D swallowed, feeling as if someone had just knocked the air out of her. Petrified she stared down on her plate. This dinner had just gone very, very wrong. Across from her, Joe resumed eating. She didn’t dare to look at him, but from the corner of her eye she could see him finish the last bit of hi
The abruptness of her movement in combination with the look she gave him, made him take a step back reflexively and just place the dishes on the counter. Raising his hands in surrender, he backed up and got out of her way. Her hands shaking, D grabbed the salad bowl that still had some salad inside
“Okay,” he said as he opened the fridge, “now that we have survived the real uncomfortable part, let’s have some tiramisu!” Even though she had heard what he had said, it took D a moment to grasp that – unexpectedly – he hadn’t informed her that he was going to leave. It was so unexpected in fact,
“I don’t know…” Joe said calmly, “maybe I’m even glad it still bugs you.” Her eyes darted up at him. He was running the very tips of his fork over the thick layer of cacao on his tiramisu, creating some wavy lines. “And about your question, how long I’m staying,” he said, picking up the conversat
“He has followed his real calling as he calls it.” With her fingers she was indicating quotation marks. “He’s making jam!” Joe burst out as if he was a competitor in a TV quiz show. “Almost,” D laughed. “He started a catering business. Works with two other guys and a young woman. And Mom is helpin
There was a moment of silence. Watching her closely, Joe couldn’t help feeling a little aggravated. Even if there didn’t seem to be anyone else right now, what she had said in regard to Pete could mean pretty much anything. He wasn’t even quite sure how and why the relationship with Pete had ended.
The way the wind was picking up, it would probably start raining soon. Across from her, Joe leaned back in his chair again and stared towards the outline of the apple tree. “What if I didn’t want to go home?” he asked a little stubbornly. Despite the cool wind, D felt like a heat wave had just hi
After D had closed her bedroom door, Joe turned off the movie and flipped through the channels without being able to focus on anything. Somehow this evening had been a bit of a mess. He really couldn’t quite say what had made it so important to stay here, when it was purely his staying on the sofa