Of Scents and Breakfasts

He lay sleeping on his tummy, entangled in a white cotton sheet and two pillows.

Daylight filtered - a sky blue with patterns of ethereal cream – through the curtains of their bedroom. She moved about the house. Utensils jangled in the kitchen. Water ran in the white-tiled bathroom, the big indigo blue bucket filling up. The water pumping motor switched on. Birds flew into the backyard, nuzzling their young, their nests half-hidden in the cracks of old courtyard walls.

Hair barely skimmed together in a bun, the plastic clip clung fiercely to her mashed curls. Tea boiled, bread and egg ready. Her nightgown blew about her ankles as she rushed from the bathroom to the kitchen – turning off the tap, switching off the motor pump, putting the warm, fresh breakfast on the tray.

***

Noise. He could hear some noise in his dream. A pounding, clinking and then switches. Loud switches; switching on and off. He shifted to turn to his side, an arm wandering over to her side of the bed. Feeling a cold empty sheet, his eyes opened a crack. In the blurry morning, his ears made out the sounds in the kitchen. He closed his eyes and the fresh fragrance of bread and egg hit his nose. A slow smile curled over his lips. He heard her walking towards the bedroom and pretended to be asleep.

***

“Good morning, baby”

Her hand gently rested on his forehead, caressing the hair just above his temples. The fragrance of food clung to her fingers. His nose prickled pleasurably but he restrained all expression. She observed his profile; half buried in a pillow, half entangled in white cotton and continued to caress his hair, reluctant to wake him up. Glancing at the wall clock; regrettably time was ticking away and she tried again.

Leaning over his ear “Food will get cold sweetheart. You like your breakfast hot, don’t you?” A dark strand fell over and brushed his cheek. A shiver ran down his spine. No expression showed on his face.

“Oh come now! I know you're acting.” He could feel her smile swell into warmth all over his ear. Her hand moved deeper into his hair, grabbed his hair and pulled; then let them go and gently massaged his broad scalp. Her warm breath on his ear, her soft hand in his hair, the fragrance of fresh food all around; a quiver of love spread just under the surface of his skin and he smiled with closed eyes. Turning around, to lie on his back, he entwined an arm around her waist, splaying the other over her hair and pulled her close.

Just when her lips were within easy reach, he untangled the plastic clip from her hair and flung it on the bed. Looking openly into her eyes, he wrapped his arms around her tighter and kept gazing into her eyes. The scent of her hair, whiff of her aroma, fragrance of food lingering on her fingers that she placed on his cheeks pleased his nose. His smile widened as he continued to gaze into her eyes.

Bringing her closer, he whispered on her lips “Happy Anniversary, sweetness” before burying his face into the base of her throat and mumbling “This is going to be a beautiful start to another roller-coaster of an year.”