THE LAST SHIP

I'M A SIMPLE MAN

Tom was laying in bed with his hands cupped behind the back of his head, staring blankly at the ceiling for a while before Sasha went to lay beside him on the bed on her stomach. She curiously gazed at him and smiled. "What's on your mind?"

"A lot." He replied still staring out at the ceiling above him.

"Like?"

"The speech I am going to have to deliver tomorrow. I still don't really know what to say. So much has gone down already. And I don't want to make a promise I cannot deliver."

"Just say what's on your heart Tom. The rest will come naturally."

Tom turned his head to look at Sasha and gave a faint smile. "You're right. I still hate going unprepared."

"Hey, stop worrying." She leaned in and gave him a kiss.

"Sash..." She retreated a bit and scowled.

"What is it?"

"I was thinking..."

"About?"

"Us."

Sasha sat up straight on the bed and looked at Tom in a scrutinizing manner. "What about us?"

There was a long silence and Tom gazed at the ceiling again before he turned his head to look at Sasha. "About us getting married."

"Tom..." The look she gave him said a lot.

"It's either yes or no. Plain and simple."

"It's kind of..."

"What?" Tom asked sternly.

"Complicated."

"What's so complicated? Either you want to spend the rest of your life with me or you don't."

"I need some time to think about it." She stood up from the bed and he watched as she left the room. As soon as she was gone he looked up at the ceiling again and let out a sigh.

**********

A frying pan with bacon and eggs were sitting on the stove top frying. The kitchen table was already set with two plates, two coffee mugs and cutlery. In the centre sat a small basket with toast, butter and a jug of orange juice. On the kitchen counter near the stove stood the percolator with a flask already full of coffee. The smell of freshly percolated coffee, bacon and eggs hung in the air. Enough to make even the fussiest of eaters craving for something to eat. Julia came down the stairs still dressed in her robe and slippers while Mike took the pan from the stove top and turned off the gas to kill the burner flame. "You're not dressed yet?"

"I overslept. Thanks for waking me."

"Breakfast?" He noticed she was still fuzzy from oversleeping.

"Sure."

He took her mug and poured her some coffee before he placed it on the table next to her. "Here, this will wake you up."

"Thanks dad." She poured some milk into her coffee and took a sip while he dished up her plate with bacon and eggs and placed it in front of her. "Even after all these years I'm still used to mom making breakfast in the mornings. It's weird seeing you do it."

"Well, you are going to have to get used to it. And while we're at it..." He sat down adjacent from her. "Maybe we should start making turns making breakfast and dinner from now on."

"I suck at cooking."

"You haven't even given it a try." Mike took a slice of toast and spread some butter on it with a little bit of peanut butter. "Have some toast honey."