When Love is a Question Mark
Chapter 36: Their new everyday life

Chapter 36: Their new everyday life

As Zinnia stepped into their house, her shoulders relaxed slightly, feeling the familiar atmosphere that had been missing during her stay at the hospital. Samuel followed closely behind, carrying her bags and placing them gently on the table near the entrance.

"I’m going to take a shower first," Zinnia said, her voice light but tired. "I didn’t really get the chance while I was at the hospital."

Samuel nodded, watching her with soft eyes. "Of course. Take your time. You deserve it after everything."

Before she could walk away, he added, "What do you want for breakfast? We haven’t eaten anything yet since leaving the hospital."

Zinnia stopped, glancing back at him, surprised. It wasn’t like Samuel to ask her what she wanted to eat; in fact, it had always been her preparing their meals. She had gotten so used to that dynamic that hearing him ask threw her off.

"Uh... maybe some scrambled eggs with toast, bacon, and fruit? But... are you going to get something from outside?" she asked, half-expecting him to pick up breakfast from one of the nearby cafés.

Samuel chuckled softly. "No, I’ll handle it."

Zinnia raised her eyebrows, still processing the fact that he was offering to cook. "Really? You’ll make it yourself?"

He gave her a gentle smile. "Yeah, I’ve got it. You go shower, and I’ll take care of everything."

Still slightly surprised, Zinnia didn’t dwell on it and simply smiled. "Okay... I’ll leave it to you then."

"See you in a bit. I’ll be in the dining room when you’re done," Samuel said, already turning toward the kitchen.

As Zinnia walked off to her room to take a much-needed shower, Samuel got to work. Opening the refrigerator and cabinets, he scanned through what they had. He realized that a few ingredients for Zinnia’s breakfast request were missing, especially the fresh fruit and some herbs he liked to use.

He quickly pulled out his phone and called Timmy, his reliable assistant. "Timmy, I need you to grab a few things for me. Eggs, fresh strawberries, blueberries, some croissants, and orange juice. Hurry up."

Timmy, on the other end of the call, sounded groggy at first. "Boss, it’s barely morning..."

"Yeah, yeah, I know. But it’s important," Samuel interrupted. "I’m cooking breakfast for Zinnia."

Suddenly, Timmy’s mood shifted. "Wait, you’re cooking? For Miss Zinnia?"

"Yeah, and I need those ingredients now, so hurry," Samuel said, already planning the meal in his head. "I’ll be waiting."

Timmy chuckled, the tiredness in his voice gone. "Okay, boss. I’m on it."

Not long after, Timmy arrived with the groceries. Samuel quickly opened the door, took the bags, and without much conversation, gestured for Timmy to leave. "Thanks, Timmy. Appreciate it."

Timmy stood there for a second, smirking. "Good luck, boss. Cooking for Miss Zinnia, huh? You’ve really got this."

Samuel rolled his eyes but couldn’t hide his smile as he shut the door. After putting everything on the counter, he got to work. He cracked the eggs into a bowl, whisking them with some milk, salt, and pepper, making sure the texture was just right. He then sliced fresh strawberries and blueberries, setting them aside to add a sweet, fresh touch to the meal.

He moved on to frying crispy bacon while the croissants were warming in the oven. The scent of butter, eggs, and sizzling bacon soon filled the kitchen. The orange juice was poured into a carafe, ready for Zinnia’s arrival.

By the time Zinnia emerged from her room, dressed casually but looking refreshed, the mouthwatering smell had already hit her senses. The house smelled like a mix of freshly baked croissants, bacon, and the tang of freshly squeezed orange juice.

She walked toward the dining room and saw Samuel setting the table, placing plates of scrambled eggs, bacon, and croissants with butter and jam, alongside fresh fruit and a pitcher of orange juice. Her eyes widened in surprise.

"You... made all of this?" Zinnia asked, her voice full of admiration as she took in the sight.

Samuel, catching her reaction, smiled sheepishly. "Yeah. Breakfast is ready. Take a seat."

He walked over to her and, in a gesture that caught her off guard, pulled out a chair for her to sit down. Zinnia, slightly flustered but touched by the sudden change in his behavior, gave him a small, awkward smile. "Thanks, Samuel."

As she sat down, her gaze lingered on the food in front of her. Her eyes sparkled, impressed with how everything looked so neatly prepared. "This looks amazing," she said, genuinely thrilled.

Samuel sat across from her, still feeling a little shy from the praise. "I took some lessons... you know, over the past few years. I didn’t want to let it go to waste."

Zinnia smiled warmly. "I remember. The last time I saw you cook was right after our engagement. I didn’t think you’d kept it up. But this is... incredible."

His cheeks turned a shade redder at her compliment. "I just thought it was about time I started doing things for you again."

The sincerity in his voice struck her, and for a moment, she didn’t know how to respond. She simply smiled and reached for the orange juice, pouring some into their glasses. "Well, let’s eat."

They began their meal, with Zinnia taking her first bite of the scrambled eggs. Her face lit up immediately. "This is delicious!" she exclaimed, her words full of enthusiasm. "I’ve missed eating something this good."

Samuel, watching her reaction, felt a warmth spread through him. He had spent years refining his cooking, and now, seeing her enjoy it like this made it all worth it. "I’m glad you like it," he said softly, cutting into his croissant.

The atmosphere between them was lighter than it had been in years. As they ate, there was a shared sense of peace that hadn’t been present in their daily lives. Zinnia was smiling more than she had in a long time, praising the food with every bite. The fresh fruit paired perfectly with the richness of the croissants and eggs, creating a delightful balance that made the meal feel even more special.

"This is such a nice change," Zinnia remarked, wiping her mouth with a tissue. "I’m so used to doing everything around here... I never thought you’d start doing this."

Samuel shrugged modestly, though inside, he felt a quiet pride. "I just wanted to take care of you. You’ve done more than enough for me."

As they continued eating, the comfortable silence between them spoke louder than any words.

They exchanged glances, small smiles passing between them as if they both understood that this was a new Chapter, a turning point in their relationship.

For once, the tension that had built up over the years seemed to melt away, replaced by something warmer, more genuine.

When they finally finished, Zinnia leaned back in her chair, her smile lingering as she looked at Samuel. "I’m so impressed. This was... probably the best breakfast I’ve had in a long time."

Samuel chuckled, slightly embarrassed by her praise but happy nonetheless. "Well, if you liked it, I can do it more often."

Zinnia grinned. "I’ll hold you to that."

As they cleared the table together, the lightness between them remained, a welcome shift from the strained moments of the past. It was a small, simple morning, but for both Zinnia and Samuel, it marked a new beginning.

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Author’s Note:

I decided to call my readers "Little Flowers" from now on, just like Zinnia calls her fans. 🤭

I hope you all are still enjoying this story. Thank you for your support, Little Flowers! 🥰