Frozen in Time

"Aster…" Luna's tired mumble called out to the man unresponsive on the blue leather couch. He was asleep on his back with an arm slung over the side with his hand resting on the grey carpet.

"Aster…" Louder this time as she waddled closer with the red blanket dragged behind her.

"Aster…" She tugged on his limp arm, rousing him from his sleep.

"Ughhhh," He groaned in morning gruff as he turned over to face Luna with narrowed eyes. His hair

"Well aren't you a cutie." He groggy blurted as he rubbed his eyes to clear the blur.

Luna's face washed crimson sputtering out incoherent surprised noises.

"You hungry?" He yawned as he sat himself up, his long unkempt hair gone in every which way. He slept in yesterday's funeral attire and remained unbothered by such as he moseyed into the kitchen with a curious child following.

"Don't have much in the way of breakfast food, so bacon eggs and toast will have to suffice." Aster stated as he pulled the eggs and bacon out of the stainless-steel fridge freezer combo.

"Can I help?" Luna perked up at the idea as she jumped up to see what was placed on top of the counter. The vision of a glass bowl placed next to the open carton of eggs and an unopened bag of bacon flashed as her head poked over the wavy white marble top.

He chuckled at the show, she began using her hand to hold herself for moments longer before repeating the process. "I can't see." She eventually gave in with a pout and watery eyes so to make her feel better Aster lifted her from the wood floor and placed her on the countertop by the eggs.

"You have a very important job, a crucial part of our morning." He handed her a fork and glass bowl of 5 eggs, "You will scramble the eggs."

Luna's face brightened at the opportunity, driven to scramble the best eggs ever. Initially unbothered by the fact she had never done it before. So viciously haphazardly she stabbed at the eggs, exceedingly proud of herself with every sequential thrust. A wondrous sight that Aster didn't squander by letting pass. Oblivious to the fact as the new activity enamored her.

He loved the photo, of her sat atop the counter in the dirtied sundress, face remarkable similar to when she skipped rocks. A mix of excitement and seriousness, shown by again nipping her bottom lip. Her hair disheveled strands awry not any more organized or clean than Aster's bedhead. Teasingly he posted the photo to the same room but pinged Kelpie before closing out.

"Like this?" Luna eagerly held the bowl out to Aster for closer inspection. She impatiently awaited his praise for her efforts. The shattered yellow yokes give marble waves to the egg whites. They weren't scrambled but Aster didn't have the heart to burst her bubble.

"Perfect," he lied but with an earnest smile. "I'm going to get started on the bacon, and in the mean time I want you to go enjoy some TV." He picked her off the counter and carried her over to the couch where he slept, across from where the TV was.

===

The squeak of the front door stirred both Aster and Luna from their meal, both tense from not knowing who it was, "Aster!" The voice was distinctly female, vibrant yet laced with threats of death.

"Kelly, tell Marlena she is not getting the spare key back." Aster knew who it was, and who to blame for the situation. Luna however was still on edge from the unexpected visitor. She was torn between finishing her food and hiding under the table.

Before she made a decision Kelly was already in the dining area. "She is so cute!" Her high voice peaked at a shrill at the Luna.

"Aster, she seems scary…" Luna stated ducked under the table her emerald green eyes peeked over the top at Kelly, dressed in sleepwear, stood in the archway between the dining room and kitchen.

"She is harmless," He confirmed as he looked at the agape mouth brunette whose fingers rubbed together like she was pinching cheeks. "Most of the time." He revaluated.

He continued, "Kelly, Luna is not accustomed to your more, colorful side, so tone it done a notch of I call Oz and tell him about Halloween 2019." He was straightforward in his threat, eating the last bites of bacon before wiping his fingers of the grease.

Her eye's widened in horror before mellowing to unease, "haha…" her face was tense as she carefully took a seat at the table.

"Luna, this exuberant creature…" The creature interrupted, "Human, HUMAN!" The unease was washed away at the taunt.

"Sure, human, shush." He stuck his finger out against her dainty nude lips.

