“What did you say? Sorry I was a bit distracted.”
“It looks like it snowed a couple of inches.”
“Sounds like a pain.” I said as I took the pancake off the pan and put it on the plate I had grabbed, before starting another one.
“Can I have this one?” Phel asked.
“Sure, if you only want one pancake that is.”
“Thank you!” Phel took the plate and grabbed a fork from the silverware drawer. She then went to the fridge and searched in there for a bit. The pancake I was working on began to bubble, so I flipped it before grabbing another plate.
“Do you know where the syrup is?”
“I don’t have any, that stuff is too sticky and gets everywhere.”
“Yet you decided to make pancakes? You can’t eat these without syrup.”
“Why not, the syrup just covers up the taste of the pancakes to me. Seriously there is no reason to have any.”
“That is just you, you know? It is not like you wouldn’t have any guests who prefer to have syrup on their pancakes.”
“Like who?”
“Don and me .” It was quiet for a second, I took the second pancake off the pan before portioning out a second one. I looked back at Phel, she was sitting on a chair staring at the ceiling. Well, I guess that was a bad point to stop our conversation.
“Don’t you mean me and Don?” I said trying to change the subject
“Does that really matter?” She muttered while keeping her gaze on the ceiling. That was an old habit for her whenever she was uncomfortable with a topic she would stare at the ceiling, or at the very least keep her gaze up at the sky. She would stay there until she figured out what to do next. I guess we are similar in the fact that we tend to get lost in thought regularly. Though what tends to cause it is different between us.
I looked back to the sizzling pan, and I could feel the awkward silence between us. I felt the metal spatula grow a bit heavier in my hand. There I stared at the pancake waiting to flip it. The sizzling was deafening, yet also strangely comforting.
“Have you heard anything from him, Don I mean.”
“No.”
I tightened my grip on the spatula and flipped the pancake. My heart began to race and a bunch of thoughts came into my mind: ‘I guess I really am hiding that letter from her.’ ‘I hope she doesn’t find it.’ ‘I hope she doesn’t figure this lie out.’ When the last of those thoughts passed, I let out a sigh.
“I have been asking around since he went missing, but no one has heard anything. Though I haven’t really had much contact with the police, outside of them asking me questions about Don and when I last saw/contacted him. Perhaps you could start with them, they probably have found much more than I have.” I said, perhaps to take my mind off the guilt I felt.
“I guess I will visit them then, though I do hate going outside by myself at this time.”
“I guess I could escort you there then.” I said as I took the last pancake off the pan. I covered the mixing bowl once more with plastic wrap before putting it in the fridge. I grabbed myself a fork and a glass of water before taking the pancakes to the living room. I slouched down on the couch.
