DAWN'S LIGHT CAME into Stephen's room. He stirred awake, the events of the previous day still fresh in his mind. Standing at the precipice of unexpected leadership was not in his interest. Yet, he felt the nagging weight of responsibility, and today was a new day that required fortification.
He slid out of bed and could already smell breakfast wafting through the house. As he stepped into the kitchen, the sight was surprising—Collin, uninvited yet cheerfully making scrambled eggs in a frying pan.
"Good morning, leader!" he greeted with a mock salute.
Stephen ignored that comment but couldn't help raising an eyebrow. The sight was strange; Collin was known for being a salaryman, not for having culinary skills.
"Morning, Collin," he casually said. "What's with the breakfast?"
"I figured the new leader should start the day right with a proper meal!" Collin proudly announced, flipping the eggs much more skillfully than Stephen expected.
