With Avan arriving home from work later than usual that afternoon, Liz had gotten straight on with cooking dinner once she got home with Maeve, who had rushed off to her bedroom the minute they walked in. She had shut herself away upstairs without grabbing a snack and not even the smell of fresh bolognese from the kitchen could entice her back downstairs.
Just as Liz started boiling the pasta, the front door unlocked and Avan was standing behind her with his arms wrapped around her waist. He pressed a gentle kiss to her cheek and felt her instantly relax into his embrace.
"I'm home." He smiles.
"I can tell." Liz chuckles, tilting her head to the side to look at him before leaning in to kiss him properly.
"How was your day?" Avan asks, pushing a strand of her hair behind her ear that had fallen loose from the messy bun.
"The other producers said they really liked my pitch for the newest episode so they've passed it on to the writers and I'll get the script tomorrow." Liz tells him casually, as if being the executive producer of your own TV Sitcom was the most natural career.
"Sounds great babe. Where's Maeve?" Avan asks, taking a clean spoon and tasting the vegan bolognese sauce, giving his wife a thumbs up.
"She's upstairs. I think the pressure of all these upcoming exams is starting to get to her." Liz explains, taking plates from the drawer and handing them to Avan.
"Has she said anything to you about it?" Avan asks, laying each plate on the table with a glass.
"No, I just have a feeling that's what's bothering her." Liz sighs, dishing the pasta and sauce into separate dishes and setting them on the table. "So don't bring it up, okay?"
"Maeve, dinner." Avan calls up the stairs but gets no answer. "There's garlic bread!"
"Give her a minute." Liz says, sitting down at the table in her usual spot.
Avan says nothing and stays standing at the bottom of the stairs, tapping his fingers against the hand rail. When there's still no sign of any movement, he yells up again.
"Maeve!"
"Avan, it's fine. If Maeve's ready to eat then she'll come downstairs." Liz says, starting to eat her dinner.
"Maeve! It's dinner!" Avan calls out, now halfway up the stairs.
"She might have headphones on, babe. Can you please sit here and eat?" Liz asks, unsure why he was being so impatient.
"Okay." Avan nods, joining her at the table and plating up food for himself.
They start to talk about work again when the sound of footsteps on the stairs breaks them away from their conversation. They turn to see Maeve walking over to the table and Liz smiles at her.
