A Step Closer to Love

“Good morning” Arabella greeted Everly as she walked into the kitchen to see her staring out the kitchen window with coffee in hand. She was gently sipping from the cup.

“Oh, good morning darling would you like a cup of coffee?” Everly asked turning to face her.

“Yes, but I will make a cup for myself instead, you can just continue to enjoy the view,” Arabella asked walking to the coffee machine to get started.

“Oh thank you, I just love staring out the window this early in the morning,” Everly said tilting her head as if she was looking at a famous painting.

“I guess the landscape is somewhere worth watching” Arabella replied looking out the window briefly before returning to her coffee.

‘You are up early today”Everly commented.

“Unfortunately I can’t really rest today as I want to do some reading and research but I can’t seem to focus on the room” Arabella told her.

She had been up for a while now but had found it hard to make her mind work at all. She had been spacing out all morning while occasionally allowing her mind to wander all over the place.

Arabella blamed her sister for putting such thoughts in her head. If she did not hear that two men were probably interested in her she would have been done with her work by now.

“What I did when I still work, whenever I was having a hard time and was unable to concentrate on my work I usually took time out to clear my mind and afterwards I was good as new”

“That’s a good idea, I just need some time out to clear my mind and I am sure I will be back to normal” Arabella said.

The room turned silent and only the humming of the refrigerator and random noises from the coffee machine were heard. Everly was peacefully sipping her coffee while Arabella was waiting for her cup to be filled.

“What do you think of us catching breakfast somewhere outside? My treat” Arabella asked suddenly breaking the silence.

“Oh really?” Everly said turning to her with a big smile across her face.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g

“Yeah” Arabella said pulling out her cup from underneath the machine that beeped to alert her that it was done.

“You want to have brunch and you are deciding to invite me?”

“Do you not want to come along or am I not supposed to invite you?” Arabella was torn. She did not know what to do now, she could not understand what emotions Everly was showing at that time.

“Oh you can invite me but that means I won’t have to cook breakfast” Everly said and Arabella nodded.

“Of course not, you and I go to a nice cosy place and have a good meal” Arabella explained.

She watched her face to see how a smile climbed up. It was obvious that she liked the idea that Arabelle brought.

“You have been making breakfast for a long time now, you deserve to be treated to one and since I am not exactly a good cook, I can buy you brunch instead”

“I know a very nice place”

“Where do you think you are going?” Ethan asked when he saw Arabella and Everly hand in hand walking toward the door.

“Out for breakfast,” Everly said in a voice that said ‘You should know where I am going and not ask me useless questions like this’

“What about breakfast?” Ethan asked his face drawing up in confusion. Where was she going when she had not made anything for him to eat?

“What do you mean?” Everly replied blinking rapidly. She wondered why he became so distant from her and began to treat her like a maid all of a sudden. It was as if he was brainwashed.

“Aren’t you going to make what I would eat for breakfast?” Ethan replied.

“You have two hands don’t you?” Everly said and watched him raise his hands to his face.

“What are you trying to ask?”

“Since you have two hands you can whip up something quickly for yourself” Everly said and he jumped out of his chair so quickly it was like a flash moving about.

“Or if you don’t like the idea you can order something in or make your way to a breakfast spot instead” she added with a sweet smile on her face.

“What?” Ethan stammered. He had been so used to her making and serving him breakfast every morning that he wondered what had come over her.

“What is wrong with you?” he asked walking to her.

“Nothing, I just wanted to have something different today”

“Then make something different”

“No, I don’t feel like cooking,” Everly said and watched his face. She could see the swarm of emotions on his face and did not know how to decipher any of them.

“Let’s go, Ara,” Everly said pulling the girl’s hand and walking to the door. She did not turn back to look at them but instead continued walking till she was safely outside.

“Can you drive instead?” Everly asked as soon as they were outside. She shuffled through her bag for the key and pressed it so she could know the car they were taking along.

“Of course” Arabella replied. She did not like the tension in the house and was glad she was out of it.

They walked to the car and made their way out of the house. “I cannot believe I was so bold to say no to him, it feels like a rollercoaster ride to me. My heart is beating so fast I am afraid it might jump out of my chest” Everly rambled as soon as they hit the road.

“I am sorry if I caused any tension,” Arabella apologized. She knew that Everly would have made breakfast if she had not suggested breakfast out of the house.

“I think I needed this, I have been so used to allowing them to use me and I guess this was a good idea. Thank you, Arabella”The way she said her name made her feel so cosy and warm.

“So where are we going?”