Lost In Time

41. Dreams of Home

I'm not dead I promise.
But you may be after this chapter. 😱😉

Faith's POV

   My gaze was met with the meadows that surrounded my home. Warm sun blanketed my skin with goosebumps as I closed my eyes and smelt the breeze. The aroma of flowers filled my nose as the eagle in the forest called out to her mate. The dirt and soft grass felt like silk on my bare feet as I stood on the small hill. The flowing rivers moved so gracefully over the valley.

    I missed this. I missed my home. I missed the country, the sun, the grass, the outdoors.

   Most of all. I missed my family.

   The smell of something burning filled my senses as I laid in bed. My eyes flew open, awakening me from my dreams. My gaze trailed forward only to see Erik's vacant spot in the queen sized bed.

   "Oh good God." I mumbled, shooting up out of the covers.

   Racing out of the cold, dark, bedroom, my bare feet slapped against the stone floors of the hallways. Ayesha sprinted towards me, trying to get away from the billowing smoke seeping through the kitchen doorway. I slid to a halt, my eyes taking in the mess that was before me.

   A tall figure was swiping at the air above a pan, trying to cease the smoke that was coming from it. On the table top next to it; bowls, spoons, and other messy utensils were spilling a yellow mixture everywhere. French curses of frustration came from the man.

   "Um...Erik, honey...?" I slowly started, quickly ducking when a pancake flew my way.

   He spun around, a look of shock and embarrassment flooding his face. His sleeves were rolled up and he had on an extremely small yellow apron that read "Kiss The Cook" in bright red letters. His clothes were atrocious and there was batter all over his mask, face, and hair. An empty pan was sizzling in front of him, and a whisking bowl was placed on his hip.

   "Oh! Um, hi, Faith..." Erik said, laughing nervously, turning around to place a bit of pancake batter in the pan, "Good morning sweetheart!"

   "Yes...good morning." I said, chuckling as I picked up the burnt pancake that was thrown my way a bit ago, "What's the occasion may I ask?" I slowly walked towards him.

    "Well," Erik muttered, clearing his throat nervously and placing the bowl on the counter, "I was going to surprise you!" His voice cracked under the questionable strain it was in.

    "Mhm..." I wiped a bit of batter off of his ear, "Anything else?" I knew he was lying, or at least telling half of the truth.

   Erik tensed, awkwardly flipping a pancake in the pan and turning his gaze away from it. He hadn't looked me in the eyes at all this whole time, "Just thought it was a nice thing to do! You've been cooking for me all of this time! You were tired after Nadir left two nights ago so I just assumed-"

   I interrupted his ramble, "Erik."

   He sighed, blowing out the flame under the pan and turning towards me, "Okay." In defeat, he wiped his hands on his apron and leaned up against the counter, his head falling downwards. His slender hands wrung each other, turning whiter than normal under the strain. His breathing became shallow and broken, I swore I could see his pulse through his neck.

   Why was he so nervous?

   "I wanted to make you happy this morning," Erik's voice broke me from my thoughts, "because I wanted to ask you something." He muttered, staring down at his shoes then screwing his eyes shut.