by Té Russ
“No paintings?” he said, with a smile on his face.
She looked up. “I’m having some sort of artist's block.”
“Ah.”
She looked around. “Where do you want to start?”
For the first time, she could have sworn she saw a real smile. “The kitchen.”
As they were unwrapping items, she began the conversation. “What do you do?”
“I’m a chef.”
“That explains why you wanted to start in the kitchen,” she said grinning at him.
“Partly.”
“Where do you work?”
“Just some restaurant. But I’m looking to open my own one day soon.”
“Really?” she asked, as her eyes danced brightly. He stared at her for a moment. She seemed genuinely interested.
“You don’t think it’s silly?”
She turned her head to the side and asked, “Why would I? I think it’s great to have ambitions.”
“What are you ambitions Liz?”
“Same as any 'struggling artist' I suppose,” she replied lightly shrugging her shoulders, as she carefully unwrapped a dish, “to have my artwork known.”
He was silent for a long moment.
“Well,” she said trying to keep things from getting awkward, “I think I should taste something, to make sure I’ll want to come to your restaurant, once you open it.”
He grinned at her. “That’s why we’re unpacking the kitchen first.”
“Really?” she asked looking surprised and excited.
He shrugged as he unwrapped a set of plates. “I figured it was the least I could do since you were here all day helping me.”
He made a great meal and they kept up great conversation during the whole dinner. Afterward, she asked the question that she’d been trying to refrain from asking.
“I don’t mean to pry, but I heard your sister say something like you’ll be fine right before she left. And I noticed you seemed kind of sad. If you want to say, ‘it’s none of your business Liz’ go ahead. Even though we just met, I’m asking you as a friend, what happened to you?”
He didn’t say anything for a long time. He was surprised that she could read him so well; then again, maybe it was just written all over his face. Her question could have normally been considered out of line, but for some reason he felt comfortable enough to talk to her about it. Finally, he reached for his wallet. He opened it. Inside was a picture of him and Susan.
“Girlfriend?”
“Ex.”
“Oh, well, what happened?”
“She left me on our wedding day.”
Liz sat stunned. “John I’m so-”
He raised his hand and shook his head. “Please don’t say it. I’m tired of people saying they’re sorry for me.”
She looked down, and quietly replied, “I’m sure you are.”
“If you don’t mind, I think I’m going to call it a night.”
She got up. “Of course. Thanks for the meal.”
“Thanks for the help.”
“Hey,” she said turning back. “I know you’re probably sick of all those other people talking to you, being all pitiful. If you just need someone new to talk to, you know where to find me.”
He smiled. “Thanks.”
Not long after she left, he noticed something out his window. At the apartment across the street there she was. They were window neighbors.
They ran into each other a few times outside and at the market. She was usually buying something quick to eat.
On one of his off days, he’d seen her working on a painting. Every time he went by the window, she was in the same spot, looking as though she had not moved. Hours later he was pushing the buzzer to her apartment.
“Who is it?”
“Have you eaten today?”
There was a long pause.
“John?”
“Yeah.”
More silence. “No not really.”
“Buzz me in.”
When he got upstairs, she opened the door for him. He held up a bag.
She put her hand on her hip. “How did you know?”
“May I come in?”
“Of course,” she said moving out of the way to let him in. He walked toward the window and she followed. He pointed to his own apartment across the street and said, “I can see you. You haven’t moved for hours.”
She blushed. “I get so caught up in painting sometimes I forget to do anything else.” She peeked into the bag and sniffed. Then she looked up at him and smiled.
“What did you cook?”
From that day on they’d been great friends. It had never grown into anything more, and they both felt good about their friendship...
He stared at his friend as she hopped off of the bar stool and grabbed her coat.
“Come on,” she said. “Let’s get out of here.”
She held out her hand. He took it and they headed out the door. He looked around the restaurant then turned out the light and locked the door. He'd be back in a few hours. It was Saturday, which meant breakfast. They only offered a breakfast menu on the weekends.
They walked slowly back to their apartment in silence, still hand and hand.
"How is your sculpture going?"
"You don't have to do that you know."
"Do what?"
"Try to ask about me so you don't have to think about the other stuff."
He threw his arm around her neck. "Lizzie, you know I'm really interested in your masterpieces."
She rolled her eyes and laughed. "I wouldn't go that far Johnny."
"Well I would. You have already sold quite a few pieces."
"Yeah, but I've never had my own show. I have more than enough pieces for an entire show but no gallery has offered me an entire show to myself."
"It will happen Liz.”
She huffed slightly and kicked her boot against the ground like a disappointed child.
"It will.” He stopped walking and turned to face her. "You remember when we first met and I told you I wanted to open my own restaurant?"
She nodded still looking at the ground.
