#3 Pancakes - Pancoga

"Have you got another pitcher of syrup May? Nora's hogging the whole thing." William protested. I l diverted my concentration from the griddle and the fluffy golden pancakes that had just begun to bubble.

Twins, Nora and William, who weren't more than twelve sat behind me at the kitchen island. Their feet swung loosely from the stools they were seated on and quietly hit the wooden platform as they argued over the syrup pitcher. I shook my head and smiled. Turning from my spot at the griddle I opened the cabinet above me.

"Again Nora?" I teased, pulling a quick one-eighty to set the jug on the island counter giving her a tired smile. William grunted in victory as he smothered his lone pancake with the golden brown liquid.

Spatula in hand I flipped my last batch of pancakes onto the last clean plate in the house. Burnt. Well, not that burnt, but not exactly the quality a master chef like me wanted to promote.

I ignored the self critique and set the plate on the kitchen island.

"These are burnt." William observed as he turned the pancake back and forth between the light and dark side, perplexed as to how I could have done such an asymmetrical job.

"No they aren't they are just a little overdone." I argued to my own defense. William only shrugged and set the cake down in the miniature syrup pond he'd created on his plate.

Nora and William had been staying with their parents at the B&B for the last week. Since the twins were typically much later risers than their folks, they were often the last ones to breakfast. They loved to talk and I became quickly acquainted with their sibling dynamic and bottomless appetites.

"What have your parents got on the agenda for you two today?" I asked taking the last of the three pancakes before the twins could beat me to it.

"Something about a nature walk." Nora trailed off, her attention now focused on cutting her pancake into precise pieces.

"Another nature walk." William chimed in, somehow managing to sound less enthusiastic than Nora about their parents family plans.

"Well, make sure they know Grace is setting up a bonfire tomorrow night." I reminded pulling up a spare stool so I could relax and enjoy my lone pancake before starting on the mountain of dishes behind me. "I'll be there, and I'll even be making something other than pancakes." I winked, earning a smile from the kids.

"William will go if that cute girl is there." Nora gestured with her fork to her brother as she made an exaggerated kissy face at him.

"Oh? Does William have a bit of a crush?" I grinned wiggling my eyebrows in express interest. "Well who is she? The Summer's girl?" I pried trying to recall all the tenants with daughters.

"Ew, no." William scrunched up his nose whilst chewing a mouthful of pancakes causing Nora to set into a fit of giggles.

"I don't know her name," Nora said after her giggles subsided. "But she's like your age with dark hair. William nearly ran into a tree when we saw her outside this morning on our way here." She pointed to the window behind me flicking a bit of syrup across the granite countertop.

William said nothing, but I could see his cheeks blush as he continued stuffing his face with breakfast food. Nora, oblivious to her brother's embarrassment continued in greater detail about how funny it was that he narrowly avoided a tree trunk while entranced by the mystery woman.

I tuned Nora out as I tried to divine the identity of the woman William became so instantly infatuated with. My mind slowly scrolled through the list of rooms and corresponding guests eventually landing on room #2. Lyle was the only guest that fit Nora's description.

Odd, I hadn't seen her at breakfast yet.

I was drawn back to the twins as a drop of syrup landed on my nose. I crossed my eyes to stare at it briefly before meeting a Nora's guilty grin. I furrowed my eyebrows in fake outrage, before stealing a piece of pancake from her plate and using it to dot the syrup from my nose.

Nora's guilt washed away in amusement and she watched me eat the pancake.

"You two better finish up." I pushed away from my seat, taking the last bite.

The teens left me precisely at 9:00 calling their goodbyes as they exited out the side door in search of their parents. A ploom of flour enveloped me momentarily as I dusted the excess from my hands. I looked down at my black jeans and sighed, you'd think I would've learned by now that black clothing and flour don't mix. Quickly twisting my hair into a bun at the back of my head I began prepping the sink, pouring a generous amount of soap into the warm water.

As I let the soapy water counteract the syrup soaked plates an unexpected voice cleared itself behind me. I turned to meet it, hands still submerged under the soapy water. The girl - Lyle - sat in one of the stools previously occupied by the rambunctious twins.

