I love and support Elizabeth in almost all things. She's my soulmate and being on her side makes me a better person.

I do not support her cooking unsupervised.

There have been many ruined meals, small to large messes and it's gauged from cute, to adorable to cringe worthy. None of this really mattered in the grand scheme of things, except for the time I brought my thesis supervisor over to eat a meal I had prepared. All she had to do was put it in the oven at 4pm. Needless to say there was a problem; so we ordered pizza and my thesis advisor still liked me enough to give me an A.

Tonight though- she started a fire and it caught hold of her blouse. She was able to put it out by some miracle; and DS insisted she go to the hospital. Thank God for those guys. She was telling them she was fine. Matt told me she was being a pain in the ass and that's exactly what he told her. Good! I am going to insist he gets a raise.

She's been checked over and a bandage has been applied to her upper chest. She's going to be sore for a few days. It could have been so much worse. Those damned blouses have those bows and ties on them. She always puts on a sweater, or an apron or better yet - changes into a t shirt or her Harvard Law sweatshirt. But today - none of that happened because she was just " feeling good about this recipe Daisy mentioned." The ties slipped into the flame of the burner and she said it went up to her chin in a nanosecond.

I think that's when I needed to sit down. I lost a minute in there. She might have had to hold me up for a little bit.

She joked that it was one of the cream ones - so her ratio of coloured blouses just jumped up by one. To quote my dad Jiminy Christmas. How can I love someone so much and want to strangle them in the same moment? Thankfully she realized how lame that was and admitted it. On thé upside she doesn't think she damaged the kitchen. I asked her to shut up and then I squeezed her arm.

...

Doctor released us with a couple of bandages on her hands and upper chest. Doesn't think the scars from the blisters will last. Says she was lucky.

I can tell the adrenaline is wearing off because she grew very quiet and started to look pained. The whole way home she just leaned up against me and I held her loosely. She thanked Matt and Geri. Conrad called and she assured him she was fine. I heard Russell in the background asking if "Bess had lost her mind" and when were " gonna get a chef. "

Will was less kind. "Lizzie you cook once a week and it's crap. Make sandwiches."

She was going to say something but the kids were standing there and we could see that Stevie had been cleaning the mess. Jason was pale and he said that he loved her and was glad she was OK.

That started her panic attack and I wished the doctor had insisted she stay overnight.

Her hitched breathing scares me a little but I guide her upstairs and take off the scrub top they sent her home in. The blouse was left at the hospital.

She's really quiet. She lets me clean her face and help her into a button up PJ top. No Frampton or Chilli Peppers for a few nights and I wonder if she shouldn't just sleep without a shirt. She says the buttons aren't irritating so that's good.

She's in shock still, I think. Possibly worried she's disappointed me. I know her and I can read her face.

She asks me if I am angry and she wonders about the stove and whose jacket she grabbed to smother the flames.

I tell her that we don't care, we just love her and that it was Jason's hoodie from when he played football. She nods and tells me she's ready to be scolded. I can't and won't. She knows. She is supposed to put on an apron. She is supposed to change into something without long silky ties. For whatever reason that didn't happen today and we got lucky.

When I think about how many people hate her and her security needs- what she did in the CIA - to think that a kitchen accident could have been what took her from us is sobering, and so very human. She chuckles, and her stomach rumbles and we realize no one has had any dinner tonight. As if on cue Jason knocks and comes in. The kids are making cereal, popcorn and ice cream. Her face lights up a little, and I am not so sure she deserves the reward of one of her favourite meals after scaring us all to death. I am a flawed human and am immediately ashamed of myself.

Jason catches my drift and can't resist a dig because he's the one we seem to be grounding left and right lately. He tells Elizabeth that we will put her on a payment plan for the damage and that she's getting the leftover kale salad Stevie made yesterday. She nods, and as soon as Jason turns she starts to cry.

Oh my heart . I take her in my arms as gently as I can I cry a little too. After a few minutes she speaks. "I am gonna be setting the table and doing dishes for the rest of this marriage right? To be honest I don't mind. Cooking officially went up in flames today."

I lift her chin with my right index finger and kiss her tears.

I explain sandwiches and charcuterie boards. I am rewarded by a watery little grin. She can manage that she thinks; and I make the sign of the cross.

She gives me puppy dog eyes and I relent. We decide to go downstairs for this dinner of champions. She pulls me back down to the bed though and now the truth comes out.

" Henry I know I am the worlds worst cook. I hate it. I just like to eat. It's just that as a mom - I want to provide for you and the kids."

There it is. The truth. The stereotype lives in her liberated head. She hears herself and drops her gaze. "I shouldn't care but I do. Everyone at work, the kids- their friends- everyone says they have a recipe for x, y or z. My three kids tell everyone I sing like a dying goat and that bake sale treats come from the store. I am not fashion mom or video game mom and I think my job has hurt them. Some amazing wife and mom I am."

I nod and insist she come downstairs. She does, but it's slow going as she's recalcitrant about it.

I don't care. I flat out ask "guys what does mom cook better than anyone ?" If they fail this test I swear I will ship them to military school.

Thankfully they are decent humans and rise to the challenge.

"We are thé only family who gets ice cream for dinner" from Jason. Allie chimes in " raw cookie dough when we have a broken heart" and Stevie " my friends said we had the best snacks! Fluffer nutters are the best"

Elizabeth speaks up " so my lousy cooking doesn't upset you?"

Jason is getting a Ferrari for graduation because he comes over and offers her a forkful of mocha almond fudge. She accepts and smiles. "Don't worry mom. We love sugar and milk. Even the vegan one here can't resist. Plus I remember a speech about the main food groups..".

The girls chime in "five food groups. Cheese, chocolate pop corn pasta and marshmallows "

The light is coming back to her eyes - the stormy grey is now almost aquamarine again. "you remember that? Wow"

She's looking pleased with herself. The gleam is back as is her toothy grin

"You guys promise to eat sandwiches and deli platters once a week? " she queries.

Jason votes for cereal night and she groans. Allison points out that chocolate and vanilla are beans, and Elizabeth acquiesces. Stevie points out that salad does not involve cooking and that the obvious thing is that mom just microwave leftovers that we can all cook on our nights.

My crazy family is noisy, spilling ice cream on the hardwood and teasing one another.

My wife is smiling and I could watch this forever.

Especially since she gets to mop this mess tomorrow.

H