John & Katie

Something To Look Forward To

KATIE

I woke to the smell of something warm and delicious drifting through the apartment.

For a moment, I lay there, confused. I couldn't remember falling asleep or how I'd ended up in my bed.

I pushed back the covers and looked down at myself. I was still fully clothed in my sweatpants and hoodie.

Then the smell reached me again.

Curiosity got the best of me, and I climbed out of bed, followed the enticing aroma down the hall and into the kitchen.

I froze in the doorway.

John stood at the stove, wearing an apron as though he belonged there.

I stared at him for a moment, completely caught off guard. I hadn't expected to find him in the kitchen, let alone cooking.

He must have sensed me watching because he turned around.

"Good morning, beautiful." John's voice was warm as he looked over at me. "How are you feeling? Are you hungry?"

I"m okay....I guess." I glanced towards the stove. "And, yeah, I can eat. You made me breakfast?."

A smile spread across his face.

"Good. And yes, I thought you deserved a nice morning. I hope you like pancakes?."

"I do."

"Great. Go sit down. I'll bring everything over. I made coffee, too."

"Thank you." I smiled. "You know you didn't have to do all this."

"I know," he said, his smile softening. "But I wanted to do something special for you."

I looked at him, my heart unexpectedly full. He had no idea how much this simple gesture meant to me.

He turned back toward the stove. A few minutes later, he placed a plate of pancakes in front of me, followed by a steaming cup of coffee.

"Here you go. Careful, the coffee's hot. I hope you like the pancakes."

I looked down at the breakfast he'd made for me, then back at him.

For the first time since last night, I felt something inside me begin to loosen. Being here with John, surrounded by the warmth of the kitchen, made me feel a little safer.

I took a bite and smiled. The pancakes were warm and comforting, for a moment, I was able to forget everything that happened.

"It's delicious." I said. "Where did you learn how to cook?"

"My mom made sure all her kids knew their way around the kitchen. She wanted us to be able to take care of ourselves and not starve."

"Sounds like your mom raised you right."

He smiled warmly.

"Maybe I can put those skills to good use and make dinner for you sometime."

"I would absolutely love that."

"So, what are your plans for today?" John asked.

I looked down at my plate, thinking about his question. "I don't really have anything planned. Maybe I'll just stay home, process everything, and try to get my head straight."

John nodded slowly. "Then that's what you should do. Don't worry about anything else today."

I swallowed hard. "I just don't know how to feel right now," I admitted quietly.

His expression softened. "You don't have to know. What happened last night isn't something you can just put behind you because the sun came up."

I looked up at him.

"You don't have to figure everything out today. Just take things one moment at a time," he continued. "And if you need someone to talk to, or you just want some company, give me a call."

A small smile touched my lips. "You don't have to do that."

"I know." He smiled back. "I want to."

"Thanks. I'll keep that in mind."

After we finished breakfast, I told John to just leave the dishes and I will take care of them later.

"Thank you for last night and this morning, John. I really appreciate it."

"You don't have to thank me, Katie. I'm just glad I could be here for you."

He smiled, and I walked him to the door.

The moment the door closed behind John, the apartment fell silent.

I stood there for a moment, staring at the door.

Then everything came crashing down.

My chest tightened as the fear I'd been holding back all morning finally overwhelmed me. My eyes burned, and tears spilled down my cheeks.

I covered my mouth, trying to hold back the sobs rising in my throat.

But I couldn't.

A broken sob escaped, followed by another, until I could no longer stop crying.

I stumbled toward the couch and sank onto it, pulling my knees against my chest.

Oh God...

My whole body shook.

I pressed my hands against my face, but the tears kept coming. My nose ran, and my breathing grew faster and more uneven as I struggled to catch my breath.

Steven.

His face flashed through my mind.

His hands.

His voice.

The fear.

The helplessness.

I squeezed my eyes shut, but the memories only became clearer.

"Why did this happen to me?" I sobbed.

Anger suddenly pushed through the hurt.

Anger at him.

Anger at myself.

Then came the guilt.

A deep, ugly feeling that twisted in my stomach.

I should have been more careful.

I should have seen him.

I should have done something.

"It's not my fault," I whispered through my tears, trying to convince myself.

But my mind wouldn't listen.

My breathing quickened, my chest tightening as each breath came in short, shallow gasps. I pressed a trembling hand against my chest, trying to slow my racing heartbeat.

Breathe... just breathe.

I couldn't.

Another sob ripped through me, and I curled into myself, crying so hard my entire body shook.

For the first time since the attack, there was no one around to see me hold it together.

So I didn't.

I let myself cry.

I let myself be scared.

I let myself be angry, hurt, and confused.

Eventually, exhaustion began to take over. My sobs grew quieter, my breathing slowly settling as my body finally gave in to the weight of everything I'd been carrying.

