Rain.
As the plane approached Vespera, a heavy rain began to lash the aircraft.
"It looks like the weather isn't on our side," commented Blortus as he looked out the window.
"How beautiful," said Sheila, observing the clouds momentarily illuminated by lightning.
'Beautiful?' Blortus wondered, a bit puzzled. To him, the scene was chaotic and, at worst, could affect the flight.
"You have very peculiar tastes," said Blortus, noticing that Sheila didn't take her eyes off the window.
'What's wrong with me?' Sheila wondered, feeling her heart race. She had an inexplicable urge to do something, but... what?
"Treit?"
Reacting to Blortus's words, Sheila returned to reality.
"Oh, sorry."
"Relax, you just drooled a bit," said Blortus, pointing to her lower lip.
To Sheila's surprise, he was right! Somehow, her saliva had…
'How embarrassing,' Sheila thought as she wiped it off.
"Relax, it happens to me too when I'm focused on work," said Blortus in a teasing tone.
This comment relieved Sheila a bit, but when she returned her gaze to the window…
Nothing.
That feeling disappeared. The storm began to calm down, but the rain continued until the plane landed. They had arrived.
Several passengers stood up as soon as the flight attendants announced they could start disembarking.
"Are you ready?" Blortus asked with a smile.
'Ready?' Sheila wondered, but a few seconds later remembered the invitation she had accepted.
"Yes," Sheila replied, trying to hide that she had forgotten.
"Your reactions are funny."
Standing up, Blortus grabbed his things and helped Sheila gather hers. They both disembarked together and headed to the baggage claim area.
A few minutes passed before Blortus's suitcase appeared, large and black, the complete opposite of Sheila's small, light orange suitcase.
"Let me help you," said Blortus as he handed over the suitcase.
"Thank you," said Sheila with a smile.
"Shall I lead the way?"
"Please."
Sheila followed Blortus to a very inviting café. Upon entering, she noticed how spacious it was despite the crowd inside.
"Wait here," said Blortus as he left his suitcase beside a chair.
Nodding, Sheila sat and waited for Blortus to return.
The noise of the people…
The sound of the rain…
All this background noise made Sheila silently ponder for several minutes until Blortus returned.
"Hello."
He looked like a professional waiter! Sheila was surprised by how Blortus carried the tray, laden with food, along with a liquor and two glass cups.
"What skill, sir," Sheila said teasingly.
"How bold of you. Help me put this down," said Blortus as his hand began to tremble.
Reacting to his words, Sheila took the plates from the tray in a perfect order that prevented the tray from losing balance.
"You're good," said Blortus while holding the empty tray.
"Now that I think about it… wouldn't it have been better if you had just placed the tray on the table?"
Silence.
Sheila and Blortus looked at each other for a few seconds before Sheila started laughing.
"I'll be right back," said Blortus as he left with the empty tray.
"I'll wait for you," said Sheila with a smile.
Without a doubt, Blortus was an interesting businessman.
When Blortus returned to the table, Sheila asked:
"Where do you live?"
"Here, in the capital."
"In Lumina?"
"Yes."
'What a coincidence,' Sheila thought, remembering that her family also lived in that state.
"Aren't you going to drink?" Blortus asked while taking a sip of his drink.
"I hope you chose something good," Sheila said teasingly as she reached for her drink. Before taking a sip, she brought the glass to her nose out of habit.
The first aroma she detected was that of the alcohol, strong and penetrating, but there was something else. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, trying to identify the subtle notes that mixed with the ethanol.
"Hmm, definitely a hint of fruits," she murmured to herself. "Maybe green apple and a bit of pear."
Blortus watched her curiously as she continued.
"I also smell a floral aroma, maybe a bit of orange blossom… and something spicy, like a touch of vanilla."
Finally, Sheila opened her eyes and smiled.
"It seems you've chosen a good white wine, right?"
"Exactly, I see you have a good nose," said Blortus confidently, but the truth was… he had only chosen that wine because it caught his attention!
That, and because it was somewhat expensive, so he thought it would taste good, but he never expected Treit to be so detailed to that extent.
Still, as a businessman, he couldn't lose his composure.
He had to show confidence.
Confidence was key both for business and for relationships between individuals.
He couldn't back down.
Not now.
"What's your favorite wine?"
'Shit.'
Despite drinking countless wines at meetings or parties, Blortus never bothered to learn the name of any brand or type of wine. He just drank to drink, so…
"That one," Blortus said as he pointed to Sheila's glass, but from her perspective, it seemed he was pointing at her.
'What? Me?' Sheila thought, blushing at Blortus's declaration.
Without a doubt, he was a bold man.