Between Us

Chapter 5 : The Weight of Suspicion

The next morning, I found myself in the kitchen, sitting on one of the high chairs at the counter. My elbows were propped up on the table, and my head was cradled in my hands. The pounding headache of a hangover was a brutal reminder of how much I had drunk the previous night. The memory of vomiting on Engfa made me cringe with embarrassment.

I took a sip of water, swallowing the aspirin I'd dissolved in it. With a heavy sigh, I got up and wandered over to the large bay window. Looking out, I saw Engfa returning from a jog, her earphones in place. She was dressed in sporty attire, her skin glistening with a sheen of sweat as she paused in the front yard to catch her breath.

Leaning against the window frame, my arms crossed, I watched her for a moment. There was no denying that she had a stunning physique. Her muscles moved fluidly under her skin, and she exuded a sense of vitality that was hard to ignore. I caught myself staring and quickly shook my head, trying to clear my thoughts.

I turned away from the window and went back to my seat at the counter, trying to focus on anything other than the uncomfortable feelings swirling inside me. The hangover was bad enough; I didn't need to add confusing thoughts about Engfa to the mix.

As I sat back down at the counter, the kitchen door swung open and Engfa walked in, still slightly out of breath from her jog. She had a towel in hand, which she used to wipe the sweat from her neck. When she looked up and saw me, a smile spread across her face.

"Morning," she greeted, her tone light. "Feeling any better? Or are you still recovering from last night?"

I rolled my eyes, unable to suppress a groan. "Barely," I replied, my voice rough from the lingering effects of the hangover. "I think my brain is still trying to climb out of whatever bottle I drowned it in."

Engfa chuckled, stepping further into the kitchen and grabbing a bottle of water from the fridge. "Well, you did put on quite a show," she said, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "Especially that grand finale with me."

I winced, the memory of vomiting on her flashing through my mind. "Don't remind me," I muttered, taking another sip of my water. "I'm mortified enough as it is."

Engfa leaned against the counter, still smiling. "Hey, no harm done," she said with a shrug. "Though I have to admit, you have an impressive aim when you're drunk."

"Glad I could entertain," I replied, a hint of sarcasm in my voice.

Engfa's smile widened as she took a long drink from her water bottle, then wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. "If it's any consolation, I've seen worse," she said, her tone reassuring. "And you handled it like a champ."

I raised an eyebrow at her, skeptical. "Right. A champ who vomits on people."

Engfa giggled again, took another sip from her water bottle, then looked at me with a twinkle in her eye. "So, did you make me breakfast, Charlotte?" she teased. "I'm starving after that jog."

I raised an eyebrow at her, "Seriously? You're the one who works for us, remember?" I shot back, not missing a beat.

"Alright, fine. Let's see what we've got," she said, moving over to the fridge. She opened it and started pulling out various ingredients. "So, what do you want to eat, Charlotte? I can whip up something quick."

I watched her in disbelief, still feeling the effects of last night's escapades. "You don't have to do that," I protested weakly, but my stomach betrayed me with a loud growl.

Engfa laughed, glancing back at me with a teasing smile. "Too late. Besides, you look like you need a good meal," she said, pulling out eggs, bacon, and some vegetables. "How about an omelette?"