Dayna turned and walked back into the apartment stunned, shaking yet elated at the same time. "Ohmygod.." she breathed to herself as she tossed her coat on the computer chair, kicked off her shoes and flopped down onto the couch. She curled her legs up underneath her, and leaned over to lay her head on the arm of the couch. She took another deep breath to calm her shaking body and realized she could smell him in the cushions of the couch. She breathed in deeply again and closed her eyes, thinking of him as she drifted finally to sleep.
Taylor pulled into his driveway, got quietly out of his car, even though it wasn't late, and closed the door. He walked quickly up the step and went into the house, feeling shaky and happy at the same time. He went through the kitchen, down the hall and to his room. No one was in the outer room, so he kicked his shoes off, tossed his jacket over the chair and sat down. He picked up the book that Day had lent him, intending to read until he couldn't keep his eyes open anymore. He knew that if he just tried to go to bed he'd never sleep. He opened the book and started reading, and realized that the book smelled like her. He closed his eyes and breathed in again, then opened them and began to read. He barely looked up when his brothers came in, he was so lost in his thoughts of Day. Daylight, that's what she is to me, he thought, hoping that she would be able to tell him, without a doubt, soon, that she loved him, too. He fell asleep there, with the
book on his chest, and dreamed of her.
Taylor woke suddenly, to the sound of his brothers goofing off in the next room. He stretched, closed the book that was still on his chest, and sat up. He set the book on the table and looked at the clock. He decided to jump in the shower before Day came over, then he tried to decide how to keep himself busy while she WAS here so she could do her job. He hoped his brothers were still in the mood to write this morning. He took a quick shower, got himself dressed, combed his hair and went to the kitchen in search of a cup of coffee. He hoped his mother had already put some on, and was glad when he smelled the familiar aroma coming from the kitchen.
"Hi, Mom.." he said as he reached into the cabinet for a cup, then poured. "Want some?" he asked her.
"No thanks, Tay. I had mine. I figured I better make a pot special for you and Dayna, you both drink so much of it." she smiled. "How was your evening, by the way? You didn't keep her from getting her homework done did you?" she said with a mock warning look.
He laughed and kissed his mother on the cheek. "No she was mostly done when I got there, my dorky brothers made me late. But we had a good time." he told her, and looked in the fridge for something to eat. He got out things to make a sandwich, did that and, to his mother's amazement, wiped the countertop before he sat down at the table to eat. "She seems to be a good influence on you, son." his mom chuckled. "Better hang on to her."
Taylor wiped his mouth, took a sip of coffee and grinned, "I plan on it."
"Mornin' " she smiled at Diana as she came through the door and kicked her shoes off. "Whatcha need done today?" she asked.
"Just the usual cleaning Dayna, no extras. I know you've been kind of bogged down in schoolwork lately." Diana told her.
"You sure, Ms. Hanson? I usually clear my schedule so I can stay if you need me.." she said.
"No sweetie. You need to get your schoolwork done. Not long and you'll be finished, right?"
"Yeah, midterms coming up soon too.." she groaned and rolled her eyes, making Diana smile. "Not sure what I'm gonna do after that, though. It means I might not be able to work for you anymore. I think I'd miss this job."
"Oh I think you'd still be around, hon. But just do the regular cleaning. For some reason Tay seems determined to make you job easier all of a sudden.." she grinned, making Dayna blush. Diana chuckled and left the room, leaving Dayna to get started.
As she was about half-done, Taylor came out of the room he was working in and saw her, up on a step stool, dusting shelves. He came up behind her and put his hand on her waist. She jumped and gave a small squeal, then rolled her eyes. "You coulda caused me to break my neck, angel. Don't sneak up on me like that.."
"Sorry Day," he grinned. "Couldn't help myself."
"Sure you couldn't.." she grinned back.
"How much longer before you're finished?" he asked.
"Not too much." he grinned again as he watched her almost think out loud, trying to calculate exactly when she would be done. "I can probably be finished in another two hours, why?" she asked him.
"I haven't decided yet." he said. "But I'd like to spend SOME time with you today, before you bury yourself in that paper you have to do."
"Okay, angel. Gimme another two hours here and about 45 minutes to get home and shower, I'm already sweating.." she grinned. "You workin' hard today? I heard a little bit..sounds good to me."
"Aw, it's going okay. I better get back in there though, so I can get out of here and not be late." he kissed her cheek softly.
He walked backward out of the room, watcing her as she stretched her body, on tiptoe, to reach the highest shelf and almost plowed over his brother, Ike. Ike just chuckled and shook his head, shoving his brother down the hall toward the kitchen. Taylor acted like he was going to pounce on him and then walked away, looking for more coffee.
He refilled his cup, wiped the countertop, and went back to work.
A couple hours later he wandered back into the kitchen, where Dayna was kneeling in the floor, wiping down the last of the cabinet fronts. She brushed her hair out of her face with the back of her arm and smiled up at him. "Hi Day, want a cup?" he said as went to refill his own again.
"No thanks, angel. I'm almost finished." she told him.
"Kay." he took a sip as him mother walked in. "Almost done already Dayna? You're really moving fast today. Hello son."
"Hi Mom."
"You didn't give me anything extra today Ms. Hanson, usually I am doing this or that..I don't mind.." she said quickly, "But without the other little things I'm always doing it really doesn't take that long, you're not as messy as you think you are.." she giggled and went back to wiping cupboards.
"I'll take that as a compliment, miss." Diana laughed.
"Soon as this row is done, I am outta your hair, I did the floor while the little ones were outside. That way they don't have to stop and ask if it's okay to walk on it.." she grinned.
"Okay hon. They'll be bounding in here any second, looking for food I'm sure."
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