Across The Hallway

CHAPTER 23

THE LAST SLICE

The morning light was different today. The heavy, grey clouds of the previous night had vanished, replaced by a soft, golden warmth that filtered through the curtains, illuminating the living room in a way that felt fresh and new.

Christine stirred at the faint smell drifting through the apartment. She frowned as she slowly opened her eyes. It wasn't the familiar aroma of freshly brewed coffee.

Something was burning.

She slipped out of bed and followed the smell into the kitchen.

Jeffrey stood by the counter, his sleeves rolled up, carefully scraping the burnt edges off a slice of toast with a butter knife. Burnt crumbs were scattered across the chopping board while a fresh pot of coffee sat beside him, filling the kitchen with its familiar aroma.

He looked up when he heard her footsteps and gave her a sheepish smile. "Morning." He glanced down at the toast in his hand before scratching the back of his neck. "I got a little distracted."

Christine's eyes drifted to the empty bread bag on the counter before returning to the toast in his hand. "That was the last slice, wasn't it?"

Jeffrey followed her gaze and let out a quiet sigh. "Yeah." A small smile found its way onto his face. "Found that out a little too late."

She walked over and stopped beside him, studying the toast for a moment. "You're still going to eat that?"

He scraped away one last burnt corner before looking at it like he was deciding whether it was worth saving. "Well..." He shrugged. "Even if I burned the toast, at least I didn't burn your house."

Christine stared at him for a second before a laugh escaped her. "That's a pretty low standard."

"I know." Jeffrey chuckled, setting the butter knife on the counter. "But I'll take it."

She shook her head, the smile refusing to leave her face. "Give me that."

Jeffrey handed her the toast without arguing.

Christine looked it over, scraped away one stubborn burnt edge, then broke it cleanly in half. She glanced at the empty bread bag again before handing one piece back to him. "There's no bread left."

Jeffrey looked at the piece in his hand and laughed quietly. "I guess we're sharing burnt toast."

Christine took the other half before leaning against the counter. "We don't exactly have another option."

Jeffrey nodded and took a bite. He chewed slowly, then looked down at the toast again. "Honestly..." He took another bite before looking back at her. "It's not as bad as I expected."

Christine raised an eyebrow, watching him with an amused look. "Are you trying to convince me or yourself?"

Jeffrey thought about it for a second before laughing. "Probably myself."

Still smiling, Christine walked to the refrigerator and looked inside. She pulled out a carton of eggs before closing the door with her hip.

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Jeffrey watched her reach for a bowl and frowned slightly. "You don't have to."

"I know." Christine cracked the first egg into the bowl before reaching for another. She noticed the guilty look creeping onto his face and glanced up at him with a small smile. "I appreciate you trying to let me sleep."

Jeffrey rubbed the back of his neck, looking almost embarrassed. "That was the plan."

Christine whisked the eggs together before looking over her shoulder at him. "But burnt toast isn't much of a breakfast."

Burnt Toast – Part 1B

Jeffrey smiled sheepishly before walking to the cabinet. "Do you at least have butter?"

Christine looked over her shoulder while whisking the eggs. "Second shelf."

Jeffrey opened the cabinet, spotted the butter almost immediately, and let out a quiet laugh. "Well... at least I got one thing right."

Christine smiled to herself as she poured the eggs into the pan. "You found butter."

Jeffrey closed the cabinet and shrugged, unable to hide his grin. "I'll take whatever victory I can get."

Christine couldn't help laughing softly as the butter melted in the pan. The smell of scrambled eggs slowly replaced the burnt scent that had filled the kitchen only moments before.

Jeffrey buttered the two pieces of toast before placing them on separate plates. He opened a drawer, took out two forks, and carried everything to the table while Christine finished cooking.

A minute later, Christine divided the eggs between the two plates and carried them over. She set one in front of Jeffrey before taking the seat across from him.

Jeffrey looked down at the breakfast for a moment before meeting her eyes. "Thanks."

Christine rested her fork against her plate, studying him for a second. "For what?"

Jeffrey smiled to himself before looking back at the eggs. "For saving breakfast."