Her hair was tucked neatly behind her ears where it flowed in uneven waves. It was three shades lighter now that it had dried from the night before. She'd traded in her black blazer for a dark green flannel that brought out the tint of her eyes, much lighter than my own. They watched me attentively, not like mine in a curious manner, but in a way that seemed meticulous. As if she was carefully cataloguing everything before her and stowing it away in a neat file in case she could make use of it later.

She was beautiful and instantly intriguing, as if she was hiding a secret behind her amused smirk. I blushed at the thought, trying to wave it away but my embarrassment only grew deeper as I realized how similarly my actions were to William's. I turned back to my dishes and away from her gaze but continued to feel her eyes on me.

"Breakfast is over." I said gesturing with my shoulder to the old wooden clock above the doorway that led into the foyer.

"Couldn't you make an exception?" She prodded, her tone more genuine than arrogant.

I hummed in thought. Grace, of course, always preached the mantra of customer accommodation. I never took issue with this but I couldn't resist making a witty remark every once in awhile; and was about to when I heard the distinctly fast paced footsteps on the finished wood floors. A sound that I had come to immediately associated with Grace's exuberant entrance into a room.

"Oh thank god you're still here!" She blew out an exaggerated breath as she walked up to me with open arms enveloping me in a quick hug. I smiled, a reaction that was almost impossible not to have in Grace's presence. Her hair was in its usual braid today adorned with tiny white hepatica flowers dotting her dark hair. Her typical working outfit was similar to mine; a light green tee bearing the name White Pine Bed n' Breakfast in white script and tucked into a black skirt that settled just above her toes.

She released me from the hug and opened her mouth, I assumed to rattle off a million impending tasks that needed to be completed within the next few hours. But instead she paused. Her attention suddenly redirected to Lyle whom she had not noticed before.

"Oh do excuse me! I didn't see you there," She turned to face Lyle switching on her classic Grace charm. "Did you enjoy your breakfast? Our May is such a diverse cook." She added with a tinge of sarcasm that was barely detectable underneath her bright smile. My own eyes flickered upwards momentarily in reaction to her subtle dig before I could catch them.

Lyle continued to grin as her gaze danced back and forth from Grace and my own. "Actually, I came a little late and haven't eaten yet. Miss May," She paused to confirm that was my name and I nodded to her as I dried my hands on a nearby towel.

"Miss May," She continued. "Was kind enough to offer to make me something." She finished giving me a wink.

"Well that's our May!" Grace patted me on the back flashing Lyle another one of her award winning smiles. "Anything you want just let her know, we hope you enjoy your stay." She elaborated, edging her way toward the side door before turning on her heel and pointing a manicured finger at me.

"Oh, I almost forgot, we need some stuff from the farmers market before it closes at noon." Grace explained remembering what she had initially come to tell me. She glided back to the sink and stood next to me, our backs to Lyle who politely flipped through her phone allowing us a semi-private conversation. "She's cute." Grace whispered wiggling her eyebrows as she reached into her shirt producing a grocery list for me. I rolled my eyes and took the list from her placing it safely in my jean pocket.

Grace constantly attempted to set me up with every female guest within ten years of my age. Although she often boasted her talents as a 'spectacular matchmaker' she was in the hole with me. But, of course this never phased her. I was the ultimate challenge.

She ignored my less than enthusiastic response and handed me a money filled envelope before booty bumping me and skipping out of the kitchen. I was left alone in the kitchen with Lyle who had pocketed her phone, allowing her watchful gaze to take in the kitchen.

"So what's on the menu for today?" Lyle asked, her eyes fixed on the door at the opposite end of the kitchen that lead up to rooms eight and nine.

I pulled the table top griddle from the cupboard below and placed it on the counter before her.

"Pancakes." I replied opening the refrigerator to retrieve the Tupperware container with today's leftover batter. Much to Grace's confusion I was in the habit of saving the extra batter from the morning, using it to make my own lunch and dinner. It wasn't the best nutritional diet, but they were easy to make and tasted pretty damn good so I wasn't loosing any sleep.

Lyle hummed in approval and I switched on the portable griddle, carefully ladling out two generous spoonful's of batter onto the hot surface.

