2020-06-06 - Blaze’s Surprise - Noelle, Chris, Blaze and Stuart

Noelle Snow inhaled deeply of the various types of mint that she grew on her back porch.  She noticed that the chocolate mint was actually growing out quite a bit and she would need to do something with a bunch of it.  An idea sprouted in her mind and she returned to the kitchen long enough to get a small glass and a pair of scissors and return to the porch.  Setting the bowl down, she began to snip off long stems with many leaves off of the larger plant and put them in the glass like so many roses.  Once she was done, she planned to melt some vegan chocolate, dip the leaves halfway into it and let it set for a yummy and healthy candy snack.

Chris was on the livingroom floor with Blaze eating oatmeal with almond milk. They were watching some Thomas the tank Engine together and bonding. In truth they had bonded and Chris had really grown to love the little guy.

“Careful buddy you’re about to spill.” Chris kindly warned as the kid’s bowl began to tip.

“No I’m not.” Blaze said teasingly as he tipped it a bit more and dribbled milk on the carpet.

Chris laughed and dabbed it with his hand “You little monkey…..come on now Blaze.” Look it’s Percy again…..think Thomas will find him?”

Blaze dug back into his oatmeal and shook his head with his cheeks now stuffed “Mmm mmm…”

Chris’s phone rang and he stepped away “Be right back buddy…..hi Dad…...yeah come to the back stairs ok. Noelle’s out there….can you lift…...oh come on I know….yeah I’ll see you in a second.”

Stuart Peterson’s clomping feet could be heard coming up the stairs. He caught sight of Noelle part way up “Good morning Noelle.” He chimed “My son seems to think I’m an old man who can’t lift things.” He jokes “Ooooh look at all your mint!” He comments as he gets to the top and sets down a large rubbermaid tub. He is a little out of breath but trying to act like he’s not.

Noelle hears someone on the steps and waits, seeing Stuart after a moment.  “Good morning.”  she giggles.  “Well, you’re not old.  Maybe he is just waiting on you to retire and spend more time with him and Blaze?”  she offers.  Then she looks at her post.  “Yup.”  she nods to a large half barrel.  “Peppermint which I use for everyday mint tea.”  she nods at smaller pots.  “Peppermind, apple, orange and this is chocolate.”  she taps the glass.  “I’m going to make some chocolate mint candy for the boys.”  and by boys she means Chris and Blaze.

“Chocolate mint candy! Count me in too please. Hey I’m just going to leave this here froa  sec and go grab the second bin ok? Then I’ll take them both in. And I’d love to spend more time with Blaze.” He trots off back down the stairs and a moment later he’s back up with the second and even more breathless. “Fwew…”

The door from the apartment pops open and Chris is trying to be stealthy “Hi Dad...oh there’s two bins? I didn’t think we had that much….” He steps out and gives Noelle a little kiss and then picks up one of the bins and hefts it before popping off the lid “Huh….”

Stuart exhales “What? Did I grab the wrong thing?”

Chris opens the other one “Dad, they’re both less than half full…..let’s combine them so they don’t take up the whole living room.” He peeks in and at Blaze who is happily glued to his show. Chris tries to pour from one to the other quietly but it’s completely impossible.

Blaze’s little face looks out the doorway suddenly and he waves at Stuart and then his eyes spot all the wooden track and train characters and he squeals.

Noelle giggles when Stuart wants candy, too.  “I’ll save you some, I promise.  This takes a long time and I probably shouldn’t have started it with all of you around.”  she watches father and son and grins while Chris tries to be quiet.  It fails, of course, and soon Blaze is in the room and in the box, taking two handfuls and running back into the living room to put them together with a “Tains!  Thank you!”  shouted over his shoulder.

Chris laughs “Well he’s happy.” He shakes the rest in and looks at the empty bin “Hey Dad can Pat and i have this one? We’ve got so many games. We don’t need them all out on the shelves….I can run it across…”

Blaze suddenly calls from the living room “Ciss Ciss….do you have Percy?”