Christine let out a quiet laugh as she picked up her fork. "I only made eggs."

Jeffrey shook his head before reaching for his coffee. "You also saved my confidence."

Christine looked at him over the rim of her mug, amused by how serious he sounded. "I don't think your confidence was ever in danger."

Jeffrey laughed at himself before taking a bite of the eggs. "It was the moment I realized I'd burned the last slice."

Christine smiled into her coffee before taking a sip. "I believe that."

They started eating, the conversation giving way to a comfortable silence that neither of them felt the need to interrupt.

After another bite, Jeffrey nodded to himself as he looked down at his plate. "Okay... you were right."

Christine looked up from her breakfast, pretending not to know what he meant. "About?"

Jeffrey pointed at the eggs with his fork. "They saved breakfast."

A satisfied smile spread across Christine's face. "I usually am."

Jeffrey laughed and shook his head. "I walked right into that one."

Christine took another bite before looking back at him. "You did."

The conversation drifted naturally after that. They talked about the weather finally clearing after the storm, whether they should stop by the grocery store after work, and how neither of them had noticed the bread was running out until that morning.

At one point, Jeffrey glanced toward the empty bread bag still sitting on the counter. "I'll replace it."

Christine followed his gaze before looking back at him. "You don't have to."

Jeffrey shrugged as he reached for his mug again. "I know. But I burned the last slice. Feels like I should."

Christine thought about it for a moment before smiling. "Then buy two loaves." She watched the confused look on his face before adding, "In case you burn one again."

Jeffrey blinked before laughing so hard he nearly spilled his coffee. "That's fair."

Christine couldn't stop herself from laughing with him.

By the time they finished breakfast, both coffee mugs were nearly empty. Christine gathered the plates while Jeffrey reached for them. "I'll wash those."

Christine looked at him, the plates still in her hands. "You already made breakfast."

Jeffrey glanced at the burnt toast crumbs still clinging to one of the plates before smiling at himself. "I think that's a generous way of describing what happened."

A laugh slipped out before Christine could stop it. She handed him the plates anyway. "Fine. You wash. I'll put everything else away."

Jeffrey nodded and carried the dishes to the sink while Christine returned the eggs to the refrigerator and wiped the counter clean. Neither of them spoke much after that. They moved around the small kitchen without getting in each other's way, settling into an easy rhythm that felt surprisingly natural.

A few minutes later, Jeffrey dried his hands with a dish towel before glancing at the clock on the wall. His smile softened. "I should probably head home. I still need to change before I go to the office."

Christine looked at the clock herself before giving a small nod. "Yeah... I get it." She wanted to ask him to stay a little longer. Instead, she picked up the two empty coffee mugs and carried them to the sink.

Jeffrey noticed the hesitation in her voice but didn't say anything about it. He simply walked over, gently took one of the mugs from her hand, and smiled. "I'll get this."

Christine let go of the mug and looked at him with an amused smile. "You really don't like sitting still, do you?"

Jeffrey laughed quietly as he placed the mug beside the sink. "I've been told that before."

The week went by in a blur of shared coffees, quick glances across the room, and conversations that lasted long into the evening. Things between them had settled into a comfortable rhythm. The nervous tension was gone, and without even trying, they naturally started acting like a couple.

By late Friday afternoon, the busy work week was finally winding down.

Christine walked down the hallway and stopped at Jeffrey's office. He was squinting slightly at his monitor, looking a bit tired, but when he noticed her in the doorway, he smiled.

She walked in and let the glass door click shut behind her. "Do you have work tomorrow?" she asked, stopping in front of his desk.

Jeffrey leaned back in his chair, rubbing the back of his neck to stretch. "No, not much," he answered, looking curious. "Why?"

Christine paused for a second. She took a quiet breath, her fingers lightly tapping against the edge of his desk. It was a big step, but seeing him sitting there made her feel calm. "I would like to invite you for dinner."

Jeffrey raised an eyebrow. "Where?"

Christine smiled as she looked at him. "I want you to meet my mom and dad for dinner tomorrow."