Taeyeon awoke to an unfamiliar feeling—a body in bed beside her. She opened her eyes to see smooth skin and a chest before her eyes. She immediately smiled. Taeyeon snuggled closer into husband and felt her hair ruffle with his deep, even breaths.

    “Good morning,” he mumbled against her hair while rubbing her back. “Did you sleep well?”

    Taeyeon nodded her head and smiled a little wider. “I slept very well, and I had a wonderful birthday. Thanks to you.”

    Baekhyun's phone chimed from the nightstand and he reached over to grab it. There was a text message. Unlocking the screen he saw, 'Dr. Lee: Come to the kitchen when you have a moment.'

    She saw the slight frown on his face and expected bad new. “Do you have to go into work?” she asked, ready for the disappointment to come.

    He looked down at her and smiled softly before rolling to lay on top of her. “The farthest I am going from this bed today, is to the kitchen to make you breakfast.” Baekhyun dropped a quick kiss to her lips before jumping up to pull on a pair of pants. “Don't move a muscle. I expect to see you exactly like that when I come back up, okay?”

    Taeyeon laughed and flopped onto her back. “I'll be right here.” Baekhyun crawled up her body again and kissed her again, and again, and again until she pushed him off. “Go. You're wife is hungry,” she said with a giggle.

    “Ah, well then. As your husband, I must provide you with a tasty breakfast.” He slid off the bed and walked out. He poked his head back in a moment later. “You didn't move, right?” His wife let out a peal of laughter and threw a pillow in his direction. “Okay, okay. I'm going.”

- - - - - -

    “Dr. Lee?” he whispered as soon as he walked into the kitchen. He looked around and didn't see anyone. Thinking she was just messing with him, he moved to the fridge to scan for ingredients. With a carton of eggs in hand, he closed the door only to be greeted with the sight of a woman in a sweeping black gown. He screamed and felt the eggs drop out of his hands. They splattered all over the floor.

    “You should be more careful,” Chaelin said with a smirk. She knelt down, mumbled some words and waved her hand over the mess. With a snap of her fingers, they were whole again. She handed the carton back to him and moved to sit at the kitchen island.

    “How did you do that?”

    She rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. “You travelled three years into the past, and you want to ask about how I cleaned up some eggs?”

    Baekhyun laughed nervously, realizing that it was a rather stupid question in comparison to the others on his mind. “I don't even know where to begin.”

    “You can ask me anything you want. I will answer to the best of my ability.”

    “Okay, who are you?” he asked, coming to sit beside her.

    “My name is Lee Chaelin.”

    “Are you really a doctor?”

    “I am,” she answered with an indulgent smile.

    “How did you . . . send me back?”

    She grabbed an apple from the fruit bowl and took a dainty bite. “What do you know about Greek mythology?”

    “Not much,” he said with a shrug. “Just that all that gods and goddesses stuff isn't real.”

    “Say that again and I will slap you,” she warned calmly.

    “What? Are you . . . are you a god?”

    “I would be a goddess, not a god,” she corrected. “But, no, I am a mere mortal. Same as you.”

    “But I'm a Christian. I don't believe in that stuff.”

    “Do you believe in Angels?”

    “Yes.”

    “Then you believe in the gods. It's the same set up. You've got your main guy, then the ones that He delegates to. You call them Angels, I know they're gods,” she explained.

    “Okay . . .,” Baekhyun said slowly, letting that revelation sink in. “So, how did all this work?”

    “Well, I'm a witch,” she started. Baekhyun's eyes went wide. “What? You were expecting a large nose, big hat and a broom? You poor uneducated masses.” Chaelin chuckled and bit her apple again.

    “Look, all the gods have jobs, right? Athena shares her wisdom, Dionysus throws parties, Hermes is the postman, Ares makes war, Aphrodite makes love, etc. Hera, though, is in charge of marriage and family. I work for Hera, Queen of the gods. Wife of Jupiter, King of the gods, and notorious philanderer. That's why the questions of infidelity kept coming up. She simply won't stand for it,” Chaelin explained. “I really am a therapist, but I was a witch first. Hera gave a portion of her power to me so that I can save marriages that are worth saving. Some can be fixed with just therapy, but others require more . . . help. Like yours did.”

    Baekhyun had been nodding along as she was speaking. “So you work for a goddess who wants to save marriages?” Chaelin nodded. “And you sent me back in time to fix my mistakes with Taeng?” Chaelin nodded again. Baekhyun laughed and rubbed his hands over his face. “This is the craziest thing I have ever heard.”

