Chapter One Hundred and Eighteen - A Difference In Taste

"What are you doing here?"

"Well you see, someone wanted to see you."

Owen lead the two into his kitchen, where he took three glasses from the cupboard before filling them with juice. He placed two of the glasses onto the breakfast bar where they sat. The pert nose of his smaller guest sniffed the air, taking in the mouthwatering aroma filling the room. "What is that? It smells so yummy!"

With a slight smile, Owen removed his lunch from the microwave. "Lamb casserole," came the reply. He heard a loud gulp from both. He could not blame them, he knew the potency of Adam's cooking first hand. Even without the technology of an advanced age, even without easy access to herbs and spices, that man always managed to produce meals that were fit for a royal. Owen took two bowls down and divided the casserole into two portions, saving the larger for himself. He placed the other bowl before them with two spoons. "Try it."

The spoons dipped into the thick gravy cautiously. The man automatically groaned in pleasure as the tender meat and soft vegetables struck his tastebuds. The other delicately licked the sauce, before claiming the whole bowl to herself. Mark looked down at his little sister as she began to devour the food like a starving wolf. Owen smirked as he began to savour his own meal, trying not to copy the actions of the child. It was just that good.

"If I had know those weird meals tasted this good, I might have tried one!" Mark chuckled.

"What? Gross!" Owen laughed.  "Adam made this for me!  He's an amazing cook!"

"Professional?"  Mark asked.

"No, he's a mechanic," Owen replied, scratching the remnants of soup from the bowl with his soup.  "You know that your mum won't be happy with you visiting me."

"She's not aware," Mark shuffled awkwardly on the spot as he confessed.  "She's currently suffering from a hangover, so I doubt she will notice that we have gone."

"We made Lala swear to secrecy!" Francis added, conspiratorially.  Owen glanced up at Mark wondering what sort of person had such an odd name.

"Layla, her nanny." Marc replied to the unasked question.

"Oh," Owen said as he placed the dirty dishes into the dishwasher.  "So what did you need to see me for so urgently that you would risk your mothers wrath!" He changed the tone of his voice to sound like that of a mysterious villain causing Francis to giggle.  She pulled a badly folded piece of paper from her pocket, opened it, before attempting to flatten it with a soft palm.  It was a drawing of a dress, coloured in crayon.  It was a little awkward, but not so bad that he couldn't recognise it for what it represented.  It was the design they had made for fun the evening before.

"I couldn't remember all of the details," Francis began to verbalise her excuse.  "So I made Big Brother Mark bring me here so you can help me!"

So Owen's afternoon began not by raiding in the game in his bedroom, but by drawing with his little sister, in the living room. He smiled.  This sort of reminded him of the good times he had spent with his little sister Nellie, before she became obsessed with status, appearance and the man he wanted for himself.  Mark watched them for a bit, before playing small puzzles on his phone.  "You are pretty good and drawing," Mark mentioned as Owen finalised the unicorn image that was to be the focus of the dress.

"It feels like it's been forever since a picked up a pencil," Owen said in reply.  This was more than true, in fact he hadn't enjoyed drawing since his life as the boy named Kez.  He had almost lost the joy of it then, due to the expectations and oppressive nature of his teachers and peers.  But Rush had loved his work, so he had continued on drawing and painting, but by then it was just a hobby.

"Draw more!" Francis demanded as their design was completed.  Owen thought about it for a moment, trawling through past memories, trying to think what would be deemed fashionable in this era.  An image flashed into his mind and he smiled.

"There was once this type of skirt," he said as he sketched a few lines upon a blank sheet of paper, "called a 'poodle skirt.'  Do you know why it was named that?"  Francis shook her head, but kept her eyes upon his hand as the picture began to form.  "On the bottom of the skirt would be silhouettes... black shapes of poodle dogs.  What if we changed the poodle dog into something else, such as a..."

"Unicorn!" The said together in unison.  Francis bounced up and down upon the chair in excitement and clapped her hands as he drew the silhouette of a prancing unicorn to the side of the skirt, then smaller versions along the hem.

"What colour should we make the skirt," Owen asked her so she felt equally involved in this design.  "It should be a light colour so that the black stands out more."

Francis thought back to the colours Owen had spoken of the night before.  "So like a pale pink or a pale blue?"  She scrunched up her small face.  "I can't decide!"

"Let's just make one of each," he said, assuming this was all pretend.

"Yes!" Francis said and turned to her other brother.  "We'll tell Big Brother Karl later."

Owen was startled.  "Wait, what?"

"Mummy says that Karl owns a company that designs and makes stuff," Francis said.  "We'll give him the designs so his company can make them!"  Mark looked startled at the serious determination of her tone, while Owen almost burst out laughing, battling to hold it in.

"Francis," Mark tried to reason with the girl.  "Karl's company makes accessories and jewellery, not clothes."

"Then it's about time he started!" The child would not be thwarted so easily.  Owen snickered again, before coughing to calm the tickle in his stomach.

"We should sign these then," Owen joked, but penned a signature on the two drawings, before handing her the pencil.  "That way everyone will know who designed them.  Just write your name!"  Her handwriting was quite pretty considering her age, Owen thought as she scribbled her name beneath his.  As they began to discuss a new design, the doorbell rang, so Mark volunteered to get it, leaving the two to chat.

