The Exile

Chapter 4: Snow and Ocean Breeze Orchids

Despite my late nights, I always get up early. 

I'm simply programmed to get up early, even without the aid of an alarm clock. But I always seem to set it anyway, for good measure. 

I go through my daily routine, get up, get in the shower, dress, and then handle breakfast. I'm not a good cook, from what I hear. But one thing I can make is cereal. That is just about the only thing, aside from a sandwich, I can craft successfully without burning down the house. Though, it wouldn't surprise me if I somehow had. 

But Koul is down there already, dressed up in an apron, flipping pancakes in the pan. She's humming quietly when I come down and seems to have not noticed me as I approached behind her. I lean over her shoulder and say, "Smells good." 

She jumps and twirls. "God, Erin. Don't scare me like that." 

I smile a little at her jumpiness and head for the coffee machine, which already has fresh coffee made. "What's with all of this?" I ask as I notice the bacon and eggs. I haven't had an actual well-made breakfast in a while. I never let Koul do it before. I always just satisfied myself with cereal and milk. 

"It's the first day since Myrina and her kid got here, so I wanted to make the breakfast a bit special," she says with a small shrug. "And... of course, for you too." 

"Koul, you're too good to me." I say and kiss her cheek gently. Her cheeks get red when I do this. They often do. 

The sound of small footsteps made their way quickly down the steps and Fletcher smiles wide when he sees the food on the counter. "My favorite! How'd you know?" He asks Koul. 

Her cheeks seem to get even redder than before. "I just... did what was normal for breakfast." 

"It smells delicious," he says as he sniffs the bacon hungrily. "Can we eat it now?" 

"Why don't you wait for your mother to come down? It's impolite to eat without your family," I advise.

"The mother is here," Myrina speaks up, groggily, from the entrance of the kitchen. "And the father will be here shortly." 

Fletcher bounces with joy and I move to the cupboard to find the proper ornaments for a meal. 

Myrina eyes the food lined up on the counter and gives Koul an impressed smile. "Wow. You didn't have to do all of this." 

"No, it's okay. I don't mind. I cook every night anyway, seeing as Erin can't cook at all." 

"Hey! Rude, I'm standing right here." I say as I place the plates on the kitchen table. "And I can cook, just nobody likes it except me." 

"Pretty sure that means you can't cook," Koul remarks back at me, now being playful with me. It's nice when she's not so timid all the time. 

I wave my hand at her, though I'm being playful as well. "Whatever." 

Darius comes down shortly and kisses his wife and then lifts his son up. He thanks Koul for the food, and we all sit down to eat. 

Koul has a bad habit of making herself the slave, so when she tries to move all the food herself to the table, I move to help her. She shoots me a look, but I shut her down when I shoot one back. 

Breakfast went by without a hitch. Not so much as an angry glance my way from the husband. I clung to the simplicity of this. I didn't know how long it'd last. 

Not long after we'd just got settled in, Darius announced he had to leave to get to work. He placed another kiss on Myrina's lips and ruffled his son's hair. He gives me one more dirty look before slinging on his suit coat and exits the house, in the cold air.