Twenty-five: A silly mistake

Gretchen was up early the next morning and just as she’d predicted the previous night, Jamie was still out there, in the early hours of the morning, his gaze pointedly fixed on the living room’s window. A sad smile slipped onto her face and she shook her head in pity and amusement as she pulled the curtains open and switched on the lights. Without sparing him a second glance, she left for the kitchen to start on breakfast but before that, she baked fresh cookies and made hot chocolate that she took to Jamie, who was still across the street in his car by the time she emerged from the kitchen about an hour later.

Jamie, with his sleep-dazed eyes, saw Gretchen approaching with a paper bag and a disposable cup in hand. As soon as he saw her, his gaze perked up and he sat up in the driver’s seat. He reached for his phone to check the time, only to discover that it was 7 am. By the time he raised his head, Gretchen was standing beside the car window.

“Good morning, Jamie,” she greeted him w