It seemed that Mark and Francis were not alone amongst the siblings to wish to visit Owen. Karl and his fiancée entered and were shown into the living room where the two youngest were deep in discussion about printed T-shirts with close ups of unicorns and moving slightly away from that image... mermaids. Francis bounced up off of the sofa when she saw her eldest brother clutching the designs to her chest, before almost shyly handing them over.

Karl glanced over the pictures with a serious expression on his face as he did so. "What lovely drawings!" Charity complimented.

Francis crossed her arms about her chest and declared; "They are not drawings. They are designs." She tapped the two 'signatures' underneath the drawings. "See, Owen and I designed them. Can you make them big brother?"

Karl looked surprised for a moment, but quickly recovered as he looked at the wide eyed hopeful expression his little sister performed for him. "Well, I suppose I could speak with my design team," he offered. "But no promises." This seemed to be enough for Francis, who danced about a little before throwing herself into Owen's arms.

"Oh, um, could I get you something to drink?" Owen asked as he put the girl down.

"Coffee would be good," Karl replied. "Black, one sugar."

"Tea, if you have some," Charity replied. "Let me help you."

"It's fine," Owen turned down her offer. "I won't be a moment." Out of sight of his usually distant family, he whipped out his phone and text Adam. My three siblings and future sister-in-law have all invaded.

As the percolator dribbled the near black liquid into the pot, he boiled the kettle for the tea. The response caused his phone to vibrate in his back pocket. Is it a bad thing? Should I ditch Jordan? I don't mind, he only wants me for my voice after all.

Owen giggled beneath his breath, before a shiver trickled down his spine as he recalled how that voice could nearly send him to orgasm when it spoke of his tightness. Oops, think of something else Owen or there's going to be an unexplainable accident.

I don't know yet, Owen text back after he calmed. I'll let you know.

Alright. I miss you.

Miss you more.

Owen placed the freshly brewed coffee and cup of tea onto a tray and took them into the living room. "Thank you!" Charity exclaimed, cheerfully as she took her beverage. "I was just telling Mark how I thought it would be nice if we could share a homemade meal this evening. I don't suppose you would let me use your kitchen?"

"Feel free," Owen allowed and watched as she gathered two bags of groceries from the hallway and darted into the kitchen. Owen tried not to roll his eyes. So obviously planned. The siblings followed her, it would feel strange to leave her to cook in a house that was not her own.

Charity opened up the fridge to see it was bursting with fresh fruit, vegetables and a couple of packets of fresh meat. The mystery meals had vanished. The situation in the once empty cupboards had also improved with cereals, flour and all sorts of herbs and spices within them. Charity glanced at Mark. "I thought you claimed that this boy was living on nothing but junk food?" She accused as she placed her ingredients upon the work surface for the time being, with the exception of the salmon.

"He was!" Mark replied.

"I was," Owen agreed. "Adam berated me for it so I recently purchased these goods. Did you know that you can order food off of the internet from a supermarket?"

"Adam," asked Karl. Mark threw Owen a mixed look that sort of threatened and begged at the same time, but the boy ignored him completely.

"My boyfriend," Owen declared. He would not be ashamed of Adam, even if he was the reason his family completely severed ties with him once and for all. However, Karl's expression did not change. He simply nodded and recalled the impression of the man he had met the night before. So that was his younger sibling's type. He did not seem an uncouth or arrogant man, in fact, he emanated an almost noble aura coupled with patience, but vigilance. Karl was usually correct about such things, he had only erred when it came to family it seemed.

Charity sighed. "That's a shame," she said as she began to slice vegetables as if she was a professional. "I would have liked to set you up with my girl cousin!"

"But what about..." Owen began, but noticed Mark shaking his head almost violently and making cutting gestures with his hands. Mark did not get along with that girl.

Almost an hour passed before the Salmon en Papillote was served with fresh spring vegetables.  There was also white wine placed on the table, though Francis was naturally served juice.  Owen admitted that it tasted very good, the texture and presentation were perfect in fact, but it just seemed to be missing a little something... flair perhaps? He inwardly sighed as he reached for his glass of wine.  He was already tainted by Adam's god like cooking it seemed.

*Do not drink the wine!*

The glass had already reached his lips when the warning was relayed.  What?

*Something has been added to the wine.  I suggest you do not drink it until I am able to analyse it.*

How long will that take?  He was feeling rather stupid at that moment, fortunately no one seemed to be observing him.  Karl had Charity's attention, while Mark was attempting to coax Francis into eating the fish.  She refused.

*Place a small dribble onto your tongue but do not swallow.* Owen did as he was told, then placed the glass on the table as if he had drank sufficient before returning his attention back to the meal.  *Analyse complete.  It is not poison.  It is a drug to ensure docility and cooperation.  The dosage is small.  After taking several doses, the drug would take effect.  The drug cannot be removed from the body without the counter drug.*

But why would that be in the wine and who would put it there?

*Yin is unable to answer this question.  However, as the drug does not seem to be of this world, Yin can provide the neutralisation agent.*

Owen felt a strange lump appear between his watch and wrist and carefully removed it, while observing the table before placing it in his mouth.  He then brought the wine to his lips once more before spitting the pill into it as the glass was tipped up to drink.  As he placed the glass down, he caught the eye of a smiling Charity.

"The salmon is very delicious," Owen complimented.

"Thank you," Charity thanked him.