by Max Hudson
“It’s good, isn’t it? If I had not remembered the specific recipe from my friends in Geneva, I would have hated myself for it.” When Charles looked back at Henrik, he seemed quite proud of himself. Henrik’s hands were on his hips as he stood triumphantly next to Charles’ seat. The American man could only laugh at such a childish pose.
Again, Henrik opted to sit right across from Charles. In the tranquility of the morning and the comfortable atmosphere of the cafe, Charles could finally study Henrik’s facial features. There was something so immediately endearing and warm about the way his lips curved, how his hair fell flat and outlined his face, how his eyes shined a bright grey-blue when someone complimented his work. If only the two men had met while in New York, Charles was sure he would have asked Henrik out right then and there.
“Don’t you miss it?” Henrik breathed out, one cheek resting in his hands as he looked out the window.
Charles turned his attention away from the pastry and back to Henrik. “Hm? What do you mean?”
“New York City. It’s home for you, is it not? If I were to be away from Zurich for this long, I’m not sure what I would feel. I have not traveled outside central Europe since the day I was born, so I’m sure I could never imagine the specific feeling that you have. But maybe it’s different for you since you have family here. If I went to America all by myself… well, it would be different for sure.”
Charles nodded as he processed what Henrik had just said. It made perfect sense, every point that he had outlined. To be honest, Charles had yet to think of such feelings. There was just so much to be done and so much to get straight with himself that Charles had not taken the time to truly think about getting back home. Did he miss the city?
“Of course I sometimes miss going back home. If you live somewhere for so long and you basically owe your life to that location, how can you not? But like you said before, I have family here. I like it here. I’ve been here a few times. There’s no way I could tell myself that I’d rather be back home then here, as Zurich is like a second home to me. I would say it is an injustice to call one location better over the other.” After this statement, Charles picked up the rest of the pastry and stuffed it into his mouth. After going through piles of paperwork the night before, it felt well-deserved.
“You’re a smart man. That’s why I admire you so much.” Henrik laughed. It was light and sweet, nothing that pointed to any malicious intent. Charles felt his cheeks warm up and a slight flush crawl down his skin. Something about Henrik’s laugh gave him chills, although the rest of himself was burning under the sudden compliment.
Charles shook his head as he was so accustomed to doing. “You flatter me, but you’re not giving yourself enough credit. Thank you, Henrik.”
Once again, Henrik laughed. This time it was more self-deprecating, but Charles was sure that Henrik understood what he had been trying to say. “Of course, of course. It’s only natural I tell the truth. Now, let me get to what I have been trying to say all day! It had completely slipped my mind, but I wanted to tell you first.”
“The floor is yours,” Charles shrugged, eyes cast downwards as he took a sip of water from the glass in front of him.
“Well, this is a surprise to even me, but one of my regular customers came in yesterday to tell me that he had entered me in a baking competition! How exciting is that? I’ve never quite thought about entering a competition, but once he brought it up, I couldn’t contain my own excitement. It will be broadcast too- on American shows. Really, just thinking about it gets my hopes up. Imagine all the creativity and freedom I will have with the pantry and ingredients they’ll provide.”
The twinkle in Henrik’s eyes had only increased with each word uttered, Charles was sure of it. If there was one thing that Henrik could not live without, it was the ability to bake. It was at this moment that Charles understood how much the bakery meant to Henrik- it was his lifeforce.
“I wanted to invite you to the live audience so you can watch. I plan on winning, don’t worry. You just need to be there when I beat everyone and win the title.” Henrik let out a hearty chuckle and grasped one of Charles’ hands from across the table. “It’s in two weeks exactly, do you know if you will be able to make it?”
Charles did not know the dates off the top of his head but was suddenly aware that in two weeks he would be boarding a flight back to New York. The tickets had already been booked, so there was no more room for surprises from headquarters.
