Forty

Carlos had given Conrad the whole weekend off. He ordered her to get away from the office for three days, to take a break from work.

Conrad didn't argue; she obeyed and left a list of what had to be done before she returned to her apartment.

She's cocooned in her bed when Carlos returns from work, appearing in her bedroom with a brown bag in his hand.

"Connie, come have some dinner," he suggests, a frown coming onto his face as she doesn't move.

He puts the bag onto the dresser and walks over to the bed, leaning over her to check she's breathing.

She is, and she's fast asleep, so he walks out of the room with the food, putting the bag into the empty oven.

That will keep it hot, won't it? Hopefully, Carlos thinks to himself, taking it upon himself to do the dishes and clean up while she naps.

He'll wake her up in a while because she won't be able to sleep during the night if she falls asleep now.

He potters around the kitchen, dusting the bookshelf when he notices a thick layer of dust