Brian
"What?!" She asked with a slight chuckle. "You want to come home with me next weekend? Meet my family?" She looks at me like I'm the biggest joke ever.
I'm pissed! So pissed that she's excited to go home and not even miss me while I am about to go berserk just thinking about her leaving and not seeing her next weekend. How pathetic is that?
"Yeah, why not? You said we will be having practice dinner dates until your housemate comes back. But as it turns out you won't even be here from Saturday until Monday night. What will I do without you here?" I sound so stupid and childish right now but I don't care. I'm desperate.
She snorted. "Well, why not try spending time with your family, too. Dine with them. Treat them to a movie, maybe. There are lots of things you can do together, you know."
"Sounds like a plan. But.... my only family's no longer around. She... my grandma died last year... cancer." This is the first time I've ever talked about my grandmother since she passed. My heart still aches whenever I think of her. I don't know why I blurted this out to her.
"Oh, my gosh! I'm so sorry, Brian. I didn't know." She reached for my hand and squeezed it tightly not letting go. "I'm really sorry." She muttered in a low voice, her eyes full of compassion. I can see her sincerity and I can't help but feel something stir within me.
I held her hand too and it felt so right and so comforting. We sat there in silence for a while.
"How about your parents? W-well, if you don't want to talk about them, I'd understand. Totally." She said, breaking the silence. "It's okay if you don't want to talk about your family, really."
Truthfully, I don't talk about my family life, or at least what it used to be, with just anybody. But Dayne is not just anybody. She is my Precious Dayne.
"They separated when I was about 4 years old and my mom took me with her but entrusted me to my grandma's care when she left for overseas to work. She never came back for me though. We heard news that she got married and had kids there. Started a new family and totally forgot about me. As for my dad, he just disappeared like smoke after they split. No news if he's still alive or already dead."
Story of my life.
"I don't really know the last straw that broke the camel's back and pushed my mom to leave my dad, but I can still remember them constantly arguing and yelling at each other. My mom crying and throwing things at my dad. My dad coming home drunk almost every night. And him leaving immediately after the yelling and breaking of things in the house stops. Not one for the slam book's memorable moments, huh?" I smiled sadly.
"I'm sorry for my careless remarks, Brian. It was insensitive and thoughtless of me." She spoke while staring at me with sincere apologetic eyes and squeezing my hand reassuringly.
"It's okay, Dayne. You couldn't have known. None of what happened is your fault. No need to apologise, really." I once again forced a smile but was not quite succeeding.
Then, Ding! The oven timer went off. The lasagna is done. Dayne hesitantly released my hand and excused herself. My hand felt cold without her hand holding it. I stared at her back as she gracefully took out the lasagna from the oven.
She then started setting the table. I helped and like a team, we worked in silent harmony. This is bliss. And we haven't even started eating yet. I could get used to this.
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"Mmmmm..." No words. "This, is way better than eating in expensive restaurants, Dayne." I kept moaning in satisfaction like I haven't tasted good food all my life.
"And a lot cheaper if I may add." She pointed out. To which I certainly agree.
I nodded my agreement and again, "Mmmmm.... Really really good. The fillet is perfect with the lasagna and the slaw brings freshness to the palate. Perfect combination. Mmmmm..."
"Hey, don't talk with your mouth full." She chuckled. "Wait, what was it you said again, to taste is to believe?" She challenged with a raised eyebrow and a teasing smile. "I guess I don't need to ask to know the verdict, huh?" She laughed again while I continued putting food into my mouth, nodding and moaning with gusto. Unable to speak with good food filling my mouth to the brim.
We, uh... No, "I" finished all the food left on the table. Dayne watched happily as I gobbled on the rest of the lasagna and the fillet. I however choked when she suddenly spoke. "Do you think Precious knows how to cook?"
I choked so bad that I almost coughed the food out of my nose. She actually thinks Precious is the name of "the girl." She doesn't know it is her, my Precious Dayne. But I can't let her know that. At least not yet.
She was laughing while rubbing my back. I love her touching me. It feels warm and comforting. Like my grandma used to feel.... like "family."
It's like I am home. With her.
"You alright?" She broke into my pondering still smiling at me. "Yeah. Sorry about that." I said while wiping my mouth and nose. My nose hurt from choking on the food but my heart felt warm and happy.
"I believe my Precious is good at anything she sets her mind and hands on. She is that amazing," I said quietly and sincerely while looking into her eyes. Telling her how in awe I am of her and meaning every word I said. But she looked down quickly like my stare hurt her eyes.
"I'm sure she is," was her quiet reply, still not meeting my eyes. She's back to staring at the floor again. What is she thinking about? Did I say something wrong? Did I upset her?
"Do you think it will impress her if I volunteered on doing the dishes after the meal?" I said to break the awkward silence in the room. She snapped away from her thoughts and looked up. Then she rewarded me with that smile and my stomach knotted.
"Certainly. But it would be best if you both do it, to establish a sort of partnership or teamwork." She offered shyly. Then added, "I think she'd like it better that way."
"Okay. Let's do this together then," I said. "C'mon, get up, get up. Time to clean up," I pulled her from her seat and we both laughed and cleared the table.
What should've been a simple and boring task of washing dishes became a fun activity between Dayne and me. She lathered while I rinsed but we managed to create some splashing effects at the sink as we did so. She was giggling and I was grinning like crazy.
We make a good team, my Precious Dayne and I. There is this certain degree of inexplicable understanding between us that words are not even required. We're in sync.
"You want some instant coffee? That's all I have." She asked as I put away the last plate into the cabinet.
"Instant coffee would be nice. Thanks!" I answered while wiping my hands on the kitchen towel. This feels good. I never knew how much I missed living with another person until tonight. Sharing meals and doing household chores together, it's heart-warming.
I don't want "this" to end. Please don't let this end.
We headed to the living room with coffee in hand. After my first sip, she asked, "So, Brian, what do you do on weekends? If not for this practice date, how do you pass the time?" She asked before she took her coffee up to her lips, glancing in my direction.
"I do my laundry, clean the house and visit my grandma. I often spend the rest of the day with her after doing my groceries. Aside from these usuals, not so much. Just lie around the house, read novels, watch tv, or play my playlist and bum around. Depends on my mood and what I feel like doing." I replied.
"Don't you have friends? Like Deena is to me. Some close buddy from school or growing up." She fired away, shrugging.
"I'm afraid none. I never found the need to make friends outside growing up with my grandma. She was everything to me. She was a parent, a best friend, a teacher and constant companion. I was so content with just the two of us that I did not look elsewhere, for anybody else. She was enough." I spoke in retrospect. It was the truth. My grandma more than compensated for the absence of my parents. She gave me everything. She became my everything.
We were both deep in each other's thoughts. I was silently wishing my grandma was still around to meet Dayne. I know she would have loved Dayne, and Dayne, her. When I heard Dayne call my name, "Brian...?"
I looked up and hummed my reply, "Hmm?"
She looked quite unsure and seems to be arguing with herself, biting one corner of her lower lip. But then she appeared to have made up her mind. And popped the question that would rock my world, "Would you like to taste my mom's paella next weekend?"
My jaw dropped to the floor. Yes! Yes! Yes!
"I thought you'd never ask," was my honest to goodness reply.