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Yevgeny was very grown up indeed. He hadn’t wet his bed in nearly a month and both Dada and Een were very proud of him. They told him so, repeatedly, giving him occasional treats for his achievements in the form of Pop Tarts and cookies. The treats were a secret, though. Yevgeny knew this because every time he got one, they would press their fingers against their lips; a movement that Yevgeny copied with wide eyes. Mama didn't want him to have sugar. It would give him caveetees and worms in his teeth. Yev liked his teeth. But he liked Pop Tarts more.
Een and Dada were best friends. Even though Mama rolled her eyes every time they told him that, he trusted them. After all, they hadn’t told Mama he hated the food she packed him every day for playschool, or that they sneaked him better food every day when they dropped him off in the morning. Dada was very good at cooking. Een always said he loved to eat Dada’s food, which made sense to Yev, because he loved his lunch every day. Dada always responded by saying that his food wasn't the only thing Een liked to eat, which didn't make sense to Yev. But then again, all three of his parents could be kind of silly sometimes, and make jokes that weren’t funny at all.
The rule of the Milkoveech-Galager house was that Yev would always get mac ‘n’ cheese on Friday nights, and pancakes on Sunday morning. It was a reward he had gotten after he defeated Een while they were racing in the park one day. Een really was embarrassingly slow for someone as tall as him (Yevgeny only reached his knees) but that only made the defeat sweeter. Dada was in favour of this deal, while Mama was against it. Mama didn't seem to like most of the rules Dada and Een made, but what happened on their watch was an almost sacred secret for all three of them. They both told him that it was because they didn't want Yevgeny to get in trouble, but he thought it was probably because they were a little scared of Mama, too.
But on the first Sunday of summer break, there was no smell of pancakes slipping into Yev’s room in the house. Neither Een nor Dada came to tickle the bottom of his feet and carry him downstairs to the kitchen. Yev was outraged. There were some ground rules, as Mama liked to call them. No sweets after brushing your teeth. No wetting the bed. No using hands. No bad words. No funny business in the kitchen. (The last one was usually directed towards Een and Dada, and Yev wasn't quite sure what it meant.) And pancakes on Sunday morning.
Yev waiting for a little while before it got to be too much. He slipped out of his low bed, the cold floor hurting his bare feet. He quickly slipped on his fluffy Ninja Turtles slippers and padded up to the room Dada and Een shared. Another rule was don’t enter their room without knocking which seemed unfair, because they came into Yev’s room whenever they wanted. Still, Yev was a good boy, and bravely knocked on their door as loud as he could. He then pressed his ear against the door, waiting for them to respond. There seemed to be a lot of motion and loud cursing. Then everything stopped and Een opened the door.
“Hey Yevvie,” He smiled like he wasn't a traitor who had left Yev starving and without pancakes. Yev stuck out his chin in response, something Dada always said he got from Een. “Hey, what’s up with the chin, little man?” Dada asked, appearing behind Een. Through his anger, Yev noticed them were both bright red like fire extinguinators and breathing like they had won a race. Which was stupid, because they were both very slow, and could never defeat Yev when they raced against him. “Did you have a fight?” Yev asked, “Mama says we don’t use our hands.” They both laughed at that, which made Yev even angrier. “I’ll tell on you,” he threatened, using the Mama trump card.
“Hey, hey, hey,” Een said, “We never tell Mama. That’s the rule, right?” Yev’s lower lip wobbled a little. “It’s also the rule that we have pancakes on Sundays.” Both their eyes widened as they understood. “Aww,” Een crooned, ruffling Yev’s hair, “Sorry, buddy. We lost track of time. We can make pancakes right now. Extra chocolate chips.” Yev considered this. “And banas?” Dada grinned and nodded. Yev decided he was kind of tired of being mad, and raised up his arms to be picked up. Dada scooped him up, and Een tickled the bottom of his feet, and all was right in the world again.
Dada ran him downstairs and set him down on the counter, away from the gas. Een leaned against the counter, one hand on Yev’s back to make sure he kept his balance. Een’s phone beeped and he unlocked it, grinning at a text message he got. Neither texts nor words made much sense to Yev, so he had no idea what he was looking at. “Anniversary wishes from Mandy, Mick,” Een called out to Dada, who just rolled his eyes. “What’s an anniversary?” Yev asked, confused by this large and complicated sounding word. “Uh, it’s a celebration, Yev,” Een explained, “We celebrate something good every year. Kind of like a birthday. But usually when you love someone, you like to celebrate being together every year.”
Yev’s brow ruffled. “So it’s aunt Maddy’s anniversary today?” Dada and Een exchanged a Grown Up Look, which happened whenever they were deciding something. Dada flipped a pancake and came over, “Actually, Yev, it’s me and Ian’s anniversary.”
Yev got increasingly confused. “You and Een love each other?” Dada looked a little nervous, so Een stepped in. “Yeah, Yev. Me and your Dada have been together for a long time, and we love each other. Is that okay?” Yev shrugged. His interest in this word had expired. “Okay. As long as you love me, too.” The brilliant smiles on their faces told him he had said something right. Again, Yev wasn't quite sure what it was, but it seemed good. Een kissed the top of his head and Dada even let him have his food even though he hadn’t quite got around to brushing yet. Yev figured love must be a good thing if it made his parents do whatever he wanted.
Yev wasn't exactly sure what love meant, not in the yucky kissing way. None of the people in his playschool seemed that great. Yev was quite sure he wanted no love except for his parents’. But when he saw Een cut Dada’s pancakes into hearts and even gave him a Pop Tart after brushing that night, it didn't seem so bad after all.