A Love Restored

“Hey!” Liam popped his head through the slightly ajat kitchen door. I looked up from the dough I was kneading. Only his head was visible, a huge grin on his face.

“Hi, Liam.” I answered, smiling. It was nice to see him. I hadn’t seen him in quite a few days.ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

“How’ve you been?” I asked, I continued kneading, I was attempting to make a healthy version of tortellini with oat flour. So far, the dough looked like it was coming along.

“Good,” he answered. He had made his way inside the kitchen and was peeping over my shoulder, “I went to Florida, to visit my sister.”

I looked up at him behind me. “That’s great! How was it? How is she?”

“Good, yeah.” A sad look fell on his face, “She wants to study further. And she’s really bright, too. But we just don’t have that kind of money.”

That pinched. I knew now, what it felt like to kill your dreams because you didn’t have money. Before, going to college had been just a rite of passage. Like, of course I’d go to a nice university. And now, it was such a distant possibility it was really just a dream.

[ frowned, “I’m sorry, Liam. Does she want to look at scholarships? I have a resource folder I can send you.”

“That’d would be really great.”

He watched me in silence for a while, watching entranced, as if the dough was something magical. “What you making?”

He licked his lips, “What’s your favorite kind?”

I thought for a few seconds, “Probably like a, really nice fettuccine alfredo. But it’s been so long since I’ve had a good, fancy one.

“Uh huh,” he voiced,

He walked around the kitchen, looking at things on the counter. Out of the comer of my eye, I saw him grab two strawberries and pop them into his mouth

“Those are unwashed,” I told him urgently. He made a face, and quickly spit them into his hand.

“Couldn’t have said it two seconds ago?” He grumbled as he washed his hands after throwing the strawbernes,

…to

“Sorry,” I gizgled, “I’ll give you a slice of strawberry shortcake tomorrow, to make up for it.”

“If I was rich and could hire a cook, it would definitely be you, Flora.”

“That’s an interesting compliment.”

“I just meant, you’re a great cook.”

“Thank you.”

He sat down on the counter, watching me roll out the dough to make the pasta. “Where did you learn? Your mom?”

I shrugged. The mention of my mother made my throat well up. “Here and there. I’ve liked cooking since I was a child,”

*Would you ever want to go to culinary school?”

I smiled at him. That made me laugh. “Maybe in some other world. I could be a pastry chef. Have my own cute bakery. Or a dessert bart”

He nodded, “I could hartend. I make some mean drinks.”

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“Do you?”

“And great alfredo pasta.”

1 rolled my eyes. He was just saying that because I had mentioned it.

“What? You don’t believe me?” Liam feigned being hurt, clutching his chest in mock despair.

“Nuh uh”

“Let me cook for you, then.” He looked at his phone. “Get your work done. Then we can go to my place. I’ll make you pasta and drinks.”

My throat went dry. “Your place?”

Realization dawned on his face. His smile reduced, and he took a step back. “Don’t worry, Flo. I’m not going to pull any moves on you. It’s just a friend cooking for another. I promise.”

“I don’t know, Liam,” I sighed. I didn’t know how to say no to him. Did pasta sound good right now? Yes. But did I trust Liam enough to go back to his place?

“Come on.” He fished out his phone and showed me a picture of a bowl of pasta. “I made that.”

The pasta did look great….

Creamy and cheery and soft. With truffle slices. And chicken on the side.

“What drink will you make me?”

“Anything you want.”

“Gin sour?” I asked. He nodded happily, “Gin sour it is.”

He turned toward the door. “I’ll meet you in two hours, then!”

The thought of some yummy pasta motivated me, and I diligently worked, made dinner and cleaned up. Then, I went to the washroom and made myself presentable. As usual, I had kept a note about dinner and dessert for Felix. He usually didn’t eat the dessert i had made. And didn’t even touch my note. But this morning, he’d finished half of the chocolate pudding I had made, and the note now had a roughly scribbled “thanks” on it. I’d carefully folded it and put it inside my bag.

Finally, I frolicked to meet Liam at the gates. He waved when he saw me. “You seem excited” He said.

“I am! Your pasta better not disappoint, Liam. Or I’ll be really, really sad,”

“That’s so much pressure.” He opened his car door for me, and I got in. I sat down and he closed the door, then quickly ran to the other side.

“Where do you live? I thought you lived in the servant quarters.”

*1 used to. I moved a while agu. I got a small place nearby. Its nice cause I have a place of my own, and I can still be near mom.*

“You really love your mom, no?”

He smiled. “Its just the two of us here. We have to take care of each other.” He swallowed, like he had a lump in his throat, “She’s been through a lot. She’s so nice and looks so happy all the time. And she’s so kind. But she’s seen terrible things. I want to protect her from all that now.”

He looked at me, “The plan is to earn some money. Save up. And then get the hell out of this place.”

“You don’t like this city?”

you

“I don’t like this world.” He said, “Anyway, you won’t get it. It’s a good thing. Don’t get too involved with the Corsings. You should leave, too. When y

get a better offer.”

I didn’t say anything to that..

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