Tally
Andy pokes his tongue out to me and I poke mine back. We are adults, I am a mother, but there are just behaviors, almost rituals that will never die down.
I laugh, seeing that Leo copies us. “Ah we’re such bad role models!” I sigh then.
“Listen…I know this seems like just the set up for some of those drama television novelas Ned told us of for a bedtime story…” I ooibg my thumb back at the Cafe. “But for now we have no idea where to go. Let’s just go with the flow, help if we can and to the same time work out where to turn to after this here… The City isn’t a place I want Leo to grow up in. Every former Mall Rat seems to come from another place… So we can gather good information on different places and better work out were to go from here…”
Andy nods “You’re the brain! I am the muscles!” He says with a mocking salute. “And the looks!” He adds with a grin. I roll my eyes “Come Leo… Let your uncle hunt his eight legged monsters… We go up and try to cook up something hearty…people are more enjoyable on a filled stomach…”
I kick Andy’s rear, walking along him. “Hey?” He shouts, rubbing his backside. Giggling I make my way up the stairs.
Reaching the heavy door to the roof, I put down my bag and hold Leo with one arm, while I push it open with the other. I spot the tent and are relieved to see they placed it away from the fire place. I settle Leo on the many blankets Eciov people have placed in. He seems cosy with the pillow that was inside and his old cuddle towel (actually it is just an old towel, but what can you do without stores or material to sew or crochet?)
I leave the flap of the tent open “Mommy is right here sweetheart okay? I need to start this fire and then get going…”
I sind some silly kids rhymes that Andy mostly sings to him while I use sone kind of tongue that’s beside the fire to poke into the coal like structure under the construction that will hold the kettle. They obviously try to never let it go out completely (at last when it’s not raining probably) I spot wood stored on a side and add some.
Then I take the kettle and fill it with water from the filter. That’s something I know from my time here.
I notice now how thirsty I am and fill my own empty water bottle also with water to drink. I then take out the vegetables and spot the apples we also had found on our way. Thoughtfully I look at them. If I could…? I mean… We just said we share with serpents… With everyone… But I am really hungry. I have to breastfeed.
A mother at out old place td me to always feed myself good. To keep the milk up. There isn’t anything else left to feed a child with till it can use some teeth.
So I shrug to myself and bite in one apple. God that’s good! I could cook the others in one of the smaller kettles that I see stored up here too (at last whoever usually cooks for them, has this place well structured with pans, pots and some kitchen utensils!). Applesauce as dessert… Not too bad hmm?
I arrange to sit close on the tent, using the wood to sit on and start to cut the veggies while the water warms up…