Chapter 6

So Jack went to the refrigerator, took out what he needed to make breakfast, and sat everything on the stove. He opened the cupboard to get 2 frying pans, putting them on the stove. He opened the package of bacon that he took from the fridge, separated the slices and put them in one pan over low heat to cook. While the bacon was cooking, he poured a cup of coffee and sat at the table, looking out the window at two horses grazing in the pasture behind Ariel's house. He glanced toward the stairs to see if the cat was there. She wasn't, so he turned back to the window. He was so engrossed in watching the horses that he never heard Ariel until she said, "Are you going to stir the bacon or let it burn, honey?"

He jumped, startled, and almost spilled his coffee. He looked at her, standing at the bottom of the stairs wearing only a thin cotton robe in a startling shade of red that brought out the fiery red highlights in her waist-length brown hair, which was tangled from sleep. Ariel thought to herself, "Wow!!! He looks so fine sitting there in his underwear and t-shirt! It's like God made him just for me! Thank you ever so much, God!" and she smiled, her cheeks still rosy from sleep.

Jack stood up and walked over to her, wrapping his arms around her and kissing her deeply before saying, "Good morning beautiful."

She said, "Good morning handsome! You better stir that bacon before it burns, honey." Then she pulled out of his arms, walked over to the coffee pot and poured herself a cup of coffee, adding sugar, creamer, and a little bit of vanilla extract to her cup. She went to the table and sat down ... He walked to the stove and stirred the bacon, then came back to the table and sat down with Ariel. He leaned over and kissed her again then sat back in his chair and said, "I was going to make you breakfast in bed, baby. But you woke up and came downstairs, spoiling my surprise."

"Angel woke me up." she said.

"Angel? Oh, the cat, right?" he asked.

"Yes, my cat, silly!" she replied. Jack blushed slightly and Ariel said, "It's ok babe. She jumped up on the bed and started purring in my ear, and that's what woke me up." Jack smiled and said, "I better finish making your breakfast, honey." Then he walked to the stove, turned on the burner under the other pan and added some butter to it. He cracked 4 eggs into the pan and let them cook, flipping them after a couple minutes. Ariel made the toast, and set the table for them. She took a jug of fruit juice from the refrigerator and poured some in each glass on the table. Jack took the bacon from the pan and drained it on some paper towels, then put the plate of bacon on the table. He carried the pan of eggs to the table and put two eggs on each plate, then put the pans in the sink. Jack grabbed the coffee pot and the sugar, creamer, and Ariel's vanilla and put them on the table, then sat down. Ariel placed some bacon and toast on his plate, then on hers. They sat eating in silence for a few minutes before Jack asked, "Are those your horses out there in the pasture?"