I curled up on the couch, my cheeks still wet with tears, and pulled a blanket over myself.

My eyes grew heavier and heavier.

Before I knew it, I had cried myself to sleep.

When I woke, I headed straight for the shower.

The hot water helped clear my head, if only a little. After getting dressed, I wandered back into the kitchen and began clearing away the breakfast dishes, grateful for something simple to keep my hands busy.

Once everything was clean, I sat down at the table and wondered what I was going to do with the rest of my day.

My thoughts drifted to John.

I picked up my phone and smiled faintly as I remembered what he'd said earlier.

I decided to send him a message.

Me: Is that offer to cook me dinner still on the table?

His reply came almost immediately.

John: Absolutely. I was hoping you'd take me up on my offer.

A small smile crossed my face.

Me: Great! I'll see you around five?

John: I'm looking forward to it. See you at five.

For the first time that day, my thoughts weren't consumed by everything that had happened. Instead, I found myself looking forward to seeing John.

A few hours later, there was a knock at my door. I got up and opened it to find John standing there, two bags of groceries in his hands.

I smiled. "You actually went shopping?"

"I told you I'd cook," John said with a grin. "I figured I'd better come prepared."

I stepped aside to let him in.

He headed straight for the kitchen and set the grocery bags on the counter. Curious, I followed him.

"So, what are you making?"

John glanced over his shoulder. "You'll have to wait and see."

"That sounds suspicious."

He laughed. "Trust me."

I raised an eyebrow. "I'm not sure that's supposed to reassure me."

"You agreed to let me cook for you," John said. "There's no backing out now.

"Fine." I laughed. "But if I don't like it, I'm ordering pizza."

John gave me an amused look. "You have absolutely no faith in me."

"Not yet."

"Then I guess I have something to prove."

I settled onto one of the stools at the counter and watched as he unpacked the groceries. Before long, the counter was covered with everything he needed to make dinner—fresh ingredients, a loaf of crusty bread, and enough food to make me wonder what exactly he had planned.

"You really came prepared."

"I told you I could cook."

As John began preparing dinner, we talked about everything and nothing. He told me stories about growing up with his siblings, and I found myself laughing more than I had in days. I told him about Sara and some of the things she had done when she was younger, smiling as I remembered them.

For a little while, the events of the night before faded into the background.

By the time dinner was ready, the apartment smelled incredible.

John placed a plate of creamy garlic Parmesan chicken and pasta in front of me, along with roasted asparagus and warm garlic bread.

"Moment of truth," he said, watching me closely.

I picked up my fork and took a bite.

My eyes widened.

"Well?" John asked.

"This is really good."

His expression immediately shifted into one of satisfaction. "Really good?"

I took another bite. "Okay, you got me. It's delicious."

John smiled. "I'll take it."

We ate together at the table, talking and laughing long after our plates were empty. It was easy being around him. Easy in a way I hadn't expected.

Eventually, our conversation took a more serious turn.

"Katie, I think you should report what happened to the police."

I kept my eyes on my plate. "I can't."

"Why not?"

I let out a quiet sigh. "My status in this country isn't exactly legal, and I'm afraid I could be sent back to my country."

He reached for my hand.

"That's a terrible position to be in," he said softly. "You shouldn't have to choose between your safety and your right to stay here."

His words stayed with me for a moment. I wasn't sure what to say, so I simply squeezed his hand.

After dinner, we cleaned up the kitchen together before moving to the sofa.

"Would you like to watch a movie tonight?" I asked.

John picked up the remote. "You pick."

"Oh, that's a dangerous move."

"How bad could it be?" he asked.

"I could pick a chick flick."

"I'm willing to take that chance."

I eventually chose a movie, and we settled onto the sofa. At some point, John shifted closer, and our arms brushed.

Neither of us moved away.

The movie played in the background, but I found it increasingly difficult to pay attention to it.

Sitting beside John felt strangely natural.

When the movie ended, John glanced at me. "That was actually pretty good."

"High praise coming from you."

"Don't get used to it," he said, laughing.

For a moment, neither of us said anything.

Then John turned toward me.

"Do you have any plans for tomorrow?

I looked at him curiously. "Why?"

"I was thinking maybe I could take you out."

A smile slowly spread across my face.

"Take me out where?"

"That's for me to know and you to find out."

I laughed. "So, you want me to agree to something without knowing where we're going?"

"Exactly."

I narrowed my eyes at him. "And you expect me to just go along with that?"

John smiled. "You trusted me enough to let me cook dinner for you."

"That's different."

"How?"

"You were standing in my kitchen. I could keep an eye on you."

John laughed. "Fair enough."

I considered it for a moment, pretending to think seriously about his offer.

"Okay," I said. "I'll go."

John smiled.

"Good."

And just like that, I had something else to look forward to.