Dreams Can Come True

27. Pancake breakfast

POV Bill

The morning sun gently caressed my face as I woke up, my body still warmed by the short, intense night we had shared. With a smile on my face, I turned around, ready to surprise Elise with a stream of morning kisses. My hands slid over the empty space beside me, and I looked around in surprise. The bed was empty. A slight furrow appeared on my forehead as I wondered where Elise had gone.
Curious about Elise's whereabouts, I walked into the kitchen. The delightful smell of freshly baked pancakes filled the air, and there was Elise, busy behind the stove. Tom sat at the table, ready to enjoy breakfast. He was the first to notice me and greeted me with a broad smile. "Good morning," he said cheerfully, "I won't complain about last night since Elise is making pancakes."
I approached Elise, who was still putting the finishing touches on breakfast. She turned to me and greeted me with a tender kiss. "Good morning," I whispered as I met her radiant eyes. A smile adorned her face, and she gestured for me to take a seat.
Tom, always up for a joke, couldn't resist contributing to the light-hearted atmosphere in his own way. "You two clearly made up last night, huh?" he teased. I laughed and responded, "You weren't going to complain, were you?" Elise placed a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice in front of Tom. "Oh Bill, she's just perfect," he whispered admiringly, as I winked at my girlfriend.
Elise also placed a glass in front of me, and soon the first pancakes were served. As I enjoyed my breakfast, I asked her why she woke up so early. She shrugged nonchalantly. "Never been a good sleeper," she sighed as she sat down at the table with a plate full of steaming pancakes.
"These are amazing, Elise," Tom complimented between bites. "Absolutely," I added. "What did I do to deserve this?" I asked with a playful look at Elise. She chuckled softly and replied, "You need to replenish your strength after last night." Tom visibly choked on his freshly squeezed fruit juice at Elise's remark. An unexpected grin spread across my face as I enjoyed my brother's reaction to Elise's teasing comment. "Yuck, don't start with those gross remarks again," protested Tom, his face twisted in disgust. Unperturbed by his reaction, Elise laughed and blew him a kiss, sending all three of us into a shared fit of laughter.
The sound of cheerful voices filled the kitchen as we enjoyed breakfast. Elise, still glowing from her morning cooking skills, created a pleasant atmosphere. Sunbeams streamed in, flooding the space with a warm glow. After the laughter subsided, Tom returned to a more serious tone. "No, but I'm glad you two made up," he said, his eyes now free from their usual teasing. Elise smiled and agreed, "Yes, me too." There was a sense of relief in the air, as if the tension that had previously hung between Elise and me had been completely resolved.

Tom sighed dramatically and pushed his chair back. The scraping sound on the floor made me laugh as I finished my breakfast. "I need to get ready for the day. Stef is ruthless if we're even a few minutes late," he announced with a touch of drama in his voice, his hand on his heart. Elise looked at me cautiously and asked, "Um, Bill, do you still have 5 minutes for me?" Tom, always sharp-tongued, replied with a grin, "Bill doesn't need the full 5 minutes, you know." My response was a playful punch to Tom's shoulder, followed by a wink. "All night long, buddy," I teased him. Tom laughed, stood up, and pushed his chair back under the table. "Yeah, yeah," he muttered as he walked out of the kitchen toward the bathroom.
I smiled at Elise, who sat directly across from me, and gently stroked her hand with my thumb. "You wanted to talk to me, darling?" I asked her, curious about what she had to say. Elise stood up, grabbed her laptop, and took a seat in the chair Tom had occupied earlier.
"I've already found a few apartments," she announced, and I felt a wave of disappointment wash over me. I had secretly hoped that the search for her apartment could be postponed until after the Humanoid Tour. Yesterday, I saw her enthusiasm, and although I understood it, I found it difficult to bring myself to the surface. It was clear that she wanted her own place as soon as possible. And besides, I didn't want to argue about it.
"Did you even sleep after our short night?" I asked, concerned. She took my hand, and her touch brought a reassuring warmth. "I don't need much sleep when I'm happy," she replied with a smile. I admired her determination, but my concern remained. "I want you to get enough rest, Elise. You need it, especially with everything that's going on." My fingers stroked the back of her hand as I looked at her with concern. "We can look at apartments together, but I also want you to take care of yourself."