Against the Odds

9

Miranda poured the sweet potato filling into the pie shell and shook it to make sure it was even. She checked the recipe to see how long it needed to go in the oven.

"Baby? I'm home?" Ben called out walking into the house.

Miranda sighed, as she slid the pie into the oven, looking at Ben and then at the mess scattered around the room. She had come in right after school today, wanting to try to make the recipe. "What kind of pie did you make this time?" Ben asked.

"Sweet potato. I perfected the apple pie I want to get this one right before Thanksgiving." She responded but then paused looking at the three huge pumpkins in his arms.

"What are your plans for those?"

"I have two carving sets in the car. I figure we could order food and have a fun indoor date night carving pumpkins and watching scary movies."

"I would love that. Just let me clean up."

"You need help?"

"Yeah, I wash you dry." She laughed, looking at the sink full of dishes.

Ben unbuttoned his work shirt and pulled it off, sitting it on the chair of the island. Miranda licked her lips at his black cotton tank top.

"Your late night workouts are really paying off." She commented, looking at his biceps.

"You think so?" Ben questioned, flexing his biceps.

"Yeah." She stuttered flustered. "It looks really good. You look really good."

"Thank you."

"How was work?" Miranda asked making dish water.

"It was good. After all of our customers/users' quarterly feedback, we went in and identified the main areas of improvement. I created a plan to implement and go about making those improvements and updating the system. That will be our project for the next two weeks or so. How was your day?"

"It was good. I had my two labs today my feet are swollen now. So my ankles kind of hurt but I rested some so they are coming down."

"I will massage them later," Ben assured her.

"You are the best. You know that," she chessed passing him a bowl to dry.

" you are the best," Ben returned leaning over to kiss her lips.

Ben and Miranda sat criss-crossed on the plastic-wrapped floor of their living room as they pulled the pumpkin guts out.

"Save the seeds, so I can roast them later."

"Ok." Ben chuckled before reaching into his pumpkin, pulling out some gunk, and playfully tossing it at Miranda. "Ewww, Benjamin" she gasped rubbing it off of her and throwing it at his face.

"This feels weird as hell."

"Right. I wonder if this is what the inside of a human body would feel like. I'm excited to take the cadaver class."

"I'm excited for you," Ben said. He thought about his own turn to take it and it would be the following semester. For now, she was just going to have to tell him all about it.

The two finished cleaning out their pumpkins and letting them sit for a few as they cleaned up that portion and then Ben ordered pizza and wings.

"Put the movie in."

"Miranda I don't know if you should be using a knife and watching a scary movie."

"I'm going to be careful babe." She assured.

Ben nodded and got up putting the movie in. He then sat back on the floor and began cutting into his pumpkin.

"Thank you. We should have popped some popcorn."