The warmth of the stove and the sharp, inviting smell of cheese melting over eggs helped to further steady Link from the strange horrors of his slumber. After beating the eggs some more, he reached into the cupboard above him for plates and set them next to him. The clanging of Corelle kitchenware on the countertop drowned out some of the creaking of the front door to the farmhouse.
"Truck's ready to go!"
Link turned around to see Saria tromping into the kitchen and wringing her hands; splotches of black dotted her palms and a couple of her nails, but they returned to their fair color after a quick rinse and a splash of soap.
Link chuckled and kept his eye on breakfast. "Always a new way to say good morning, huh, Saria? Never enjoy any of the classics."
"Some of them," Saria replied as she dried her hands. She then lightly gripped Link's left shoulder and gave him a short, firm kiss on the lips. "But why not get some work out of the way while you're greeting someone?"
"Speaking of work…"
"More oil." Saria cut Link off, heading to the other side of the kitchen and pulling the top off the coffee container, spoon at the ready. "And new spark plugs, like…"
"Like you told me," Link said. "I know, I know. You try remembering to make a pit stop after getting the horses settled after all that thunder and lightning last night."
Saria shook her head, taking the coffee pot and filling it with water. She put it back and flipped the on switch.
"Write it dooooown," she teased. "Or put an alarm on your phone. Or carve it into the wall. Whatever."
"Whatever," Link repeated, doling out helpings of eggs onto four plates and then turning his attention to making toast. Pushing the lever on the toaster down, he turned to glance at the young lady next to him. She looked in his direction as well and both flashed each other a smile as each other's eyes met, bringing them both a familiar warmth. However, Saria's cheerful look faded as Link turned away.
"Link, what's wrong?" she asked, placing four cups down as the bittersweet aroma of coffee dripped into the pot.
"Hm? Nothing's wrong."
The toaster lever popped up and Link rotated the crisp bread from the device with four more soft slices, pushing it down again. He narrowed his gaze to his work, trying to shake the feeling and keep busy. That didn't stop the bootsteps.
"Link…"
He tilted his head to meet Saria's, her arm wrapped around his waist. He turned a little more and locked eyes with her once more, hazel meeting jade.
"You had that dream again…"
"Gooooood mornin'!"
The couple broke apart to see the old man step into the kitchen, his smile wider than any of the wrinkles on his face. He stuffed a pair of work gloves into his denim jacket and came toward the two.
"Whoa, sorry!" he cried in his loud, gruff voice, feigning a retreat. "Didn't mean to spoil your Kodak moment, there."
"It's okay, Grandad," Link said with a snicker. "Wait, Kodak?"
"Another classic," Saria whispered.
"Okay, okay, Hallmark moment," Link's grandfather declared, throwing an arm around the young duo. He then lightly ran his knuckle across Link's face. "Smells like one of their movies in here."
Saria laughed. "And you like one of the commercials during the movie. Run out of manly soap there, Fabian?"
Fabian chortled as he poured everyone a mug of coffee. "Ah, ran out so I had to use Shannon's. Anything's better than mud."
"You'll be stepping into plenty of that today, old man," his wife replied, quickly striding into the room and tapping him in the stomach with her elbow. She then made sure to give her husband, her grandson, and his partner a peck on the cheek before taking her mug and sitting on one of the white wooden stools surrounding the small breakfast table. "We all will." She then pointed to Saria and said, "At least we'll have fun and look good doing it."
Saria giggled and flipped the collar of her sea-green short jacket. She had a darker shade pair of shorts on to complement it. Shannon herself wore jeans and a mint gingham shirt.
As Link collected the plates of food and passed them out as Saria and Fabian sat down, his grandfather took a look at the ladies and then his grandson, tugging at the sleeve of his viridian button-down.
"Geez, I missed the St. Patrick's parade invite today," Fabian quipped, slapping Link's arm as he sat down to join the others. Link just shrugged.
"Oh, thank you, Link," Shannon said after taking some bites of her breakfast. "These eggs are perfect."
"No problem, Grandma. Glad you like 'em," Link said back, allowing a small smile to crease his lips before looking at Saria. "Had plenty of time to get them right after not checking the truck out." Saria crunched a half of one of her toast slices in response.
"As long as we don't have to carry the deliveries in bindles," Saria jested.
'Should be a nice day later anyway," Fabian interjected, sipping some coffee. "Could always take the horses."
Laughter entered the room once more. Link stretched in his seat and looked through the lattice window above the sink. He could see the first ray of sunshine pierce the waning cover of night. He took a deep breath and turned back to everyone eating.