A Long and Lonely Mile

Chapter 10

Teaching a man from the 1700's how to use an Aeropress is a surprisingly simple task. Or rather, Marigold found that it was less of a challenge than showing Giselle or Jake how to make even a halfway decent cup of coffee with it. A mere ten minutes into her "lesson", she applauded Tavington as he flipped the transparent, coffee-filed device without spilling a drop.

"That's the fun part, in my opinion!" As she drew back the curtains, the early morning light fused with her kitchen's sunny décor. Tavington looked on lovingly as she flitted about the kitchen in a borderline skip. "Giselle spilled coffee all over her knitting project and gave up on the Aeropress all together. And Jake? Well, he looks tough but cried like a baby when the boiling water splashed onto his hand." She laughed, wrinkling her nose much to Tavington's adoration and delight. "Amateurs."

He pulled out a chair at the kitchen table and requested that she sit. As she walked past him, he caught a wave of fragrance that was left over from when she toned her face with rosewater earlier. It drew him in and made him crave a second and perhaps, even a third passing from his energetic little hummingbird. "You first, my love! I need to know the exact makings of your perfect cup of coffee."

Marigold hesitated. She wasn't used to being waited on. Even when she was married to Henry, breakfast in bed and similar gestures were limited to very special occasions. But when Tavington crossed to her hanging display of coffee mugs and gestured at them in the most presentational, "enter for your chance to win this fine television set" fashion, she couldn't help but climb on board. "You're really serious?"

"I am! Let's see, we have... five hummingbird cups, but we don't pass judgement in this establishment, so all is well. The... what does that say? Huffle...puff? Cup. Portland State University, Gilbert and Sullivan Festival, Hogwarts Wasn't Hiring So I Teach Muggles Instead... I have no idea what that means..."

Marigold covered her face but her fit of laughter still bled through. It was no mystery that she was completely smitten. "The bumble bee mug, William. Please."

"One bumble bee mug for you and one... good heavens... Rose City Birdwatchers Guild mug for me. Very well then! Giselle mentioned something about hazelnut the other day and I know you're not a fan of overly-sweet beverages rendering you an oddity amongst other hummingbirds, no doubt," a tiny wink, "so, you will have to instruct me on the syrup portioning," he removed a large container of hazelnut syrup from the spice cabinet and started to struggle with it.

"Remember when I showed you how to get the hand soap out of the bottle? Same thing. You press down on the... there you go... just twice." She clapped her hands again, "God, you're a fast learner! You're going to do splendidly at work today, I can already tell."

Not only was he "all smiles" this morning, but he looked so natural in Marigold's living space that she couldn't take her eyes off him. He was meant to be there, with her, all those long and lonely years.

"Splash of milk, just like your tea, I assume?"
She rose and met him halfway through his walk.

"You know me all too well." He would have protested her getting up, but the lightest, sweetest kiss on the mouth as she accepted the steaming cup remedied her deviation. "It's perfect. Thank you for doing this for me."

After sipping their coffee and finishing a small but satisfying breakfast of whole grain toast with a liberal smearing of the divine creation that is Trader Joe's Cookie Butter, they readied themselves for the day. Marigold offered to drive Tavington to work. She talked him through the basics of starting the engine, the various brakes and what their functions were, and how much (how little) gas was required to go certain speeds.

"Now, before we have our first official 'lesson' this weekend, I want you to remember to ease into the stops. Unlike my brother. I have bruises on my shoulder from how poorly that idiot handles stop signs."