17. Evan
EVAN
Despite his earlier protests, Jason was obviously enjoying his lessons.
Part of the wall had the same embedded nanites as those in our temporary quarters aboard the Mylos ship before we took passage on the freighter, so that part of the wall could reorganize itself into a video screen which could be used like a giant computer screen, a video phone like now, or a TV.
His teacher was in the middle, and I could see a mix of Mylos and human children in her classroom as she moved about as she spoke, explaining the lesson Jason found on my tablet, which I’d left there for him to use after unlocking it.
I could see a few children in squares and rectangles dotted around the perimeter of the screen, all of them Dragonii, and all of various ages ranging from around five or six by my reckoning to teens.
I quickly counted the squares. There were twenty-five.
Twenty-five kids of school age, the rest presumably babies and preschoolers.
Several were obviously siblings as they shared a rectangle.
Only three looked to be Jason’s age or thereabouts, the rest either towards the very low end of the age range or older teens.
Still, a friend group of three for Jason was better than none, and there was no rule that said older kids, as well as younger, couldn’t join in on games and such.
I hurried past him so I could go change my jeans and wash my hands, then hurried back to get to the kitchen, hoping I hadn’t proved to be a disruption. Not hearing anything other than the teacher call on Jason so he could ask a question, there was nothing, so I relaxed.
“Bob?” I called out quietly.
“Yes, Evan?” Bon replied just as quietly.
“I need a recipe for hash browns. I presume the space potatoes can be cooked like Earth ones?”
“They can,” he confirmed.
“Um, Jason’s using my tablet for school. Can you walk me through the recipe?”
“How about I start you a recipe card box? I can not only walk you through the recipe, but print it on a recipe card for you so you’ll have easy access to it next time.”
“I love that idea!”
A light from the replicator caught my eye, and I turned to find a cute little off white box with a very retro floral pattern on it of bright yellow flowers with orange middles.
I walked over and opened it, thrilled to find a recipe card index inside that was color coded and labeled so main dishes, side dishes, and desserts were easily discernible.
On top of that, there were not one but two recipe cards already inside, with a little raised tab on top of each.
One read brEAKFAST HASHbrOWNS and the other HASHbrOWN CASSEROLE with AKA FUNERAL POTATOES beneath it in a much smaller font.
I pulled the casserole one out, intrigued, then grinned.
It was an awful lot like tater tot casserole, which I’d adored whenever they served it in school, only it used freshly shredded potatoes or thawed, shredded hash browns.
There was a picture above the recipe itself, showing what it should look like once prepared, and at the bottom of the card, Bob had listed the origin of the recipe.
Both of them were from a 1953 edition of the Better Homes and Gardens cookbook.
“This is so cool,” I told him.
“I am authorized to produce a copy of that very same cookbook if you wish. It has pictorial step by step instructions. That way, we do not risk distracting Jason from his lessons with my voice.”
That was an excellent suggestion. I could refer to the cookbook anytime I wanted until I got the hang of making the recipe, and then just use the card to get the ingredient amounts right.
“Yes, please, and thanks. It’s a fab suggestion.”
Before I could so much as blink, a ring binder style cookbook sat in the replicator.
“Bob,” I said after taking it out and looking through cabinets and drawers. “I don’t see a grater like the one in the book. How am I supposed to shred the potatoes?”
A metal tower grater appeared next. Thankfully, I’d already owned a peeler and had put it away with the rest of the kitchen stuff yesterday.
I’d simply not owned a grater because pregrated cheese was often on special at the supermarket and it was cheaper to buy a bag or two of that and use it up than a whole block of cheese.
Thalen had a grater, but it was a small one that made finely grated cheese, which was fine for a lot of things, but not this.
I set to washing the potatoes, wondering as I watched the not very dirty water go down the drain where the water went.
New Haven was super duper eco-conscious, so I knew it didn’t simply all dump out somewhere into a hole.
Presumably all our used water went to a septic tank, as did everyone else’s, as I’d not seen a water treatment plant anywhere, and I’d studied a map of the colony before our arrival.
I really need to read more of that Guide To New Haven they gave me.
Washing and peeling finally done, with the peels going into the recycler, I sat down at the kitchen table and began shredding the potatoes using the side of the grater that I found made the right size pieces for what I wanted.
I soon found out it was tedious, hard work, and that if I wasn't careful, I’d catch my palm on the grater for a very ouchie experience.
Next time, I’ll bring my laptop and headphones out so I can watch videos while doing this sort of thing.
It was done at last, and soon I was ready to start frying them up on top of the griddle on my oh so fabulous stove.
The recipe called for lard, which made my arteries clog just thinking about it, but the replicator quickly provided me with a healthier plant based substitute, which worked just fine.
A quick question to Bob in a low voice told me how to rewarm the biscuits, which turned out to be super easy.
When Jason’s lessons were over for lunch, I sent him out to go fetch Thalen so they could both wash up.
I had a lunch I was very proud to serve them, even if my space potato hash browns were a bit crispier in a few places than was ideal.
They weren’t burnt, though, so I took it as a win, especially as now I’d done it, I could do it again with even better results.
“This is real good, Dad,” Jason said, pouring some Hunts ketchup that had made it from our apartment in a stasis unit over his hash browns.
“Indeed. I would happily eat these things several times a week,” Thalen declared.