Stuart smiles at Noelle “I’d like that.” He chuckles as Blaze grabs some track and trains and takes off “Oh just like some little boys I used to know. Sure you can have it. We need to clean out that whole crawl space…” When he hears Chris being summoned he offers “Why don’t I drop this at your door. You have a playdate…”

Chris thinks “Can you stick it just in the door? I’ll give you my keys. Pat’s probably still home and asleep. I don’t want him to trip coming out.” He fishes for his keys and hands them over.

Noelle laughs in delight at her son's reaction and watches keys change hands.  “I’ll make yours first, Stuart.”  she promises.  “And keep them safe from these two.”  she heads back into the kitchen, putting the leaves in the refrigerator to keep them fresh and setting up a double boiler to melt the chocolate.

Stuart pockets the keys and picks up the bin and it’s lid “Goodness you don’t ask a lot.” He teases Chris as he carries the other inside to Blaze. Stuart carefully descends the stairs now and is about to cross the street when his phone rings “Peterson Memorials? Oh hi Love...yes I’m coming your way next with Avery’s stuff…...oh he was excited….very cute……” Stuart chats with Lauren a bit and then can’t hear her well as someone on the street starts using a power saw in their side yard for a project. “Sorry honey I’ll have to call you back…” He half shouts. Then he clicks off and crosses the street with the bin, the saw blaring away.

Noelle listens to the chatting in the living room as the man and child ‘examine’ the new toys.  She carefully melts the chocolate as she retrieves the leaves and begins to take the best ones to set aside.  After about 6, she retrieves a clean sheet to lay the finished chocolate covered leaves on to harden.  Then she returns to separating the leaves from the stems and melting the chocolate.

Chris and Blaze dig into the train bin and start building an elaborate track.

“Here’s Percy..” Chris offers and then sees two of his old favourites “Oh the Scottish twins!”

Blaze plays with Percy “I’m on the bidgeThomas!! It’s a race!!

Chris chimes in to be Thomas “Oh Percy you’re too fast for me…”

Noelle tosses the less than perfect or too small leaves from the rest and sets them aside.  Once the chocolate melts, she takes a larger leaf and dips half if it in the liquid chocolate, lifts it and lets it drip a little.  The sir cools it a bit and she sets it aside to do another.  She’s made this before, so the work goes by relatively quickly.

There’s an urgent knocking at the door like someone’s in trouble.

Chris jumps up and looks towards Noelle in the kitchen going into cop mode “I’ll get this…” When he opens it it’s his father looking completely flustered.

“Hhh….here are your keys Chris….oh god..I have to have lunch with Gurshan….oh god…”

Chris takes the keys “Dad...are you ok? What’s going on? Is Gurshan ok? Hey I dunno if Pat mentioned this but he’s been dating Sajani. Hard to believe….”

“I know.” Stuart interrupts and then suddenly turns to leave “I have to go now.” And he’s down the stairs like a shot. A minute later the hearse peels away, tires squealing on a break from the aw sounds. and is gone.

Chris runs out onto the landing after him “Dad?” He slowly walks back in and looks baffled “I think I pissed him off...but I don’t know how…”

Noelle jumps at the knock on the door and has the presence of mind to set the chocolate back off of the heat before walking, confusedly to the door.  She blinks and stares at Chris.  “What the ….  No ….”  she shakes her head and takes Chris by the arm.  “Of course you didn’t piss him off.  Don’t be silly.”

Blaze had hopped up.  At first he was afraid of the knock, but then when he realized who it was, he was confused.  “What’s wrong?”  he sees the adults tense, but doesn’t know why.

Chris sighs and side hugs Noele “I don’t know what his deal is…” He looks at Blaze honestly. He wasn’t one to lie to kids “Blaze I don’t know. He’s just upset.”