    “Then you explain it. How did you go from being on the brink of divorce in my office, to being back in the good graces of your wife—three years in the past?”

    He leaned his head on the counter and shook his head. “I have no idea.”

    “Most men don't,” she joked. Baekhyun smiled shyly and sat back up.

    “Alright, Lee Chaelin, therapist, witch and servant of goddess Hera; What happens now?”

    “You will live these three years over again, but you'll remember nothing when you wake up tomorrow morning. I was supposed to wipe your memories last night, but you were, uh, busy. So you'll forget overnight. It's less jarring to the psyche that way.”

    “I won't remember anything? Not even you?” he asked.

    She shook her head. There was a hint of sadness to her smile. “You'll be fine, though. There will be a lingering reminder when you see certain things. Nothing in the brain is ever really lost, so when you see pomegranates, peacocks, lions, cows or crowns, you'll feel like you need to do something nice for your wife.”

    “That should be handy,” he said with a little laugh. Baekhyun took a moment think about everything she had told him and felt sad that he wouldn't really remember it down the line. That he wouldn't remember her. “Thank you, Chaelin.”

    “You're welcome, Byun Baekhyun.” She looked at the clock on the stove and look startled. “You're poor wife will be wonder where her food is soon. Here, take this.” Chaelin snapped her fingers and a tray of food appeared. “And this, too.” The witch clapped her hands together and a red box with gold ribbon suddenly lay next to the tray.”

    “This isn't the present I got her,” Baekhyun said, looking very confused.

    “You mean this?” Chaelin lifted the sleeve of her dress and showed him the gold bracelet he remembered buying for Taeyeon. “I'm going to keep this as a souvenir. She didn't like it, anyway.”

    “Hey!”

    “I only speak truth,” she said with a wink. Chaelin stood up and tossed her apple core into the trash. “Get going. You still have some making up to do.”

    “Is there . . . I feel like I should do something for you,” Baekhyun confessed.

    “Just don't take her for granted again. She's a wonderful woman, and you are lucky to have her. Several other men wanted her, but she chose you. Never forget that,” she scolded gently. He nodded. “Now go before the food gets cold. Make a bunch of babies and grow old together. That's my payment. And this bracelet.”

    They smiled at one another and laughed for a moment. “Can I hug you?” he asked. Chaelin opened her arms and embraced him. “Thank you for this. It feels inadequate, but I can't think of anything else to say.”

    “Just doing my job,” Chaelin joked. “Take care of yourself.” She took a few steps back and turned to walk away. As Baekhyun watched, he couldn't believe it as she disappeared. One moment she was there, the next she was gone. It wasn't that he hadn't believed her about the whole 'I'm a witch' thing. He saw what she did with the eggs, then the food, then the gift, but seeing her disappear sealed it for him. He wholeheartedly believed everything she said.

    Not sure what else to do, Baekhyun grabbed the tray of food and went back up to his wife. He was most pleased to see her in the same position. “See? There are few things ier than a wife who listens to her husband.”

    Taeyeon stuck her tongue out at him as she sat up. Baekhyun placed the tray on her lap and she immediately picked up the gift. “Ooo, I can't wait to see what you got me!”

    I can't either, he thought, since Chaelin took the bracelet. Taeyeon ripped off the bow and tore into the paper. She paused before opening the box, then did so slowly. She gasped. Baekhyun looked over her shoulder and saw a delicate looking, gold, filigree peacock necklace. Taeyeon set it on her lap and covered . He could see tears on her cheeks. “Baby? Is it okay? If—if you hate it, I can find you something else.”

    “No!” she yelled. “It's beautiful, Baek-ie.” She leaned over, grasped his cheeks and kissed him sweetly. “Thank you. I love it. I'll wear it all the time.”

    Baekhyun looked satisfied, but inside, he felt relieved. He helped her put it on and smiled when it hung perfectly on her neck. Overcome with emotions, he kissed her hard and pressed his forehead to hers. “I love you, baby. I love you so much. I'm so glad I got a second chance.”

    “'A second chance'? What are you talking about, silly?”

    Baekhyun smiled and kissed her again. “Honey, you wouldn't believe me if I told you.”

- - - - -

Soooooo, how was it? I've never written a story of this genre before, so feedback would be greatly appreciated. Did I explain everything well? Did you 'get' it? Could you connect with it? I really hope so.

Thank you for reading.