By Design (BWWM) [Complete]

Chapter 8: Oh, Ireland!

They spent most of their time in the cottage exploring one another and on occasions leisurely walking around the neighborhood. The way Connor was attentive to her wants and needs made her feel less vulnerable yet it opened the door for her to be more giving of herself. There still was a piece of her that tip-toed around him. She began training her thoughts in hopes of not voicing her opinions at the wrong moment. Making herself busy, Taiwo searched the cottage for a rubber tub to wash the linen. She hadn't hand laundered sheets since her early teens, but after she discovered a clothes line in the tiny backyard, she marched on with her duty. Tossing the large white rubber tub on the lawn, she traveled back gathering the sheets from her room and quietly dug out the used linen from Connor's room.

He was still in deep sleep, limbs hanging over the foot of the bed. Leaving him in peace she marched through the living room and outside sinking into the earth barefoot. Blades of grass poked between her toes and the earth beneath her felt like home. Smiling she tossed the sheets in the tub and poured boiling water she'd previously heated onto the sheets with equal part cold water and a cup of detergent. Dipping a finger in the water, the temperature was just warm enough to begin washing. Stepping inside, she began marching in place to work the soap into tiny bubbles. Hiking her sundress up by her thighs, water began to splash into the grass. She continued stomping and marching until she was satisfied with the results. Dumping the water she rinsed the linen with cold water from the outside hose. Wringing out the excess water, she threw the sheets on the line successfully. Connor hunted the whole cottage for Taiwo only to find her in the backyard stomping an Irish jig all over his sheets. Backtracking to the kitchen, fishing for the box of clothes pin he'd stored under the sink, he met her outside.

"Morning."

"Morning."

"There's a place not too far from here we could have taken to launder the linens."

"It's alright. When I was a kid, my siblings and I washed clothes this way. This gives me a chance to relive some fun times I had at home. Besides, there's nothing like sun dried sheets."

"Would it make you happy to do this everyday?"

"The linen?" she lifted an eyebrow in confusion.

He chuckled. "Domestic life."

"Should I be worried about where I think you're taking this?"

"It was just a question Tai."

"I like my life the way it is."

"I see." So much for training her thoughts. Her mouth just had a mind of its own. "Do you want help hanging the linen? I brought a box of pins."

"Uh, sure, if you don't mind." They filled the sagging line with the remaining sheets and pinned them in silence. "I'm pretty good with cooking, do you want breakfast?"

"I'll be heading out soon."

"Where are you going?"

"To pick up some things."

"Don't you think if you're going to be running errands you should eat something first?"

"I can grab something on the way."

"Okay then." There was no point pushing so she dropped the subject. Awkward silence fell between them as they stood staring at each other. "I guess I'll go inside."

Scooping up the tub, she walked past him and into the cottage letting the screen door slap close. Retreating to her room, closing the door behind her, she plopped on the naked bed and thought how it was that she'd acquired another fear. Her former boss Amanda never struck fear in her heart though she'd been vicious at times. With Connor, she had this new found fear she was going to lose him because she couldn't control her mouth. There were only so many times he was going to be understanding.