could be with my father again. She seemed to miss him more as time went on, though she put on a brave face for me.”
“Our parents sound similar,” Charlotte said quietly.
“Yeah. Like kindred spirits or something.” David swallowed the last of his drink and looked at her glass. “Want another one?”
“Only if I want to show up drunk at dinner.”
David took their glasses and rinsed them in the sink. “Good point. Okay then, let’s wait until dinner to have another.” They started to walk to the door. “What do you suppose the topic of conversation will be tonight?”
“I don’t know. Maybe we could start a topic. If you really want to get them going, we can discuss the pay difference between NBA players and teachers,” she giggled.
“Oh no, don’t do that. Because then they may bring up overpaid actors, and I rather like being an overpaid actor.”
Charlotte laughed.
#
As they walked to dinner they met up with Angela and Hendra.
“Well hello you two,” Hendra purred. “Hungry I hope?”
David smiled. “Indeed. I was so engrossed in reading a script, I skipped lunch completely.” He winked at Charlotte, who just shook her head. David held the door to the dining room open, where only mild chaos was underway. Karen was on dinner duty, which usually resulted in madness of some kind. Woman ran back and forth from the kitchen brandishing pots, plates, platters, and glasses.
“Is there anything I can do to help?” David asked.
“Yes, save your energy for afterward. You and Charlotte are on clean up tonight. After Karen’s been in there, who knows what you might find,” Angela remarked with a husky chuckle.
Karen had embarked on a hearty coq au vin with a simple green salad and loaves of crispy French bread. They all ladled soup into their bowls and piled their plates high with salad and bread before sitting down. Karen bustled out of the kitchen, her white apron stained with various smears of food and sauce. Her face was flushed and little wisps of hair were plastered to her neck. She leaned between Charlotte and David. “I’ll apologize ahead of time for the kitchen. It’s really bad.”
Charlotte let out a dramatic gasp. “Really, Karen? I’m shocked. It’s not like I wasn’t in the kitchen all night cleaning up after you the last time.”
“Ha ha,” Karen responded. “Listen, when you’re creating a masterpiece, it’s gonna get a little messy.”
“Well, it is delicious,” Charlotte allowed. She looked at David. “It’s possible we could be in there until tomorrow.”
Under the table, Karen pinched Charlotte, who yelped.
Karen turned to David. “Do you know how to do dishes, hon?”
“How about you give me a lesson after dinner?”
“Ha! Not on your life. Nice try.”
Karen left to get her own food. The ladies seemed less star-struck by David as conversations centered on more mundane topics such as grandkids and dog walking services. After a few moments, one of the ladies, Sally, stood and clinked her fork against her wine glass to get everyone’s attention. A hush fell over the room as they waited for her to address the group.
“I have a subject to discuss tonight…men, romance, and marriage” Sally stated, a triumphant look on her face.
Murmurs of complaint and even a few loud protests sprang from the room. Sally held up her hands to quiet everyone.
“Now, now. Hear me out,” she continued. “We have a man here with us tonight, and although young, maybe he can shed some light on the subject. Perhaps tell us the truth about how men really feel about marriage, romance, and relationships in general.”
David’s fork was in mid-air when all eyes turned toward him; it was clear he was caught off guard by Sally’s declaration.
“Sally, come on now. That’s not fair.” Charlotte said. “David’s our guest and---”
David held up his hand to stop Charlotte.
“No, no. It’s okay. You have all been so nice to me, so I owe you one.” David took a
“Our parents sound similar,” Charlotte said quietly.
“Yeah. Like kindred spirits or something.” David swallowed the last of his drink and looked at her glass. “Want another one?”
“Only if I want to show up drunk at dinner.”
David took their glasses and rinsed them in the sink. “Good point. Okay then, let’s wait until dinner to have another.” They started to walk to the door. “What do you suppose the topic of conversation will be tonight?”
“I don’t know. Maybe we could start a topic. If you really want to get them going, we can discuss the pay difference between NBA players and teachers,” she giggled.
“Oh no, don’t do that. Because then they may bring up overpaid actors, and I rather like being an overpaid actor.”
Charlotte laughed.
#
As they walked to dinner they met up with Angela and Hendra.
“Well hello you two,” Hendra purred. “Hungry I hope?”
David smiled. “Indeed. I was so engrossed in reading a script, I skipped lunch completely.” He winked at Charlotte, who just shook her head. David held the door to the dining room open, where only mild chaos was underway. Karen was on dinner duty, which usually resulted in madness of some kind. Woman ran back and forth from the kitchen brandishing pots, plates, platters, and glasses.
“Is there anything I can do to help?” David asked.
“Yes, save your energy for afterward. You and Charlotte are on clean up tonight. After Karen’s been in there, who knows what you might find,” Angela remarked with a husky chuckle.
Karen had embarked on a hearty coq au vin with a simple green salad and loaves of crispy French bread. They all ladled soup into their bowls and piled their plates high with salad and bread before sitting down. Karen bustled out of the kitchen, her white apron stained with various smears of food and sauce. Her face was flushed and little wisps of hair were plastered to her neck. She leaned between Charlotte and David. “I’ll apologize ahead of time for the kitchen. It’s really bad.”
Charlotte let out a dramatic gasp. “Really, Karen? I’m shocked. It’s not like I wasn’t in the kitchen all night cleaning up after you the last time.”
“Ha ha,” Karen responded. “Listen, when you’re creating a masterpiece, it’s gonna get a little messy.”
“Well, it is delicious,” Charlotte allowed. She looked at David. “It’s possible we could be in there until tomorrow.”
Under the table, Karen pinched Charlotte, who yelped.
Karen turned to David. “Do you know how to do dishes, hon?”
“How about you give me a lesson after dinner?”
“Ha! Not on your life. Nice try.”
Karen left to get her own food. The ladies seemed less star-struck by David as conversations centered on more mundane topics such as grandkids and dog walking services. After a few moments, one of the ladies, Sally, stood and clinked her fork against her wine glass to get everyone’s attention. A hush fell over the room as they waited for her to address the group.
“I have a subject to discuss tonight…men, romance, and marriage” Sally stated, a triumphant look on her face.
Murmurs of complaint and even a few loud protests sprang from the room. Sally held up her hands to quiet everyone.
“Now, now. Hear me out,” she continued. “We have a man here with us tonight, and although young, maybe he can shed some light on the subject. Perhaps tell us the truth about how men really feel about marriage, romance, and relationships in general.”
David’s fork was in mid-air when all eyes turned toward him; it was clear he was caught off guard by Sally’s declaration.
“Sally, come on now. That’s not fair.” Charlotte said. “David’s our guest and---”
David held up his hand to stop Charlotte.
“No, no. It’s okay. You have all been so nice to me, so I owe you one.” David took a
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