The Honeymoon Dinner

“Oh, no that’s Janick!” Panic filled my body and soul. “What a fortuity! Today like any other day, I go shopping only this time that he crosses my way!” At first I wanted to take refuge. I worried he would recognise me. Or maybe he wouldn’t? I was confused. While I was ruminating my thoughts, my legs felt frozen. Couples of minutes elapsed until it was too late to think of something. We exchanged our glances. I had to say something so I came up with “Hello it’s nice to meet you!”

He looked at me as if he would be really delighted. There was a open smile and a certain tone in his voice. “Hi Ailina!” he replied. Foolishly as always in such situation I had no shopping trolley with me. Instead I held a bag full of carrots, salad, salmon and a bottle of milk and orange juice in my hands. While I was talking with Janick I had to pay an extra attention to not to slip something.

Of course you will feel more comfortable to meet a friend you like the most in such a place but you do not get the opportunity quite often. At supermarkets you have the advantage to meet someone you like in a special atmosphere. Here you feel more private. Both are looking for foodstuffs. In the opinion of some experts this event is fairly an intimate ritual. Some even suggest that it is possible to analyse people on the basis of the way they do shopping.

We happened to stand by a section filled with a variety of sausages, cheeses and yogurt products. It was after lunchtime and I asked him if he was looking for something special. “Oh no, it’s quite simple. I need a bag of potatoes, a steak from the meat bar and some green tea.” He said.

I wondered about the tea. “Wow! Do you always prepare your tea fresh?” I asked in disbelieve. From the look of his reaction I knew my question does not sound right. “Oh no, of course I mean a bottle of tea.” He said. I should have known that, because even for me it is too much of work to prepare the tea by myself.

“Is that for your dinner tonight?” Janick asked and looked a bit curious. “Yes it is! Well, I confess this is the only thing I can cook!” I replied and smiled at him. Was that a joke? “Then you’re heartily invited to come to my house tonight. I will conjure a perfect dinner!” I said. That was meant to be a joke, but he understood it the other way around. “Oh great, that sounds really great! Fortunately, I am free this evening. May I come around 8 o’clock?” He asked.

I was surprised and excited at the same time. “Great, you have my address?” Those words bubbled spontaneously out of my mouth. “Yes I think so. If I were lost, I will phone you!” He answered. Surely that would give me the best chance I would ever get to know him better. It felt good when I thought about the time when Janick and I would be sitting in front of each other and eating my well prepared dinner for two. But suddenly I remembered my emptiness-dominated fridge. There were a lot of things to do until this evening. Only seven hours were left.

“We’ll see later. Bye bye!” said Janick. And before I fully realized that he had left, I stood there alone with a pack full of foodstuffs. I had to think about what to cook. It was a difficult decision, but finally I decided as for appetizer: ‘blinis with salmontartar and mozzarella in an exotic creme fresh mix’, then the main course would be ‘roasted tilapia on tangerines and tarragon with mashed potatoes’ and finally as for dessert ‘wine cream with red berries’. Therefore I needed additionally one packet of butter, a few eggs, crème fràiche, baker’s yeast, whipped cream, mozzarella, a tilapia fish, lots of lemons, sweet herbs and potatoes. The recipe was a present from my mum and it suited the event perfectly.

Then it was the artistic effort of mine to combine all the delectable elements the correct way. It seemed complex enough. Especially in cooking a first class meal the big risk always exists to do mistakes, which would ruin the whole taste. By six o’ clock I finished already the work in my little kitchen and began to decorate the dining table. Of course I used a shining white table cloth, with my most expensive crystal prickets and accordingly long and thin, white candels. Yellow lemons and green leaves made a combination that was seemed not too much. Together with the soft golden table cloth it gave a fresh and harmonious overall picture. I was satisfied.

Within another hour my dress and everything around me was ready. I was just waiting for him to arrive until I heard the door bell ring. “Hi Janick!” I said. I felt again this special prickling in my stomach. But this time I felt stronger, because I was in my own walls. Here it was easier to feel relaxed. And that had definitely a real positive effect on my behaviour. Firstly I conducted Janick to the decorated dinner table. He seemed to be as much impressed as I had expected.

The next steps were easy for me. I served him one meal after another. And he could not have enough! We ate and then drank our red wine with full of pleasure. It was so wonderful to talk with him about god and the world, also about love and our experiences. Music accompanied our togetherness.

Everything he did moved my heart. And now it was way after midnight. He was still here.

None of us was tired, quite the same. There was a certain tension in the air. It made me feel the passion and the pleasurable wish to touch him. I had to be carefully, because it was our first real date. So I was not ready to go a further step. I had no other choice but to take a leave from him.

“Janick I enjoyed the time we spent together today so much that I couldn’t express. I hope it won’t be our last dinner!? It’s my honest wish to meet you again! And you know that! And that’s why I think you have to go now!” I said.

“But...!” He paused while he was looking deep into my eyes. What did he found there? “Your right.” He said and took my hand. “Good Night Ailina, we will see again!”


That were his last words as he left.