I beamed at them both. “Just you wait. I’ve got a cookbook that has lots of recipes inside and pictures to show me what to do. We’ll be eating like kings, just you see.”
Thalen nodded. “I have no doubt of that, my mate.”
I felt all goopy inside and wanted to kiss and hug the stuffing out of him.
He was the sweetest, most loving, sexy ass man alive, and he was all mine.
And the final part of the treaty requirements was going to be met as soon as that bed arrived and was put together and we could get Jason to give us some privacy.
My dick hardened just thinking about getting to touch all those muscles and kiss his sexy, sexy mouth.
Not to mention finally getting to get a good look and feel of that python he had in his pants.
My hole clenched just thinking of that breaching me.
We were going to need a lotta prep, which would just add to our fun.
“Hey Dad, you know how Bob said it was Tuesday today?”
“Mmhmm,” I answered, pulling my mind out of the gutter.
“Well, yesterday was Sunday. After the treaty, the colonists all voted to use new names for the months here still, which are based on super old Earth gods. Before that, they just called them first month, second month, and went on like that. But then they decided to just use the regular days of the week from English, as the US, Canada, the UK, Australia, and, um, New Zealand were the first to vote to approve the new treaty. But there’s only six days here, so they had to drop one, and once Bob told them all that no one on Earth likes Mondays, they decided there would be no Mondays here.
” he giggled. “Isn’t that funny? That makes Tuesday the new Monday though, so won’t we all just hate Tuesdays here? ’
“Why would anyone hate Tuesdays?” Thalen asked.
“Because it’s the start of the school week and people have to go back to work after the weekend,” I explained.
“But we work every day,” he countered. “School provides a break from morning chores for Jason.”
“What morning chores?” Jason asked, looking alarmed.
“On the weekend, you will soon take over letting the kilt-ha out into the pasture after milking and the hop-a-longs into their outdoor pen. Later, you will learn how to use the milking machine so you can do that as well.”
“And you can help collect the eggs on the weekend too.”
“Aw, man,” he grumbled.
“We’ll be working too,” I reminded him. “And I’m sure we can work out an allowance for you to spend at the general store as long as you do your chores properly. That means keeping your room clean, bed made, and keeping your teeth clean and hair washed. A bath or shower every night, mister.”
“An allowance? And I can buy whatever I want?’
Thalen nodded. “As long as it is age appropriate,” he confirmed. “Not that Doran will sell you anything that isn’t.”
“Cool!” Jason exclaimed, his eyes gleaming as he no doubt began thinking of all the things he wanted to buy.
A knock on the door had Thalen rising. He’d finished all the food on his plate and had been finishing up a cup of something he called klah, which he carried with him to the door.
“Doran! I wasn’t expecting to see you make the delivery yourself,” I heard him greet the person at the door. I quickly finished my last two bites and came to join him, my glass of iced tea in my hand.
“And there he is!” the Dragonii who’d arrived said upon seeing me, his bright yellow eyes filled with friendly warmth. “I simply had to come say hello to welcome you to our beautiful planet.”
I smiled at the affably grinning Dragonii. He was a soft charcoal grey with black, shiny scales. He had his wings tucked into his back under his clothes, and his clothes were very, very Walnut Grove.
Someone has been watching the TV show, the OG one, I thought to myself, taking in his outfit.
He wore a white button down shirt with a starched collar, and a heather gray waistcoat and pants, which had a perfectly ironed crease going down the front, and a pair of slip-on dress boots on his feet. I knew immediately who he had to be.
“You own the general store?” I asked, and he smiled.
“Sure do. Though Bob says I need to come up with a business name instead of just having ‘general store’ painted on the window.”
“That sounds like a good idea, as sooner or later, the colony will grow and more stores will open,” Thalen replied.
“But take your time,” I added. “You want the name to be just right and not wish you’d named it something else.”
Doran nodded, still smiling. “My thoughts exactly. Maybe I’ll be matched soon, myself, and my mate will know just the right one!” his voice had taken on a wistful tone, and I felt a pang in my heart at his obvious loneliness.
“Oh, I hope so! Wouldn’t that be fabulous? We could get together and have dinner and play a card game as there’d be four of us.”
Doran looked surprised at the invitation.
“I’d like that very much.”
“Evan is learning new recipes and is a very good cook,” Thalen boasted, causing me to flush a little red.
“Then I look forward to sharing a meal with you sometime even more! Now, let’s get this bed inside, and I believe you have some eggs and straw for me.”
“We’ve got this,” Thalen said, pressing a quick kiss to my lips. “You finish your lunch and decide on our sheets.”
The two Dragonii went outside. My lips felt lonely, missing the feel of his against mine. I let out a soft sigh.
Best get on with that. I waggled my eyebrows. Then maybe we can get around to having some afternoon delight, after settling Jason down with a movie after his afternoon lesson.
“Your face looks weird, Dad,” Jason informed me. “What are you thinking about?”
I broke out laughing. “Never you mind what!”
His eyes widened. “Gross! I bet it's kissy stuff! You’re thinking about kissing with your tongue, huh?”
“Uh huh,” I countered. “And D.D. and I want to go do our kissing in our room later, while you watch a movie.”
He looked even more disgusted. “Yeah, okay. Better in there so I don't have to see that. Yuck.”