Love in the Nick of Time

Chapter 9

Regina pulled the cover around her neck as she inhaled a familiar scent. Remembering that she had fallen asleep in Christian's car she sat straight up in the bed. After her eyes adjusted to the dark, she slid out of the bed and searched for a light switch. Finally finding one on the wall she turned on the light revealing a neatly kept bedroom that was simply furnished with only a bed and one dresser drawer.

"I swear this man is helpless, he couldn't even furnish his own bedroom." Regina mumbled when there was a knock at the door.

"Oh you're awake good I was beginning to get worried." Elizabeth said as she walked into the room with a tray of food.

"I just got off of the phone with Christian he should be home in another two hours or so." She continued as she placed the food tray on the bed before looking at Regina who was busy trying to figure out who the woman was.

"I'm sorry I forgot to introduce myself, my name is Elizabeth, I'm Christian's live-in housekeeper." She said extending her hand.

"Hi I'm-"

"-the famous Regina I know, Christian has told me all about you including that you have diabetes and that I had to make sure you ate before your blood sugar dropped too low." Elizabeth beamed as she shook Regina's hand.

"You should eat before your food gets cold."

"I'm fine really."

"No, you're not I can hear your stomach growling from over here. I hope you like the steak." She said taking the cover off of the plate revealing a piping hot T-bone steak drizzled with mushroom gravy and coupled with a side of mashed red potatoes and steamed broccoli.

"Christian told me it was your favorite."

"It is, it looks really delicious but I need to be leaving."

"I was instructed not to let you leave but I'm an old lady compared to you so I won't stop you, but I do know Christian would be heartbroken if you left."

"He's always heartbroken," Regina mumbled as she rolled her eyes making Elizabeth laugh.

"I can see why he loves you, you're definitely a character," Elizabeth said with a laugh. "Could I trouble you to have a cup of tea with me before you leave? I can't remember the last time I've had a conversation with someone who doesn't growl when they first wake up."

"He still does that, it used to annoy the crap out of me." Regina said shaking her head as she remembered how impossible it was to have a conversion with Christian first thing in the morning.

"Does he still hang his socks on the towel rack in the bathroom?"

"His socks, underwear, scrubs, and anything else he can fit on there. I just don't get it; the clothes bin is right by the door." Elizabeth said as she led Regina out of the room and down the stairs. Before Regina knew it she was in the kitchen eating and talking with Elizabeth. Regina didn't even realize the time until Christian walked into the house calling out for Elizabeth.

Oh, that old lady is something else. She thought as she noticed the triumphant grin on Elizabeth's face.

"This is nice I get to come home to two beautiful ladies gossiping about me in my kitchen." Christian beamed as he sat down at the table next to Regina.

"Glad to see you're awake." He said with a yawn. Regina could see that he was drained.

"How did your surgery go?" Elizabeth asked as she put a plate in front of him.

"It went well and faster than I expected," Christian said as he shoveled off his mushrooms onto Regina's plate out of habit.

"Can I go home now?" Regina asked as she cleared her dishes from the table and Christian just glared at her.