An eight-year old dark-haired boy ran into the kitchen, a smile on his face. He grabbed the hand of the blond man who was standing in front of the stove, so concentrated on his task that he jumped when the boy touched him.

"Is it ready yet?" The boy surveyed him, an inquiring look in his eyes.

"Oh, Young Master! You scared me! How many times have I told you not to disturb me when I'm cooking?"

"But Gremio! Is it ready?"

The manservant knelt down. "Now, Young Master. I just started cooking a short time ago. You still have a long wait ahead of you. But, it'll be ready when your father comes home."

The boy looked at the floor, then raised his face and smiled. "Okay."

Gremio ruffled his black hair. "Off you go, Young Master. Go play in the garden."

The boy ran off. The green-eyed man stood up. He smiled to himself and concentrated on cooking again. He had promised to make his Special Stew for dinner tonight, and the boy was overjoyed. The Young Master just loved his stews, especially this one. He had also promised to make the boy's favorite dessert, which made the young McDohl even more happy.

Fifteen minutes passed, then the boy was in the kitchen again, pulling Gremio's sleeve.

"Is it ready yet?"

"Young Master...!" The blond tried to look angry. Then he gave up and smiled at the boy. "No, it is not ready yet. Go to play, I'll call you when it's dinner time."

"No fun. Well, I'll go to the garden and practice..." The boy left again. The manservant shrugged and resumed what he had been doing.

Another fifteen minutes passed.

"Gremio? Is it ready?"

The blond man didn't bother to turn around. "Not yet, Young Master."

"Oh. Well..."

"I will come and tell you when it is ready. Off you go."

"Okay... You know where I am!" The dark-haired boy left and headed to the garden.

"Gremio...?"

The manservant sighed. This was the fifth time the boy was here to ask about the dinner. "Young Master... No, dinner is not ready yet. You were here just about twenty minutes ago... You need to be more patient."

"Aww..."

"Garrett. Are you disturbing Gremio again?" someone from the door asked. "You know you should not do that."

Gremio swung around. "Oh, M-master Teo... I didn't notice..."

The dark-haired general smiled. "Just got home. Hey..." The general laughed a bit when the boy tried to tackle him.

"Dad! Gremio is making stew! My favorite stew! And my favorite dessert!" The dark-eyed boy jumped up and down, clinging to his father's cloak. Then he blinked, grinned and turned to look at the blond man. "Is it ready now? You said it would be ready when dad gets home!"

"I did, but..." Gremio took a deep breath. "Uh... You're home early, Master Teo."

Teo patted his son's shoulder. "Yes. I decided to leave early today. I need to check some papers I have here at home."

"Ah. Well... I was just making dinner here. Young Master is..."

The dark-haired boy interrupted his guardian. "...So, that means it isn't ready yet."

He sat down on a stool, sulking.

The green-eyed man knelt beside him. "Oh, Young Master... I'm sorry. But remember, making dinner takes time. The more time I have, the better. And you should know the food takes time to cook..."

The boy sighed. "I just wish it would be ready sooner..."

Gremio lifted him up in his arms and walked over to the shelf. He put the boy down, took something from the shelf and handed it to the young McDohl.

The boy's eyes brightened. "A cookie! Thanks, Gremio!"

"Now, go to play. I promised I'd come to get you when the dinner is served."

The boy nodded and left the kitchen, smiling. Teo shook his head, smiling slightly.

"You're spoiling my son, Gremio."

"Oh, but... I... It was just one cookie. As long as it makes him happy."

The general laughed. "I guess you're right... Oh well. I have work to do. You know where to find me when the dinner is ready."

"Of course, Master Teo."

The stew was almost ready, and all Gremio had to do was to check it once in a while. He was making some salad, when someone tickled him. He almost dropped the knife he was holding, giggled a little and squirmed away.

"Gremio...!"

The manservant turned around, prepared to give the boy a lecture about tickling him when he was working. But when he saw the boy's smile, he just couldn't.

"You again..."

"I brought you a flower." The boy offered him a single blue flower. "There are plenty of these in the back of the garden. They're pretty."

"Oh, Young Master..."

"Do you like it? I would've picked more, but I thought it's better if I leave them there."

Gremio couldn't hide his smile. "It's beautiful. Thank you, Young Master. And it's a good thing you left the other flowers there. We can always go see them together."

"Yep. Well, is the dinner ready yet?"

The blond man put the flower on the table where it wouldn't be on the way. "Almost. I was just making the salad."

"Can I help you with anything?" the boy asked.

"Well, I need to finish this salad... You could always help me with it."

"Sure!"

Ten minutes later, the manservant checked the stew again.

"Let's see..."

The dark-eyed boy gave him a hopeful look. "Can I taste it?"

"Of course. But be careful, it's hot." Gremio gave him the ladle, full of the stew he had been cooking. The boy took it and tasted.

"It's so good! Is it ready now?"

"Hmm..." Gremio tasted it himself. "Yes, I think it is."

He smiled and lifted the pot away from the fire. "Well. I'll take the food to the dining room. Go tell your father it's time to eat."

"Okay!" The boy ran off.

The green-eyed man smiled again. He gathered some of the food on a tray, carried it upstairs and put it on the dining room table. Thanks to Cleo and Pahn, he had everything ready here, and he just needed to get the stew now.

When he returned to the kitchen, the boy was waiting for him.

"Young Master? What is it...? Did you tell your father to..."

"Not yet..."

Gremio looked at him. "Is something wrong, Young Master?"

"No..." The boy gave him a warm smile. "I just wanted to say... that I love you."

"Oh, Young Master..." The manservant knelt down and wrapped his arms around the boy. The young McDohl leaned on him and closed his eyes.

Finally, he opened them and looked in the green eyes. "What...?"

"Nothing." The manservant wiped off the single tear from his cheek. "I love you too, Young Master."

The boy smiled again and gave him a quick kiss. The manservant stood up and stroked the boy's dark hair. Then he sighed, smiling.

"Let's not forget the dinner! Go on. I'll take the flower to my room and then bring the rest of the food to the dining room."

"I'll go get dad!"

The blond manservant watched the boy leave. Then he picked up the single flower from the table and went to his bedroom. He took his diary from the desk, opened it and put the flower on the page where he would be writing tonight. He would write down every single word that his Young Master had said today. The flower and those three little words made him smile.

He looked the flower for a while. Then he shut the book, put it back on the desk and went to get the food.

Gremio didn't have a clue that one day, several years later, he would hear those words again. Of course, he would have a new diary by then. He would be reading the words on his old diary, smiling at the pale flower a young boy had brought him.

But on that day, those three little words would have a much deeper meaning.

Author's notes:

Random idea I got in the morning. Very innocent. Nice change from the last one I finished ("An unusual bet".)

- Elmina (August, 2001)