Chapter 15 A Cost

During the days Cedric was suspended from work, the house floors were cleaned so well that they reflected light. I woke from a dream to faint sounds coming from the kitchen. When I walked to the kitchen, I saw Cedric wearing an apron and holding a small boning knife. He was deboning a whole chicken. Sunlight filtered through the window, casting a golden halo around him. If not for the glinting knife in his hand, the scene would have looked as cozy as one would find in a fairy tale. "You're up?" he said without turning around. With a turn of his wrist, the entire bone on the chicken leg slipped cleanly out. "Go wash up. Breakfast is in the pot." I approached him, wrapped my arms around his waist from behind, and pressed my face against his broad back. "Cedric," I called out. "Hmm?" "Don't you feel it's unfair? You caught the bad guy, yet you're being punished," I said. Cedric paused in his task. He set the knife down, washed his hands, and turned around to pull me into his ar