckle and Flo was giggling softly too.
“He did the same when I entered their room. Stared at a different wall,” Flo explained.
“What is so funny? She’s not over there, is she?” Magnus cursed under his breath and turned to his griddle. “I’m still mad you can see the spirits and I can’t. You and Mercedes having all these conversations with dead people and I look like the weird one who because I’m talking to no one.”
“I feel bad for him,” Flo said.
“Meh, he deserves it,” Sven teased.
“I’m going to ignore you as well,” Magnus snarled over his shoulder. “Making an omelette for an invisible revenant. What’s next, fish for Phineas?”
“Doesn’t the green friend of yours eat fish?” Flo asked.
“No,” Sven replied. “He’s a vegetarian, so that’s why Magnus said it.”
“Great. Explaining jokes.” Magnus grumbled a bit more, but kept his back to them as he worked.
Sven didn’t say too much more to Flo, instead he got up and helped Magnus get the plates ready for the Sullivans, and while Magnus went out to serve their paying customers, he made up a plate for Flo and himself.
“Voila!” he announced with a flourish, setting the plate down in front of her.
“It looks good,” she said, and then she leaned over it, closed her eyes and breathed in. “It smells good.”
“Try a bite.”
Flo nodded and pulled out a fork, slicing a thin piece of the omelette. She daintily ate a piece, chewing. “Oh!”
“You like it?”
“Yes, and I can eat it. It’s just…I guess it’s something I sort of forgot how to do because I don’t need to.” She scooped up a fresh berry. “I forgot how much I like strawberries.”
Sven forgot about his own breakfast because he was enjoying watching her eat. He remembered serving her a simple dinner of rabbit that Magnus had caught and turned into a stew when they lived out in the cave. He’d been embarrassed to offer her something so simple, but she’d loved every bite of it.
Flo never judged him for being a monster.
She only saw him.
It’s what he loved about her.
“You’re not eating?” she asked.
“Right.” He took a bite. Usually he loved Magnus’ omelette, but today he wasn’t really focused on that. He was just enjoying this moment.
