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He lets out a sigh and nods. “Anything for you, love,” he says, brushing a thumb over my cheek.
“Yes!” I say with a cheerful grin. “I’ll be right back!” Pecking his lips, I hurry toward the kitchen.
Heading over to the fridge, I bring out a packet of bread and everything else that can be packed inside a sandwich.
I lay out three slices of bread on the counter and liberally dribble mayonnaise and honey mustard sauce over them in one go. Next, I grab handfuls of pre-cut salad leaves and make a base.
My gaze roves over the assortment of cold cuts before me. In the end, I choose to layer the sandwiches with slices of turkey and ham.
When the sandwiches are ready, I quickly plate them up and hurry back into the living room.
To my dismay, all my mates are already leaning against the couch and snoozing. Dang! They weren’t kidding about needing to go to bed.
Heading over to them, I start by shaking Seth.
“Hey, wake up,” I say gently. “Look, I’ve already got you some food.”
He opens his eyes, blearily staring at me.
“Come on. Eat a bite and you can head to bed.”
“Thanks, love,” he says, attempting a smile. “You didn’t have to do this, you know. It’s already so late. You should be in bed and resting.”
“I’m not tired,” I say in my sincerest voice. “It’s you that I’m worried about.”
Our voices are enough to arouse Oliver and Simon. Sitting up straighter, they grab a sandwich each.
They nearly inhale the sandwich.
“You guys were starving!” I cry out, feeling more anxious than before.
Simon grins sheepishly. “I guess we were.”
“Have you got any more sandwiches?” Oliver asks with an identical sheepish look. “Now that I’ve eaten, I feel like having another one.”
“Of course, there’s more!” I lie at once. “Just give me a minute and I’ll bring out some more.”
The twins’ bright smiles hit me with a different emotion. Guilt washes over me as I realize how much they need me to care for them too.
“I’ll be right back,” I say, glancing over at Seth who’s wolfing down his sandwich like he’s been starving for days.
I race back into the kitchen and get started on making more sandwiches. Since the ingredients are already lying on the kitchen counter, I’m faster this time.
When I’ve made more, I hurry back into the living room.
This time, Seth, Oliver, and Simon look more awake. They grin at the tray of food in my hands, making me realize just how much they sacrifice to keep up with their duties. For the first time, I see how seriously they take up the responsibility of protecting our citizens.
A feeling of pride spreads in my chest as I move toward them.
“I’ll get you guys something hot to drink,” I say and go back into the kitchen.
Opening one of the cabinets, I bring out cans of soup and empty them in a big pot. I crank up the heat high and stir the thick, creamy broth.
“There’s barely any chicken in this soup,” I mutter, staring at the empty cans of chicken soup.
To make the soup heartier, I head to the fridge to see if we have any cooked meat. A grin lifts the corners of my lips when I find a piece of leftover brisket.
Taking the slab of roasted meat, I chop it into small pieces and throw them into the bubbling broth. Next, I add handfuls of frozen peas and corn.
