Not Without You

forty

Leo

Due to the fact that Mom and Aunty Tenille have driven out to Vancouver to pick up the wedding dress and are spending the night in the city, Aria sleeps over at my place. I don't know where Kit is, but it's nice, for once, to have the house to myself and be able to spend some quality time with Aria in a bed that's comfortable. The trailer was great, giving us the privacy that we needed, but waking up in an air-conditioned space with the morning glow of sunlight streaming through the open window is a million times better.

Waking up beside Aria is blissful, but what's even better is sneaking out of bed and going downstairs to make breakfast for the two of us. Before meeting Aria, I had never thought much about how enjoyable something like this would be. But it is. It doesn't take me long to put together a breakfast that consists of toast, hash browns, poached eggs, hollandaise sauce, bacon, and some fresh fruit that's been chopped up. The timing is perfect, too. Because as soon as I'm finished, plates made, Aria saunters into the kitchen. I'm taken aback by the sight of her. Her face has been completely washed free of any makeup, her hair is a tousled mess, and she's wearing an old black T-shirt of mine that falls mid-thigh.

She looks so good that the piece of bacon I'm chewing on nearly falls out of my mouth.

"Morning," she yawns, rubbing the heel of her hand against her face. She points at the breakfast bar with her other hand. "I'm guessing this is for me?"

"No," I reply in my most serious tone. "It's supposed to be for my mom when she gets back from Vancouver. You're old enough to make your own breakfast, right?"

Aria gives me a look as she pulls one of the loaded plates towards her. "Ha-ha, very funny, Leo." I can't tell whether or not her voice is infused with sarcasm, but she is glaring at me, so I conclude that I've irritated her a little with my joking. 

"Note to self," I mutter, eyeing her carefully. "Don't poke the bear in the morning."

"Damn right," she replies through a mouthful of hash browns that have been thickly coated in ketchup. So much so that it kind of grosses me out. Ketchup is one of those condiments that's obscenely overrated and is only meant for burgers and fries and nothing else. Ketchup aside, there is a small smile on her face as she chews thoughtfully, enjoying the food. To be honest, it's one of the better meals I've cooked. I know how to cook, I just tend to make rookie mistakes, such as overcooking something or charring it too much. "Thanks for this," she continues. "I'm starving. Especially after last night."

I nearly choke on my toast. I don't think I'm ever going to be able to get used to Aria's chirping. She's always going to be able to catch me off-guard. I take a sip of orange juice, clearing my mind of last night. To say Aria and I went through with our banter before dinner is an understatement. We did a helluva lot more than that. Things I never would have thought I'd do in my life.

"So," Aria says. "We have the day off today. Do you want to do the train wreck hike today or go kayaking at Alta Lake?" 

While I watch Aria practically devour her food, I contemplate the options. It's another stunning day in Whistler, with a guaranteed temperature above twenty-seven degrees Celsius and nothing but clear blue skies. It would be nice to go on a hike and get my legs moving again, but considering how sweaty we got on our trip to the cliffs, the kayaking trip piques my interest a little more. If we pack our bathing suits and some towels, we could probably find a beach to relax on. After the past week, I want nothing more than to relax.