Warm lunch

Lunch was ready; the smell of fresh bread from the oven wafted like a warm wave down the hall, mingling with the aromas of tender meat and mashed potatoes. Lara took off her apron, hung it over a chair, and wiped the flour from her fingers with a damp cloth. Then she went to the oven, put on her cloth gloves, and took out the loaf; golden, toasted at the edges, with white steam rising from the ridges. With a serrated knife, she cut a large slice, spread local butter on it so that it melted and sank into the texture of the bread.

James was still on the couch, the remote control aside, his legs tucked under the blanket. His eyes were sparkling with the smell of food. Lara came over, a colorful child’s plate in one hand—slices of tender meat, creamy mashed potatoes with butter, star-shaped carrots—and in the other, freshly sliced ​​bread. She sat down on the couch, pushed James' blanket aside a little, and pulled him toward her.

"Come on, little one, your lunch is on your aunt's lap."

James smiled, settling himself into Lara's arms; his thin body settled on Lara's warm thighs, his head nestled under her chin. Lara wrapped the blanket around them both, like a warm nest. She placed the plate on her lap, picked up the small fork, and prepared the first bite: a piece of meat with a little mash on it.

"Open your mouth, the lunch plane is coming..."

James laughed, opened his mouth, and took the bite. The taste of the soft, juicy, warm meat spread in his mouth; the mash slid like silk over his tongue. With her free hand, Lara stroked James' hair, running her finger from behind his ear to the nape of his neck. He carefully brought each bite to his mouth, sometimes breaking the fresh bread into small pieces and giving it to him with butter.

James would sometimes raise his head, look at Lara with shining eyes and say: “Auntie... it’s delicious...”

Lara would smile, place a kiss on his forehead and say: “Auntie made it for you, little one. Eat until you’re strong.”

The plate was slowly emptying. Lara dipped the last piece of bread into the mash, brought it to James’s mouth, and then wiped the crumbs from the corners of her lips with her finger. James was full, his breath was warm on Lara’s neck. Lara put the plate on the honey table, wrapped her arm around James’s waist, and hugged him tighter. The blanket was around them, the rain was still falling, and the warmth of Lara's body, the smell of lunch, and the sound of her heartbeat kept James in a safe and soft world.

"Now let's rest a little, little one... Auntie is here."

James closed his eyes, laid his head on Lara's chest, and with a sleepy smile, he relaxed into the embrace of lunch and love.