"Great sandwiches, Mrs. Monroe."
Susan smiled and tousled Ben's rusty locks. "Thank you, sweetheart. You and Luke run off and play for a while. Your mom should be finished Christmas shopping in a few hours. If you boys behave, I'll make some brownies for an afternoon snack."
"Yes!" Luke high-fived his buddy. Draining his half-empty glass, he wiped his milky mouth on one sleeve before Susan could protest.
"Thanks, Mom."
"You're welcome, honey. Go change your shirt. Your sleeve is all wet."
"Okay, Mom, in a minute."
"Now, Luke!"
Luke grinned, and threw his arms around her. "Better change your top, Mom. You're all wet too, now."
Both boys jumped off their chairs, and ran out of the kitchen.
Susan cleared the plates from the table, smiling as they whooped and hollered all the way to Luke's bedroom.
"Don't slam your do -- "
The sound of a slamming door echoed through the kitchen.
"Too late," Susan muttered, wiping the last remnant of peanut butter from the place mat.
After loading the dishwasher, she headed upstairs with the vacuum cleaner. Pausing by Luke's door as she plugged it in, she heard Ben's voice. The tone alerted her, and she stopped to listen.
"Mine is bigger."
"No it's not."
"Yes it is! Look here. Look what I can do!"
"I don't care."
Susan took a deep breath. Don't rush to conclusions. Wait and see what they say next. She stood by the door, and listened as the conversation continued.
"Come over here, Ben. Let's hold them side-by-side."
"Don't matter. I can still make mine stretch more. It's bigger."
"Not if I do this. I can make it really fat."
Susan reached for the door handle just as she heard a knock at the front door downstairs.
Oh, for heaven's sake.
Susan turned and trotted down to the front door. Opening it, she came face-to-face with Ben's mother, Julie.
"Hi, hon! Thought I'd come over and have a cup of coffee with you. I got all my shopping done, but the mall was a nightmare! I think every person in the state is shopping there today."
Susan ushered her in. "That's what you get for waiting until two days before Christmas, girlfriend." She took her friend's coat and hung it on the rack by the door where it dripped melting snow.
"Still snowing out there, I see," Susan said, peering out the door before shutting it.
"Oh, cripes, yes. Spokane got twenty-three inches and they say there's more on the way. Did Ben behave? I swear there's nothing worse than keeping an eight-year-old boy cooped up inside, but with his illness the doctors say I have to."
"Oh, they were good, both of them. Hey, Julie, come up here, though. You have to hear this, that is, if they're still talking about it. I was just about to interrupt them when you knocked."
Julie's eyebrows raised. "Huh?"
Susan beckoned. "Come on, I need your advice here. Besides, two mothers will be better than one in this situation."
At the top of the stairs, both women listened as the conversation continued.
"Come on, Luke, I win. Yours is not bigger than mine."
Julie stifled a giggle, which came out as a snort.
Susan whispered, "Does this remind you of something?"
"No wonder men can't help themselves. They start at such a young age!"
Both women dissolved in a fit of laughter.
"Mom?" Luke's voice floated through the closed door.
Susan and Julie looked at each other.
"Come on, we have to do this," Susan said. "Be serious."
Julie smiled. "I will be if you can."
They opened the bedroom door and Susan started talking as they walked in. "Now, boys, we overheard you talking and . . . ."
Luke and Ben sat on Luke's bed. Each boy held his Lego Bionacle Action Figure in hand.
"Mom, Ben says Malum is bigger, but I say Tarduk is."
"No way!" Ben cried out. "If I bend Malum in half, he is way bigger, because he's fatter."
Susan and Julie exchanged glances.
Julie slapped her on the shoulder. "I'll go put the kettle on. I think this situation calls for a Bionacle expert, and I know you can handle it, girl."
Susan opened her mouth to protest, as Julie turned and left the room, howling with laughter.
"They're both big, boys. Brownies will be ready in about a half-hour."
Susan left the room, shutting the door behind her.
"Our moms are weird."
"Yeah, but mine is weirder than . . . ."
Susan covered her ears and ran.
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