“Ah, I’m not sure. I’ll need to check, but I might be able to make it. I will definitely come if I can… I’ll make the room if I have to.” Shifting his hand to slot into Henrik’s, Charles’ squeezed his hand reassuringly. The promise was almost baseless, with no real credibility or backing. A part of Charles wished he was wrong and in reality there were maybe a few extra hours or days after the competition, but another part of Charles knew that by the time the competition would end, the flight would already be midway to the States.
“Thank you, thank you. I would invite Maria as she is my only other employee here besides me, but it seems that she has an event with her friends at that same time. I would also invite my family… but I think it would be wise not to.” Henrik smiled a bit too painfully for Charles’ liking, but quickly shook his head as if to erase it from his face. “I’ll tell the producers so you can be let into the audience. I can also tell Andrea the details too!”
Charles nodded. Of course he had gotten himself into this sort of situation. “I’ll try to be there. I promise.”
***
Don’t worry, I’m my own boss. If I take a few minutes off of work I am sure no one will mind. I do this all the time, Charlie.” Henrik assured the disgruntled looking man before him, almost pleading with eyes for Charles to get up from his chair and go out into the city with him. “There’s a very cute shop downtown, the owner is lovely too. Won’t you please just come with me?”
With crossed arms and a frustrated frown, Charles looked back at Henrik with doubt.
“Are you sure it’s all right to leave Maria here by herself? She only just got here. I’d hate for her to get a scolding by you when it’s really your fault.”
“All right, all right. I promise I won’t scold her when we get back. Now may we go? If we don’t leave now, we may not see this opportunity again.” Henrik tapped at his wrist as if to point out an imaginary watch. “Come on!”
Charles let himself get dragged out of the bakery, rolling his eyes playfully at Henrik’s antics. Only moments before, the Swiss man had suddenly remembered the nice old woman down the street who owned a quaint antique shop. As a child, Henrik had fond memories of playing around the area and one day stumbling into its doors. The lady had almost acted as a grandmother figure to Henrik from day one. Henrik wanted to introduce Charles, if only this one time.
The walk wasn’t too far. It didn’t feel too long as most of the time walking was spent also exchanging banter with Henrik or talking about miscellaneous subjects. Charles was soon privy to what Henrik’s favorite breakfast food was, his favorite book, and his favorite kind of cheese. They were all random topics to Charles, but Henrik assured him that this sort of knowledge would come in handy if he ever decided to live in Switzerland in the future. Charles simply brushed this off as Henrik subtly trying to tell Charles what he wanted for his birthday.
The two men arrived at the antique shop. Its doors were made of an old wood, the steel bearings adding to its vintage look. Taking a hold of the handle, Henrik opened the door and gestured for Charles to enter first. “After you,” He smiled. Charles complied and entered the building.
The first thing that stood out to Charles was the smell. The shop smelled similar to the Christmas candles that his grandmother would always burn around the fall, with scents of apples, cinnamon, and recently-raked leaves lingering in the air. The atmosphere also felt quite cozy, although Charles could not put a finger on why he thought so.
Soon, Henrik had followed behind and the two men
stood near the entrance. A glass counter containing numerous jewels and trinkets sat to the side, an old woman also standing behind the counter as she inspected the cased items.
Henrik waved his hand around in an effort to get the woman’s attention, which seemed to work after a few seconds of awkward silence had passed. The woman looked up from whatever she had been inspecting and instantly found herself grinning from ear to ear. “Henrik, it is very nice to see you!” She exclaimed in German, almost surprising Charles. He had grown so use to the fact that Henrik could speak English that he had forgotten that he was in a foreign country with other languages besides his native tongue.
“It is very nice to see you too, Miss Engel. How are you on this fine day? The weather outside is perfect for taking a walk, not one to be cooped up in your shop all day, surely.”
Like always, Henrik’s smooth voice seemed to charm men and women of all ages. Miss Engel smiled as she playfully batted at the air. It seemed that she was long used to Henrik’s honeyed words yet still fell prey to them when she didn’t expect it the most.
