“No, I’m sorry. Really. Can I help you with something?”
“I was trying to heat us up some dinner, but the microwave doesn’t seem to work.”
“Oh, yeah. There’s a trick to it.” She glanced over at Isaac as she slipped past Archer, moving towards the kitchen. He was sitting, frowning down at his cell.
“Should you be on your phone?” she asked turning towards him. “Doesn’t that hurt your head? I can’t imagine it’s a good idea for someone with a brain injury.”
Isaac sighed and looked up at her. “No brain injury. Just a scratch.”
“He’s fine,” Archer told her, lightly touching her shoulder. “I, on the other hand, am starving. Microwave?”
“Oh. Right. Sorry. I get distracted easily.” She moved towards the microwave again.
“What is this trick?” Archer asked.
“You just do this.” She thumped the top of the microwave twice with her fist. Then she did the same on the right side. Then she grabbed it and pushed it back and forth a few times. Which wasn’t easy, considering it was a huge, clunky thing.
It lit up and she gave Archer a big smile. “See?”
He looked at her then the microwave. He appeared a bit pale. “Are you okay?”
“I…ah…”
“He’s fine,” Doc called out. “He just isn’t used to using kitchen appliances. I’m surprised he knows what a microwave even is.”
Archer turned to scowl at Doc. “Just because I don’t cook often doesn’t mean I can’t. And I know what a damn microwave is.”
She got a feeling that if she left them to it, they could snipe at each other all night long. She cleared her throat and opened the microwave door, saw the roast beef meal sitting there and then closed the door and set the microwave for five minutes.
“There you go.”
“You have to do that every time you use the microwave?” Archer asked.
“Oh, not every time. Just most of the time.”
Archer ran his hand over his face, looking tired and worried. She wasn’t sure what he was so concerned about. Unless it was his dinner.
“Don’t worry, it still works perfectly fine. Although sometimes I do find the middle of my dinners are frozen while the outside is piping hot but then I just eat around the frozen bit and I…” she trailed off as she noticed him pinch the top of his nose. “Have you got a headache?”
“Yes. I do.” He stretched. “Think I’m a bit stiff and sore from the accident.”
“I’ll go get you some painkillers.” She moved into the bathroom. When she returned, Archer had his phone in his hand, looking at something online. They seemed to be rather attached to their phones. Doc had barely looked up from his.
She shrugged and opened the bottle of painkillers, tapping a couple out and putting them on the table next to Archer’s elbow then she grabbed him a glass of water.
“Thanks, love,” he muttered.
She blinked, taken aback by the endearment. But then, lots of people called others sweetheart or honey or love. The microwave beeped and she moved over to it, pulling out the hot meal. She hissed as it burned the tips of her fingers.
“What are you doing? Careful!” Doc grabbed her hand and inspected her fingers.
“Is she all right? Did she burn herself?” Archer demanded and she looked over to see him standing, watching her with concern.
“Just a little red,” Doc replied. But he still tugged her over to the sink and turned on the cold water, pushing her fingers underneath.
“They’re fine,” she told him, drawing her fingers out of the freezing deluge. “I do that all the time. It’s not nearly as bad as the last time I burnt myself. I wasn’t watching properly when I was pouring the hot water ou
t of a pot and it landed on my foot and I got a giant blister. Now, that hurt. This is nothing.”