My annoyance with Mina grew as I read her latest text message.
Milk, eggs, bread, butter, breakfast cereal . . .
the list went on, and was one of several such requests today. Already I had completed my seven hour teaching schedule for the day, picked up the kids from school, and driven them to a friend's house. Now she had me going around town picking up groceries and running errands as well. Normally, I would be ok with this but this week it was her turn to be doing these things, and she had been free all day as far as I knew. So why couldn't she have done some of the work herself? It didn't help that she prefaced most of her texts with the phrase 'Oh, and one more thing...'
It was unfortunate that my mood was being ruined on a day like this, at the start of the weekend. It was a crisp, silvery autumn afternoon as a number of dark clouds loomed over the horizon, a gentle breeze perfumed the air with the scent of wet foliage and the distinct aroma of dead leaves being burned somewhere in the distance. I particularly enjoyed the fact that hardly anyone was about as I drove into our neighborhood, eagerly anticipating the end of an unusually tiresome day.
Mina had better be prepared to pick up the kids herself later this evening,
I thought to myself. Her youthful, almost childish nature had been what first attracted me to her when we were students ourselves. Likewise, my contrasting seriousness and calm silence had been what she liked most about me. Now however it seemed her carefree nonchalance might take its toll on my otherwise stoic resolve. It almost seemed as though today she deliberately wanted to test my patience. Was she playing some sort of game? Taking some sort of impish pleasure in my silent endurance?
A girl can only take so much.
These thoughts were running through my head as I pulled into the drive of our modest but charming suburban home.
As I opened the front door, grocery bags in each hand, I immediately caught the scent of ginger and vanilla in the air. The subtle sweetness mingling with acidic sharpness was a beautiful combination. I removed my sweater and shoes and went into the kitchen. Baking ingredients and used utensils were strewn about the kitchen counter, and something that smelled delicious was baking in the oven as I went to restock the refrigerator.
A pair of arms wrapped around my waist from behind, and I felt Mina nuzzle her face against the back of my neck, her warm breath sending a shiver through my body.