“You’re very right, Henrik, but what can I do? I must stay here in case anyone comes into the shop. Speaking of which, it seems that I made the right choice as you are now here! Tell me, who is the man next to you? Are you perhaps a couple?” Miss Engel shuffled around the front area of the shop, fiddling with the placement of items and other antiques that seemed as if they had not been touched in months. Coughing at the dust that suddenly fell from the items, Miss Engel turned around and awaited Henrik’s answer.
Charles’ mind had processed what Miss Engel had said a few seconds quicker, immediately opening his mouth to blurt out a quick denial. Yet, his speech was promptly cut off by Henrik, who had the louder voice in this scenario.
“Why yes, you seem to still have a very sharp eye, Miss Engel. How did you know?”
Miss Engel could only laugh slowly, making her way back to the counter where a small cash register sat on top of the glass. “Don’t pretend as if you don’t know, Henrik. You bring every single one of your partners here whenever you think they’re trustworthy. I’ve been here long enough to tell, my dear.”
Charles turned to look at Henrik’s face. His cheeks looked as if they had been dusted a light pink.
“Ah, you didn’t have to say that aloud… I’m an adult now,” Henrik awkwardly chuckled, reaching up to scratch the back of his neck in embarrassment. Turning to face Charles individually, Henrik lowered his voice so only he could hear. “Disregard what she said… her age, it’s getting quite old, you know?” Henrik’s German accent had begun to slip through with the added shyness.
“Don’t worry, your secret is safe with me.” Charles patted his chest reassuringly, trying his best to display a comforting smile as he did so. This seemed to do the trick as Henrik looked back at the contents of the antique shop. The shop consisted of three separate rooms, each one the size of a moderately sized studio apartment. Charles was unsure of whether each room was themed, however, as it appeared that items were casually displayed in whatever place was most convenient for them to sit at.
As quickly as Henrik had led Charles to the shop, Henrik had left the man’s side and had ventured deep into the rows and shelves of antiques. Shrugging to himself, Charles decided that he would take the opportunity and find something for Henrik. The American man had a few Swiss francs still left in his wallet, so he would be able to purchase something, even if it were a bit small.
Charles hesitantly approached the counter where Miss Engel stood by. Although she appeared to be distracted, Charles could tell after a closer look that she was really just pretending to be busy so as not to seem too suspicious. Once Charles stepped closer to the counter, Miss Engel quickly dropped the act and looked expectantly toward the young man.
“So, you’re Charlie, correct?” Her English was laced with a thick German accent, almost thick enough that Charles could barely make out her words. Shaking her head, she quickly switched back to German. It would be easier for the both of them. “Henrik has said a lot about you. I have known him for a long time, so I suppose you could consider me his confidante of sorts.”
Charles nodded. Everything sounded understandable, considering all the information that Henrik had told him on the way to the antique shop too.
“Yes, that’s my name. Did Henrik really mention me to you…?” Being careful with his words, Charles tried his best to contain the giddy feeling inside his chest that quickly consumed his mind as he took in Miss Engel’s words. “I didn’t think I was that interesting to talk about, quite frankly. If so, I’m very touched.”
Miss Engel threw her head back with a laugh, collecting her breath once she was done. “Oh, Charlie, he talks about you all the time. I have not seen him this excited about anyone for such a long time… his last breakup was too devastating for him. I’m glad you two have each other now. He just seems so much brighter. Although he is not my son, I feel the same instinct that a mother would have for her child when I look at Henrik.”
This information probably should not have come as a surprise to Charles, but he still found himself taking a small gasp of air when Miss Engel had mentioned that Henrik was the happiest he had been in months. No, Charles had to snap out of the self-pitying mindset he had adopted when him and Henrik were first getting to know each other. The two men had shared many intimate moments, so Charles should have been more confident in his admiration and trust in the Swiss man.