"You were one of the only people who believed in me. When everyone thought I was crazy, you were pretty much the only one who said to go for it and not to let anyone or anything stop me. Now I'm telling you the same thing. You go for it. And don't let anyone or anything stop you."
She looked up at him and smiled. Then she hugged him tightly. "Thanks Johnny."
“Come on, let's get you home.”
They walked in silence the rest of the way to their apartments. He made sure she got in safely then went home himself. He got into bed and prayed that he would get a few hours of sleep before having to wake up and get ready for work.
Chapter 3
Liz looked at the clock. Time to get up soon. She rolled back onto her back and stared at the ceiling. She thought of her best friend. Then she thought of that evil harpy who'd ripped his heart out once upon a time. Liz gave herself some credit. She felt like she was rather well behaved the night before when she'd met Susan. She really wanted to tell the woman what she thought of her and where she could go for hurting her friend, even though she and John hadn't known each other when Susan left him brokenhearted.
She felt John deserved so much more than her. He deserved a woman who knew him inside and out and would love him like no one else would ever love him.
She briefly wondered, as she occasionally did, why they had never taken their platonic friendship to another level. As usual, she shook the thought out of her head immediately.
Becoming more than friends with John was too risky. She would be devastated if she'd ever lost him, so keeping him as a friend was the best for both of them.
Realizing she couldn't waste any more time in the bed she got up, took a shower then got dressed. Just as she was putting her shoes on, she heard her phone beep, letting her know she had a text message.
Your breakfast will get cold.
She hurried down the few blocks to the restaurant, partly because she was hungry and also because she was freezing. She turned the corner and smiled as she saw Johnny's. She felt proud that he'd listened to her and named the first restaurant after himself. “What better name for a restaurant than your own?” she'd told him. Of course, she was the only person allowed to call him Johnny in real life. He didn't even let his sister call him that.
She walked in and was greeted by a smiling hostess. “Hi, Liz!” she greeted.
“Hi Sandy! How are things?”
“Busier than ever. John is in rare form this morning. I swear he's like a machine! I'm sure he's waiting for you.”
Liz nodded and kept walking, heading for the kitchen. “I'll just go and say hi, then come sit down and eat.” As she was going through one door, Tonya, one of the waitresses, was coming out of the other door hands full with two trays. She smiled at Liz although she looked slightly overwhelmed. “Morning, Liz!”
Liz stopped and grabbed one of the trays. “Lead the way,” she said. Tonya gave Liz a grateful look then headed for the table. It was not uncommon for Liz to lend a hand at any of the restaurants, which was why all of John's staff adored her completely. After she helped serve the food, they headed back towards the kitchen.
“I can't thank you enough Liz. John has been like Superman in the kitchen this morning. Usually there's a line outside the door, but John's been in there turning out food so fast, the wait hasn't been too bad. Word must have got out, because we've had twice as many people for breakfast this morning.” That explained why she looked so overwhelmed. Liz gave her a sympathetic smile.
“Your food is already waiting. Do you want orange juice as usual?”
“Sure, I'm just going to say hi to John really quick.”
Tonya laughed and said, “Good luck, you'll have to catch him first.”
Sure enough, when she walked in she had to quickly jump back as John zoomed past her.
“Hey Lizzie.”
One minute he was chopping green onions then tossing them in a skillet, the next minute he was cracking eggs while stirring them. He tossed the mixed eggs in with the sautéed green onions. It seemed like she blinked and saw him tossing crepes in the air and expertly catching them in the pan. She looked at her watch to see how much time had passed.
“Uh John?”
“Yeah,” he called over his shoulder, still moving at a manic pace.
“Are you in some timed cooking competition you failed to mention?”
John stopped and looked around. His whole staff was watching him. He gave a stern look that said “back to work” and every one scrambled. He was sliding the crepes on a plate along with a slice of quiche. Tonya came around and swooped up the plate and took it out.
Liz just continued to stand there watching her best friend. He zoomed past her again, this time giving her a plate and a quick kiss on the cheek. “I'll be out in a little bit.”
She sighed, exasperated. “Have you eaten John?”
“Not yet.”
She grabbed his arm right as he was about walk past her again. “You be out at that table in ten minutes with a plate for yourself John, or I'm coming back here. Paul,” she turned to his sous chef, “make John a plate please.”
He nodded with his back to her and shouted, “Will do!”
She looked at John one last time, then turned and walked out.
“Hey boss, your food is ready! You got one minute to get out there before we all have to feel the wrath of Ms. Liz.” The entire staff had been watching the clock.
He'd had another dream when he returned home and went to bed. He threw himself into working to keep his mind off the dreams he was having of a woman he'd never have again.
“Alright, I'm about to go.” He cleaned the extra sauce off of a plate he'd just finished, and put it on the warming table to be taken out. Then he grabbed his plate and headed out into the restaurant. As soon as he spotted Liz he noticed she was looking at her watch. She looked up and saw him and her face broke out into a satisfied smiled on her face.
