Chapter 2 – An Ordinary Morning
356 Words
“You’re staring,” Chloe mumbled without opening her eyes.
“I’m admiring.”
“People only say that when they want something.”
“I don’t need anything,” Henry answered softly. “I already have you.”
She opened one sleepy eye before pulling the blanket over her face again.
“Five more minutes.”
“You’ve already said that four times.”
“I’m building character.”
Henry laughed.
It was the kind of laugh that only existed because of her.
He leaned down, gently pulled the blanket away, and kissed her forehead before kissing her lips. It wasn’t dramatic or passionate. It was familiar—the kind of kiss built from thousands before it.
“I have to go into the office today,” he said. “Just for a few hours.”
“On a Saturday? Your boss should be arrested.”
“She’s actually pretty reasonable.”
“That somehow makes it worse.”
They joked back and forth until Henry finally got dressed for work.
“I’ll be grading essays,” Chloe said.
“You’ll eat cereal straight from the box.”
“I’ll do both.”
Before leaving, Henry paused at the bedroom door.
“I love you.”
She smiled without hesitation.
“I love you too. Now go be responsible so I can stay irresponsible.”
The apartment felt unusually quiet after he left, but Chloe didn’t mind.
She settled onto the couch with a stack of seventh-grade English essays, a red pen tucked behind one ear, and her phone balanced against a candle for a video call with her younger sister, Maya.
Within minutes the conversation shifted—as it always did—to wedding planning.
“You still haven’t picked a venue,” Maya complained.
“We’re looking.”
“That’s not the same thing.”
Chloe laughed.
Planning a wedding wasn’t difficult because they disagreed.
It was difficult because Henry always thought about practical things first, while Chloe dreamed about gardens filled with fairy lights.
Still, she knew something Maya didn’t.
At the center of Henry’s heart, there had never been any doubt.
- Writer
