36. Chapter 35
Chapter 35
Felix
H aving two of my favourite women in the same room was wonderful. The way they were interacting was going well and occasionally, I’d jump in to talk about how Alisha was finding her ski lessons. Aunt Brenna was impressed with this and also with the fact that she was an aspiring journalist, as she had thought about dabbling into this career path many years ago.
“Well, I’m pleased you two have met. I could tell my Felix had changed, but for the better. It’s great to see him so happy.” Aunt Brenna met my eyes and then Alisha’s. It felt like she had given her blessing in a way. Her opinion was very important and I could see she already liked Alisha. I could relax a little better now.
As promised, the food was waiting for us at the dining table. There was also some pickle sauce, which complimented the tangy, creamy cheeses. I loved my aunt’s meat and cheese boards she’d prepare, and the bread was even made from scratch. She hated store-bought bread, always liked to make her own or grab one fresh from the local bakery. She had a particular taste, both in food and clothing. She tried not to judge people too quickly, but for herself, she wanted to look her best.
The goulash was also slow cooking in a pot but the gorgeous smell wafted through the kitchen into the dining room, wrapping itself around my body and tingling my tastebuds. I had actually helped her with this dish, chopping up the onions and dicing the potatoes once they had been peeled.
My aunt had asked me to come over on a phone call this morning, wanting my input about her sons and the tepid decisions they were making. I think she felt like it was a lost cause, motivating them to do more for the community. They had jobs but only part-time. She was expecting more from them and she had some money saved for them so they could put it down for a house deposit one day.
Both my cousins were great, I had plenty of time for them, but I understood where my aunt was coming from. She had high hopes for them and wanted them to fulfil their potential. It was why she had given me a house, as she believed that everything was stable for me.
Thinking about it, I would eventually move by selling the place and giving back the money to my aunt. I’d saved up over the years, not much, but perhaps enough to put down on a small flat. My aunt had helped me a lot financially too, and made sure I didn’t go without. But I felt now at nearly 28, I needed to take charge of my future.
That included handing in my resignation, which was typed up and signed. I had worded it formally, with the help of my aunt until I was completely sated with how it looked.
I would be handing this into my boss tomorrow, no hesitation and no regrets. It was about damn time.
“This tastes absolutely delicious, Brenna.” Alisha had taken a large bite of the homemade bread, which had a cheesy crust. She coated it with some butter and added a few slices of cheese—gouda and tiroler bergk?se which was a type of hard cheese. It went quite well with white wine but we settled for the bottle of rosé, which Alisha had brought. I had a generous glass of it in front of me.
I draped one arm across her chair, knocking my knee with hers. Once again, she smelled incredible. Cherries, which was now my favourite scent.
“So, you mentioned the article you’re writing. What keeps you motivated when writing? I’ve always wanted to try it, but raising four kids kept me occupied.” Brenna said this with a smile. I knew she loved being a mother first and foremost but part of me wished she had followed her dreams, as maybe she’d be happier.
Anyway, it was up to her and it was never too late if she decided to do it now. Alisha would be the right person to ask for advice.
“Well, I do experience this thing called writer’s block from time to time. I hit a wall and it can be hard to jump over it. But what I tend to do is have a snack or two with me and then I chat to my friend to get her opinion.” Alisha said, taking another bite of some bread and cheese. This time, she had added some ham.
“Are you pleased with your progress then?” Aunt Brenna was never shy with her questions, always wanting to know more about the person she spoke to.
“I feel like it’s getting there, but it needs that magic touch. I’m sure something will come to mind soon. There’s still so much more to discover here.” Alisha pressed her lips together, swiping one finger around her lips to catch some stray crumbs.
I wished I could have done that for her with my tongue.
“Well, I think you should go to Vienna with Felix. I know it is typical, but there is so much to see there. The only thing is that it’s more than a five-hour drive. The next place you could go to is the health and wellness park in See. It’s great if you like to relax and see beautiful scenery.” My aunt suggested. I had been to Vienna once, several years ago and it had slightly overwhelmed me with how busy it was.
A road trip sounded fun, but five hours behind the wheel there and back would probably wreck me. So I liked the idea of going to the park as we could have a picnic together. It would be romantic and I’d never taken a woman there before. Not even Evie.
“That sounds interesting. I don’t think I’ve ever been to a park like that before. I’ll look it up later. Thank you.” Alisha seemed pleased with this idea and placed her dainty hand on my thigh. If she dipped her hand any lower, then I would be in trouble.
