Rhekker | We are one with you (Rhekker story)

Home picnic

Despite the weekend, Connor didn't mind sleeping on the couch during the day. But he didn't expect to sleep until dinner. After rubbing his eyes, Connor reluctantly sat down, stretching his arms up to stretch his back. The apartment was too quiet at first, but after the light tap of the knife on the wooden Board, Rhodes was sure Ava was home.

Connor blinked in surprise as he entered the kitchen. There were plates of food on the table, everything from juicy sandwiches to chocolate chip cookies, which he liked. Ava didn't notice him as she continued slicing lettuce leaves and small tomatoes, constantly blowing the falling hair out of her short braid from her face. When she tilted her head back again, trying to get her hair out of the way, Connor carefully gathered it up, carefully pinning it with a pale blue barrette he'd picked up from the nearby kitchen table.

"Hi" Ava smiled, turning to face Connor, giving him a quick peck on the lips, looking insanely cute in a light green apron and fluffy house slippers.

"What's my girl up to?" Connor said with interest as Ava continued to prepare the salad, enjoying his hands.

"I want to have a picnic, and it's definitely not the best idea in this cold, so we can spend it at home" Ava shared, mixing fresh ingredients, pausing when she saw Connor pull food containers and napkins from the top shelf.

"Then we need to create an identical atmosphere, like we're in a park" he said with a wink, putting the food in its place in plastic containers, not forgetting the thermos he'd decided to pour their favorite coffee into.

Snapping the lids on the containers, Connor blocked Ava's path to the sink, wrapping his arms around her again, kissing her on the forehead.

"I'll do the dishes myself, Avey" he explained, giving her a weak push toward the living room. "So, Mrs. Rhodes, you can change your clothes".

Laughing, Ava rolled her eyes as she obediently ran into the bedroom, leaving Connor to clean up the kitchen. With her hair down, she hummed softly as she sorted through the everyday items she could wear to a real picnic. After spending a lot of time, Ava opted for a cozy beige sweater with a new year's deer, which Connor gave her for their first Christmas. Smiling broadly, looking at herself in the mirror, straightening her knitted sweater, she immediately recalled the moment when they exchanged gifts. It was hard to surprise Connor Rhodes, Ava thought, but as it turned out, the only thing he was happy about was a gift from his wife. Even if it was a winter set: gloves, scarf and hat. By the way, Connor has never left the house without this kit.

With a shake of her head, Ava snapped back to the present, quickly pulling on her gray leggings, finally returning to the kitchen, embarrassed that it took so long to change. When she saw that the kitchen was completely clean, she broke into a smile that had barely left her face all evening.

When Ava entered the living room, she froze, clearly beaming with happiness. Connor spread a multicolored blanket on the fluffy carpet next to the sofa, placing prepared food containers and a thermos with plastic cups on one side of the fabric, really recreating the atmosphere of a familiar picnic.

"Connor, this is my best picnic" Ava said happily, sitting down next to him, resting her head on his shoulder.

"I'm happy to hear that, Avey" Connor whispered, kissing the top of her head tenderly, taking sandwiches for himself and her, feeling warm at the sight of the familiar sweater.

As they ate their sandwiches and washed them down with hot, delicious coffee, they looked at each other lovingly, enjoying the quiet surroundings with the dim light from the table lamp.

"Can you set aside a morning where you can treat me to this delicious food" Connor asked after finishing his sandwich, embarrassing Ava.

"Connor, they're just sandwiches" she said, hiding in the cup, taking too long to drink her coffee.

"Avey, arguing outside of work is forbidden, we agreed" Connor reminded her with a grin, shaking his head as he moved on to the potato slices, clearly falling in love with them as well. 

"Okay" Ava said, putting the crumpled napkin aside and getting up from the bedspread. 

"Where are you going?" Rhodes arched an eyebrow, automatically following, not even noticing how he managed to stick to his wife like that.

"I want to enjoy from the balcony the night sky" smiling, Ava shrugged, grabbing a coat Connor.

Resigned to the loss of his warm clothes, Connor pulled another jacket out of the closet as he stepped out into the Chicago cold, as if at times he didn't understand his little girl, who always complained about the cold, but ended up doing the opposite, like this.

Leaning her hands on the railing, Ava leaned forward, feeling the snowflakes on her face, immediately squinting. Strong arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her close.

"Careful" Connor breathed softly, holding Ava back.

Minutes passed in complete silence, and then Ava spoke first: "I don't like the cold, but looking at the sky through the window is not as real as without obstacles. It is associated with the time spent in Cape town. I looked at it when I was sad, and it somehow helped me morally move forward despite all the difficulties. You know, they didn't put on women, so they put me behind men, even though I was successful in surgery. I was happy to get out to Chicago when I finally got the merit I deserved. But I was afraid it would happen again when I met you".

"Is that why you competed so hard with me?" Connor prompted, pulling Ava closer to him, lowering his chin to her head.

"I like to compete" she grumbled, laughing softly. "You've got me figured out".

"My dear girl" Connor whispered, drawing her into the warmth.

"My cowboy" Ava winked playfully, clearly energized by the night sky.

Sinking back down on the bedspread, they had a few more picnic snacks, then moved to the sofa, turning on the random movie, seeing off the perfect weekend.