No. I was not in a coma. No. I was not killed then resurrected. I was alive the whole time.

I know how this story is going to turn out, but the problem is getting there, but rest assured that it will be completed in due time. Patience is what's necessary. This chapter is extremely short by the way.

CARLA AND ZACH

Joseph sighed deeply as he closed the door to the guest room. He leaned his head back against it and listened to the peals of laughter coming from the kitchen area. Trying to clear his mind of all the insulting things he'd said earlier, the young man embraced what, under normal circumstances, he would call noise. Being childless, it took him some time to adjust whenever his niece and nephew came over to visit.

He pushed himself away from the door, and started down the stairs to the kitchen. Still feeling unsettled, Joseph preferred to lean against the entryway wall instead of just waltzing inside. A smile crept onto his lips at the sight before him. His wife, niece and nephew all sat on high stools around the kidney bean shaped island in the middle of the kitchen. Grins were plastered over Zachary's and Carla's faces as they listened to one of their aunts traditional stories.

Whenever they came over they would beg Chan-Lee to tell them one of the stories that her grandmother used to tell her when she was a child living in China.

Occasionally, Zachary would turn his attention to the attractive plate of chocolate-chip cookies in front of him, or to the mug of warm milk close to it. Carla, on the other hand, never once took her eyes off of her aunt. She absorbed every word that came out of her mouth.

Joseph stood there watching them until Chan had completed her tale, and was about to be assaulted by the two young ones for more.

"Enjoying story time I see." He finally spoke up. Chan mouthed him a great 'thank you' as soon as the siblings turned towards him.

"Oh Uncle Joe, please ask Aunt Lee to tell us another story," Carla begged.

Joseph was about to respond, however, he was cut off by a yawn from Zachary. The warm milk had done a number on him.

"Come on, Carla. I'm sure Aunt Lee must be tired by now. There's always tomorrow." He slid down from his stool and stifled a yawn with one of his small hands. He grasped one of his sister's with the other. "I'm tired. Let's go to bed now, thsis," he lisped.

Carla pouted and wrenched her hand free from her little brother's grasp. "Well I'm not. Go to bed by yourself."

Zachary lowered his head and mumbled, "But Carla, you know I'm sthcared of the dark."

Carla turned her head in the other direction, adamant that she would not retire to bed.

Joseph kneeled down before both of them. He pulled Zachary, who was on the verge of tears, over to him and beckoned Carla to come closer.

When she did, he began, "Now Carla, be nice to your brother. Just go to bed a bit early tonight, okay. Besides, Aunt Lee and I need to talk."

Carla's eyes became downcast for a moment. Joseph felt like a jagged sword was being pulled out of his body. He hated to be the one who would add to Carla's and Zachary's misery. Both were disappointed by their parents enough – there was no need for him to make it worse.

Carla hesitated, "Can we make a deal?" A tinge of hope dusted her voice.

"Sure." Joseph lifted Zachary into his arms. The poor lad had fallen asleep.

"Will you stay to play with us one day? Please?"

Joseph kissed Carla on the forehead. "Of course Carla. You know I'd do anything for both of you."

Carla smiled then took hold of his hand. "It's off to bed then."

In a few moments Joseph was seated beside his wife in the living room. Both thought the change of scenery and atmosphere to be relaxing. Chan-Lee had her head rested in the crook of her husband's neck. "What was wrong with Lucas?"

Joseph released an instinctive sigh on hearing that name. His grip tightened around her waist. Chan furrowed her eyebrows with worry. Lifting her head from his neck, she examined his face carefully. "Sweetheart?" she stroked his cheek with her delicate fingers.

Joseph told her everything that happened between him and Lucas. He began tugging on his hair and rambling on and on about how guilty he felt, and at how terrible he must have made him feel.

Chan-Lee, well accustomed to her mate's outpouring of emotions, just held him close until he calmed down. She discovered that that was one of the only ways to effectively shut him up. "We'll deal with everything tomorrow, dear."

Joseph gave her a grateful and understanding smile before changing the topic. "Those two really have wonderful children."

Chan-Lee's eyes lit up at the mention of her two little balls of sunshine. "Aren't they the sweetest things?! I can't understand how Lucas can bear to leave them alone for so long."

"And disappoint them so often," he finished, averting his gaze to the mantelpiece nearby.

She pinched his cheek, then said, "We can just talk it over with him tomorrow. More importantly, I notice that you've been a bit warmer and more hospitable to them now."

Joseph looked down at her, but she stared down into her lap.

"I know how you feel about little children, so I wouldn't want to force you to interact with them much. It's just that I'm glad that you're bonding with them…" Her breath caught in her throat. She began to wonder how they even came to the touchy subject.

She let out a small gasp when Joseph pulled her closer to his warm body and buried his face in her hair. "I'll have to get used to them sooner or later. I know how much you want little ones to call your own."

Mmm. I actually don't like little kids. I find them annoying and I don't know how to please them, so that makes it worse.

I tried baking an orange cake earlier this evening. It came out okay. Just okay - not awesome like the chocolate one I baked a few weeks back.

Actually, I'm also not a big fan of baking. That's because I hate dealing with flour. I love eating, though, so as a gift from me to you, here is a foodie quote:

"Part of the secret of success in life is to eat what you like and let the food fight it out inside."
- Mark Twain