Page 20 of Doran

“That’s fine," he called out agreeably from the closet. “Do you want me to take you shopping for food later? Or are you going to replicate all the ingredients?”

I blinked. “I can do that? And not just entire meals?”

“You can, but the more you use it, the more matter we have to load it with. It’s not a big deal, just something to keep an eye on so you don’t run out of matter before topping it up.”

I had no idea how to even do that. Yet another thing I needed to learn. “I’ll replicate ingredients this morning, and we can go shopping after breakfast, if that’s okay?”

“Sure.”

I clutched the panties and bra I'd snagged out of my drawer and hustled into the shower, making sure to grab my own shampoo and conditioner from beside the tub first.

I went downstairs, thankful that my hair towel dried easily, thanks to its short length. Varek was already downstairs with their boys, who were sitting in the front room happily watching a vintage episode of Captain Kangaroo, of all things, on the viewscreen a part of the wall had turned into.

“Darren is changing Laura and will be down in a moment. He asked me to find out where the recycler is, so he can dispose of her used diapers.”

“Oh, umm, there's one in the laundry room. I’ll show him where that is.”

Varek nodded, and I decided I needed to order a Diaper Genie for their room so he wouldn’t have to keep carrying them down one at a time in order to avoid stinking up their room.

“What do you kiddos want to eat?” I asked the boys.

“Cocoa Pops!” they yelled in unison.

“Cheerios with sliced bananas," came a correction from the stairs.

“Okie dokie, I’ll see if we can get that replicated,” I said, making myself scarce so as to not be party to the boys’ complaints and their father’s replies.

I’d gotten their bowls ready by the time Darren joined me in the kitchen. “Thanks. They can also have Alphabits, oatmeal, and Cream of Wheat,” he said. “I usually made French toast on Saturdays and pancakes on Sundays, but you don’t have to go to any trouble."

I nodded, smiling. “I think that sounds nice. I think I’ll start that tradition here too. My kids will love it!”

He smiled back, grabbing Laura’s sippy cup from beside the sink to make her drink.

“Can they have some apple juice, with a quarter of it extra water added? Laura has hers fifty-fifty if she gets juice. Until they’re better about brushing their teeth well, I’m trying to keep sugars of all kinds reasonably low.”

“Sure thing,” I replied, getting the replicator to materialize the request in two small plastic tumblers. I sat them on the table in the kitchen alongside the bowls and called them into the kitchen to eat.

Varek carried in Laura's high chair, and Darren handed her her drink after placing her in it, while he asked the replicator to make her a small plastic bowl of dry Cheerios and a small banana. He placed those directly onto her tray, first peeling the banana.

“Oh, Varek said you needed to know where the recycler is. It's in the laundry room, which is that alcove next to the back door," I said, pointing to the quadruple set of folding doors that closed the two washers and dryers off. The recycler was set in the wall beside the dryer on the end. I knew it turned whatever we put in it into base atomic particles, but had no clue where it stored everything. Another item to add to my list of “stuff I don’t know and really need to learn”.

“Thanks. I tied her dirty diaper in an old shopping bag I’d put in her diaper bag for emergencies. I’ll bring it down after breakfast.”

Doran joined us, carrying a basket of eggs.

“Where did those come from?” I asked, pointing.

“Nick brought them over. He’s here to pick up the boys,” he explained. “I saw him coming up to the door as I came down the stairs.”

I took the eggs from him. “I’ll make us some eggs and replicate bacon and toast,” I said happily.

“I’ll go say hi,” Darren said, ducking out.

“He’s on the porch. He said he’d wait there,” Doran called after him.

The boys had already finished chowing down and went to jump up from the table.

“Finish your juice,” I told them, holding back my laughter at their eagerness to go play at their friends’ house.