Teach Me Something // LH44

Chapter Twenty

"So what do you want to do this weekend?" Lewis asks, immediately handing me a glass of water as I lay down my bags upon getting home from work the following Wednesday night. I was a little surprised to see him back at the flat, let alone cooking in our kitchen, at the end of my day given that he was in Oxford earlier to see Toto for what I'm pretty sure was the first time this year.

He wasn't meant to be here although, now I think back, I realise he had been careful not to rule it out when he'd dropped me off at school first thing this morning. That's not to say that his presence wasn't nice but it was unexpected. Ever since he'd arrived back from America, a couple of days ago, he'd been staying here. He was yet to leave for any longer than it took for him to do a workout and pick up more clothes which was nice - but this flat was a little cramped with two people, let alone three.

That being said, he was the perfect guest. Cooking all the time, buying food, always washing and tidying up after himself and with Jenny in the office every day and me at work, we had come back to it spotless each time. It seemed as though his cleanliness in his own home was a general need as he tried to organise the most chaotic parts of our home. Even our containers had been organised.

With all the stuff going on in his preparation for the season, asking whether he was talking to his very fancy and expensive therapist about his OCD didn't seem like a question to broach, especially given his ever-increasing stress. He seemed to have spent a lot of time on the phone with them the last few days and so I'd decided it was best to not question it, and just quietly enjoy the absurdity of his domestic-ness in our living space.

"When do you go back to driving around the world?" Jenny says, the door slamming behind her as she walks in the door and I laugh as I turn around in the hallway and watch Lewis's head also pop out the doorway to look down the hallway past me and down to where an unimpressed Jenny was hanging her jacket up. It was safe to say the starstruck period had passed for her and the smells coming from the kitchen along with my smile must have been enough of a signal to her that he was back. I think it was more than understandable because as said before, this flat was really not designed for three people and despite not asking, I was aware she was holding back on seeing anyone because he was here all the time and she didn't want to contribute to any drama.

But she was looking forward to him being gone now.

"Technically I don't drive around the world and you say that like I'm not about to make you the most amazing dinner you've ever had," he says with a smile and her frustration wears away a little as we both walk into the kitchen and are provided with wine glasses, my water now finished. "I know it's a school night but just go with it," he says when he sees my sceptical face, using my free hand to pull me to him and press a kiss to my lips.

"Oi, lover boy, quit making out in my space. Is this going to have tofu in it again?" Jenny asks and when I turn around I see her standing over the frying pan, glaring at it accusingly and prodding it with a spatula. Despite Lewis's best efforts, he had yet to convert either of us to enjoying tofu. I tried to tell him it was an accomplishment for us that we ate the meals where it was a component but that didn't mean we were going to enjoy it. Safe to say, our reactions weren't living up to the perfectionist standards he placed on himself.

"No, it's fake meat but it's not very good for you, not as good as - " Lewis starts defending, letting go of me to shimmy across the small space and bat her hands away from his sauce. Clearly trying to use his body to block her from the food that she kept on trying to interfere with.

Note: He was also quite controlling in the kitchen.

"Tofu, yeah no totally got it which is why in this household we eat meat... because we like food and also don't want stuff filled with chemicals," she says cutting him off and trying again to inspect the food despite his hands on her shoulders as he tries to redirect her. "You know, your girlfriend is actually a fantastic chef... she just doesn't know any of your vegan crap."