Chapter 23: Victoria
Day 53 of 365
Elena woke to Alexander's side of the bed, no, not his side, they didn't share a bed,to Alexander in the kitchen humming.
She padded out to find him attempting pancakes with the concentration of a surgeon.
"You're going to burn them," she said, trying not to smile.
"I'm following the recipe exactly." Alexander looked up, saw her in his oversized MIT shirt she'd stolen from his laundry, and forgot whatever he was saying.
"Is that my shirt?"
Elena looked down. "Maybe. Mine are all too tight now." Her hand moved to her belly, now unmistakably round at sixteen weeks.
"Keep it." His voice was rough. "It looks better on you."
The moment hung between them, charged with something neither wanted to name.
Then the smoke alarm shrieked.
"The pancakes!" Alexander lunged for the pan.
Elena laughed, really laughed and helped him salvage breakfast. They ate burned-edged pancakes and it felt dangerously like happiness.
