THE MELODIC HUM of his wife's voice, filtering through the receiver of the phone wedged between his ear and shoulder, was, as always, a welcoming trill that wrapped around him like a warm embrace. lukas hummed along to her instructions as he hefted his suitcases from the trunk of the rented car, ascending the stairs that led to the entrance of their home. she was not expected to return for several more days, their carefully laid plans to reunite in cairo regrettably unraveling as her expedition stretched on while his concluded far too soon. yet, it mattered little; they had traversed the summer months in solitude, each lost in their own adventures, a pattern as familiar as the changing seasons.
absence and distance, as they say, made the heart grow fonder. they were both secure and content enough in their marriage to continue pursuing their careers and know they could return to home base, where stories of their exploits and adventures awaited to be shared, enriching the bond they cherished. "yes, darling, I shall certainly consult with the gardeners. but, you must remember how remarkably resilient the azaleas are! i'm sure they've flourished in our absence!"
lukas fumbled with the front door, his feet betraying him as he wrestled his suitcases across the threshold, each step a clumsy dance. admittedly, if lukas was being honest, in the hustle and bustle of traveling and archiving across the globe it just might have slipped his mind that they were hosting their dear friend's son at the nilsson estate. his wife, bless her, had not forgotten and was just about to remind him to check in with their house guest, when the house guest in question whipped around the bend brandishing a kitchen utensil like a weapon. alarmed, lukas's hold loosened on the phone. it clattered to the ground as he reared back. a beat or two of silence passing as both parties processed the scene.
"oh, callum! good morning!" lukas chirped, as if the entire scenario wasn't alarming and unexpected. "is that the rolling pin?"
Callum recoiled at the sight of Lukas, who stood a full nine inches taller than him, almost running face first into his chest. Hearing the clatter of the phone, Callum looked down, moving to grab the phone, " Sorry Samara! Sorry Lukas! You were just early, I thought you were some robber" Callum apologized, handing the phone back to Lukas so he could say goodbye to Samara, feeling awful at the chance of how loud that clatter was for her ears.
He was blushing, deeply as he took in the scene, only to realize his state of undress, and the food about to overcook on the store, " Oh! One second, let me just," He scrambled...only a little bit, as he ran back to the kitchen, pan to an off burner, turned off the stove before scrapping the only slightly burnt egg onto his toast, with some ham and tomato, he looked back, " I did just make some for myself, but did you want a plate too? I could make you sometime, let me just go get changed," Callum said as he turned back to the entry to head up to his room.
