Second Chances || Thomas McGregor

E I G H T

I felt something warm connect with my cheek. It was too soft and small to be my own hands so it could be those pesky rabbits. But it had longer fingers. I slowly started to open my eyes and the first thing I saw was the face of Charlotte. Her eyes were locked with mine and her hair seemed to have shielded me from looking anywhere but at her.

She was close, but not too close.

I could see the yellow specks in her golden eyes yet there was space for me to breathe. She looked even more breathtaking in the light casted upon her. True her face did have a large scabby, bloody, disgusting looking wound over it, but I could tell by just the other half of her face that she could have been mistaken for a goddess.

"You're the most ravishing person I have ever met." It was faint like a whisper but it kindled my love for this woman even more. "Crap I said that out loud!" She removed her hand from my cheek and backed away from where I was laying. I propped my self up upon the pillows and gave my full attention to the girl "The... uh... chicken is r-ready." A blush was forming on her cheeks and her head was held down. Her eyes refusing to look into mine. "Just thought you wanted to know!" She darted out of the room and back into my kitchen.

I kept repeating what she had said to me... ravishing. Really? I swung my legs so they were on the floor and proceeded to get up. From the kitchen, plates clanking together could be heard.

When I was about to get out of the living room four little fur balls stood in my way. The one with the blue jacket was doing some paw gestures that I can only dream of deciphering. The tan jacketed one was staring intensely at me with a scowl on his pudgy little face. The red jacket one was 'talking' with the yellow jacket one that seemed a little younger than the rest.

"All of you are idiots now move." With the side of my foot I pushed them to the side and continued to walk towards the kitchen. Upon entering the kitchen I found the dinner table already set and the food prefilled the plates.

Charlotte was just washing her hands when she saw I had entered. The tension in the room was thick like butter and I felt somewhat happy that the girl who called me ravishing was dining beside me.

"McGregor... um I want to apologize for what I said," a heavy blush setting onto her face. When she said this it felt like my heart did a somersault. She was obviously lying; I could tell by her blush that she was.

She is just to embarrassed to admit it.

"Really? Well I find you quite intriguing if I do say so myself. So shall we get on with dinner." And with that we sat down at the four-seater table that was to the right of the room. Made from a live edge cedar it added a bit of a natural look to the room. Some may say it was too much wood but is that really a thing? We took seats across from each other and started to eat.

The room was filled with silence that could have been thick enough to cut, with the occasional clank of silver wear. The chicken was divine as ever. The white and dark meat were equally savory and the skin was crisp without being burnt. The green beans were... well green beans, nothing special. The meal was complete with the potatoes she baked. I never had anything like it before. It was abnormally good.

The potato was very well flavored and was by far the highlight of the meal. Charlotte finished before me and sat there with her eyes downcast and her hair creating a curtain. I reached over the table and put some of her hair behind her ear. "You look better when your hair is not in your face."

The girl locked eyes with me and smiled slightly. "How did you like the meal? Was it to your liking?"

"It was the best thing I have ever tasted. You have to teach me how to make these potatoes though. They are truly amazing." She looked down once again. "You're so cute when you do that." She whipped her head up so fast that I was worried that she could have caused whiplash.