Classes have been going much better since the soufflé incident. The students are inquisitive and eager to try new recipes and you find their enthusiasm contagious. It's exactly what you hoped for when you applied for the job, to share your love of cooking with others who want to love it too. And at the end of an eight-hour day, you come home to Helena.
A smile crosses your face at the thought of her. Helena is nothing if not enthusiastic about eating good food, but the preparation of said good food has had its own mishaps. Your first couple lessons with her, she was completely lost in the kitchen, not knowing the difference between a whisk and a spatula, but she's a quick study and is beginning to feel more comfortable about the kitchen. Preparing dinner together is also the perfect time to catch up on your days spent away from each other.
When you unlock the door to your apartment, it is to find Helena in the living room, practicing a piece of music as she sits with her back strait and posture perfect, even with an ever-growing stomach to fit her pregnancy. It's unexpected to find her here practicing. She usually stays behind her closed bedroom door for that, but you find yourself completely entranced to see her this way, so focused and consumed by the music.
Helena is unaware you've stepped into the apartment, so lost is she in her music. You watch her silently for many minutes, observing the way her fingers curve over the strings just so, fingers that are long and tapered, they touch the strings with a gentleness and familiarity you're envious of. And the way she cradles the violin to her, almost like an extension of her body, the music just flows from her.
You're startled then when the music stops abruptly. Helena has dropped the violin to her knee as her hand still holding the bow falls to her stomach. You can't read the expression on her face and so stumble forward in panic.
"Helena, are you alright?" you ask, unable to keep the fear from your voice, laying a gentle hand on her shoulder.
She looks up at you then, surprised to see you there at all, you're sure, and then she smiles wide. "The baby…I think they just kicked me," she laughs.
The relief you feel at knowing she is okay has your mind racing as you try to control the beating of your heart. You know now that you are in love with this woman sitting before you, a smile on her lips as she excitedly grasps your hand, placing it to touch her stomach.
"Yes, there, do you feel it?" she asks breathless.
There is a gentle vibration against your hand at the baby's kick and you feel your throat become dry from the combination of Helena's touch and the baby's kick. Incapable of speech, you can only nod.
"It's the first time I've ever felt the baby kick," she speaks awed. "It feels rather like a butterfly has been set loose in there," she can't help but laugh again and you find yourself doing the same.
Her hand remains covering yours over her stomach until at last the movement inside settles. Her deep brown eyes rest on yours then and it suddenly occurs to you how close you are to her in this moment. You could easily lean forward to brush her lips in a soft kiss, but then she drops her hand away, and you quickly do the same before rising to your full height again.
"I'm sorry, Myka, I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable," Helena speaks rising also.
"No, you didn't," you try to assure. "I'm…glad you shared the moment with me," you speak awkwardly grasping the back of your neck.
Helena smiles shyly then. "I'm glad you were here to share it with me," she speaks softly. "How long were you here before the baby kicked?" she asks suddenly curious.
You feel a blush rise in your cheeks and berate yourself that she can so easily see through you. "Not too long…I just got home…and I heard you playing…you're so focused when you play…and I didn't want to startle you…and I like listening to you…" You know you're rambling now and probably would continue to do so but the smile that grows on Helena's features is enough to make your breath catch in your throat, rendering you blissfully silent once more.
"You don't mind my playing then?" Helena asks.
"Not at all, you're incredible, Helena," you breathe and wonder if the slight tinting of her cheeks is an actual blush. Surely not, you decide; it's just a little warm in the apartment.
"Thank you, darling," she speaks sincerely. "If you truly like to hear me play, then I won't confine myself to my bedroom any longer. I must admit I prefer to practice in this room as it will also allow me better access to the heavenly smells that waft from the kitchen at your expert hands," she quips with a grin. "What, pray tell, do you have in store for dinner tonight?" she asks genuinely curious.
You laugh. "I was thinking of making lasagna, if you like?"
Helena's eyes widen as she nods rigorously. "Yes, please. I love lasagna."
"Good," you smile. "You just finish that piece you were playing before the little one made their presence known, while I get things ready, and when you finish, you can receive a lesson on how to make lasagna."
You watch as Helena turns back and settles again in her chair, cradling the violin to her. "I'll be right there," she promises with a grin before her look turns focused as she touches bow to strings and gets lost in her music once more.
You make your way to the kitchen then, trying to calm the beating of your heart.
Helena moans over the lasagna you've prepared together tonight. Actually moans, and the sound that escapes those perfect lips is just obscene enough to have you lose your breath and be thankful you're already sitting, for otherwise your knees would surely have been too weak to hold you.
She looks at you with a raised eyebrow and smirk firmly in place as if she knows exactly how it affects you. Maybe she does, you concede, as you suddenly realize you sit frozen with your own fork held in midair.
You feel heat rise in you cheeks and try to smile. "It's good then?" you ask a little breathlessly.
"Divine," Helena confirms. "Aren't you going to try some?"
"Oh, yeah, right," you mutter as you quickly slip a forkful into your mouth. As the favorable pasta hits your tongue, you don't realize you've released a moan of your own until you catch Helena's smug look.
When the meal is finished, Helena pushes back from the table with a content sigh. "You spoil me, Myka," she smiles before taking a sip of water. "I'm going to gain weight just by the food you feed me, let alone any baby weight.
You smile at her. "It's important to eat well, which means healthy, for you and the baby. Your body needs the extra protein."
"Does my body also need the double fudge brownie you've baked for dessert?" she challenges with a quirked eyebrow.
You shrug then. "Maybe not," you concede. "We could give it away to the neighbors?" you suggest.
"Bite your tongue," Helena laughs. "I've been dreaming of that brownie since I saw you prepare it. But I should probably find a way to burn off some of these unnecessary calories."
Suddenly her eyes shine with excitement. "We could go for a walk," she enthuses, "I could show you my city."
You smile then, because that actually sounds perfect.
Less perfect perhaps is the fact that it is raining and with two umbrellas between you, it's difficult to hear everything Helena is trying to tell you about the sights and sounds of London.
Exasperated at last with having to repeat herself once more as you step through the park, you watch as Helena closes her umbrella and drops it to her side before she steps under yours.
"That's better," she speaks, her eyes alight as she steps close to you, "isn't it?"
You nod as your breath catches in your throat at the sight of her looking up at you with a smile on her lips. There are raindrops glittering in her dark hair and you reach out without thought to brush fingertips through her hair, feeling the cool drops on your skin.
It's her audible gasp that brings you back to yourself and you drop your hand away self-consciously. "I'm sorry," you shake your head, "the rain…"
"It's quite alright," Helena breathes. After a moment she loops her arm through yours. "Shall we continue then? I believe a brownie lies in wait for us," she remarks lightly and you find yourself smiling at her words, pulling her infinitesimally closer, though by the grin Helena gives you, she's noticed just the same.