My Boyfriend is a Monster by J.H. Coates Page B

made it hard to watch their own backs let alone when it evolved to tanks rolling and planes roaring overhead. But he was proud of what he and his brothers did and was proud of the men they met and fought beside. He wouldn’t change those memories for anything. “That’s the hard thing about making friends that aren’t like us,” he said wishing they were all here now.
    Taking a deep breath and sighing Bo continued to put the nails in quietly, respecting the memories of old friends. Finally a more humorous one slipped in and he broke the silence. “Remember when Louis and little Mickey stole the Lieutenants whole shipment of rum, and we went and changed the obstacle course?”
    Nathan snorted and lowered his eyes. “The amount of work those men put into making that course easier was a hundred times harder than actually running it.”
    “Yeah, but it sure was funny,” Bo said looking at his brother who was already laughing.
     
    FOUR: A Masters in Tea
     
    Louis sat spell bounded as he listened and watched her prepare the tea. “Now as soon it comes to a boil, remove the kettle. Burning all the oxygen out of the water flattens the flavor,” she said removing the kettle from the burner.
    Louis just shook his head with his eyes wide open.
    “Now we already took a bit of boiling water and poured it onto the tea leaves to allow them to bloom.”
    “To bloom?” he asked.
    She nodded. “It allows them to release some of their bitterness,” she said repeating the act. “And then we drain immediately.” She demonstrated by pouring a bit of the boiling water on the leaves.
    He just watched in amazement. “Holy Christ, I didn’t know you need da science degree just to make da tea.”
    “How do you make your tea?”
    “I don’t, I love it . . . don’t make it,” he admitted feeling a bit ashamed.
    “I know you said you like honey, but you don’t put anything in these teas,” she said and took the leaves that had now bloomed and put them in the pot. Taking the boiling water she poured it into the pot and let it settle. “Ok, so we let this brew for four to five minutes, no more than that or the tea gets bitter and tastes shitty,” Lily said surprised and covered her mouth. “Excuse my French,” she said a little embarrassed.
    “It’s okay, I speak da French and I don’t want da tea to taste shitty.”
    Coming out from the back with a box of cupcakes all with newly sprinkled sprinkles he placed them with the other boxes on the counter making forty boxes inside ten to-go boxes of fresh baked goods. “I apologize for the wait,” Todd said looking around the empty store. Wondering why it was slow he realized he had just made almost a whole days’ worth of sales with just this order and decided the slow pace would be nice.
    “No apologies needed my friend. I am learning plenty about da tea . . . who knew?”
    Entering the prices into the register plus six tea’s Todd gasped, “Oh my.” Tallying the price with its little green digital light he wanted to hide the total from being seen, for what reason he wasn’t sure.
    Wondering to the register Louis saw the total and pulled out his cash from his wallet without even blinking. Counting it out to the same total on the register he added a couple more for a tip.
    “That’s way too much Louis,” Todd said since he counted the bills with him.
    “Not wit-da tip.”
    “That’s still too much,” he said with a hint of blush.
    Lily called over from her station. “Says you, I’m creating memories over hear.”
    “I stole one of da cakes when you were in da back, worth every penny,” Louis said leaving the money and grabbing the boxes.
    “Can I at least help you take them over?”
    Teetering a little he finally aligned himself. “Balance is ma middle name . . . actually it Bernard, but don’t be a telling.”
    Finishing the second set of teas she poured them into three large to go cups and placed them with the first three. “All done,” Lily said