The Only

One Hundred and One

Light filtered in from the only cabin window in the living room area where ornate curtains with intricate designs caused the rays to scatter, peppering the couch and floor with dotted beams. As the sun slowly crept past the mid-afternoon sky, a single ray crossed paths with one of Max's still shut eyelids causing the girl to stir. Upon waking she heard the crinkling and rustling of bags, footsteps pattering around, a knife chopping, the fridge opening and closing, and the kitchen faucet turning on and off. Standing up to stretch, the groggy brunette smiled as varied scents of freshly prepped food filled the air.

"Hey, love," Chloe softly spoke, as she looked over at her partner from the other side of the kitchen countertops. "Look what I found. Badass, right?" She pointed up towards her head as if Max hadn't noticed the over-sized white chef toque. She extended her arm and pointed her chopping knife out and towards her lover.

"Oh my, that's perfect, Chlo. Stay right there." The photographer giggled then located her cellphone on the couch where she had just been sleeping. She snapped a picture then set it as her home screen background. She had been meaning to change the pic for months. Walking around the countertop partition that split the kitchen and the living room, the shorter girl stood on the balls of her feet to give her fiancé a light kiss.

"One hundred and one," the taller girl said, after releasing their lips and with a seemingly newfound understanding of their situation, grinning with joy. "We deserve a romantic evening tonight, so I'm cooking for you. Didn't know how long you'd nap, but I couldn't bring myself to waking you up; I love watching you sleep."

"I feel the same way, Chlo. This whole thing has been a roller coaster of emotions. But now that we know there is a path leading towards a happy future, all I wanna do is spend time with you." As Chloe continued to prep the meal, Max noticed her favorite person had showered and was wearing a chef coat to match her hat. Suddenly, it dawned on the girl, her chef didn't have much on underneath. When she turned her back towards the room it was clear she was only wearing matching black silk bra and panties. "Ooh, la, la," the gawking girl said, as she turned and grabbed some fresh clothes from her bag and headed for a shower herself, excited about what she knew would happen later.

In the bathroom, Max could still smell the chicken and vegetables being cooked in the adjacent room. She finished washing and dried off, then put her shorts and Xena graphic tee on. As much fun as it was to cosplay as a younger version of herself, she was glad to be out of the grey hoodie and jeans.

When she exited the bathroom and entered the kitchen, she noticed a random flickering of lights and a tall, beautiful blue-haired girl propped up against the table where their dinner had been completed and plated. The overhead lights were off, and the curtains were drawn. The candle flames danced in the air creating a rippling effect adding a romantic ambiance to the walls and ceiling.

"Hi," the chef said, welcoming her fiancé to the table. "I hope you like it. I love cooking for you." She pulled out a chair and stretched a hand out to lead her partner to her seat. Once sat, she removed her chef coat and put on an oversized tee-shirt, then took her seat at the opposite side of the table.

"I'm sure I'll love it, babe," the younger girl responded. "Your cooking has always been wonderful. Hey," she continued, "thank you for this. It means a lot to me." Chloe still had a mischievous and impish quality about her, which Max absolutely adored, but she also had a soft and goopy heart.

"You wanted a romantic evening; you get a romantic evening. I still want to make every moment with you feel special, and I hope tonight will be one of those moments we'll never forget for the rest of our lives."

"Every second we're together is special to me. Every beat of your heart is a treasure, babe." She stretched her arms out across the table and over the food holding both of her partner's hands. Only their fingertips and thumbs could reach but it was more than enough. When they touched, it was like the universe stopped to take notice, never ceasing to look away.