The Perfection in Love - Part One

Chapter 14 - The Calm Before The ...

Henry rolled over and hit the snooze button on the offending alarm. He rubbed his eyes vigorously and looked at the time. It read 6am.

He groaned and put his arm over his eyes as he began a mathematical word-problem equation in his head: If he slept for twenty more minutes, got dressed and grabbed breakfast in thirty minutes, he should still be able to make the fifty-minute traffic-laden trip to the office and get there just in time for that meeting with...

"Henry, you might want to go grab a shower. It is a couple of minutes after 6am." Oyin said, next to him.

At the sound of her voice, the events and emotions of the past 36 hours hit and coursed through him at whiplash-inducing speed.

He waited to feel some sort of bitterness or resentment toward Oyin, ready to tamper it down and sound as pleasant and engaging as he possibly could. Oyin was adept at deciphering his feelings just from the sound of his voice, and if she thought he was still upset, she would ask, and an argument could begin – he did not want that.

He waited...no anger surfaced.

Henry smiled outwardly as he laughed in relief and gratitude internally.

Thank You Lord.

He felt Oyin scoot closer and touch his arm. "Why are you smiling?"

With the ease that comes from repetition, Henry removed the arm that covered his eyes and pulled Oyin on top of him in one swift motion.

Oyin yelped at the sudden movement and hit his chest playfully. "What are you doing?" she laughed.

Henry pecked her nose. "My, are you full of questions this morning."

Oyin retorted. "I am not the one being weird. You are going to be late. You should be in the shower by now."

Oyin nodded, as an idea occurred to her. "Ah...I see now. You are using me as an excuse not to get up. It's not going to work. Don't you have that meeting with Tim at 8:30 this morning?"

She made to get up. But Henry pulled her back down, his left hand snaking around her waist. "Yeah, but you have to admit, you are a pretty attractive excuse."

Oyin gave a small laugh. "So, am I to take this to mean that we are okay?"

Henry nodded, his nose brushing against hers. "Yeah, we are."

Oyin gave him a long, lingering kiss which he returned enthusiastically.

"Good," she said when she stood up. "Now get up, lazy bones!"

Henry smiled. "As you wish, madam."

And just like that, it didn't require a complex math equation for Henry to get out of bed.

"Thank You Lord." he whispered again, as he scrambled out of bed.

It took Henry 15 minutes, ten less than usual, to shower, throw on his suit which Oyin had uncharacteristically laid out for him on the bed and attempt to style his hair.

Oyin was going to ruffle it up anyway, so what did it matter?

That thought brought a smile to his face as he walked briskly down the hall. The same smile died on his lips as he walked into the kitchen to grab a juice and he sighted his in-laws.

They sat at the island, coincidentally in the same two stools that he and Oyin liked to sit and eat when they did not have house guests.

At the sight of them, heat flooded Henry's body and he looked around helplessly, hoping that Oyin would materialize and act as a buffer.