“What, badger? What’s he got against trash panda’s neurotic cousin?”
“No, badgers are precious animals, and I would die for them and all their hissy, twitchy glory,” Demarien said, snorting a laugh. “Brunch is what Puck actually despises.”
“Heathen,” Boone gasped, grinning.
“I know, right? Would you believe he has an unholy hatred for the act of brunch? If you even say that word in his presence, he’ll probably break out into hives.”
“Duly noted.” Boone reached out for the door. “Remind me never to--”
“Well, I’ll be!” A woman’s shrill voice called out from inside the diner before the door burst open a moment later. “Is that who I think it is?”
Boone jumped back just in time to avoid taking a door to the face, smiling as Wilma herself threw her arms around him and Demarien.
“Hey, Miss Wilma. Long time no see.” Demarien buried his face in her shoulder and laughed. “Been a while, right?”
“Demarien Watts, if I weren’t so happy to see you, I’d be smackin’ ya.” Wilma pulled back and wiped a tear from her eye. “It’s been too long since you and the boys left for Portland. You’re all grown up now.”
Wilma eyed Demarien up and down. “And I love the outfit. Gets me in the mood to work out again.” She tapped her chin, deep in thought, before she smiled. “Nah, folks would miss my curves.”
“Your curvesareamazing,” Demarien said, chuckling.
“Oh, sweetie.” Wilma fluttered her eyes. “Tell me more.”
“Your food…” Demarien leaned close to her, whispering into her ear. “It's better than your sister’s.”
Wilma’s laugh was deep and warm. “Liar. I know you eat there too, and you probably tell her the same thing. You boys, are too much.”
“We aren’t boys anymore. I’m thirty years old now, Miss Wilma.” Demarien gave a sheepish smile. “All of us are. Puck just crossed the hurdle back in June. Boone is, uh, thirty-two, I guess?”
“I am,” he confirmed, content to let Demarien do the talking. Wilma was one of the few who didn’t make a deal about his face now, but when he first saw her after getting back, she’d hugged him and cried. It had been both comforting and awkward.
“Lord, don’t tell me your ages. That would make me ancient.” Wilma pouted, her large, colorful earrings jingling with every slight bit of movement. “Should’ve expected it, though. From what I’ve seen today, even Demarien’s seemingly never-aging daddy’s showing a bit of gray, so I guess it’s past my time now.”
Demarien froze in his tracks.
“Wait, you mean to say that Dad’s here? Like, right this very instant?”
“Yep, yep. Where else would he be? Sammie’s?” Wilma scoffed, a grin playing at the corners of her red-painted lips. “I set him up with some amazing seared curry tuna and mango-tahini rice. Your daddy’s a smart man, you know? He appreciates that my food’ll energize him for days to come. Now come on, I’m sure he’d love for you two to join him. I’ll whip you up something nice.”
“Oh, that’s okay, Miss Wilma, he’s probably heading out soon anyway--”
Wilma ducked back into the diner and yelled over her shoulder, “Oy, Joe! Your boy’s here.” She turned and eyed Boone with a wide grin. “And he brought a friend, so make some room.”
Boone didn’t even have a chance to breathe before Wilma dragged him and Demarien into the diner, smiling and gabbing away without a care in the world.
“Sorry in advance,” Demarien whispered, his shoulders slumping.
“For what?” Boone smiled nervously. “Not like your Dad’s gonna interrogate me, right?”
Demarien cleared his throat, and his eyes darted around the diner before he slid behind Boone to hide.
Boone looked over his shoulder and inhaled sharply. “Oh, shit… He is, isn’t he? And me with my black eye.”
“Hey, I said I was sorry!” Demarien hissed under his breath as he peered around Boone’s body at the dining area.
“Stop hiding back there and show yourselves.” Wilma dragged both men out from the doorway and pulled them further into the diner. “You don’t know how happy I am that ya’ll stopped here. I’d have been worried to death if I’d heard you stopped by Sammie’s place again.”
“There’s nothing wrong with Sammie’s place, Miss Wilma.” Demarien put his free hand on his hip and glared at her teasingly.
