One month later...

It's been a month since the car accident and I am fully healed now.

Chad and I are going to try for a baby soon.

I can't wait until I fall pregnant with his child.

Chad lifts me up and carries me into the house. He looks at me. "What do you want to do now?"

"Can we watch a movie and eat popcorn?"

"Choose movie and I will make popcorn."

I look around the mansion and it seems quiet. "Aren't you going to get one of the chefs to make it?"

He shakes his head. "I sent them home for the week. I want to spend time with my beautiful wife without people around the house asking how you are."

I touch his face. "You're sweet, Chad."

He smiles. "I try to be. Oh, before I forget Joy and Jensen are coming over for dinner. I invited them last night when I saw them at the supermarket."

"That's great. What are we making for dinner?"

Chad looks at me. "I have no idea. Can you cook?"

Yeah, I can cook.

I took home economics when I was in High School. I learnt to cook and after that Mum left me to cook dinner when she went to work.

"I can. What do you have in the fridge and freezer?"

Instead of Chad putting me on the lounge he carries me into the kitchen and puts things on the table. There's mince steak, sausages, chicken wings.

"Let's have a barbecue. You have steaks, sausages and chicken wings. I will make a salad. Do you have bread rolls?" He shakes his head. "I'll make a damper to go with our dinner instead."

He smiles. "I haven't had damper in a long time. You should teach me how to make it. Then when we go to my parents place I can bring something I cooked myself. She will be shocked that I could make something."

"How about I teach you another time? Tonight you have to man the barbecue. Next time I make it I will teach you. What time will Joy and Jensen be here?"

"They will be here by seven. Jensen told me he has to drop Savannah off at his parents tonight before they came over."

Chad puts the meat on a plate and he leaves it out to thaw out. He carries me to lounge. He puts me down. "I will be back with snacks."

I watch him from the lounge as he puts the popcorn into the microwave. I rise and move over to the massive collection of DVDs that he owns.

What do I want to watch.

I pull out a bunch of horror movies and I look at them.

There's A haunting in Connecticut, 30 days or night, Tamara, Jennifer's body, Insidious, Saw, The Conjuring.

I close my eyes and move my hand over the titles.

A throat clears behind me. "What are you doing Grace?"

I turn towards him. "I'm choosing a movie for us to watch. I want to see something scary now. That way I won't have nightmares about it later."

He laughs. "Okay, I will leave you to choose somethings, but I would consider watching Saw. Have you seen it before?"

I shake my head. "I haven't had a chance to see it." I turn back to the DVDs with my eyes closed. I move my hand above them. I touch one and open my eyes. "We're watching A Haunting in Connecticut."

He groans. "That's a terrible movie, but I will sit through it with you."

I put the DVD into the player and the movie starts.

Chad pulls me into his arms and I lie my head on his chest. He kisses my forehead. "I love you Grace."

I smile. "I love you too, Chad." I pick up the bowl of popcorn and put it on the armrest. I take a handful of popcorn and put it on my mouth. I open up the can of Pepsi Max that Chad left on the table for me. I take a sip and put the can back on the table. I lie across Chad's lap and watch the movie.

Halfway through the movie I start to dose off as Chad is comfortable.

***

Chad wakes me up. "Grace it's time to wake up. You have to make the damper, sweetheart. The guests will be here in two hours."

I sit up and yawn. "I'll be there in a minute." I look towards him. "Why didn't you wake me up earlier?"

"You looked peaceful. I haven't see you like that since the car accident. During your stay at the hospital you had nightmares and you would wake me up. You slept for a couple of hours without having a nightmare."

I smile. "You kept the dreams away by having your arms wrapped around me."

He leans into me and whispers. "I want to keep the nightmares away from you, but I can't keep mine away. I nearly lost you and that's something that I can't get over."

I rise and wrap my arms around him. "I'm here, Chad. You don't have to worry about me going anywhere. I am here now."

Chad smiles. "I know." I looks at the kitchen. "The foods not going to make itself."

I laugh. "You're right. I'll let you marinate the meat and I will start on the bread." I walk over to the cupboard and I pull out the ingredients that I need to make the damper.

I start mixing the ingredients. Once it's all mixed up I put flour on a chopping board and start to kneed the mixture. I spray a tray and then add milk to the top of the damper. I put it in the oven and set the timer. "I'm going to have a shower and get ready. Can you take the damper out of the over when the timer goes off?"

"Yes, I can."

I walk upstairs and head to the bathroom. I strip out of my clothes and step into the shower. I adjust the water to a warmer setting. I step under the shower head and let the water wash over my body. I pick up a loafer and wash my body.

***

After the shower I walk into the bedroom and I smell smoke. I pull on a dress and run down the stairs. I see smoke coming from the oven.

"Chad?" I yell.

He doesn't answer.

I pull the damper out of the oven and set it on the sink. The damper is black.

All I asked him to do was look after the bread. Now, I have to make another one.

I make another damper and put it on the oven.

Chad walks over to me. "What did you burn."

I turn towards him. "You were supposed to take the damper out of the oven when the timer went off." I point to the burnt bread. "You burnt that. I have to make another one. Get ready before the guests arrive. Also, If you put the meat on the barbecue you should stay out there. I don't want to eat charcoaled food."

He walks out the door.

***

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