Just The Way You Like It - Under Construction

Chapter Thirty-Three

Chapter Thirty-Three

Blake spent a restless night in bed, as he tried to figure out what he was going to do about Holly. He didn't want to hurt her emotionally, but it was going to be inevitable. His plans for taking Alice out shopping were not going to be ruined by Holly's arrival. Still, Blake thought it would be best if he drove up to Portland to pick Holly up from the airport. It would be too cruel to make her get a cab and then break off the engagement when she finally got into town. Blake knew he couldn't be in two places at once, so he spent most of his night coming up with a plan.

It felt like he had just fallen asleep when his alarm woke him up bright and early at six in the morning. Thinking about Holly all night had put him in a bad mood, and if someone could literally get out on the wrong side of the bed, Blake was definitely a contender. After quickly brushing his teeth and using the toilet, Blake trudged his way down the stairs. He doubted Alice would be up this early in the morning, so he passed her room as quietly as possible and sat down in his office. Blake picked up the phone dialed Tess' home phone number.

Tess must have been standing inches away from her phone because she picked it up before the first ring had completed. “Hello Doctor. How is Alice?”

“Tess, good morning.” Blake said, rubbing the sleepy tears out of his eyes.

“You've never been good at getting up early. I asked you how Alice is doing. I miss her.”

“She's fine. You want to spend some time with her today? I have to drive out to Portland, and I promised Alice I would take her shopping.”

“Ooh, a girls fantasy come true!”

“Yeah, well anyway, I thought maybe you could help her pick out some bras or whatever. Can you meet us around noon?”

“No problem Blake, just call me and let me know where you are.”

“Thanks Tess.” Blake hung up the phone and yawned before standing back up and heading for the kitchen.

About half way there, Blake's nose picked up the familiar smells of breakfast, wafting from dining room. He changed course and peaked his head in to see if his nose was correct. The entire room had been cleaned, and the drape that once covered the table was now gone. He hadn't really looked at that table for years, and now seeing it once again covered with food made him miss the times he had spent around the table with his family. Alice was no where to be found, but it was pretty obvious she was close by. Blake once again headed for the kitchen, and found Alice there desperately trying to clean up the mess she had made.

Egg shells, flour, and butter were caked everywhere, mostly in her hair and on her chest. There was not a clean plate to be found, and most of the pots and pans were dirty as well. Still, with the feast sitting on the family table, Blake was impressed with her skills. He leaned up against the door frame for a few minutes and silently watched her work. The kitchen counters were at the same level as her head, and Blake watched as Alice stretched to peer over them. “Good morning.” Blake said, making Alice's head whip up in his direction.

“I'm sorry, I've made such a mess. I'll clean it up.” Alice seemed frantic as she used a dish towel to wipe off the counter.

“Don't worry about it Alice, I'll clean it up for you. You've obviously worked hard at making breakfast, why don't you go eat some of it before it gets cold?”

“Oh no, I made it for you. Really, it's fine. I don't mind cleaning.” Blake pushed himself off of the door frame and strode over to Alice's side. He pulled the towel out of her hand, and began wiping the counter off himself. Alice snatched the towel back. They began a playful game of tug-of-war and even though Blake was much stronger than Alice, he finally let her win.