"Me hackles of umbrage be astir!" With furrowed brow Ted cast wry eye, thru broken crust of chicken pot pie.
Tess pricked crust of fresh from oven pie, raised fork, with pale rose lips blew to cool tasty hot bit, then asked, "What's got your huffy nostrils in an updraft, Ted?"
"More disgruntled innards, for my long awaited chicken pot pie be infested with the dreaded kale!"
"The horror," Tess giggled mid chew, "kale phobia strikes again."
"I can't help the fact it plugs me up." Ted defended.
"First of all that was really gross, Ted. And second that is parsley, not kale."
"Are you sure?" Ted eyeballed the contested green. "Frilly edges means it's parsley. Jagged edges means it's kale. Jagged edges, Tess. I hate jagged edges!"
"Taste is the test, Ted boy."
To mouth fork plied pie crust mixed chicken, gravy and veggie. Ted tween chews spoke reviews, "Homey... savory... and smooth, no jagged edges, and I might add with a hint of mystery herb."
"Just a pinch of thyme, Dear."
Oh, I know that, but this, this pot pie is seasoned with love." Ted took heaping bite, cocked head, gave wink to wife."
"So, you are trying to make up for criticizing my cooking, smart boy."
"Oh now Tess, that is just not true, well not entirely true, for are you not the fuzziest little peach ever rubbed to cheek?" Ted smiled. "And I'm not saying that just to gather good graces. I truly love you, Miss Peach of my heart."
"So, you got Tess fever, eh Ted," Tess semi-smiled, "but do you really like my chicken pot pie or not!"
One near hopeless Ted silently prayed, "Help me Jesus," afore he said, "Tess, I can honestly say your chicken pot pie is epoch."
"Ted do you even know," Tess rolled eyes, "do you even know what epoch means?"
"Well Tess, epoch is what a British chicken says when she lays an egg, epoch-epoch-epoch-e..."
Wide eyed stunned, Tess ceased chewing. "That is inevitably and hypnotically the most stupid thing I have ever heard." She burst out laughing.
"Really! Stupid! Before I respond to that cutting remark, Tess, I'll give you time to re-coop-perate." Ted wiggled brow.
"Ted, your infinite trotting out of the caviler is getting tiresome."
"Caviler? Tess, I have no mounted horsemen."
"Ted!"
"Nor do I have any affiliation with the basketball team, nor the singing group."
"Ted!!" Tess snickered in spite of herself.
Ted scooted his chair close beside her. Tess lifted her cheek to receive kissy peck. Snuggling ensued. And Ted, as thoughtful as Ted, such as Ted is, could possibly be, said, "Tess, do you suppose this is the lull before the calm?"
"I'm looking at him," Tess clucked epic epoch of her own.
Epilogue:
In this tad amusing little short story is there a reoccurring pattern of lull-storm-calm? Notice that in lull-storm-calm... the storm is surrounded...
Please read and give every word breath: Mark 4:35-41 KJV. So may our storms be surrounded that we 'pass safely to the other side', if we ask our precious Jesus...