He slid into the booth across from her. “Are you happy now?”
“I'll be even better when I see you eat.”
He began eating his food, finally realizing how hungry he was. Liz shook her head.
“Honestly Johnny. What is going on with you in there today?”
He looked up at her with his fork mid-air, his mouth open. “What are you talking about?”
“You were running around in there like the road runner.” She looked down shaking her head. “I shouldn't have told you about Susan.”
“Hey,” he said reaching across the table and taking her hand. “I would have found out eventually. Better to hear it from my best friend first rather than on the street or some newspaper announcement. I'm not going to lie; it does sting a little bit. But I got over the worst part years ago.”
He watched her as she scrutinized his face. It still amazed him sometimes how great she could read him. But he read her pretty well too, he thought. After staring for a few more minutes, she seemed content with what she saw then asked, “How about we watch a movie tonight?”
He nodded. “Sure, you pick the movie and I'll make the popcorn.”
She scoffed at him. “Johnny, why can't we just buy a bag of popcorn to heat in the microwave like regular people?” They went through this every time they decided to watch a movie.
“Because mine is better,” he said taking another bite of his omelet.
She shook her head. She could not argue with him though, the popcorn he made was amazing. “Fine,” she conceded, “but you better have it ready before I get there.”
He chuckled. “Fine, I will call you when it's ready.”
Later that evening, he went home and looked out the window across to Liz's place. He shook his head and smiled. She was vigorously painting, oblivious to everything else around her. He knew they would not make it through the movie. She'd be asleep thirty minutes into it. He made the popcorn anyway and called her.
“Give me ten minutes to clean up and I'll be right over there.”
“Are you sure you still want to watch a movie tonight?”
“Of course I do, why wouldn't I?”
“You've been working.”
“And?”
“Come on Lizzie, you know you can never stay awake through a movie after you've been working.”
He could picture her rolling her eyes at him. “Well tonight I will prove you wrong Johnny.”
He didn't argue with her any longer, he just agreed to see her in ten minutes. Soon she was rapping on his door in the melodious way only she could. He opened the door to see her standing there with a smile on her face and a movie in her hand. It was some romantic comedy. He instantly knew she would be sleep in no time. But he did not comment. He just smirked at her, which caused him to receive a playful swat on the arm. “I will stay awake. Just you wait.”
They sat down, started the movie and began to munch on the popcorn. “How is that piece you're painting coming along?”
She blushed. He knew she must have been working another very sensuous piece. She had a way of painting or sculpting lovers in such a way that made you feel like you were spying on a very private moments. And despite all of the passion in her work, she still blushed like a schoolgirl every time she talked about them.
“It's coming along very well.” That was all she said about it. Quickly changing the subject she asked, “What about you? How was work?”
“Busy as usual,” he replied nonchalantly as he tossed some more popcorn in his mouth.
“And the other restaurants?”
“The same.”
As the movie began, they fell into a companionable silence. However, true to form, thirty minutes later, L
iz's head lightly fell onto John's shoulder. Soon he could see the steady rise and fall of her chest as she breathed deeply. He gathered her up in his arms and carried her to the guest room. He gently laid her on the bed so he wouldn't wake her and headed out of the room.
Before leaving, he turned and looked at her one last time. He noticed her hair had gotten slightly longer since they'd first met, but the curls were just as big and wavy. Her hair was splayed all around her face and he thought she looked rather angelic. She'd definitely been his angel from time to time.
His brows bunched and he wondered what made him have that sudden thought. Deciding not to linger on the thought anymore he turned and went back into the living room. He turned off the TV, not very interested in watching a romantic comedy without Liz. Especially since romance definitely was not at the top of his list.
His mind drifted to Susan again. He still could not believe that she was getting married. And to another man. He'd always thought in the back of his mind that in time when she was ready to really get married, he'd be the one waiting for her at the end of the aisle. But that hadn't been the case.
Sighing, he tried not to dwell on the depressing thought. He grabbed the bowl of popcorn and headed to the kitchen.
As he entered the kitchen, his phone rang. Wondering who could be calling, he quickly thought it could be someone from the restaurant closing up. He went over to the phone and answered.
“Hello?”
“Good evening Johnathon.”
He gripped the bowl so hard, he thought it might break.
“Susan?”
Chapter 4
Liz woke up slowly by degrees. As her vision came into focus, she laughed at herself. She was glad they had not made a bet on her falling asleep during the movie this time. She would have lost, as usual. She yawned and stretched, and then she sniffed. The smell of coffee was calling sweetly to her. He had made her favorite kind. Things like this were reasons why she loved him.
He took such great care of her. There should have been a woman out there worthy of that love from him. Imagine the woman he fell in love with; she would be even more pampered and spoiled. Liz just wasn't that woman.