Soft footsteps caught both Aymard's and Alaric's attention. Aisha appeared wearing an oversized sweatshirt that exposed one of her shoulders. Alaric furrowed his brow, noting the slight indentation on his chest. Well, in this case, he understood the MILF nickname. It evoked a stir in his lower abdomen for no reason. But such feelings shouldn't be mistaken for affection. Although Alaric knew he wasn't as clever as Aymard, he could take pride in understanding emotions. True, he hadn't experienced genuine love yet, hadn't been blessed with it. But it wasn't a problem. As long as he didn't feel guilty about his impure thoughts, there was no need to pretend to speak of true love.
"Apologies for the delay. Oh? Where are Dono and Danti?"
Aisha approached Aymard directly while Alaric glanced sideways as she turned. Aware of Alaric's intense observation made Aisha momentarily perplexed. She was looking around before fixing her gaze on Aymard, filled with questions. Aymard's gleeful laughter resonated.
"He's sulking. He didn't take kindly to Rahman's teasing," Aymard revealed.
Alaric let out an intrusive whistle while glanced on his brother. Let hears his big brother. Love? Aymard was even deceiving her. Damn his brother's skill in toying with new prey. A challenging target considering it was the first time Aymard had set his sights on a woman who already had a child. Alaric felt obligated to observe, to learn from Aymard. Who knows, it might prove useful in the future.
Dono and Danti emerged bearing their respective employers' orders. As usual, Alaric embarked on an extensive grumble, dissatisfied with Dono's performance.
"Oh my, when will Miss Shafina find time for you, Boss? You've become so demanding lately, like a lonely widow craving affection!"
Silence fell abruptly after Dono spoke. The resonating echo seemed to engulf the universe. Its reverberations pierced the heart, provoking the mind to think. Dono had never been snide unless directed at Alaric, and now he was Aisha's guest, after all. It had never crossed Dono's mind to label Aisha with the common stigma that claimed widows were always yearning for male attention, especially from younger men. Just a meaningless banter. Damn, Dono had forgotten that the Host herself bore such a status.
Dono held his breath, his face growing pale. The atmosphere became uncomfortable, but if he were to apologize, it would only make things more awkward later on. Aymard shot a sharp gaze at Dono, while Alaric appeared indifferent. Danti was unsure of what to do, observing Aisha standing rigidly, clutching the spatula. Luckily, Aisha quickly understood and, being a strong-hearted woman, dismissed it as a misplaced jest. She threw a playful laugh at Dono.
"You know, you're right that I'm lonely," she murmured.
Dono winced, torn between relief and surprise. Alaric was also slightly taken aback, turning to Aisha while nibbling on the remainder of his fish.
"Loneliness came because I don't have a partner for plate tossing," Aisha teased again with feigned indifference.
Danti chuckled softly, "You're really something else with your ex, Aisha."
Aisha rolled her eyes, "That's how it is. Practicing target shooting on non-mainstream subjects," she retorted.
Dono burst into deliberate laughter, "Well, you're the only one who understands the art of flying plates. Let's have this ocha before it gets cold."
"Good idea," chimed in Aymard.
Alaric observed silently, taking in everything. He didn't misunderstand, even in the dim lighting, seeing Aisha pause for a few seconds in gloom. A significant note for his memory, this Widow still proved sensitive to her personal history. With a gleeful laugh in his heart, he concluded that Aisha might lose control if her personal matters were mentioned, becoming excessively melancholic. Although not entirely unwarranted, as divorce is, after all, not a pleasant memory. But Alaric thought, nonetheless, this was Aisha's vulnerable point.
"Keep it on the top of the stove, Dono. So it stays warm," Aymard advised.
"Will the glass break, Boss Aymard?"
"Well, that's why we use porcelains for hot drinks, Dono, not a fragile glass," Aymard responded with a hint of irritation.
Dono and Danti exchanged comments that annoying Alaric.
"If you two keep arguing, I'll marry you off! Annoying!" exclaimed Alaric.
Dono blinked while Danti maintained a poker face. Aisha burst into hearty laughter, placing another fishes on the grill.
"You two are quite the match," Aisha remarked.
Dono and Danti simultaneously stared at her, causing Aisha to burst into laughter. Aymard joined in the laughter. Standing beside Aisha, he flipped over another dish that she had placed earlier. The corn, smothered in seasoning, emitted an irresistibly enticing aroma when exposed to the grill. It was truly a peaceful and simple weekend evening, perfect for unwinding, even without their favorite drinks. The chilly breeze posed no problem, although Alaric was feeling slightly under the weather. It had been far too long since he had engaged in such camaraderie. The atmosphere was warm, with free food and no need to bother with cooking. They could simply enjoy the meal because Aymard was devoted to the stove and grill, never straying far from Aisha.
"We should have bought some meat too,"
Aisha joked during her conversation with Aymard. Alaric saw his brother nod in agreement.
"Next time, then." Aisha mumbled to herself.
"So, are we allowed to have a next time?" Aymard asked teasingly.
Alaric sneered, rolling his eyes. Dono suppressed a smirk and sat beside him. The two of them whispered to each other, discussing Aymard's behavior. Until, they simultaneously burst into laughter when Alaric joked about calling Rahman the "Beloved Nephew."
It was peculiar, that's all. Aymard's taste was usually impeccable, even when he was playing around. Aymard's remarks about MILFs had been surprising, although he later corrected himself. Alaric was convinced that there must be a very strong reason behind Aymard's confession of liking Aisha. His intuition refused to accept that Aisha was liked by Aymard without reason. And as a good brother, Alaric would always stand by Aymard's side. To ensure that Aymard didn't deviate from his yet-to-be-confirmed agenda. Alaric believed 100% in Aymard's insincerity, considering himself skilled in gauging emotions.
After all, there was nothing exceptional about Aisha Roestam.
*****