The Chaotic Morning

Gabriel winced when he felt his face touched by something soft and small. 

"Arthur! Time for breakfast, mommy will be late!"

"But why is sir Gabriel sleeping on our couch?" asked Arthur who was full of curiosity.

"Let him. He doesn't have a home. He is homeless." Grace replied in a whisper so that her comment would not be overheard by Gabriel.

But Gabriel was already awake when Arthur put his hand on his face. A smile was etched on his face. Amused by Grace's comment about him not having a house.

Gabriel heard Arthur's small steps moving away. He slowly opened his eyes and blinked a few times to adjust the light coming in. Looking at the ceiling, which was still full of Christmas decorations, Gabriel groaned softly. The small sofa could not accommodate his body. Sleeping several hours on the small sofa in the same position made his back ache.

He turned his head towards the kitchen when he heard Arthur chuckling. Grace quickly told Arthur not to be loud. Gabriel got up and joined Grace and Arthur in the kitchen.

"Good morning, everyone," greeted the man in a voice that was still hoarse as if he had just woken up.

"Good morning, sir Gabriel!" greeted Arthur again, full of enthusiasm for the morning.

He glanced at Grace who looked sullen. She didn't return his greeting.

"You look handsome this morning, Arthur."

"Hm-hm, I'm going to visit the daycare while waiting for mommy to get off work."

"Do you have many friends there?" Gabriel asked as he pulled up the wooden chair next to Arthur.

"Sure, I have three close friends."

"I'm glad to hear that. Ah, Grace, please make my eggs perfectly cooked."

Grace looked back with an incredulous look.

"You think-" Grace swallowed her words when she saw Arthur staring at her. She was about to say something bad in front of her son. 

"You'll have breakfast here too, sir?" asked Arthur.

Gabriel nodded. "You know, I don't have a home. I'm homeless. So, I have no place to have breakfast," Gabriel replied, smiling at Grace.

"Oh... then you can have breakfast here. Mommy is a wonderful cook. She cooks all the food so deliciously."

"Really? I can do that?"

Grace placed a fried egg on Arthur's bread. She ruffled her son's hair.

"Arthur, Sir Gabriel is only joking. He can have breakfast in his own house."

"No, I'm not. I'm serious. I don't have a home."

"Sir, lying is not a good thing."

"I'm not lying. You believe me, right Arthur?"

Arthur chewed his sandwich and nodded. "Didn't mommy herself say that Sir Gabriel doesn't have a home earlier?"

Grace was defeated. She was speechless. She turned around to make another serving. Her hands gripped the edge of the kitchen counter in anger when she heard Gabriel laughing with Arthur.

This was so out of character. It wasn't supposed to be like this. Arthur shouldn't get used to Gabriel's presence. Grace wasn't firm enough to kick Gabriel out of her house... She was too weak and pitying. Tomorrow, she would absolutely forbid Gabriel to set foot in her house. Not even one step.

Grace laid out perfectly cooked bread and eggs for Gabriel. He didn't have any coffee so she gave him a glass of water.

"I don't want tomatoes," said Gabriel, who noticed that there were tomato slices underneath his eggs.

"Seriously? How old are you? Are you Arthur? Tomatoes are good for you.."

Gabriel glanced at Arthur's plate where the boy's sandwich had no tomatoes.

"Tomatoes are good for your growth, sir. You will become handsome by eating lots of tomatoes," Arthur said, making Gabriel frown.

"But you don't eat them?"

"Because I don't want to be handsome," Arthur said with a shrug of his shoulders. Gabriel's smile grew wider. It turned out they were the same. The boy didn't like tomatoes either. He rubbed Arthur's head for a moment and then pulled a tomato slice out of his pile of bread.

Grace left the kitchen to prepare all the work needs as well as Arthur's needs at the daycare. 

"Your mom didn't eat breakfast?" asked Gabriel as he munched on his sandwich. His blue irises followed Grace's every busy movement. Arthur, who sat beside him, followed Gabriel's way of eating by resting his elbows on the table and lifting his sandwich in the air and taking a bite. The two of them were like a pair of twins watching an interesting spectacle.

"If you've eaten, put the plates in the sink and put on your shoes. We're off."

"Yes, mommy," Gabriel and Arthur replied simultaneously. Grace, who heard Gabriel's voice imitating Arthur's way of speaking, turned to the man and showed a disgusted expression. Gabriel just smiled broadly and put the smallest bite of his sandwich into his mouth as he chewed.

"Arthur, eat faster. We have to wait for the bus to drop you off first."

"I'm done, mommy," the boy replied.

Gabriel helped Arthur to get off.

"Put your shoes on quickly, and I'll clean up the dishes."

"Thank you, sir."

"Gabriel only. No need to call me sir."

"But... that wouldn't be polite."

Gabriel chuckled. "Didn't we agree yesterday to be friends?" he asked, holding Arthur's gaze to answer him first.

Arthur nodded. 

"All right, Gabriel," he said, correcting his previous answer.

"Good boy," Gabriel praised.

Grace stood at her door impatiently. She waited for Gabriel to get dressed. They had to leave soon so they wouldn't miss the bus. Grace also wanted to get to daycare as soon as possible so she could remove the contact lenses Arthur had put in his eyes this morning.

"Can you move faster?" asked Grace who was impatient with Gabriel's slow movements.

"Patience... I'm doing my hair."

"You can do it while walking, I want to lock up my house."

"You won't be late. Relax..."

"Ugh..."

After Gabriel stepped outside, Grace locked her door. Grace took Arthur's hand to walk faster. She was going to be late. But as she left the yard, Gabriel suddenly tugged on her arm.

"What's wrong again? I'm going to be late."

"Come with me."

"Tch, Gabriel... I need to drop Arthur off first."

Gabriel continued to pull the woman to come with him. Arthur just followed behind and held Gabriel's other hand so he wouldn't be left behind. 

The trio arrived at a black sedan parked a few meters from Grace's house. The car pulled up and Gabriel opened the back door for Grace to get in.

"Get in," he ordered the still silent Grace.

"Grace, haven't you been complaining about being late? Do you really want to be late for work?" the man asked, bringing Grace to her senses. She looked at the black car once more.

She only realized that Arthur had gotten in first when her bag was pulled from inside.

"Mommy, come on, we'll be late!" said Arthur.

Grace was still hesitant. She didn't want this. But her doubts were forced away by Gabriel's hand grabbing her head to sit in the car.

"I can get in myself!" she snarled, causing Gabriel to raise his hand in laughter.

"Then get in," he replied with an amusing smirk.