I ran my fingers through Ben’s messy blue hair, fixing it some. Since harnessing his magic nonstop for days on end, his blue warding glow seemed to have forever seeped into his hair follicles. I didn’t really have an answer for it. Neither didhis pediatrician when we took him for his checkups, but she suggested it was nothing to worry about.
“Did you brush your teeth, mister?”
“No.” Ben shook his head. “They’re all gonna fall out, anyway.”
“Yeah, but you need good habits,” I explained. “For when your grown-up teeth come in.”
“No, I’ll just get dentures like my nanna had. Seems easier.”
Milo chuckled.
“Tell him to brush his goddamn teeth,” I thought at Milo, linking our minds.
“You still gotta brush ‘em, lil dude,” Milo explained with a reluctant sigh as I continued badgering him with my thoughts. “Even if you want dentures, you need good gum health. And also, if you don’t brush your teeth, your tongue could get moldy and fall out.”
Ben gasped. “Will it turn blue? Like the moldy cheese? Maybe it can match my hair.”
“No,” Milo said, struggling not to smile. “It’d probably be black mold.”
“Cool!”
“Not cool,” I corrected, giving Milo another glance.
“And Dorian won’t let you eat dessert if you don’t brush your teeth.”
“Oh, that’s all the way at dinner. I can brush them then.”
“You know he’s got a long, grumpy memory. Might not wanna risk it.”
Ben huffed, then stomped toward the bathroom, announcing every step of his morning routine.
“Taking off the cap,” he shouted. “Squeezing toothpaste. Turning on the water.”
“Why must you always make me the villain?”
“Because I’m not built for being the mean parent.”
“And I am?” I glowered.
“I mean, if the scowl fits.” Milo gestured to my frowning face, which he’d envisioned in his thoughts, giving me a much angrier expression and horns.
“Asshole.”
“Language.” Milo nodded as Ben made his way back to the kitchen table.
I huffed, buried my craving for a cigarette, and joined them for breakfast. As much as I couldn’t stand being around either of them most of the time, I couldn’t imagine my life without Milo and Ben.
“Meow.” Charlie headbutted my leg and chirped until I reached down and pet him.
I couldn’t imagine life without my kitty cats either.
Despite the looming threat of unknowns roaming this world, I was quite content with my life and how it’d turned out.
Miloand I dropped Ben off at school and then drove to work. Together. I still hadn’t wrapped my head around all of it. Today wouldn’t help matters. I’d be swimming in teen angst all morning once they arrived.
“You excited?”
“To brace for hundreds of obnoxious teen minds?” I scoffed. “It’s gonna be a headache.”
