Chapter
Three Excerpt
The morning sun penetrated
through the windows and managed to wake her up. She heard someone knock once on
the door. Kaia opened one eye and attempted to look around. The comforter was
neatly folded and placed in the middle of the couch. She couldn't help but
wonder if he even used it. The door creaked open and a woman began talking in
the background. She heard Reeze thank the woman and the door creaking shut.
She sat up as the aroma of eggs, sausages, and pancakes hit her nose. Reeze neither seemed surprised nor interested in seeing her awake; she was a wall. Slouching against the headboard, she kept eyeing the food on the silver cart.
She continued to sit there, watching him methodically place some scrambled eggs in a neat pile on one side. Two perfect sized pancakes were given half the plate and with the final section he swiftly stabbed three sausage links with his fork before placing them in a neat row. He then poured himself a glass of orange juice and went to eat at the table. A newspaper was already open to the local headlines.
Kaia sat in disbelief. She cleared her throat. Still no response. Admitting defeat, she slid out of bed and muttered, "Good morning, Reeze."
"Good morning," he grumbled.
She looked at him with disapproval before moving to the breakfast cart. From where she lay, she could only smell the eggs, pancakes, and sausages. But up close, she noted the small bowl of mixed berries. Looking at the blackberries in the array of blue, red, and burgundy, she was surprised at how quickly the tears welled up. Wiping them away, she placed the fruit on her plate. Compared to Reeze's plate, hers was chaos: the scrambled eggs were spilling over onto the pancakes; the maple syrup she had applied quickly flood the egss and bit of her falling fruit that she valiantly attempted to spare. Pouring a glass of milk, Kaia daintily sat across from Reeze.
The two ate in silence. Every scrape of their forks echoed in the room. Kaia's sense of hearing was suddenly amplified. She could hear every chew Reeze took. Even when he was silently eating his pancakes, the collision of teeth against soggy bread sounded like nails in a grinder. She cringed, but endured it.
"Blackberry?" she offered.
"No." He turned the page; the rustle was like thousands of bees buzzing in the air. She controlled herself and smiled.
"You don't like blackberries?"
Scrape. Bite. Chew. Swallow. "I've never had them alone before, just in a pie."
Her heart raced. "You like blackberry pie?" Her voice squeaked as a realization hit her.
He stopped and looked at her. "Why are you so interested in my liking of blackberry pie?"
"You're Driscoll's adopted son, aren't you?"
He flipped the page again. "We're leaving after breakfast."
"My mother made those blackberry pies for you."
He didn't answer. Releasing a small sigh, Kaia continued to eat her breakfast and mentally prepared herself for the long journey ahead.
She sat up as the aroma of eggs, sausages, and pancakes hit her nose. Reeze neither seemed surprised nor interested in seeing her awake; she was a wall. Slouching against the headboard, she kept eyeing the food on the silver cart.
She continued to sit there, watching him methodically place some scrambled eggs in a neat pile on one side. Two perfect sized pancakes were given half the plate and with the final section he swiftly stabbed three sausage links with his fork before placing them in a neat row. He then poured himself a glass of orange juice and went to eat at the table. A newspaper was already open to the local headlines.
Kaia sat in disbelief. She cleared her throat. Still no response. Admitting defeat, she slid out of bed and muttered, "Good morning, Reeze."
"Good morning," he grumbled.
She looked at him with disapproval before moving to the breakfast cart. From where she lay, she could only smell the eggs, pancakes, and sausages. But up close, she noted the small bowl of mixed berries. Looking at the blackberries in the array of blue, red, and burgundy, she was surprised at how quickly the tears welled up. Wiping them away, she placed the fruit on her plate. Compared to Reeze's plate, hers was chaos: the scrambled eggs were spilling over onto the pancakes; the maple syrup she had applied quickly flood the egss and bit of her falling fruit that she valiantly attempted to spare. Pouring a glass of milk, Kaia daintily sat across from Reeze.
The two ate in silence. Every scrape of their forks echoed in the room. Kaia's sense of hearing was suddenly amplified. She could hear every chew Reeze took. Even when he was silently eating his pancakes, the collision of teeth against soggy bread sounded like nails in a grinder. She cringed, but endured it.
"Blackberry?" she offered.
"No." He turned the page; the rustle was like thousands of bees buzzing in the air. She controlled herself and smiled.
"You don't like blackberries?"
Scrape. Bite. Chew. Swallow. "I've never had them alone before, just in a pie."
Her heart raced. "You like blackberry pie?" Her voice squeaked as a realization hit her.
He stopped and looked at her. "Why are you so interested in my liking of blackberry pie?"
"You're Driscoll's adopted son, aren't you?"
He flipped the page again. "We're leaving after breakfast."
"My mother made those blackberry pies for you."
He didn't answer. Releasing a small sigh, Kaia continued to eat her breakfast and mentally prepared herself for the long journey ahead.
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