"So what caused you to sleep in today?" The question I assumed was innocent enough, as I already knew from William and Nora's intel that she had not been sleeping but rather wandering the White Pine grounds.

"Long night." Her reply was simple as her survey of the room drew to a close and her attention centered on me.

"Right." I mumbled, struggling to dull the sarcastic edge I'd taken. This was information we were both obviously aware of as I was the one who checked her in. But I knew that wasn't all true.

Exploring the grounds was far from out of the ordinary, the B&B walked the fine line between being pristinely manicured and naturally wild - a sort of organized chaos. We embraced native Maine wildflowers that grew in select patches around the home guarded by beautiful stones Grace collected on a trip to the coast. The flowers often flowed over the barriers and leaned against the facade of the home. Our guests were encouraged to pick a few for themselves, for pressing, hair decoration or plucking the petals in a classic game of love me or love me not.

The ivy that clung to much of the surface of the Tudor home was arguably my favorite natural decorum. It certainly had a mind of its own, but aside from trimming it back from the windows it was harmless. The ivy had even begun to grow on a simple encased map we'd put up at the head of one hiking trail to the left of the home. The trail encircled the green space where mine and other guests cabins were located, but it went much further out onto our property. In whole it was a good twenty to thirty minute walk.

Perhaps Lyle had woken early to take a trip on our hiking trail, maybe she was a hiking enthusiast. Maybe, she had planned on staying with us she just hadn't gotten around to making an appointment and lost track of time. I was about to ask her if she went on a hike this morning when she beat me to it with her own question.

"So when did you start working here?" She asked resting her elbows on the grey and black flecked granite.

"I was part of the re-opening about three years ago."

"That your boss?" Lyle hooked a thumb toward the doorway Grace had so exuberantly exited a few minutes ago.

I nodded, flipping the pancakes before grabbing a newly cleaned plate.

"So she owns all this?"

I nodded again, anxious to get my question in while at the same time curious as to where her small talk was going.

"Does she buy the art herself?" Lyle continued nodding her head to a framed work on the wall to that divided us from the foyer.

. "I help her out a bit too," I explained thinking of the few paintings I'd loaned to her. "Why? Are you a door to door art saleswoman?" I laughed as I said it flipping the pancakes onto her plate and passing it to her along with Nora's jug of maple syrup.

"No, I just saw some nice ones on the website and thought I'd ask." She shrugged pulling a fork out of the mason jar we kept handy on the counter for when we served small snacks during midday.

I turned off the griddle and went back to washing my dishes as she ate. "You're an art fan then?"

"Everyone's a fan of art aren't they?"

"Some more than others," I paused. "What brings you to White Pine miss Lyle no last name?"

She mirrored my pause before answering in her even tone. "Nothing in particular, just passing through."

"But you saw our website."

"I did."

"Are you on your way somewhere then? If you're just passing through."

"Not sure yet."

"Very secretive journey you're on then." I mused bringing my head level to the window to study her fuzzy reflection. She was unphased by my questions and I took it as a non verbal ok to continue.

"I heard you were out walking this morning, have you gotten a chance to check out our hiking trail yet?"

"Oh? Where did you hear that from?" Again her words contradicted her tone. On paper they seemed agitated and tight, but as she spoke them they were softer and more matter of fact. It wasn't that she spoke in a monotone, but her cadence was seamless, careful to cloak any emotion she didn't want from leaking out.

"People talk." I replied with a polite laugh while I finished washing the last of the coffee mugs.

Lyle didn't respond and I heard the soft clatter of silverware and the squeak of the stool as she made her way to my side.

"Good to know." Her smile was two parts forced as she handed me her clean plate.

She was inches from me. Several lines of freckles fell beneath her eyes and followed the curve of her nose, though they were light enough that they couldn't be made out from across the room.

She handed me her plate, breaking our staring contest I had been unconsciously participating in.

"Thank you for breakfast May." She smiled, this time a bit more genuinely. I returned her thanks and watched as she turned and walked out of the kitchen.

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(: I could eat pancakes for every meal ... are you all breakfast people ?

Hope you enjoyed, please vote & comment xo