Greg awoke to the sound of pots and pans clattering downstairs and the scent of sausage twirling around his nostrils. He groaned and stretched in well rested bliss, sitting up in bed and rubbing his eyes back to alertness. Slowly his brain caught up to his state of awakeness and the problems with the situation began to filter in.
Quickly he ticked off a list of things that didn't make sense at that moment:
1.)He usually made breakfast if it was made in the house, Gina was a grapefruit and cup of coffee kind of woman
2.)The kids didn't like sausage so even if Gina did, for some reason, make breakfast she wouldn't cook up sausage nor would there be any in the house to cook.
3.)He went to bed on his own last night, after Gina and the kids went down to her in-laws for the long Thanksgiving weekend, with the idea that he'd drive down today after doing some office work and help prepare food for the feast the next day.
Reaching #3 was what finally cut through the post-waking haze. With an awkward bounce, he was off the bed and rocketing down the stairs, his anti-burglar baseball bat in hand. He was not aware of any home invaders who would pause to make you breakfast but you just never knew these days.
He ricocheted around the corner and nearly ran headlong into an apron wearing Mallory, hot pan in hand. He took a moment to notice the navy colored apron smock was emblazoned with the slogan "Hot Food, Hot Kitchen, Hot Chef."
"Hey Doc," she chirped, "got a baseball bat there, do you?"
"Umm...yeah...Iโ" he stuttered, embarrassed by his overreaction.
"You aren't planning to crack my skull open with that, are you?"
"No. No! Of course not...just thought that maybeโ"
"There was a teenage girl making breakfast before she robbed you blind?"
He giggled a bit at his foolishness, "Something like that."
"Well, that wasn't my plan. So how about you ditch the stick and eat some eggs instead?"
"Okay...okay, yeah, sounds good."
He sat and she pushed a pile of scrambled eggs on his plate. Also on the table sat a platter of sausage and toast and a carafe of orange juice. As he poured himself a glass of orange juice, Greg glanced out the window. Noting the still dark state of the sky, he knit his eyebrows together in confusion and wondered aloud, "What the hell time is it?"
"Like 5:30 or so, I think," the babysitter estimated from behind the refrigerator door.
The doctor snorted in surprise, "What kind of college student wakes up at 5:30 on a Wednesday morning."
"Actually, I had to get up at more like 4:45."
"Riiiight. So why would yoโ" Greg's statement became lodged in his throat as Mallory traipsed back to the stove. With her back to him, it was clear that she had on nothing on under her apron from the string of pearls around her neck all the way down to the pair of dark blue pair of stiletto heels.
"You okay, Doc?"
"Uh-huh..."
"Whatcha doing?"
"Uhhh...eating breakfast?"
"Oh, okay. I thought you might be staring at my small but undeniably pleasurably round ass," she replied, glancing over her shoulder with a wide smile.
"I can multitask," Greg shot back with a shrug.
She bounced her hips left and right before spinning around and returning to the table to eat with the doctor.
"Eat up," she urged, a mischievous smirk pushing dimples into her cheeks, "You're going to need your strength."
"For?"
"You can't guess?"
Greg shook his head and took a bite of eggs. A moment later he gagged and sputtered.
"Bad?" she asked, eyes wide.
"Terrible," he nodded, coughing, "Soooo salty."
"I was worried that might be the case," she confessed, "I don't really cook all that much."
"Well, it is the thought," the doctor excused her after a long gulp of orange juice. "I thank you for that. I can just grab a bowl of cereal and get to the office early though."
"That's notโ"
"Honestly, it's fine. Thank you for the attempt and for the delightful eye candy."
She stood and held him in his chair by pressing on his shoulder. "Knock it off, silly," she instructed, "I grabbed bagels and cream cheese in case of an emergency just like this. No man of mine is going to have just cereal for breakfast today."
"Man of yours?" he asked, wide eyed. While his gaze was undeniably fixed on the pleasing rhythm of Mal's journey to the fridge and the incredible way her back looked with each step, the invocation of "man of mine" left him feeling uneasy. This was his birthday all over again.
"Yep. Go ahead and deny it," she invited me.
"Well, I'm married, for one."
"I know, I've met your wife. She's lovely. Boring, but lovely," she playfully dug at him as she began to carve up bagels and toss them into the toaster, "Cinnamon raisin or plain?"