black bean burgers

As Mokuba learned more about the Neverlanders, he began asking more questions about university life, wondering if it was anything like the few movies he'd seen. Dimitri and Jessica shooed the fluffy orange cat, whom they called Toad, off the counter and bustled around the kitchen while they chatted about some of the finer points of campus culture. Joan waited for a lul in the conversation to ask the burning question on her mind. "Hey, have you two set a wedding date yet?"

Toad climbed onto Joan's lap and sniffed Mokuba.

Jessica cracked some eggs into a bowl. "No wedding. We're just happy being engaged right now."

Dimitri opened a can of black beans. "Yeah, no need to ruin things with the big M-word."

Mokuba extended a hand to pet Toad, and Toad climbed partially into Mokuba's lap, sprawling across both laps as if he owned them.

Joan nodded as she recalled the trauma Dimitri had experienced after his first marriage fell apart. "You can always throw a party without it being a legally binding thing, you know."

"But we throw parties all the time anyway," Dimitri pointed out.

"That's true," Joan agreed. Dimitri's first wedding had been such a spectacular affair that it would be hard to top without a rich bride's father footing the bill. The parties Jessica and Dimitri threw on a regular basis, by contrast, were far more intimate and also more fun. We can find more meaning in a campfire's glow than we ever learned in a year or so, Joan thought.

"So, what about you?" André asked. "What's with that Mrs. Kaiba stuff going around the internet? Some people say you're getting a divorce, but I don't believe it."

Joan laughed. "Michael says that when we get married, we should get divorced every day. After all, his name is on the ring too." She held out her hand and let André examine the ring.

"The plan is to throw a big party and simply change Joan's last name," Mokuba said. "I know it's weird, but in theory that will satisfy Seto."

André frowned. "No offense, but it looks like this ring came out of a Cracker Jack box."

"It's electronic. Activate random glow," Joan said. The holographic mask dissolved, revealing the full beauty of the gems.

André's jaw dropped. "Oh. How'd you manage that?"

"Trade secret," Mokuba said.

"I wanna see!" Jessica set her cutting board and knife aside. She dashed over to the couch and nudged André aside. "So pretty!"

Dimitri and Kris took turns looking and fawning as well.

"Hey, y'all still atheists?" Joan asked.

Dimitri pulled out a large skillet and set it on the stove. "Yeah, why?"

Joan considered telling them about the magic but decided to hold off. "Being in love activates the same feelings in my brain that religion used to."

"Girl, you got some wires crossed in your brain," André said.

"I've never denied that. We all do."

"Have you figured out what medication you're supposed to be on yet?" Dimitri plopped some patties into the skillet.

Joan grinned, remembering Dimitri's theory that everyone, without exception, needed to be on some sort of medication. "Sure. It's called lots and lots of hard cock."

"Wouldn't want you going without that tonight," Jessica said. "We can pitch a tent for you in the back yard. You want the air mattress or the crash pad?"

"What do you say, rich boy?" Joan asked.

"Air mattress, I guess."

Jessica nodded at the bodyguards. "How about you two? Crash pad or couch?"

"Either way, I'm not picky," Tamara said.

"Joe, any preference?"

"No," Mokuba's bodyguard replied.

Jessica slid a cutting board full of tomatoes into a bowl. "OK then, I guess you can hash it out later tonight."

"You need help with anything?" Joan asked.

"Nah, we got it." Dimitri pulled a few beers out of the fridge and used a wall-mounted bottle opener. The caps clattered on the counter. He kept one beer for himself and passed the rest around.

Jessica put the finishing touches on a salad while Dimitri flipped the patties and pulled out plates. "Ever had black bean burgers?" Jessica asked.

Mokuba's eyes grew wide. "No. Are those . . .?"

"Yep! You're in for a treat."

A few short minutes later, everyone was chowing down. Although different from his usual favorite food, Mokuba marveled at how good the meatless meal tasted. He lost himself in the variety of textures the various ingredients provided, so much so that he missed the Neverlanders' foray into the politics of prostitution