LWP 13

Chapter 5

The next day, Toast came down from doing laundry to see Max sitting in the dining room at the table, reading. Curious, he stepped over and took the book from her hands. "Deer, what are you doing? You know you can read upstairs, right?"

She shrugged. "Ah figured ya were gonna come clean. So Ah came down ta help ya." He shook his head, arms crossed. She looked up at him, confused. "What?"

He sighed and bent down to lay a kiss on her head then held her face. "Why do you keep thinking you must help with housework, my deer?"

She looked at her feet. "Well it's a big house. An'-"

"Don't," he glared slightly, knowing what she was going to say. "Don't say it. Don't even mention her."

"But Mom-"

"Noooo," he whined, getting on his knees to be eye level with his short wife. "Why do you keep going back to that?"

She pat him on the head. "Sorry, hun. But ya know Ah can't jus' avoid it. It was a big chunk of ma life."

He gently leaned his forehead on hers, upset. "I don't like hearing about you being hurt..."

"Awe." She laid her arms around his shoulders. "Ah know, sweetheart... Ah'm sorry Ah keep bringin' it up."

Suddenly, Toast shot to his feet, his hand on her sides as he lifted her up into a hug. "You're mine now. She doesn't get to have you anymore. I own you."

"You own me?"

He blushed. "I-I didn't mean it that way. Just-" Max cut him off with a little kiss on the cheek and he blushed more.

She smiled. "Better you than her."

He smiled back and put her down, hands still on her waist lightly. "I guess if you want to help me clean the house, I can't stop you."

"Well, ya could but ya won't."

"Don't tempt me."

She chuckled and went to the closet, getting out a broom then sang what sounded to be an old folk tune. "Nelly Bly, Nelly Bly, bring the broom along. We'll sweep the kitchen clean, my dear, and have a little song."

Toast smiled. "Okay, if you sing, I'll let you help me every day."

She blushed but smiled as they began to clean. And the whole time, she sang. "Hi Nelly, ho Nelly. Listen, love, to me. I'll sing for you, play for you, a dulcet melody. Nelly Bly has a heart warm as a cup of tea, and bigger than a sweet potato down in Tennessee."

Toast laughed so hard he had to hold the wall and hug the broom. But Max looked confused. "Why er ya laughin'?"

Wiping a tear from his eye, he calmed down. "Sweet potato?"

She looked down nervously. "It's part of the song."

Some of her hair fell in her face, making her look even more adorable than before. Her husband smiled and used his finger to softly lift her chin and peck her on the lips. "It's cute... And you do have a heart as warm as a cup of tea."

She leered. "An' Ah'm from Tennessee, so..."

"Mhm," he hummed. "And I wouldn't have you any other way. Beautiful with a heart and voice to match."

Her face got red again and when Toast tried to kiss her head again, she tilted up to kiss his lips. When she let him out she smiled. "Ah win."

He rolled his eyes. "You win again." Then hesmirked down at her. "You win my heart."