Blaze looks thoughtful about it but then drives Percy over the bridge “Percy’s upset…” He’s trying to work it out through play.

Noelle sees the general upset and wants to distract her son .. and even Chris.  “Well, I’m making candy …..”  she offers.

Blaze takes the bait “Candy!” He squeals.

Chris has to laugh and gives Noelle a little kiss “Thank you.” He heads back to the trains with Blaze.

Noelle returns the kiss.  “You’re welcome.” and she heads back to the kitchen to dip more leaves.

Patrick jogs down the stairs and across the street, then up two flights to Noelle’s door.  He knocks, perhaps a bit hard, and waits.

Chris gets up again, thinking maybe his father was returning to explain what was bothering him. But when he opens the door he finds his twin and looks surprised “Oh hey Pat?”

Blaze sees Patrick and shouts “At At I got Percy!!!” And holds up the green engine.

Patrick is only slightly breathless, and Chris probably smells the cinnamon gum on his breath,  “Hey.”  he speaks hurriedly.  “Is Dad here?”  he sees Blaze and smiles, although it is a little forced.  “Hey man.  That’s great!  Have a ball.”

Noells stops dipping … again and walks to the door, looking at Patrick with raised brows.

Chris sniffs and catches a whiff of cinnamon and then looks quizzically “Well he was but he took off kinda weird. You guys have a fight or something?” He drops his voice in the question as he’s noticed Blaze picks up on everything.

Blaze is happily playing, so distracted by all the new toys. He starts digging deep into the bin and pulling out more track like he has a little plan in his head.

Noelle stands between the kitchen and the living room wondering what the hell, but she doesn’t speak and she doesn’t move.

Patrick glances at Blaze, notices he is playing with the same kind of bin left at his door, then leans into his brother, also lowering his voice.  “You could have called before sending Dad over.”  he whispered harshly.  “Sajani and I were just starting something when Dad walked in…”  the cinnamon gum might suggest they were past the kissing on the couch stage.

Chris looks like he’s going to retort and then his mouth forms an O. He notes the gum and starts to laugh “Oh shit I’m sorry..” He whispers and then he laughs harder, clapping Patrick on the shoulder “Well that explains why he was so…..” And then he gives Noelle a knowing look, not sure how much she caught “Guess who Dad’s going for lunch with right now? Just guess..I dare ya….”

Blaze holds up two straight track ends and looks at them and then clicks them on either side of a curved piece. His little brain is forming patterns.

Noelle listens and, as she puts the pieces together she starts to laugh as well, covering her  mouth with both of her hands.  “Oh my god!  Poor Sajani!”  and then Chris mentions that Stuart is going to lunch with Gurshan and and barks another laugh, turns and goes into the bedroom, closing the door behind her.  She shoves a pillow in her mouth and howls with laughter.

Patrick huffs at the laugh, but keeps his voice low as he retorts.  “Oh fuck you, Chrostopher, no your not sorry.” and then he blinks because his father was … like … something, but before he can ask, Chris exchanges looks with Noelle, mentions their father was going to lunch with someone… and it all clicks in Patrick’s head as Noelle loses it and runs, cackling to the bedroom.  “Fuck me... Did he say where he was meeting Gurshan?”

Chris’s eyes are watering from both laughing and holding back. He can hear Noelle howling even though it’s muffled. He sighs and shakes his head “Nope. No idea. Were you going to join them? Because I thought you already ate..” Chris can’t resist it.

Blaze makes train noises now as he tries to see how many engines he can fit on his creation at once.

Patrick gapes at his brother.  His mind races and he seems to remember Sajani mentioning something about the Deli.  Then he holds up. a finger.  “Remind me to kill you later, Christopher.”  he growls and immediately turns and heads out of the building.

Patrick turns left outside of Noelle’s building and starts walking quickly to Water Street, then turns left again, heading up Water to The Daily Deli.