Theo's day had a cold beginning but Daphne is going to make sure it has a warm end. Can she warm him up with soup and conversation?
Song: Winter Dreams (Brandon's Song) by Kelly Clarkson
Daphne: When will you be home?
Theo: Soon
Daphne: It is too cold out there
Theo: I promised Ted I would get this done today
Daphne: No one needs an ice sculpture in their yard
Theo: Have you met Ted?
Daphne: Yes, more than once
Theo: He is a good guy. He's just nervous about his party tomorrow
Daphne: It is too cold for this
Theo: I'll be home soon
Daphne set her mobile on the counter. She never knew that landscaping could be a job in the dead of winter, but being a part of Theo's life had taught her that landscaping calls could come at any time. Theo was good at it and she was proud of the business he had built alongside his teaching career.
She walked across the kitchen to the slower cooker sitting on the counter by the stove. She had decided to make potato soup this morning. She loved dumping ingredients in the pot and walking away. The cottage smelled wonderful. She had about another hour before she added the final touches and the soup would be ready to eat. A knock on the back door startled her out of her musings.
"What are you doing back here?" Daphne asked as she pulled a snow covered Theo into the kitchen. "You are covered in snow and is that ICE in you beard?"
"Easier to get into the house from the garage." Theo's teeth chattered as he rubbed his hands up and down his arms. "It probably not a good idea to take the bike to Ted's house. It is a little cold out there."
"You don't say." Daphne grabbed Theo's hands and started rubbing them. "What you need is some common sense and to not catch pneumonia. Off to the shower with you."
"I am fine." Theo protested as Daphne started to maneuver him towards the bathroom. "I just need a few minutes in from of the fire and I'll back to normal."
"Chess man, there is nothing normal about you." Daphne turned the knobs on the taps of the bathtub. "It will take more than a few minutes in front of the fire to thaw you out. Get naked and get in."
"Brown Eyes, an invitation like that is hard to refuse." Theo turned Daphne around and kissed her deeply. "I think there is room for more than one person in that shower. Care to help me warm up?"
Harry: Are you okay?
Theo: I'm fine. Why?
Harry: Daphne wanted me to an APB out on you earlier. Said you slipped out of the house early and still weren't home
Theo: I had a last minute landscaping job for a client
Harry: In the dead of winter?
Theo: He is having a party tomorrow night and need some yard work done
Harry: Again, in winter?
Theo; He had a couple of ice sculptures delivered that needed to be staged and he asked for an upside down snowman by the door.
Harry: Where did they get that idea?
Theo: He saw your creation on my mobile
Harry: She said it had been hours when she called
Theo: The snowman took longer than expected
Harry: Call her next time if it is going to take longer than you expect. She worries
Theo: That is part of what makes her perfect
Harry: Just call her next time
Theo: Yes, mum …
Daphne struggle to untangle herself as she rolled away from Theo. "What are you doing?" Theo's sleepy voice came from somewhere in the tangle of blankets. "Come back and snuggle with me. It is warm under here."
"If you want dinner tonight, I need to check on things in the kitchen." Daphne patted the lump under the covers. "I'll be back in a few minutes. I just need to add the cream cheese and blend it up good."
"What's for dinner?" Theo sounded less sleepy now that food had been mentioned. "I vaguely remember the kitchen smelling good when I got home. But, someone distracted me."
"You'll have to get out of the covers to find out." Daphne stopped by the door. "We could eat in front of the fire if someone would check on things in sitting room while I work in the kitchen. But, if he wants to stay in bed and starve …"
Daphne could hear Theo grumble his way through the house as she finished using the emulsion blender on the soup in the slow cooker. He might grumble about getting out of a nice warm bed to satisfy the whims of a brown eyed witch, but he would have the sitting room ready for dinner in front of the fire by the time she had the soup in the bowls.
"What smells so good?" Theo still sounded half asleep as he wrapped his arms her from behind.
"Potato soup." Daphne put the emulsion blender on the cabinet before she turned in his arms. "It just needs a minute to rest and then we can eat."
Theo kissed her forehead. "Potato soup. Do we have cheese and bacon bits? Potato soup doesn't taste right without them."
"You can get them out of the fridge while I fill up our bowls." Daphne kissed his chin. "Take everything into the sitting room and I'll bring the bowls."
Theo and Daphne spent the next few minutes moving around each other in the kitchen. "Where did you learn how to make this?"" Theo asked as he settled onto a pillow on the floor. "I have never had potato soup like this. Mum used to swear it took forever to make."
"I found the recipe online." Daphne settle beside him on the floor. "I like it because it is easy to get started before work and it doesn't take much more work to finish it off when I get home. I'm glad you like it."
"I like that you take the time to cook for me." Theo leaned forward and nipped her lower lip. "You had some soup there. I still can't believe how lucky I am to have you."
"I'm the lucky one." Daphne laid her head on his shoulder. "Let's eat so we can enjoy some chess by firelight. Ginny was telling me about these new rules she found."
Theo: When did Chess get new rules?
Harry: The rules for chess have been the same for centuries
Theo: You need to talk to your wife then
Harry: ?
Theo: Daphne introduced me to a new set of rules for chess. She said Ginny told her about them
Harry: Really?
Theo: I don't think we can play that version of chess at BB on Friday nights
Harry: OHHHH … those rules
Theo: Thank you!
A/N:
Slow Cooker Potato Soup
In a 7 quart slow cooker (Crock Pot), add the following ingredients:
5 lbs golden potatoes, washed and cubed but not peeled
1 onion, chopped
64 oz. chicken stock
Salt and pepper to taste
Cook on low for 8 to 10 hours
Just before serving, add 2 bricks of cream cheese. Combine into soup using emulsion (stick) blender.
Serve with cheddar cheese and bacon bits (to each his own for garnish and flavor)