"This monster," Kelly despite her tease was smiling before being interrupted by Aster, "I prefer my full title, Sir Monster Jr. son of Archduke Monster Sr. My father fought valiantly for the crown ruler of these lands." Aster spoke proud, head held high with his hand over the heart.

"Yea yea, whatever. Then you best refer to me by my title, Kelly Audrin." At the show Luna was loosening up, a smile slowly spreading.

"Luna…" She mumbled under her breath as she shoved a piece of bacon into her mouth to ineffectively camouflage the introduction.

"Luna, is a wonderful name." Kelly beamed; her face lightened from the simple exchange.

"Kelly, is…a…nice name too." Luna returned the compliment but didn't lift her head embarrassed and nervous.

"How would you feel about hearing a story about Aster?" She offered with a sinister smirk. Her eyes burnt with invigorated passion. She was impassioned to have the beautiful child accept her.

Luna didn't answer so Kelly told the story after being given consent from a nod from Aster who stood up with his dish. "At one time, Aster was in love. He pined for this young blond girl he met on a study abroad in Hong Kong."

"This story, couldn't she have just told her anything else." Aster mumbled to himself exasperated; unheard by the pair as he was drowned out by the running faucet.

"So, to win her affection he pulled out every method he knew. Day in and day out he visited her at the campus reception hall with his best efforts to woo her." Luna was invested in this story, a captive audience to every word from Kelly's mouth. "She gave in evidently, and so he took her to the best restaurant in the city; spent every penny he had at the time. It was a wonderous meal, a dining experience filled with laughs from them both. Then as he parted with her that night, it was the last he saw her."

Dazed Luna gasped, "Never again?"

Kelly nodded, "Never again. He went to the reception desk the next morning and was told she didn't work there anymore."

Luna declared with watery eyes, "I won't leave after food!"

Kelly's dainty olive hand covered her mouth, suppressing the aww that threatened to escape from her throat.

"I know you won't," Aster chuckled as he reached across and ruffled her hair.

"Hopefully this one will though," He flicked Kelly's forehead with a joking half-smirk.

Ignoring Kelly's bewilderment, Aster wished time to be frozen. For this time of rosy-cheeked Kelly, laughing Luna, and himself smirking, so it felt like a family.

===

While Luna was off in the other room with the TV Aster and Kelly were left alone at the table to talk.

"Anyone else, I would berate them now. Anyone else I would be giving the third degree for rushing into this entire situation after the passing of their mother." Serious was a rare tone for Kelly, so when it came out those present knew it was important.

"I did rush into it. I looked into her eyes and my heart stopped; I felt for a moment that life could be a story." Aster spoke of a pain masked by light laughs.

"You say that, but I bet you accounted for every possibility. I know you did. In the short moments I have known her, I see why you did it. It feels out of a fairy tale."

"She really does. She makes every little thing in the world, just seem special." Aster admitted as he stood up from the table and slowly walked to peer into the lounge room where Luna was dancing in her seat to the opening song of a show.

"She gives the world a bit of fantasy."

The two were in a short silence as they watched Luna's bright face from the cartoon.

"I started writing a new story." Aster broke the silence speaking matter-of-factly.

"Another romance stemmed from whatever heartbreak it is this time?" Kelly jabbed with kind intentions.

"No, it is a children's story. A fairy tale. Something to read to Luna when it is finished."

"I hope to one day read that story Aster."

"I hope to too."

"Aster!" Luna cheered as she eyed his head from the doorway.

"Luna!" He reciprocated her jubilant tone with a heartfelt smile. He walked out and sat next to her, "So what show we are watching?" She went on to explain what he had missed while Kelly stood off to the side. Once she got going, she was rapidly shooting out sentences that were tough to follow. Aster didn't seem bothered by such.

Unbeknownst to the two Kelly snapped a picture of them laughing on the couch. "Aster, you have changed. Your life, it has color." She talked to herself as neither of them was paying her any mind.

"Okay scoot over you two!" Kelly shoved her way in beside Aster and joined in on listening to Luna explain the show.