Re-Arranged

Chapter Nineteen

"Ah, office room ceiling, we meet again."

The pronouncement made Darian tremble and he raised his sleepy eyes to gaze at and greet his wife with a grin. He adjusted his position to lie on his back like her and said, "Good morning, my dear ceiling."

Even though she started the shenanigan, it was funnier when he carried it on and she could not stop the snort of laughter that erupted within her.

"Happy anniversary," she managed, laughing still, and turned her face to find him already looking at her.

"You remembered this year," he said, amused.

"Not really. I put a reminder on my phone." She waved the lit screen of the device, the words ANNIVERSARY flowing like a marquee through the screen.

He laughed out well and proper this time. His eyes glistening and his lips continuing to shiver from the mirth, he kissed her. "Happy anniversary."

"Usual date for today then?" Kelly asked once they were both on their feet. She tied her hair up into a bun and brushed back the strays.

"Of course. I'm a little hurt you even have to ask." Darian rolled up the mattress and deposited it to one corner, piling the pillows and folded blankets on top of it. As he straightened up, he found Kelly already by the desk, holding it on one side. He looped round the room to grab the other side. For the sake of safety of the breakables usually decorating the desk, they had all been removed and put on the in-wall shelves. The desk was essentially empty now.

"Oh, you know, last four years had been just us in the house, so had to confirm." She pulled the chair to its spot and let out a heave of breath. This was a workout to look forward to. Sarcasm fully intended.

Darian caught her by the waist when she stepped around the table and pulled her closer. "It's mostly adults living here, what could they not handle between themselves?"

"You're quite right, Mr. Luke Anderson."

"Six on the dot then, Girl in Maroon."

For the second time, he caught her lips with his but did not let go as quickly as before. For the longest moment even Kelly forgot she had to get ready.

~

It was not until late afternoon the date became apparent to the occupants of the house. No, not their date, but the date of the day.

Sawyer sat with his laptop open on the dining table and was absorbed in looking through the e-books of his courses. Beside him was Ted reading his newspaper. Opposite them, Kat and Amelia were engrossed in talks both men had tuned themselves out of.

Evelyn had herded the children into the kids' room and was instructing them through their daily studies there. Even the dividing blinder was half pulled to block the view of the table from the open room. The twins were uncontrollable around a laptop. It was a mini television for them, and the television itself was a theatre screen for them. What excited them more were the buttons on it and what clicking those buttons randomly did to the monitor. It was pure magic.

Of course, to the owners of laptops, this was just troublesome.

When either Maisley or Paige made a move to espy what was happening outside, they earned a stern look from their mother and that put them in check instantly.

Darian had been in his office all day, only showing up for the meals. When he and Kelly lived alone, they had made a habit of cooking food together in the night and storing it for the next day. All he would have to do then was reheat and eat. Sometimes though, he would turn up at her office and they would go out to a restaurant nearby to eat, or share a packed lunch he had brought at the outdoor cafeteria of the office building.