Two Ghosts (Mileven AU)

Chapter Twelve: No Ordinary Love

***********

Five Years Later

A sweet sound echoing right beside El's ear awoke her to the sun one early Saturday morning. The feel of Mike's breath against her cheek and the way his fingers unconsciously twitched against her hip made an effortless smile break across her face. As she connected their hands together, she found herself quietly giggling in glee at the feel of their wedding bands connecting.

The two had already been married over a year and had long established a lifetime of joy. Mike and El had their ceremony and reception just a day after they graduated college because neither of them wanted to go another day without being husband and wife.

Mike had floored everyone by successfully publishing his first novel during his junior year of undergrad before he managed to earn his creative writing degree. And El, well, she was an unstoppable force. She breezed through school and skillfully graduated at the top of their class. Now she was a fulltime counselor; her specialty being specified to teens that struggled with depression and post-traumatic stress disorders. She also had begun running a weekly gathering for adolescents, modeling a replica of the support group she had met Mike in.

Presently, as El laid awake that morning, a remembrance of the sneaky plans she had made for that evening came creeping into the forefront of her mind. Within an instant, she sprung up from bed as she rushed to have herself ready in time for the events she had laid out.

El was in the middle of her shower when she felt a presence stood directly behind her. She immediately sighed at the feel of her husband's lips upon her neck, followed by a delighted squeal as Mike began shampooing her hair. The two bathed each other in a peaceful quiet; absorbing the sensation of starting their day beside each other.

As El was towel drying her damp locks, she attempted to casually inform, "I have to go out today for a bit, but I'll be home by 6:00pm."

"A weekend session?" Mike questioned with furrowed brows as he brushed his teeth.

Looking down at her feet, El became frozen as she grappled with how to lie to him. Sure, she could fabricate and say she had a new client on her roster, but that didn't sit right with her. In all of their years together, Mike had always been able to read her like a book. It was one of her favorite things about their dynamic, but at times like these, it could also be a weakness.

"Something like that," El mumbled before moving towards their shared closet. As she began to dress herself, she could feel those hauntingly alluring dark eyes burning against her as Mike tried to analyze what was going on.

Taking a step closer to his wife, Mike trailed his fingers along her lower back. He watched the way she shivered at his touch before he brought himself to murmur, "is everything okay?"

Biting down on her lip, El had to do her best to repress the smile that was eagerly trying to burst across her features. She really hoped he could not actually read her mind, because if he could, he would ruin the surprise she had diligently planned.

"Everything is perfect," El whispered as she buried her face within his chest. The two basked in their embrace for a moment in silence before she brought herself to pointedly add, "don't forget you have plans with the guys today."

With a roll of his eyes, Mike bluntly expressed, "I wish I could skip Dustin's annual D&D campaign so I could spend my time thinking about what you are up to."

Disregarding his last point in that statement, El moved out of the bedroom and into their living space. She gathered all of her necessary items into her purse and made her way towards the door; however, before she could dash out of the home, she paused and turned to face her husband once more. His tall stature stood frozen in their hallway with a devastatingly handsome pout, making her contemplate whether or not this surprise was worth leaving his side. Once she recalled that all of their friends were in on this pact though, she convinced herself that this would be a night that he would happily never forget.