A side note: To nooneimportant: Thanks for your review! This chapter should clear up those exact questions, this chapter contains those answers. It's like you read my mind as I was working on this.
Laura stepped into Edward's kitchen yawning. It was 7:45 in the morning on New Year's Day. "Good morning." Laura said sleepily.
"Well, good morning. Are you ready for another fun filled breakfast experience with me?" Leonardo asked her.
Laura yawned again. "I am ready! Do you remember when we tried to make that breakfast casserole? That was not fun filled, Leonardo…as much as I adore your company that was not fun filled." Laura smiled and shook her head.
"Hey now, we didn't mean to put too many eggs in that thing. How were we supposed know it would bubble over and make the mother of all messes?" Leonardo asked her.
"We haven't had our New Year's Eve party at your house since that happened. I looks like you've been busy this morning! Look at all this just waiting for me to help you prepare it! Did you do all this yourself? And where is your sweater!? It's cold in here!" Laura said touching Leonardo's bare arms.
"Well I'll be honest, I was too drunk to handle knives and other pointy things so Sothe and Nolan helped me.
"I'll never forget that time when we were all at a base camp up north and you nearly cut your thumb off. I was scared at the time but looking back that was really funny because the last thing Sothe told you was not to play with the knives. I'm so sure Sothe and Nolan were sober enough to handle knives and other pointy things to help with this breakfast." Laura said pouring a cup of coffee.
"Oh geez…I said words that made Sothe blush that day. And Sothe has done the drunk knife thing before but anyway, Nolan mixed the biscuit batter and he even cut them out into circles. Sothe diced all those potatoes and diced those strawberries. The pancake batter…well I did that because it was the only thing I could handle at the time. Then Sothe and Nolan finally fell asleep after they continuously harped at me to not fall asleep. They also let the fire die. But, they got the job done for us. This is going to be a great breakfast Laura." Leonardo told her.
"So…I'm almost afraid to ask but where did you sleep last night!?" Laura sounded surprised.
"Laura, I couldn't have gone to sleep last night if I wanted to. I haven't been to bed. I'm pretty sure I'm still running on pure adrenaline. Hey, would you do something for me? Could you go into Edward's bedroom…in that chest of drawers, the third drawer has all his long sleeved shirts. Bring me the first shirt you come to. Oh and is there any way you could get that pineapple?" Leonardo wondered. Laura laughed.
"Why is there a pineapple in there? I walked in Edward's bedroom at 2:30, okay? He and Mia were already passed out asleep and Mia was holding a pineapple against her. You know, I had forgotten how funny she is. She could make anybody laugh. Hold on, I'll go get you a shirt and see what I can do about that pineapple." Laura said disappearing. It didn't take her long even though she had to tiptoe around Micaiah who was asleep in the floor. Mia had traded the pineapple for Edward but the question was: where was the pineapple? Laura didn't remember sleeping on it or even feeling it but now there was no sight of it.
"Here you go. I couldn't find the pineapple though. Mia's got her arms around Edward and not the pineapple. Micaiah is in the floor and she doesn't have it. Did you ever think Edward would have three women in bed with him?" Laura asked teasingly.
"Laura, when Edward drinks as much as he did last night…anything is possible." Leonardo said putting Edward's shirt on. "Okay, I'm going to go outside and get more firewood. You can start the bacon." Leonardo told her putting his coat on.
"Okay, I'll do that." Laura searched Edward's cabinet for a couple of iron skillets which she found surprisingly quickly. She had to get the embers lit underneath the stove. There had to be a match somewhere in this kitchen. While Laura looked around Leonardo had made a fast trip back inside. Fortunately, Edward kept all the wood for the fireplace covered near the porch outside.
"It's pouring rain out there…it is definitely a miserable day for a wedding." Leonardo said putting the dry wood near the fireplace. Laura was a bit confused.
"What?" She asked finally finding a match.
"Oh, Noelle's been working on this wedding gown. She has to dress a bride this morning at the church on Hersch Avenue. It was so funny last night…after I realized we had drank an entire bottle of wine I asked her how she was going to finish the gown since she was as drunk as I was. She said she would just work really slowly and take nearly five hours to do work that could be done in three. She's good enough at what she does to sew drunk that's for sure." Leonardo explained.
"I think I might know the minister that's officiating that wedding. By the way…I like her…a lot. She really has her stuff together. Of course, I've always known you'd be with someone who had their stuff together. She's just…so mature and she knows what she wants out of life and she's so articulate. I just like her." Laura said.
"She's wonderful, Laura." Leonardo sighed. "I can't even get started…because she…leaves me at a loss for words.
"I can't believe you've known this girl a year but you've never before made a move on her. I love seeing you like this…you deserve a woman like that." Laura said pushing the bacon around in the pan. The time was now 8:47. A sleepy Micaiah emerged to the kitchen. She blinked a few times trying to wake up.
"Bacon…that smells good…did I actually go to bed without Sothe last night?" Micaiah asked sleepily.
"You fell asleep in the floor of Edward's bedroom last night. Here, have a cup of coffee." Laura said letting the bacon fry as she poured a mug of coffee for Micaiah.
"Thanks, that is exactly what I need to wake up. Has Sothe slept there all night?" Micaiah asked seeing her husband asleep in Edward's chair.
"He's only been asleep for a couple of hours." Leonardo said working on their breakfast potatoes in another skillet beside Laura.
"Did you….pretty much get out every single breakfast food Edward had in his kitchen?" Micaiah asked looking at the wide assortment that was spread before her.
"I did actually. I was pretty drunk at the time…but this is a decision I don't regret." Leonardo told her.
"I don't regret your decision either." Micaiah said sitting down at the kitchen table.
"Micaiah, was Edward okay when you left? He and Mia drank so much last night I feel like I need to go make sure they are okay." Leonardo asked Micaiah.
"Bless your heart. When I got up Mia was literally on top of Edward but they are both sound asleep." Micaiah said.
"After Laura and I get everything cooked I'll take them a plate whether or not they feel like eating." Leonardo said.
"I do not remember falling asleep in the floor last night but I do remember my head spinning like crazy." Micaiah said. At this point the bacon was done, the sausage was done and it was time to start the potatoes and the eggs…but not together of course.
"So, Micaiah what do you want this morning? Scrambled eggs with cheese, pancakes, or sausage biscuits and gravy with potatoes?" Leonardo asked her.
"Yes." Micaiah answered. This was her way of saying she wanted a little bit of everything. Leonardo laughed.
"Perfect." Leonardo said searching for another skillet. Micaiah had a look on her face like she was thinking much too hard for this hour of the day.
"You were wearing gray last night…weren't you?" Micaiah asked. She could remember that but she couldn't remember falling asleep in Edward's bedroom?
"Yes, I was wearing gray last night. Today I'm wearing Edward's clothes." Leonardo said. "Do you want plain pancakes or strawberry pancakes?
"Strawberry is an option? I want the strawberry." Micaiah said.
"I'll do that and you put those biscuits in the oven." Laura said. Another tag team New Year's Day breakfast courtesy of Laura and Leonardo!