Ginika heard the shower in the master suite turn on earlier than she expected so she decided to head to the kitchen to get a start on breakfast. She had been lying in bed reading her iPad, trying to be quiet so as to not disturb Caroline and Nicola so they could sleep in. Since she was dying for a cup of tea the sound of the shower was a welcome one.

For the first time since she could remember, she awoke feeling almost pain free and energetic. The stiffness that had plagued her hip for months seemed to be giving way finally so she wanted to do something useful for a change. She started by setting the table in the breakfast nook. She was enjoying the ease of being able to maneuver without a cane when in the house and was pleased she was finally steady enough on her feet to be able to carry small items again.

About ten minutes after she heard the shower stop, she realized neither Caroline nor Nicola had joined her in the kitchen. She thought it unusual but since she didn't want to start the eggs until she saw the whites of their eyes, she decided to pass the time by having a second cuppa and making a list of all the things she thought she would need to attend to before returning to her flat.

Although she was grateful for all Nicola and Caroline had done for her, she liked living alone. She couldn't remember the last time she lived with someone. Part of what attracted her to Bernie was that he too valued his independence and didn't want them to move in together. When she told him she was retiring from teaching and was thinking about returning to England to be closer to Flora, he was sweet enough to ask her to reconsider and move in with him. It was an offer even Bernie knew there was no risk of her accepting but she appreciated it nonetheless.

First on the list was getting her car checked to make sure it was in proper running order; it hadn't been used in over two months and she assumed the battery was dead. She knew the doctor didn't want her to drive yet but she was ready. She was more than ready. She hated limitations. She didn't really do limitations but had only obeyed instructions the last two months because of Caroline's hawk-like eyes. The next agenda item was to ready the flat by getting it cleaned, followed by getting her mail redirected there as well.

She looked at the clock and decided it wasn't too early to call Chester, her dependable handyman, to arrange for him to have the car serviced; she was anxious to set her plan to reestablish her independence in motion before Caroline or anyone could talk her out of it.

With that task completed, she started on a list for the grocery store. After taking the last slug of tea in her mug, she scribbled a note to Caroline and Nicola to let them know she wanted to make them breakfast and to wait for her.

Tucked away under the covers, Caroline and Nicola were reveling in the afterglow when they heard Ginika turn on the shower. Caroline teased Nicola, "Glad she waited a bit or she wouldn't have had any hot water."

Nicola first responded with a chuckle. "Care to join me in the shower when she's done?" she said with a crooked smile and a raised eyebrow. "It would help conserve the hot water."

"You know, we said we would remodel that bathroom when we bought the house but it's been eight years now and we keep putting it off. Why don't we remodel it rather than just repaper it?" Caroline suggested. "You're right, it is looking shabby. Shabbier actually."

"Wouldn't it just be easier to move?" Nicola retorted. She dreaded the idea of having the bathroom out of commission and having workmen traipsing through their bedroom for weeks on end.

"Come on. It could be our tenth anniversary gift to each other. As soon as Ginika returns to her flat we'll have the guest bath back. It won't be so bad."

"Are you sure you wouldn't rather have an eternity ring? That's more of a traditional gift and doesn't come with a layer of construction dust everywhere," Nicola half teased. In secret, she'd always wanted one and had been planning to get them a matching pair but the expense of a new bathroom would scuttle that idea.

"New tile and flooring, new fixtures, better lighting, it won't be that bad, you'll see," Caroline said as she began her campaign in earnest. "I oversaw all the construction on Conway. All it takes is giving the workers the proper motivation to get the job done."

"And what kind of incentive would that be?" She considered her wife dubiously as she waited for the explanation.

Caroline giggled before admitting, "I always threatened to own the dangly bits of their anatomy if they didn't finish on time and on budget."

Nicola couldn't help but laugh at the image as Caroline wasn't one to make idle threats and was fully capable of making good on such a promise.

"Better lighting. Does that mean no more shadows on my face as I'm trying to decide if it's an errant hair or a fine wrinkle when I'm plucking my eyebrows?" she said as she began to resign herself to the idea. In truth, she had a hard time denying Caroline anything.

"You too? I thought that was just me," Caroline commiserated. "We could even have one of those lighted magnifying mirrors installed."

"Now you have my complete attention. Those things are one of the best parts about my hotel in Germany."

She knew Nicola always gave names to her bigger projects at work so she said, "We can call it the 'Magnify My Love Project'."

"With a name like that, how can I say no," she said with a hearty laugh, appreciating that she was breathing easier than when she awoke angry with Caroline. All seemed right in her world again, despite the impending fear of giving over control of their private world to contractors. "I'll call Angela later to get the name of the contractor they used for their sunroom renovation."

Caroline closed her eyes and wordlessly snuggled closer to Nicola. After a few minutes, the shower in the guest bath stopped and Nicola extricated herself from Caroline. As she swung her legs off her side of the bed, she said, "Come on, let's get a move on if we're to start bathroom shopping. Last one in the shower scrubs the other's back first."

Their mutual feeling of contentment abruptly ended when they heard a crashing sound coming from Ginika's room.