Adam came downstairs the next morning, and saw the table still set from the night before, the candles all burnt out, and the food exposed and untouched, he then realized that Layla must have made all this for the two of them. Guilt ran through his brain, while he heard his wife's food steps walking to the kids' room, he prepared breakfast and made fresh coffee, the kids came running and sat at the table, followed by Layla still in her PJ's with her hair tied and eyes shot red.
"Good morning everyone" said Adam in a loud and cheerful tone, "Good morning daddy" replied the kids, "What's all this?" Layla said looking at the breakfast on the kitchen table, "It's breakfast! what?? I can't make breakfast for my family?" replied Adam smiling, "well you haven't in like two years! I thought you'd be at work by now" Layla replied looking at the clock on the wall, "better late than never. I took the day off, thought you and I can do something together". Layla sat at the table watching Adam and the kids eat, she still felt disappointed from the night before, she wondered what has gotten over Adam! Maybe he was too hungry to wait to eat at work or maybe...", "you are not eating baby" Adam interrupted her thoughts, "baby??? is he talking to her? he has not called her that in ages" Layla thought to herself, "oh, I'm still trying to shake off sleep", "there, this should help" Adam got up and poured her a cup of coffee and laid the cup in front of her.
The kids were out the door, Adam told Layla to stay seated while he cleaned up after breakfast, she was still puzzled about his mood this morning, she noticed the dinning room table was still set from the night before, she walked over and started cleaning up silently. "I'm sorry I was late last night, If I knew you went through all this trouble I would have made sure to call or something" Adam said without looking at Layla, "It was supposed to be a surprise" Layla said almost to herself, "well, I have a surprise today, let's go to the lake and rent a boat for the day", "who? you and I??" Layla said with a surprised look, "yes, of course who else?", "now?", "yeah, let me finish up here, you go get ready" Adam said with a soft smile, there was a familiar warmth in his eyes, she walked upstairs with eye brows still crossed in deep thinking.
Layla and Adam sat in the car alone for the first time in months, She wore a simple white and light green dress, bringing out her eyes, Adam noticed that right away and told her how beautifully her eyes sparkled that morning! "normally you'd be preparing dinner by now ha?" asked Adam, "dinner? it's 9 am! no, NORMALLY I'd be on my way to the book club", "what book club?" Adam asked, "the book club I've been a member of since last June" said Layla with a sharp tone, "oh, how could I not have known about that?", "I told you about it when I first joined them, you said that should be fun as long as I am home on time to make dinner", "I said that??? was I serious?" Adam asked in astonishment, "yeah, you even added (why can't you just read books at home)", "wow, I'm sorry I've been so...so...", "Selfish?" Layla said trying to help, "I was going to say so distant, but yes, selfish as well", "okay" Layla said and smiled shaking her head not understanding where this was going. "So what book are you guys reading now?" Adam asked, "The Awakening", "Ah, the always intriguing subject of infidelity!", Layla laughed and said "not sure you can call it that though, after all, Edna never REALLY cheated", "She wanted to" Adam replied, "but she never did", "I wish she found another way out than the one she took though", "me too" said Layla staring at the road ahead.
The lake looked so peaceful and sparkling under the morning sun, there was no one there but them, they rented a little boat, and hopped on, Adam took the wheel and drove off to the middle of the lake, and stopped the boat, and laid on the deck staring at the clouds, "now what?" asked Layla looking down at Adam as he laid next to her, "now we watch the clouds and listen to the water", "what is all this?" Layla asked, "don't ask darling, just, enjoy it", "but I don't understand...", Adam grabbed her back and pulled her closer to him saying "Isn't it beautiful today?", "yes it is" Layla said with a laugh at Adam's childish respond. Too many thoughts were running through both their heads, Adam thought of dozens of things he wanted to say, should he tell her about Nadia, could he? Layla thought of the possibility of this being some guilt he was feeling about something! They both laid there in silence for a few minutes, then Adam Brook the silence looking in Layla eyes and saying "I just missed you, I miss us" he reached for her hand and held it in his, Layla's eyes danced with tears as she said in a whispering tone "I do too". Adam kissed Layla hand and remained holding it as they both just laid there staring at the clouds.
Noha Elsewaify
March 2010
