Chapter 06

She twirls his chest hair, gently lengthening it, running it along her thumb, before letting go and starting all over. 

How did I end up here? She lets out a quiet sigh, careful not to wake her man. 

She swings her legs off the bed and ties her hair into a ponytail. 

Eggs, bacon, pancake, honey milk… Alright, let’s rumble.

There are a myriad of checklists in her head, but cognition alone suffices not. Checklists are also detailed on her phone and laptop, both of which she ensures are synchronised multiple times a day.

To describe her checklists as ‘well-informed’ would be an understatement, a disservice to Ella’s meticulous planning.

She cracks an egg onto the stainless-steel pan and smiles. She recalls the days when Shaun used to shower her with compliments. 

“Aren’t you a precious thing?” He would wrap his arms around her waist from behind. 

“Shaun, you know how I feel about you messing up my cooking…”

“What… I can’t express my love for my gorgeous, gorgeous wife?”

“Oh, shut up… you silly goose–”

“Hey.” Her man stands tall, leaning against the wall with only a towel around his hips.

“Hi.” Her attention quickly zips back to the sizzling egg that was browning around the edges. “When are you next seeing your parents, by the way?”

“That’s random,” Chase comes up to her and presses his cheek against her ear, “rushing to get me out already?”

She gently nudges him away. “Stop it, you know I love having you here.” 

She flips the eggs onto a plate and starts on the bacon, as she tries to hide her blushing cheeks.

Eggs done, bacon doing, pancakes next, honey for later, milk to be poured. Her thoughts march in sequence once again. Eggs done, bacon doing, pancakes next, honey for later, milk to be poured.

Every detail lines up.

Chase's toothbrush, the next family visit, her research, her internship plans.

She smiles at the pan, as she carefully slides the bacon two centimetres to the left of the eggs.

Everything has to be in check.

Everything.