Refreshed

The sun was streaming through the thin curtains when I woke to hear "hey Alan, are you ever getting up?" shouted from downstairs. "It's nearly eleven, you know."

Confused, I thought at first that it was Jen - but quickly realised it was Kate's voice. My early hours awakening meant I soon knew where I was, so I wasn't as disoriented as I'd otherwise have been.

I made some kind of monosyllabic noise, to which Kate replied "there's plenty of hot water and towels out if you want to get shower, but get your arse down here quick - I'm starving."

Rousing myself at the thought of a cup of coffee, if not yet ready to think about breakfast, I stumbled into the bathroom and stood under the shower. The hot water worked its trick of making me feel alive again, and as I towelled myself dry, I felt clean and fresh. This feeling lasted until the moment I had to put on yesterday's clothes again...

Downstairs, Kate greeted my with a mock-exasperated cry of "at last!" before putting a glass of orange juice on the table and indicating that I should sit down.

"I've been up for ages," she said. "Went out and got us some supplies for breakfast, so you're in luck. Fried eggs on toast do you?"

"Sounds good. Did you get any coffee, by any chance?"

"Don't push your luck! Matter of fact, I did. See if you can find a cafetiere, or something, would you? Go on - make yourself useful."

I downed the orange juice, which tasted cold, sharp and beautiful, and began looking through Sarah's cupboards once again.

"Found it," I said eventually. Kate was busy cooking the eggs in their spitting, hissing pan, so I decided making the coffee was my job.

"Sleep well?" I asked, opening the coffee; it smelt amazingly rich.

"Hmm? Oh, yeah, fine thanks. Just not as long as you, that's all." Her distracted reply made me think momentarily of those uncertain footsteps on the landing, but I put the episode out of my mind.

Breakfast tasted great. Recent events seemed to have heightened my senses, to the point where every experience seemed more intense, more full of flavour or colour.

Finishing my coffee, I said, "fantastic. That's really set me up for the day," thinking that I sounded like my dad, but meaning every word. "Now, how about having another cup of coffee, and taking a look at that file?"

"Just what I was thinking," replied Kate. "You've read my mind."

We were both silent for a very long moment before she said, "Christ. You can't do that too, can you?"



Story begins here.