“You’re welcome. Are you two ready for the goulash?”
“Absolutely. I can’t wait to try it.” Alisha gushed, picking up her napkin and timidly wiping her mouth for any residue of crumbs and cheese.
“How are you finding this?” I wanted to know what my girl was thinking, whether she was comfortable.
“She’s so sweet. I can tell she adores you,” Alisha said to me in a hushed tone, glancing in my aunt’s direction, who was busy getting the bowls out of the cupboard. From the dining room, there was a clear view of the kitchen which was ginormous anyway. Sometimes I wondered how my aunt was able to manage a house of this size.
“She’s been very good to me. I think she likes you.” I circled my thumb around Alisha’s hand which was still resting on my thigh.
“I like her too.”
“And I really like you.” I edged a bit closer to Alisha, nipping gently at her ear lobe. I wanted to give her a taste of what would happen later this evening, if she was coming back to mine or me going to hers. It felt like we were inseparable now.
“I really like you too. This feels right.” Alisha’s mouth hovered above mine and just as we were about to lock lips, my aunt bustled in with our food, humming a soft tune as she did. She held two bowls of hot soup in her hands, placing these down in front of us.
“Do you need a hand, Brenna?” Alisha twisted her head to the left to check on my aunt and see if she could help.
“Not at all!” My aunt’s voice sang merrily as she rejoined us, a plate of more bread in one hand and her bowl of soup.
“Right, there is plenty more goulash if you want any. Guten Appetit.” She said and we all picked up our spoons to have the first taste. It was creamy, with just the right amount of salt. I let out a small moan as I bit into a potato, it was neither too hard nor too soft. I had to cut myself a piece of bread too so I could dip it in the soup.
“So, do you have any siblings?” Aunt Brenna queried, scraping her spoon around the bowl as she was nearly finished.
“I’ve got three. Two brothers called Zane and Aadi and one sister called Kiya. We’re all close,” Alisha replied. I knew she was a bit homesick as she’d mentioned she was missing her family in bed this morning. I wondered about their relationship. Did they ever fight? Did they steal and hide each other’s things growing up?
With Mira, all we had was one another so it was easy to get along. Being older, my goal had been to protect her and act in her best interest. When we arrived at the care home many years ago, we refused to sleep in separate rooms. I didn’t want anyone to hurt my little sister and to this day, I felt the same. Call me slightly overbearing but I just cared.
“That’s lovely. I’m not sure if Felix said but I have one sister. His mother. We were close growing up but things changed,” Aunt Brenna’s voice trailed off, I knew it was a touchy subject for her but she’d felt brave enough to mention my mother out loud to someone she didn’t know.
Speaking of my mother, I’d spoken to my aunt about it earlier, confirming that I would meet her but only if Alisha could come. She didn’t protest about it but pulled me into a tight embrace and said she was proud of me. It validated that it was the right decision I had made. Aunt Brenna still had love for her sister, that would never fade.
Alisha looked as though she was thinking what to say next but to make it less awkward, I stepped in.
“Aunt Brenna, thank you for the lovely meal. Do you want me to help with dessert?” My hand found Alisha’s again under the table and gave it a squeeze.
“You’re welcome. Well, I need to make a start on the Marillenkuchen,” she said. Marillenkuchen was an Austrian apricot cake, the specialty was to add a bit of rum for that kick. But I decided to let my aunt sit back and rest, so Alisha and I would make it together. It was a perfect excuse to spend some alone time with her.
“Are you sure? I really don’t mind making it.” Aunt Brenna seemed a little hesitant, normally used to being in control and being the best host. But it was the least I could do for her.
“Sit back and relax, we’ve got this,” I reassured her, stacking the empty bowls together and carrying them to the kitchen. Alisha followed behind me, having picked up the spare plates and empty wooden board which we’d had the cheese and meats on.
“You don’t mind baking with me, do you?” I asked Alisha as I opened the dishwasher to start loading.
“You kidding? I love baking so much. Especially with you.” Alisha hugged me from behind, pressing a kiss on my back. I loved feeling her petite frame pressed up against me, it made me feel all sorts.
“Good. I love having you by my side.” I wanted to say so much more to her but for now, I’d hold it in. I wanted things to keep going smoothly. But of course, I wanted to give all of myself to Alisha. My heart didn’t feel like it was beating just for me anymore. In fact, it didn’t feel like my own anymore.
Was I in love already?