Sliding his dishes into the sink, Jack checked his watch briefly as he trotted across the kitchen and into the hall. There really wasn't anything on his to-do list this weekend, and he wasn't about to let the mild spring weather go to waste by lying around inside all day. A walk along the beach, he decided, was a good place to start.
As he entered the den, the pleasant expression dropped abruptly off his face, replaced by one of utter shock. Scattered about the room in neat little piles were pieces of the television set, undamaged, but disassembled nonetheless. In the center of the little array sat Eleanor Lamb, screwdriver in hand, puzzling over the remains of the box, an expression of intense concentration on her face.
Glancing up as he stepped into the room, she beamed, waving the screwdriver excitedly.
"Jack," she called, gesturing animatedly toward the wreckage, "I think I've finally found how it works! This little tube here-"
"Put it back together! Now!"
Eleanor looked slightly crestfallen.
"But I-"
Jack sighed, running a hand through his hair.
"Yeah, I know, Ellie. It's all right, I'm not mad. Just a little bit... ah… surprised. For now, let's just set the rule as 'if I say you can take it apart, take it apart. Leave everything else alone.' Are we clear?"
She nodded.
"Yes. I'll just… just put this back the way I found it…"
Satisfied for the moment, Jack picked his way across the room through the sea of parts, giving Eleanor a reassuring pat on the shoulder as he passed.
It was still early. There was still time for things to turn around.
Although the small murmur of "Now did this go over here, or…?" from behind him didn't help.
