I didn’t sleep for as long as I wanted, but we had a large can of coffee, so I went through a pot while I made my favorite breakfast, bar-none: pan-fried tomatoes, eggs over easy, crispy bacon, a cream-cheese bagel, and orange juice. Whether or not Azathoth would like it, I wasn’t sure, but if he didn’t… it mean that he just didn’t know what good food was. I’ll admit, it’s not a normal breakfast, but it’s better than what you can get in town, especially if you’ve got time.
I glanced over to the telephone and answering machine as a sigh escaped my lips, knowing full-well that no matter what I did, there would be a telephone message later. Then again, I was in good-stnading with enough of the teachers that they might be able to push anything back until Monday, not to mention the secretary in the front office was friends with Mom, so she might be able to weigh-in and say I just overslept or something. She knew both of my parents were in Canada.
Before middle school, Grandeddy would always come up to watch me when Mom and Dad would be gone on trips, though sometimes I’d go with them or stay in Alabama for a few weeks. In middle school, Dad taught me how to ride his old motorcycle and ended up giving it to me after sixth grade. It wasn’t meant for the highway, it could only do fifty miles an hour, but it was a good way to get around town. In ninth grade, Grandeddy won an argument against Dad that led to me getting my car. The line he used? “Ever’one needs t’learn how to drive’n a Vo’kswag’n!”.
Dad couldn’t come up with a counterpoint, so I ended up with the keys later that day and Grandeddy stayed up here for over two weeks until he was certain I could get my license in a stick.
As I finished with breakfast and had everything sat on the island, Azathoth came through the great room, smelling the air before looking at me as he stood, completely naked, covered only with his tattoos and his hair that now was only pushed back from his face as I froze and my eyes scanned his entire body.
“I… uh…” I said, finally able to blink again.
“Yes?” he said, crossing his arms and looking expectantly at me, “I walked here to find that smell.”
“You’re… naked.”
“So?”
“It’s just… whoa,” I said, closing my eyes and shaking my head as I finished taking up the food, “It- it’s breakfast, I made it for us,” I said, fixating my gaze on the stove to respect his privacy, “Go put on some clothes, Azathoth, and I’ll have it ready when you come back.”
“Of course, right,” he said.
“I made it a point to not turn around until I was certain he was out of my view.
“My God,” I muttered, setting the rest of the food on the island and grabbing the cups and orange juice.
“Right, of course, I’m back,” he said, “I’m wearing clothes.”
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