Natalie took the match to the candle, waited until the wick caught alight, then moved onto the next candle. Taylor's parents had offered to take Ezra and Penny off their hands for the night so they could have some alone time, and Natalie planned to take advantage of that.
She turned out the main lights and waited for Taylor's arrival. Dinner was ready.
Taylor
Taylor finally mae his way through the door at around 7pm. He'd had a busy day conversing with a few members of other bands who'd come up with the idea of a supergroup and wanted him in.
He took his shoulder bag off and left it by the front door as he closed it, before hanging his jacket up.
"I'm home!" he called out before heading through to the dining area.
He finally found Natalie and made his way over to kiss her cheek.
Natalie
"Hi honey," Natalie replied with a smile.
She gestured to the tabled-clothed table.
"The kids are with your parents tonight," she reminded him softly.
Taylor
Taylor smiled back.
"So they are," he replied, "I'd suggest waiting until I showered, but something smells good. Mmm..."
Natalie
Natalie chuckled.
"We can shower later," she agreed.
She walked over to the bench and picked up a couple of plates with freshly cooking food and brought them to the table.
Taylor
Taylor went to wash his hands before he sat down at the table.
"Sorry I was a bit late. Bun E came up with a few new ideas," he tried to explain then hesitated, "nevermind. How long did this take you?"
Natalie
"Oh," Natalie replied off-handedly as she sat down. "A few hours. But most of that was spent with the lamb in the oven while I looked after the kids."
She smiled.
"So, how'd it go?"
Taylor
"Really well," Taylor nodded enthusiatically.
"I think there really could be something there. I mean, it'll mean taking time off from Hanson of course, but... I don't know. Sounds like it could be fun."
Natalie
Natalie nodded.
"Cool," she said. "How is the recording going anyway?"
Taylor
"Slow," Taylor shrugged.
"I guess it seems slow because we all have our separate lives now, but really I suppose it's the fastest we've ever done."
Natalie
Natalie chuckled.
"Wasn't Middle of Nowhere done in six months?" she teased. "It's been about that long."
Taylor
"Not the process before it," Taylor pointed out, "and we've pretty much managed to get this thing written from scratch from the end of the last tour, so we're not doing too bad."
Natalie
Natalie grinned at him.
"Point taken," she said. "Looking forward to hearing it."
Taylor
Taylor sighed.
"So am I," he agreed.
He finished off his dinner and wiped his hands.
"My compliments to the chef," he smiled charmingly.
Natalie
Natalie smiled.
"Why, thank you," she said. "We have some chocolate barvarian for dessert."
She finished off her own plate.
Taylor
"Too bad the kids are missing out," Taylor mused.
Natalie
"All the more for us?" Natalie suggested.
She stood and took the plates to the sink.
"Which reminds me, I've been meaning to ask. Have you been feeling like... I dunno, easily destressed lately? Because I think Ezra's been borrowing my power."
Taylor
"I know that whenever I come home all the worries of the day just seem to fade away," Taylor stood and followed her, slipping his arms around her waist as she stood at the sink and kissing her gently on the cheek.
"But that's not always the powers," he added.
Natalie
Natalie smiled and kissed him.
"Maybe I'm just imagening it," she said softly.
Taylor
"Honestly? I doubt it. He's been borrowing a lot lately. Like he's trying to find his feet," Taylor shrugged.
"I think he's just having fun with it. And we only really have to worry when Isaac's here. Until he discovers the joy of freezing things and smashing them, that is."
Natalie
"Well, there was Christmas last year when he decided to melt furniture," Natalie reminded him. "But yeah, I take the point."
She pulled out the barvarian and cut it up into decent sized pieces for them.
Taylor
Taylor took a piece of the dessert and ate it where he stood.
"Why, are you worried about something?" he asked.
Natalie
Natalie shrugged.
"How do you teach a child how to use not only his own power, but everyone elses?"
Taylor
Taylor shrugged.
"I say we cross that bridge when we come to it," he said.
"All we have to do is keep him in a controlled environment. And it's not as if we were planning to take the kids to a tournament anytime soon."
Natalie
Natalie nodded.
"True enough," she replied.
Then she smiled up at him and sweetly kissed her husband on his lips. Y'know, because there was chocolate barvarian involved.
"Don't have to worry about either of them tonight."
Taylor
Taylor grinned and kissed her back.
"You know, I was almost hoping we'd forego dessert. Just for a little while..." he teased.
Natalie
Natalie chuckled softly.
"I think it's still mostly frozen anyway," Natalie agreed with mock-solomnness as she wrapped her arms around him.
Taylor
"Then I guess we'll just have to find something to do to pass the time," Taylor said in mock sadness.
Natalie
"Yes," Natalie nodded. "Yes we will."
She lifted her head up to kiss him.