Grace heard the keys in the front door only moments before Logan and Caleb. This prompted their excited screeching as the preschoolers raced to get to their father first. They each grabbed hold of a leg and stared up at him expectantly. Jason walked in stilted strides as he carried the additional mini-human cargo on each limb. They laughed raucously as their tiny bodies seemed to make little impediment on Jason's gait so he continued to the kitchen where Grace was preparing the evening meal.

               ‘Right, boys, off you get. Choose a book each and I'll be in there in a minute,' Jason stood still while the boys extricated themselves from his tree-trunk legs.

               ‘Two, Dad, please? Two each? Please,' Logan begged.

               ‘Can we wrestle first? Wrestle!' Caleb jumped up and down.

               ‘Maybe. Off you go,' instructed Jason. ‘Let me say hello to your mother.'

Grace put the knife down on the chopping board just before she was scooped up in Jason's strong arms. She squealed in surprise; her sons stopped to watch their antics. Her feet left the ground briefly and he kissed her firmly on the mouth before returning her to earth. The boys interrupted the affection with their "euggh" sounds.

               ‘Bugger off, you two. If you're not ready with a book, there's no wrestling,' warned Jason. ‘Quick. Chop, chop,'

The boys made a hasty exit. Jason returned his attention to Grace, holding her firmly in his muscular embrace.

               ‘I missed you today. I kept thinking about all the things I wanted to do to you tonight.'

Grace giggled and tried to wriggle out of his grasp. Jason held her and kissed her again, moving one hand down to her touch her suggestively. This time she pushed his hand away while checking to see the youngsters weren't looking on.

               ‘Jason, the kids! I'm about to serve dinner. Later, later.'

Jason reluctantly relinquished his hold on her but his hand slid across her bottom as she moved towards the oven. He leaned over her shoulder to look into the oven when the door opened.

               ‘Mmm...roast beef. Did you sear it first?'

               ‘Yes, of course,' Grace answered. ‘And I seasoned it just the way you like.'

               ‘Did you insert the garlic into little pockets like I showed you?'

               ‘Yes, but I'm a bit worried I did too much.'

               ‘It smells perfect to me, babe.'

Grace started carrying the dishes to the dining table. Logan and Caleb returned with their books in hand and took their regular places at the table, both babbling about the smell of dinner.

               ‘Please don't touch, boys, until we're all seated. Remember your table manners, please,' Grace advised.

Once they were all seated, Grace handed the carving knife and fork to Jason who commenced slicing the succulent roast beef. Grace served the vegetables out to each plate ignoring the pleas from the boys to keep them to a minimum.

               ‘Listen to your mother, boys. You've got to eat your vegies. You want to grow up big and strong, don't you? I didn't get to this size without eating all my vegies.'

After dinner, Grace began the cleaning up after dinner. It wasn't a chore, merely part of her day. She could hear the rambunctious laughter from the bedroom that signalled the wrestling had commenced. She heaved a deep sigh of disapproval as she plunged her hands into the dishwater. Just as she'd finished washing up the dishes, Jason was standing behind her with his arms around her waist.

               ‘The boys are waiting for their goodnight kiss, babe.'

Grace turned around to kiss Jason before ducking out of his arms to tuck in his boys. Once the boys were tucked in, Grace could finally relax and watch a bit of tele. She liked Everybody Loves Raymond, and it was on now, but Jason wasn't a fan so they'd probably watch something else. Clearly tonight Jason was focused on pursuits other than television, so she may not have a chance to watch anything.

Grace was wiping the kitchen benches, after drying up the dishes, when Jason reappeared after his nightly shower.

               ‘Have you dried those knives properly before you put them in the block?' Jason asked.

Grace paused briefly but then quickly turned on the tap to rinse the sponge.

               ‘I think so.'

She immediately removed each knife from the knife block to dry them again on the tea towel.

               ‘Leave the knives out,' Jason ordered. ‘They need sharpening.'

Grace took a seat on the couch adjoining the open plan kitchen, hoping to watch tele, but Jason continued the conversation. She did not turn on the television.

               ‘I called you at lunchtime today, but you didn't answer. I called several times in the next hour or so but nothing.'

               ‘Oh, um, oh yeah, my phone dropped out in Kirsten's car before we got to Westfields, but I didn't realise. I went to pay for stuff and that was when I realised it was missing.'

Jason stood in the kitchen and picked up the long carving knife. He adroitly drove its edge along the long honing steel with the confidence a chef would possess. The metallic sound could not be ignored.

               ‘Who were you with?'

               ‘Kirsten but we met up with Hailey later for lunch,' Grace watched the knife closely and her voice became quieter. ‘Kirsten shouted us all so it didn't cost anything.'

Jason returned the carving knife to the block, now duly sharpened. He picked up another and continued the same action of running it confidently down the steel. The metallic rasp seemed louder with this knife.

               ‘You have a phone that I bought you. When I call that phone, I expect it to be answered. I only have forty-five minutes for lunch and you know that.'

The speed and sound of the honing steel displayed how adept Jason was in handling a knife. Another sharpened knife was returned to the block. Another knife commenced its paces with expert precision.

               ‘What should you have done, Grace? You know I'm the provider for this family. I should know where my boys are at any point in time. Know that you're all safe.'

Grace stood up but she dared not enter the kitchen. She watched his handling of the knives as though transfixed. Another sharp blade found its way to the wooden block. Another dull blade was about to be rectified at Jason's hand.

               ‘I'm...I'm sorry. I should have asked Kirsten for the keys to run back to the car. I'm sorry.'

‘For several hours today, I was worried. Worried beyond belief. Had something happened? Were my boys ok? Were you ok? Do you understand the concern a father has? The concern a husband has?'

Grace stared at the knife being sharpened and couldn't think of a suitable answer. She remained silent.

               ‘I'm your provider. I'm your protector. The world can be dangerous. You know that, so don't stop me from doing my family duty to keep everybody safe. I don't want you to see Kirsten anymore. Or Hailey. They're not responsible enough. They don't understand family or what it means.'

Jason continued to sharpen the knife's blade as he walked towards Grace. Grace didn't change her position or her stance. Jason paused the sharpening only when he leaned in to kiss his wife.

               ‘You and the boys are everything to me, Grace, everything. It's us versus the world.'

The honing steel seemed to shriek with every long stroke of the knife's blade as Jason returned to the kitchen. All the sharp knives were in the block. Finally, there was silence.