Odessa - Omelettes and Bacon

Omelettes and bacon are good, but sometimes toast and bacon is a better alternative.

I woke around mid-day to the smell of omelettes and freshly cooked bacon dancing on my nostrils, beckoning me to the kitchen. My body instinctively rose from my soft bed. As I came off the pillow I slept on, the cold air hit a wet spot of drool on my face. Turning the sleeve of my nightgown over, I wiped the spot off and heard Sophie call me from the kitchen.
“Mom, breakfast is done!” She called cheerfully. In the distance I could hear her sloppily grabbing plates from the cabinets, making as much noise as she possibly could. What I knew more than anything, though, is that that bacon smelled incredible. My stomach demanded that I stand, and my body obeyed. Standing from my bed, I straightened out my nightgown and immediately made my way to the door, though my room was so laden with my formal wear for work that I stumbled a couple times on the way there.
Walking out into the hallway, it was only a few steps until you hit the living room, with the kitchen to the immediate left. That was our whole, cozy apartment. It wasn’t much, but it was home to us. I came around the corner to the kitchen rubbing my head and yawning, but the yawn stopped short when I saw Sophie wobbling on a stool to grab the cups we would need for our drinks. I creeped around to her side as she was looking for the cup that she wanted. Without her noticing me, she finally grabbed her cup and let out a cry of victory. After she’d claimed the prize she so desperately wanted, I threw my arms around her and cradled her around playfully until she shrieked with laughter and joy.
“Good morning, my little Soapie! How did your omelettes turn out today?” I questioned with as much genuine wonderment as I could muster, glancing over the food and observing the consistency of the eggs.
“Umm… Well…” She said shyly, somewhat pouting at me, “They’re still pretty bad…”
Pretty bad would have been an understatement. The eggs looked like they had barely been cooked beyond a liquid yolk, and the vegetables hardly stayed to it. It still sat in a pool of liquid in the pan, and the perkiness could only be described as sad.
“Not at all sweetie, you’re getting better! I’m sure it will taste just fine, too.” I attempted to reassure her.
“Now you’re just trying to be nice…”
I laughed and shook my head, giving her a hug and a kiss on the head. Taking my plate, we sat at the stools to the counter and ate together. The first scoop I took of my omelette, it slipped off the fork from the eggs being too liquid. The second time, I tried to poke the fork through, but it only fell to bits. I knew that she expected me to taste it and try it, and I didn't want to disappoint. Having grown desperate, I scooped what bit of egg I could manage onto the fork and held my hand under it up until I finally had my first bite.
It was absolutely god awful. I tasted like foul water mixed with pepper and a consistency that made me want to gag, but I held the line and swallowed the first bite. I could see Sophie looking at me out of my peripheral vision, waiting for my reaction.
“Sophie, this is…” I started with a solemn tone, “the absolute best thing i’ve ever had!”
Her face glowed in the dimly lit room and her eyes widened, “Do you really mean it?”
“Absolutely! And you’re such a good cook, you can do even better, I know it!” I said, stuffing a piece of bacon into my mouth. I was right, too, that bacon was damn good.
Sophie let out a short giggle and was abruptly cut off by the newscast turning itself on from my Ourborocon on my wrist. The woman on the newscast was clad in a red, skimpy outfit with blonde hair, and she spoke of an investigation underway of a possible Unlicensed within the city limits.
“Great… I’m sorry, Sophie, but if this investigation continues through my shift…”
“You won’t come home until late at night… I know.” She filled in in a melancholy tone. It ripped me to bits when I had to tell her I wouldn’t be coming home to see her to bed, or to help her with anything she needed. She would just have to stay home, alone. I worried about her all the time, whether she secretly resented me for it, or if it was affecting her in a harmful way. Still, all I could do was make light of the situation. I stood abruptly from the counter and pushed in my stool, taking both of our plates and washing them. Looking around the kitchen as I washed, the counters were coffee and tea stained, and there were dirty dishes cluttering the sink. The floor needed mopping, and there were random snacks sitting out on the counter.
“Hey, Sophie! This house is absolutely filthy. What do you say we clean it together this weekend and then relax for the rest of the time? We could even play your favorite game!” I called from over the sound of a waterfall coming from the sink. I barely heard Sophie attempt to shout her approval, but I heard the giggle of approval perfectly well. After washing up, I walked past Sophie, still sitting on her stool, and hugged her close to me one last time and telling her I loved her before I made my way to my room to get dressed for work.
After slipping off my nightgown and pulling on my fitted pants, button-up shirt, vest, boots, and cloak, I looked at myself in the mirror to observe myself to make sure I was presentable. I was clad in black, as usual, the outfit of the bureau, and my hazel hair was a mess at best, but it was good as it was going to get.
I was just about to go spend my last hour or so with Sophie until I got called over my Orocon.
“Odessa, we need you an hour early. No exceptions, this is highly important.” The director ordered. I knew it was going to be a long night with his tone. I suppressed a sigh and replied, “Yes, sir..”
After closing out my Orocon, I left my room to an excited Sophie exiting her room to show me the grade she got on her test via her Orocon. I smiled at her and gave her another big hug.
“That’s so great, sweetie! A perfect score! You’re definitely my little girl, i’m so proud of you!” I exclaimed, kissing her on the head and squeezing her tight, “I have to go in early though, sweetie. Take care of the house, and be good, okay?”
She nodded with a smile and a slight droop to her brow. It hurt every time she did so, but I knew that I did my best to make it as painless as possible each time. As I walked out the door I called to her one more time, telling her I loved her and that i’d be home as soon as possible. As I walked down the apartment corridor, I got one more phone call.
“Moeramoht, are you away from Sophie?” The director asked. He seemed less stern this time around, and even calmly referring to me by my last name, as he was supposed to.
“Yes sir, why?”
“About this investigation… We believe it has to do with the lead engineer of the E.A.T., Dr. Weiss.”
My heart retreated into my stomach as he spoke those final words. I was right, it was going to be a long, stressful night.

Author's Note

This is a slower chapter than the first, I realize, but it is necessary, I promise. Just trust me. :P Any and all words of critique are welcome!