Raison D'être

Breakfast

Waking up, she feels anything but refreshed. Going over her conversation with Lorenzo, she remembers vividly that he wants so badly for her to live. Why? What piqued her interest even more, was when he said he cares? Why? She already had David and Carla, now him. Growing up she wanted nothing more than to feel wanted, now she wants anything but. It would make everything easier. Deep down, she loves the fact that they care for her. Feeling wanted, needed even, are feelings unmatched. David and Carla are like the family she always wanted, and Lorenzo- he was uncharted territory.

Brushing her hair while staring in the mirror, she looked at herself. Her mind saw dull eyes, hair, and lips. The circles under her eyes only added to the surmounting evidence that she was exhausted both mentally and physically. Making her way down towards the kitchen, she wanted to try a muffin recipe of her own. Since Lorenzo liked her first one, she made it the same; for hers, she added banana and cinnamon she found in the cabinet. The kitchen was filled with the various aromas of vanilla, banana, cinnamon, and chocolate all of which her stomach growled to. Lorenzo was right, she barely ate last night but at the sudden thought of Aurora, she lost her appetite in the blink of an eye. As the muffins were set out to cool, she cleaned the area. Resting her head, on the countertop she dimmed the lights, letting the early morning sky be the light for the time being. Closing her eyes, sleep overcame her.

Her eyes fluttered open as she felt her hair being brushed aside. Lorenzo softly smiling before retracting his hand.

"Hi there,"  she responded groggily. He internally smiled at her current state.

"The smell of breakfast woke me up. Why are you up so early?"

Rubbing her eyes, "I wanted to try something new for myself. If I like it, then I'll let you try."

He chuckles, "well I think I'll like anything you make. Besides, Anastasia, you don't have to make me breakfast every morning you can sleep in. I can easily just grab an apple or something. As for you, I could make you breakfast for a change."

"Oh no, please. I don't mind. Besides, I'm used to getting this much sleep, it's just the hours that finally catch up with me every now and then. Besides, making breakfast is my job."

"Anastasia, you need your beauty sleep. You work all morning and then come home. Before you, I never ate breakfast. Laura would always give me her muffins but I let Brent have them. Don't tell her though."

She giggles and at the mere sound a sense of pride rushes in him, at seeing her break from the seldom mood that inhabits her.

"I won't. Besides, a businessman like you needs breakfast, even if it is small."

"Says you. You barely get any sleep and yesterday you forgot about lunch."

"You remember that?"

"I remember everything, Anastasia. I'm a good listener."

"I don't doubt that. Thank you by the way, for last night. For just listening to me and giving me some reassurance. You're too kind."

Waving her off, "you needed to hear it. So someone had to say it. Besides, I wouldn't ever want you to feel that no one cares because like I said last night Anastaisa, I do. I care." His words again pounding like a judge with a gavel, letting the words be known. It was then that she was reminded she wasn't dreaming. It wasn't a figment of her imagination. At hearing his words again, she can't help but feel flustered and confused. Why would a man like him care? Deep down she can't lie to herself about this feeling. A feeling so foreign to her, but she knew it was different.  Different from the way David and Carla care. Shaking her thoughts, Lorenzo places his finger under her chin.

"What are you thinking about?" He asks with a hint of amusement at seeing her so flustered.

"I- I think your muffins are ready."

"Oh. Are you sure you aren't trying to burn me again?" he teases.

She smiles a real smile. "No, I would never! Besides, I don't think I could hurt you even if I wanted to." She says the latter so low, but Lorenzo is able to hear everything that comes out of her mouth because he listens. It is only her voice he looks for.

Lorenzo raises a brow.

"I mean look at you, you're built like a Greek god. Me? I'm tiny compared to you," she says as the tips of her ears turn red.

"You think I'm built like a Greek god huh? I would say you flatter me, but I wouldn't say you're far from the truth." Full amusement is plastered over his face at seeing her flustered and cheeks tinted red.

"I- Of course, you have a lot of muscles and me?" She lifts her arm and flexes her bicep. "Look at these little things?" She bites her lip looking over at the meager muscles.

He laughs, reaching over to pinch her bicep, "I think they're cute."

She blushes like a mad man, before shyly smiling. "Thank you." Reaching over to the rack, she grabs his muffin along with hers. "Here you go."

"Thank you," he nods his head before taking a bite. "MMMMMMM," he exaggerates as he chews the baked good.

"Oh stop it," she pushes his chest playfully, but before she retreats he takes hold of her hand and leaves it on his chest. "I'm serious, it's delicious, I just felt the need to express myself."

She laughs, before taking a bite of hers. Nodding her head and her face turning serious for a moment. "Not bad. Want to try?" As she holds out her muffin, Lorenzo bends down before taking a bite from where she took it with the muffin still in her hand.

Blushing, she asks "so?"

"Were you trying to have this all for yourself? I like this one."

"Oh okay, well we can just trade."

"No, I like this one too." As he pulls his muffin away from her reaching arms

"Well, I have to eat something, Mr. Amoretto!" She says with a smile on her face

"We can share."

Smiling, she goes over to the drawer to pull out a knife but he assures her "no need, you can just eat your half. I'll eat mine, then we trade. Come now, Brent's ready." He holds out his arm for her to which she loops hers through, smiling at her success hearing Lorenzo say he liked the muffins.

And for those moments she forgets about all the demons she endured the night before.

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Photo Credit: @frenchhlove (Instagram)