New Routine
Joanne stood in the kitchen, coffee mug in hand and newspaper in the other. She briefly left the kitchen to set her items on the table, and then came back just in time to see her toast pop up from the toaster. She grabbed the two slices, spread some peanut butter and jam on them, grabbed an orange and headed back to the table, startled by the sight of Maureen.
"Honey!?" Joanne yelped with shock, not expecting to see Maureen up so early. The diva was never up before eight…before ten for that matter, but here she was wide eyed and walking. "What are you doing up?"
"I can't sleep." Maureen pouted, her tousled hair, winding around her index finger. "So I thought I'd come out here and keep you company until you left for work."
Joanne smirked kissing Maureen on the cheek as she walked passed her. "That's real sweet, Honeybear. I'm just about to sit down and eat breakfast if you'd like to join."
"Okay." Maureen smiled, still a little drugged up from her sleep. "I'm going to go make something."
Joanne nodded and the two walked their separate ways. Joanne sat down, setting her food in front of her, before grabbing the paper opening up the front page, settling in to her usual morning routine.
"Pookie?" Came Maureen's voice, pulling Joanne from the newspaper print.
"Yeah?"
Maureen popped her head out of the kitchen, her forehead crinkled, "How do you make eggs?"
Joanne smirked, standing up from the table, heading back into the kitchen with Maureen right behind her, "What kind do you want?"
"The dippy kind." Maureen answered, "You know, the kind I can dip my toast in."
"No problem." Joanne said, turning the frying pain on, waiting a few moments, before cracking two eggs onto it.
"Can I have bacon too?" Maureen asked,
"Sure, there is some in the fridge; you can cook it in the microwave." Joanne responded.
Maureen sauntered over to the fridge pulling it out, looking the package over for directions, "These don't have instructions…"
Joanne turned to her, amused at the puzzled look on her face, "You don't know how to cook bacon?"
Maureen's face fell, her eyes shifting to Joanne, "Pookie, I can'tcook at all. Don't be surprised, you knew about this."
Joanne let out a light laugh, grabbing the bacon from Maureen's hands, "Here, why don't you go wait out at the table, and I'll cook your food?"
Maureen smiled, hearing the answer she wanted Joanne to give her, "Okay." She sweetly replied, kissing the corner of Joanne's mouth, before retreating out and over to the kitchen table, grabbing the newspaper to entertain herself until Joanne cooked her food.
About seven minutes later, Joanne set a plate of eggs, bacon and buttered toast in front of Maureen, along with a glass of orange juice.
"Enjoy." Joanne said, kissing Maureen's cheek, before taking the seat across from her, finally able to start eating her breakfast.
Maureen grinned at the sight in front of her, the newspaper long forgotten as she began to dig in. The two fell into a silence, Joanne getting back into her routine reading and eating, and Maureen happily eating her tasty breakfast.
However it wasn't long until Maureen grew bored, and began talking, "So…you get up this early everyday?"
Joanne put the newspaper down, sipping her coffee, "Earlier. I'm up around six thirty."
"But you don't go into work until nine." Maureen questioned.
"I know," Joanne smirked, enjoying the sudden conversation with Maureen, "But I have a lot to do in the morning." Joanne explained, "I shower, take my time getting read, and by the time I'm dressed with make up, it's eight, which is when I make and eat breakfast, and then I just sort of…hang out before work."
"Oh." Maureen nodded, biting into her yolk covered toast. "That's really early. I don't know how you do it."
Joanne shrugged, "Discipline. And six years doing the same thing everyday, you kind of get used to it."
"Do you ever get bored?" Maureen asked, pushing her plate away, which still had a little bit of food left over, but she was too full to eat anymore. "Of doing the same thing everyday?"
Joanne leaned back in her chair, pondering the question, "There are some days where I'd rather stay in bed and snuggle with you," She said, watching a smirk discover Maureen's lips, "But I do love my job, and if I didn't go to work we wouldn't be able to pay the bills. Plus you keep my life pretty entertained."
Maureen stood up walking over to Joanne, draping her arms over the lawyer's shoulders, "You're my working girl." Maureen smiled, kissing Joanne's cheek. "Who takes good care of me, and I love you for that."
"Thank you honeybear, I love you too." Joanne smiled, titling her head back so she could give Maureen an upside down kiss. "It also helps to know that I get to come home to a beautiful woman after a hard day at work."
"I bet it does." Maureen giggled, leaning back down to reward her lawyer with another, kiss, this time lingering for a bit longer.
After some time spent kissing, the two moved to the couch, which was another part of Joanne's regular morning routine. She would drink the rest of her coffee, while watching the news. Maureen of course joined her, curling up next to the lawyer, with her head resting in Joanne's lap, letting Joanne brush her hair with her fingers.
A while later Joanne checked the time, in which it was now time for her to head off to work.
"Babe, I have to go now." Joanne said looking down realizing Maureen had fallen asleep. She smiled down at her love, leaning over kissing her once more, before carefully moving Maureen's head so she could get up. She kissed her once again, before whispering, "See you later Honeybear, I love you."
"I love you too." Maureen mumbled, rolling over pulling the blanket from off the back of the couch, covering up with it.
Joanne shut the television off, and then studied Maureen for a moment, happy the diva was up early today. She enjoyed spending the morning with her. She wished she could stay home with her, and curl up on the couch with her, but work was calling her name, so she pulled on her coat, grabbed her briefcase and headed out the door, locking it on her way out.
The next morning, Joanne went through her entire morning routine again, by herself, kind of sad Maureen didn't get up again to join her, but she wasn't surprised, she knew that was probably only a one time deal, Maureen loved her sleep.
However once Joanne sat down to watch the news, Maureen staggered out of the bedroom, her eyes still embedded with sleep. She climbed on the couch, laying down, resting her head in Joanne's lap.
"I wanted to spend the morning with you again." Maureen groggily said, "But I didn't get up in time."
"Well you still have twenty minutes." Joanne smiled, tossing the blanket over Maureen.
Maureen only nodded her cheek smudged up against Joanne's thigh, her eyes slipping shut. She relaxed under Joanne's touch as she ran her fingers through her long curly locks, and soon was back in dreamland.
Every morning this would happen Joanne would be certain Maureen wasn't going to get up, but everyday, when she sat down in front of the TV to watch the news, Maureen would stroll out of the room, still half asleep, curl up beside her, and fall back asleep with her head resting in Joanne's lap.
Now Joanne had a new morning routine, and she was happy she was able to spend it with Maureen.
The End