Baker Boy ~ T.N

Chapter Three

Closing the door behind her, she could hear Theo leaving — the echo of the leather soles of his shoes filling the hallway. She let herself fall against the door, her back against the hardwood and she let out a deep sigh. She almost regretted not inviting him in for a drink, but Martha felt she needed to get to know Theo a little bit better before making any advances.

Even if it was just a drink.

Even if she wanted more.

Setting her bag on the table, she placed her keys into the dish on the sideboard and toed of her heels. The wooden floorboards were cold against the soles of her feet, and the sensation was soothing after wearing them all day long.

The early evening was drawing in and so Martha decided it was time to settle down for the night. She stepped into the kitchen area and filled the kettle up with water before switching it on to boil. She opened the cupboard in front of her and grabbed a plain white china tea cup and matching saucer — taking the box of Yorkshire Tea she'd brought from home, she dropped a bag into the mug and placed the box back in the cupboard.

Whilst the kettle boiled, she tidied up a little bit. Making sure everything was in it's respective place; neat and tidy and clean, just the way she liked it. Keeping the environment around her tidy, kept her mind at bay from unnecessary stresses.

When the switch of the kettle clicked to signify it had finished boiling, Martha poured the water into the cup and watched as the tea defused, turning the clear water a dark shade of caramel. Side stepping across to the fridge, she poured in a drop of milk and placed the milk back into its place on the inside door of the fridge.

Martha gave her strong cup of tea a stir with a teaspoon, tapping the edge of the cup to get rid of any excess before she placed it on the side of the saucer. She picked up the saucer by the rim and carried her drink out to the balcony, gently setting it down on the table and sinking into the chair next to it.

Extending her legs, she propped them up to rest on the other chair opposite her, legs crossed at the ankles; she leant back into the plush cushion of the chair, clasping her hands in her lap, she let her head rest against the back of the chair and admired the Paris skyline.

Leaning forward she picked up the cup and saucer and reclined back into the chair, the saucer resting in her lap against her left thigh. She brought the cup up to her lips with her right hand and sipped with caution, making sure she didn't burn her mouth on the scalding liquid. She hummed in content when it was just right.

She spent the next hour watching the skyline turn from turquoise to coral, watching as the clouds rolled across the sky and the stars came peaking out. The humid air dissipated and a cold chill licked her skin, covering it in goosebumps.

Martha spent the rest of her evening relaxing, fixing herself something up for dinner and making a mental note to go food shopping at some point tomorrow.

She drew herself a bath, sinking under the bubbles releasing any left over first day tensions and anxieties. She curled up on the sofa afterwards and flicked through the pages of the fashion magazines that were left on the coffee table. Admiring the hard work and intricate designs of some of the most renowned fashion designers across the globe.

When drowsiness began to wash over her, Martha made her way to her bedroom and clambered onto the mattress, settling herself under the plush duvet and allowing it to engulf her small frame. She sank into the comfort of the mattress and slowly allowed herself to succumb to the days exhaustion, her eyelids fluttered shut and part of her wondered if she'd dream of a handsome baker.

~*~

The rest of the week had flown by pretty quickly, the majority of her time had been spent at the gallery or settling into the apartment - making sure all the cupboards and the fridge were stocked with the essentials. She also took the time to allow herself to develop a somewhat form of a routine, something to keep her organised and prevent her from doing everything last minute and then running around like a headless chicken.