Chapter 22 - The Love Of A Man Goes Through His Stomach

Saphira

"What Benjamin?" I snapped.

"Please don't leave. I don't feel like dying, just yet." He added with a little humor in his voice. I just shook my head. He was being so melodramatic.

I started emptying everything that was on the stove into the garbage can when Lynn came in.

"I'm sorry, I just freaked out." Lynn apologized.

"It's okay, don't worry about it." I said while washing all the pots and pans she used. Lynn grabbed a towel and helped me dry. Then I thought of something.

"Where are your parents anyway?" I questioned. Hey mom never seemed to leave the house.

"My dad wanted to spend the day with my mom. They've been arguing a lot lately." I couldn't imagine that. Her mom was always so quiet.

"What are they fighting about?" I asked not sure if this was something she would want to share.

"I haven't got a clue. The only one who understands Arabic is Benjamin." She sighed. "Don't worry Lynn." I said trying to comfort her."They'll probable work it all out today."

"Yeah… I guess so." She said. "But what are we gonna do now? Order some food or get take out?" "Err, I'm taking Arabic cooking lessons… " I said looking into their refrigerator. There was a lot to work with.

I'd picked up an Arabic spaghetti recipe, with yoghurt and meat at grandma's last Wednesday. And luckily they had all the ingredients I needed. Of course we could just order in, but I honestly was too proud for that. I wanted to prove Ben wrong. He was going to eat my food and enjoy it.

After about two hours we were done. "Smells good!" Lynn said, as she gave me a high five. She was right, it really did smell delicious."We make a good team." I said glad we pulled it off in time."Ben certainly is going to like the Peach rice pudding, it's his favorite!" Lynn said triumphantly.

I was counting on that.

We set the table and Lynn was heading for the game room, to get Seth and Adam. When I walked into the living room, Ben was pacing back and forth. His eyes were still glued to his book.

"Why do you keep pacing like a polar-bear?" I asked. Ben turned around to look at me. "I'm studying." He said.

I raised one eyebrow. "While walking around the room?" I said dubious. "Don't you know that your brain works better when your body is physically active?" He said as if it was an obvious fact. I just eyed him, thinking of a response.

"You are a very odd guy. I mean; who does that?!" I said unable to hold my smile.

"Even Steve Jobs held important business meetings while walking." He said grinning. I just shook my head, unable to stop smiling. "Let's eat." I said as he followed me to the dining room.

I think our hard work in the kitchen had paid off. The three boys finished their meals in no time. "There's a new XBOX game-console coming out next month." Adam said to Seth.

"Dad thinks we game too much. He, for sure is not buying alright." Seth answered. "No doubt, but Benjamin will." Adam said trying to persuade his brother.

"One can assume that if dad has said no, he probably has good reason to do so." Ben said crossing his arms. That was a no I thought. I couldn't blame them for trying. "That's just cause dad isn't open for debate." Seth argued.

"Well I say no, but the two of you have one minute to convince me otherwise." Ben said looking at his watch. "I better hope you guys have come up with a good argument." Ben added as Lynn and I went back into the kitchen to get dessert.

"They don't stand a chance." I snickered.

"I give them an eighty percent chance if they really thought it through." Lynn said smiling. "What makes you think that?" "Ben is not as tough as he makes believe." Lynn said.

She was right. When we came back, the boys had won and they were settling the date when Ben had to buy them their console.

How did they just do that?

"You were in this plot as well?" Ben said eying the pudding with a hint of a smile. "Which plot?" I asked puzzled. "How much did they pay you?" Ben said smirking.

I frowned at him and Seth and Adam roared with laughter.

"First you feed me this delicious meal and now my favorite dessert. Don't deny it, you were softening me up." He said with humor in his voice.

"So you think I can cook?" I said smug."You'll make a good wife. I love a woman that can cook. You know, a man's love goes through his stomach." He said and winked at me.

I couldn't help it, but I blushed a little. I quickly looked away from his beautiful hazel eyes, that were holding my gaze.

"You'll probably need a lot more then food to win a guys heart." Lynn stated.

"Yeah, I have to disagree with you as well." I said.

"It's ok if you disagree with me, you know. I certainly can't force you to be right." He said teasingly. "Fine, then what's your explanation? Mister I-know-it-all." I said narrowing my eyes.

"Well, miss-always-doubting-the-smartest-person-in-the-room; It is proven that being around food, increases the oxytocin level in men." He said matter of factly. I sighed.

"Okay, plain English please?" He smiled, probably amused by me not understanding a single word he just said.

"Oxytocin is a hormone that makes you feel good. That means the more often you cook for a guy, the more he'll associate you with the pleasant feeling he gets from eating." He explained.

"Right." I wryly said.

"So food does the trick for you bro?" Lynn snickered. "Nah, not necessarily." Ben admitted.

"Then what does do the trick for you?" I blurted out.. I saw that the corners of his mouth twitched up in response. He closed his mouth suppressing his laughte