Foreword

Chapter 3

"Dinner's almost ready, did you two set the table yet?" Anna poked her head out of the kitchen to glance at the dining table, and seeing that it was empty, she clucked her tongue disapprovingly.

"Boys, come on!"

Mike and Otis scrambled to their feet and rushed to fulfill their duty. Dining utensils and napkins were whipped out. Cups were filled with water and plates were placed. At last, a table coaster was laid out at the center of the table for the pot of spaghetti.

"Alright, here we go. Make way for the Anna Express! Choo choo!" she emerged from the kitchen, firmly holding a pot of spaghetti. She placed it on the coaster and nodded approvingly, wiping her hands on her jeans.

The Shinodas all took their seat and performed their usual routine before they ate, and loaded their plates with the pasta.

"This is amazing, Anna. I just can't figure out how you do it." Mike grinned. "I end up burning water- that's how bad I am at cooking!"

"What can I say? Mom magic." Anna giggled.

"Dinner today is yummy, mommy!" their son mumbled through a mouthful of spaghetti.

"Glad you like it, sweetie." she smiled warmly.

After they finished dinner, cleaned up after themselves and did the dishes, each of the Shinodas headed to wrap up for the night and immersed themselves in various activities after showering and brushing their teeth. Otis did his homework and colored in his coloring books, Anna slipped on her reading glasses to curl up with a novel, while Mike watched TV in the living room.

At around 7:30, Otis had sleepily dragged himself off to his bed and Anna trailed after him to tuck him in and read a short story to him. Planting a kiss on his head, she turned around and closed the door quietly behind her.

"Anna, honey, can I speak to you about something?" Mike called out.

"Shh," she shushed him furiously. "You'll wake Otis, you butthead!"

"Oops."

"Forgiven." Anna sat down next to him and smiled, laying her head on Mike's shoulder, who wrapped an arm around her to pull her closer.

"So what was it that you wanted to discuss?"

"Oh, Joe and I met a guy that was interested in starting a band. He seemed like a nice guy and I was thinking I could take him up on his offer and join his band as a side project. It'll be fun, I suppose."

"Hey, why not? Whatever makes you happy! As long as it doesn't interfere with your job or our family I'm okay with it. And yes, I'm sure it'll be a fun experience. Then when you're old you can tell everyone, 'when I was your age I was in a band!'" she cackled. "Did you tell Otis about your thoughts yet?"

"Yup, he told me it was okay and that he didn't think you'd like it if I had fans following me around all day. If he was older I would've thought that that was his way of saying you would get jealous of all the fangirls attracted to my looks, if I must say so myself..." Mike wiggled his eyebrows teasingly, while his wife shoved him lightly.

"Hey, watch it, mister." she grinned.

The two of them sat there in silence for awhile, breathing in each other's scent and listening to the quiet dripping of the faucet from the kitchen.

"Well, let's head off to bed, shall we?" Mike got up, and Anna responded with a nod, following her husband to their bedroom.

The couple stripped down to their undergarments, pulled on their pajamas, and slipped into the giant bed before them. Drifting off to sleep, Mike planted a sweet kiss onto Anna's lips and murmured a simple message into her fruit-scented hair: "I love you."