Dreamwalking in Lavender Fields

Chapter 11. Epilogue. Dreamwalking in Lavender Fields.

Mornings in Provence were similar to the paintings of Laurent Parcelier. Bright, warm, and almost unreal. Pastels and bright colours mixed, creating the perfect summer dream in reality.

Here, summer is actually similar to summer. Hot, but not Floridian hot. Not deathly hot.

The fence of the house the bought, yes bought, was entwined with red leaves. When they first looked at it, it became very clear that no one had looked after it for a long time. On the gate there was a plate with a gold embossing, which in some places was already peeling off. "Chateau La Carpentras" - it said on the plate.

The first morning always greets them with confusion. Darryl gets up and stumbles through the kitchen, looking for coffee, goes through all possible cans, finds even an antediluvian manual coffee grinder, but there is no hint of even coffee grains anywhere. At least he remembers that the milk is in the fridge. So that's something.

"Why are you up so early?" A sleepy voice rumbles in his ear and soft arms wrap around him. "I woke up and you were gone..."

"It's 10 am, baby. Hardly early." Darryl chuckles and turns around, pressing his lips to Zak's temple. "Do you remember where we put the coffee?"

"No clue." Zak laughs, looking over Darryl's shoulder. "I was half asleep... plus we had one of those bottles of wine from our basement by then..."

"Oh yeah. You don't remember because you were trying to seduce me." Darryl murmurs accepting a soft peck on the lips from his soulmate.

"How could you think that?" Zak says with feigned indignation, "It never even crossed my mind! More than six or ten times. Besides- it was very successful in my opinion, don't you agree?"

Zak started laughing watching as his boyfriend turned very red. This always happened. Even after two summers in Provence.

"Zak, no- do you want to cook your own breakfast?"

"Oh, so you want me to burn down the kitchen?" Zak smirked, kissing Darryl's cheek and letting go to help look through the draws in search of coffee.

"No, no- just- you can make the coffee instead."

"Mkay!"

The busied themselves, basking in the sunlight streaming through windows and enjoying the soft bird songs.

"You good with an omelette, Cookie?" Darryl asked, getting out the frying pan, while Zak took over checking every single cabinet in search of coffee beans.

"Yep! Don't forget to add-"

"Ham, tomatoes and cheese, yes, I remember." The older snickered playfully. "Who do you take me for?"

"Just make the food, Darl... Aha! Found them!" Zak exclaimed, flailing around the bag of coffee beans.

"Careful, careful! Don't spill them!"

"Do we remember what they were doing on top of the fridge?" Zak asked, completely ignoring the warning and just throwing the beans onto the counter instead.

"We don't. Well, no matter, I can have my coffee now-"

"Yes, and thus stop being grumpy-"

"And we can put it somewhere where we will easily find it tomorrow." Zak nodded along with his soulmate's words, not really listening.

Sometimes he still cannot believe how far they have come. The whole mess that he stirred two years ago was past them. And now, somehow, they have this charming chateau to which they come every summer, and often invite their friends to. After having some alone time, of course!