Something about the way Chelsea slept was calming to watch. Jake propped his head on a hand taking in every little facet of her countenance. Was her subconscious mind at work? Was she in the middle of a dream? Careful not to disturb her, Jake slid out of bed and tossed on some clothes. Gently kissing her cheek and breathing in her scent, he made his way downstairs to start making coffee.
The house was quiet. Being the only one awake, Jake wasn't in any hurry. He began brewing a pot of coffee and headed into the backyard to take in the morning scene. Perhaps the only other one up so early, a single bird let its chirp echo across the stillness. The sun was already heating up the earth, and the morning dew was in the process of drying on each leaf.
Jake eyed the colorful flowers already in full bloom and remembered the small arrangement his mother had put together on the night she had dressed up and put together a romantic dinner. The thought occurred to him that he had never offered her a single flower.
Chocolate or a card were the customary presents he offered on Mother's Days, but flowers were a line he hadn't been willing to cross. They were too intimate, and even then, he had feared other feelings for his mother might seep through to the surface. But that was all in the past now. Things were much clearer this morning, and he gladly began snipping stems in the yard and putting together a floral arrangement.
"That's lovely," Megan said watching her nephew putting them into a glass vase on the countertop. "But you really don't have to go through so much trouble just for me."
Jake grinned at her amusedly and continued what he was doing. There were blues and purples, yellows and whites. Up close, they gave off a pleasant smell. But hungover as Megan was, the coffee aroma was overpowering and intoxicating. She headed to the cabinet and pulled out a mug.
"Cup?" She asked reaching for a second. Jake gave her a nod. "Never mix anything with tequila," she reminded him and herself in the process.
"You two must've gone at it pretty hard yesterday," he said taking a filled mug and adding sugar. "How's the hangover?"
"I'll survive," she commented. "But it's still better if you don't make any loud noises for a while."
Jake set the bouquet on the countertop next to an empty mug and an arrow pointing to the coffee. When Chelsea was ready to join them, she'd see the arrangement and know what to do. Disappearing into the backyard, he and Megan lounged on the couch and nursed hot drinks in their hands. For a time, neither one said more than a few words. They enjoyed each other's company in all but silence while letting the morning wake them up slowly.
"You know I've always hated your father," Megan suddenly commented making her nephew cough when he was about to swallow. "It's not that he's a terrible person. It's just that he wasn't right for Chelsea. I always felt like she was settling when it came to him, and that rubbed me the wrong way."
"He is kind of a bad person though," Jake added as a matter of fact. "You don't win a husband of the year award by fucking your secretary on the side."
"Cheers to that," Megan laughed while clinking his cup with hers and instantly regretting the sound it made. "But I see how my sister is with you, and it's completely different. She's more alive with you than she's been in a long time. You're good for her, Jake. I really have no idea how you guys were able to make the transition from mom and son to lovers, but it worked. And now, she's completely in love with you."
"That's a good thing because I'm in love with her too," Jake confessed.
Megan nodded. "I can tell. Just watching the way you act around her, I can see it. But I'm just asking as a concerned sister who wants to make sure Chelsea isn't going to get hurt down the road. Is this something that you think will last? I mean, there is an age difference, and she's not fresh out of college."
Jake had already given that question considerable thought, and he quickly ran through all of his conclusions before directing his attention onto Megan and giving her a nod. "I'm not going anywhere."
That was good enough for her. Megan knew he meant it, and she could see the determination in his eyes to make his and Chelsea's future together a happy one. Her sister's happiness was all she had ever cared about. And for the first time in years, she felt confident that her sibling was on the right path.