“That’s very nice, Miss Engel. I’m glad Henrik has you in his life as a figure he can rely on. I think that’s such an important aspect to one’s mental health… having someone you can rely on.” Charles’ fists tightened subconsciously, thinking back to his own experiences. Until recently, Charles had been a cold, stoic man. Around Henrik, Charles felt more like himself- someone who was easily flustered, could crack a joke, and wasn’t afraid to confront his own feelings. Charles wanted to rely on Henrik.
“I’m sorry to change the topic, but you mind if I ask if you have any sort of cufflinks or brooches in your shop? It’s embarrassing, but I’d like to get something for Henrik. Don’t bother trying to give it to me for free- I’ll pay the full price.” Charles insisted as he spotted Miss Engel open her mouth to protest. “I’m not too keen on Henrik’s personal tastes yet, so I think you will be a huge help in this area of expertise.”
“Of course, my dear. Henrik has never been one to like flashy clothing, though he does appreciate a bit of sparkle to accompany otherwise dull outfits. He’s a baker, so it is not as if he has much time to wear nice clothing daily. If you got him a ring, perhaps that would suit him more?”
Charles agreed with the statement, being able to picture exactly what Miss Engel had said. Besides, Henrik didn’t seem to be the type that cared too much about fashion or name brands.
“A simple silver ring then? Do you think that would be all right?” Charles felt the nerves start to rise in his voice. Inside the glass case sat a few rings of different sizes and designs. There was one particular ring that caught his eyes, a steel ring with an engraved design of a lion wrapped around the outer shell. “What about this one?” Charles pointed to the ring and looked at Miss Engel expectantly.
With the air of a wise sage thinking deeply about what they would soon teach their new pupil, Miss Engel tapped her cheek and hummed in thought. “It would be nice. But what about this one? I think the lion-engraved ring is too small for Henrik’s finger.”
The woman reached into the glass case and pulled out another ring, this one a bit bigger than the one Charles had been eyeing. The color was a nice, polished gold, though Charles was unsure whether or not the ring was truly pure gold. The design on the ring was less intricate than the other, with a simple spiral engraved into one of the sides. Despite being on the simpler side, the ring still held its own style and flare. Charles thought it would look pretty on Henrik’s slender fingers, especially when it caught the light and refracted it back into the open air.
&nb
sp; “You have very good taste, Miss Engel. No wonder Henrik trusts you so.” Charles nodded his head as if he were agreeing with his own statement. After turning the ring around in his hands for a few moments, Charles set it down in its individual velvet box and used his right arm to lean against the glass case. “So, how much will the ring be?”
“Nothing. I cannot make you pay for an item that will be going to such a lovely cause. Like I said, Henrik feels like a son to me. If I accepted your money, I’m not sure what Henrik would say to me if he found out.”
Charles sighed. Somehow, he knew that this would be the response he’d get. Reaching into his suit pocket, Charles slid a few bills onto the counter. He was unsure about the exact total of the loose change he had but knew that the total price was around a couple hundred francs.
“Now, Miss Engel, you do not have to be so polite. Keep the change, it’s all right. Really, I would feel horrible if I were to take such an item from you for free. I’m a guest and tourist in this country, I will at least do my part for the economy after staying here for this long time.” Charles chuckled at his own small joke. Miss Engel could not do so, however, as she frowned at the loose bills that still sat on the glass counter. “Really, I’m serious. I can’t take this if I do not pay you.”
Miss Engel sighed. She had long been accustomed to the sounds of a man who was too stubborn to back down from his word. She knew this tone of voice quite well, so all there was to do was outright accept the offer.
“Very well. I will take it, but don’t think this is the last you have seen of me, Charlie. I’ll get this back to you somehow.” With a defeated expression, Miss Engel pocketed the bills and slid them quickly into the cash register. The sound of growing footsteps from one of the other rooms snapped the two back into reality- Henrik was coming back. “Quickly, put it away!” Miss Engel urged Charles to do as the American man fumbled to hide the ring box. Thankfully, once Henrik was back in the main entryway, the box was now sitting snugly in Charles’ suit pocket.