Page 55 of Fragile Love (Fragile 3)
“I decline to answer that question.”
Andrew tsked and got out a loaf of bread. “Smart one, you are. Almost as smart as me.”
“Thank you for lunch, Andrew!” Lillian called as she walked back to her room.
“Wait, aren’t you eating?”
“Call me when it’s done!”
“Where are you going?” he yelled.
“Back here until you’re ready to stop talking about sex!” She took refuge in her room, trying to focus on herself for a few minutes. Sitting on the floor, she opened her lingerie drawer again.
“Now,” she murmured to herself as she searched through everything, “what will Cayden want to get his hands on this weekend?”
SHE POURED THE SECOND cup of coffee, taking extra care to make it less coffee and more milk. After yesterday’s flare-up, she was on high alert to avoid her trigger foods at all costs.
Andrew was using her laptop in the living room. Jazz music was floating through the house, giving the particularly cold air some sense of intangible warmth. She joined him, plopping down in her reading chair and pulling a blanket over her legs. “Why is it so cold today?”
“Ask Jack Frost,” he said, not paying her much attention.
“What are you working on?”
He kept his eyes glued to the laptop screen, craning his neck over it intently. “Yesterday, when I sent my colleagues those documents they needed, they made some suggestions that would be more suitable for this thing we’re working on.”
“That’s so vague.”
“I’m distracted.”
“Sorry.” She shut her mouth and looked out the window. The only place she was planning on going today was the airport to pick up Cayden. Until then, she was making time to look through all the pages of Claire’s infamous “idea binder.” Most of the storage and space-efficient ideas weren’t usable in her house, but some of them would work very nicely. Lillian had already scribbled notes in the margins of the good ideas.
“It’s almost one,” she said at last. “Are you hungry?”
“I’ll be in a little while,” he replied, still focusing on the laptop.
“I’m going to eat something.” She got up, but before she could take a step the doorbell rang, accompanied by rapid knocking.
She and Andrew looked at each other suddenly. “What the heck?” he remarked, leaning to the side to look at the door.
“It’s locked,” Lillian said. “I’m not expecting anyone.”
“Do you know anyone who would try to get in the front door?”
“No.”
“Are you going to answer it?”
The bell rang again, and there was more knocking. She looked at Andrew. “I guess I have to, right?”
“I’ll be here. It’s broad daylight; I can’t imagine anything horrible happening.”
“Thanks for the comforting thought,” she said, walking on her tiptoes to the door. Cautiously, she unlocked it and opened it.
There, on her front porch, stood Cayden and Katharina.
“What the...” She stared, her mouth agape.
“Darling!” Katharina embraced her, and kissed her on both cheeks. “Surprise!”
