Have you ever wondered about Otalia's first kiss? When will it happen? Where will they be?
"Are you ready?" Olivia asks Natalia as she walks into the Farmhouse kitchen. A whirlwind of aromas swirl around Olivia's memory as she recalls living with Natalia and waking up to the delicious scents that Natalia brewed from her endless menu of love-filled recipes. "Mmm, what are you cooking?"
"I-I have one more dish in the oven," Natalia says barely looking at Olivia as she scurries from the fridge to the counter, carrying dishes of food. She closes the fridge door shut with her behind. A stained apron protects her flowered sun dress. She covers one dish with tin foil and seals a plastic cover on another container. "It'll be another five minutes, then we can leave."
"What's all this?" Olivia says as she scans the kitchen table that is laden with a variety of food-filled platters, storage containers, and steaming casserole dishes.
"Oh nothing. Really," Natalia says as she pauses to wipe her brow. "I'm just bringing a few things."
"You do realize that the Coopers invited us to their barbeque which means they'll have food there," Olivia says.
"I know," Natalia answers defensively. "But I asked Buzz if I could bring anything and he said-"
"I'm sure he said no," Olivia answers. "And I'm sure he said, 'Don't worry about it. We have everything taken care of.'"
"No, no that's not what he said. He asked me to make Frank's favorite-"
"Chicken and rice. I got it," Olivia snaps. "So then what's all of this?"
"Uh...you know, just a little something...and-."
"Macaroni and cheese? Tuna casserole? With chips." Olivia questions with disbelief as she inspects each dish. "Banana pudding?"
"...and one dessert."
Olivia's piercing green eyes sparkle at Natalia as she says, "If you guilt-cooked for me like this every time you said something upsetting, I'd be..."
Olivia puffs out her cheeks and supports an imaginary large belly.
"Are you making fun of me?" Natalia asks.
"Natalia, I know what you're doing and it's just not -"
"Because this is difficult for me, okay? Going to this barbeque, with you, together. They invited both of us like everything's normal, like nothing's happened," Natalia says flustered. "How much do you think they know? No, Frank wouldn't have told them about us? I feel horrible."
"So you're going to force feed everyone so you don't feel bad?" Olivia smirks.
Natalia glares at Olivia, "You don't understand. It's not funny." Natalia steps past Olivia to check on an item in the oven.
"You're right I don't understand what you're going through right now...the guilt you must be feeling, wondering what the Coopers might be thinking about you, when they find out or if they already know the news...the so-called 'bad news'. But what I know," Olivia says as she cuts Natalia off from reaching her destination. She steps closer to Natalia, grips Natalia's arms and looks deep into her brown eyes. "What I do know is that they'll eventually learn the truth. And in your own special way, when they learn the truth from you - hear our truth – that look in your eyes would make anyone forgive you long before you even say, 'I'm sorry'."
Olivia sinks into the big brown eyes looking back at her; Natalia, is moved by Olivia's soft and understanding words. They stare in awe at the woman across from them wondering if there will ever be a right time, the right moment to -
The oven timer buzzes, startling them both.
"The soufflé!" Natalia says as she pushes Olivia aside to open the oven door.
"A soufflé!" Olivia mockingly exclaims as she throws her arms up in the air. "You made-."
"Uh! " Natalia scolds Olivia by raising an authoritative pointer finger in the air. "No more words."
Olivia tightens an invisible key at her lips and throws it over her shoulder.
"Let me get the soufflé," Olivia says waving Natalia away. "And you pack up the food. You're good at that stuff."
"Step away from the soufflé!" Natalia says as she blocks Olivia's attempt to open the oven door.
"Relax. I know how to take a cake out of the oven," Olivia defends, as she opens the oven door anyway. "I'm not that completely incompetent in the kitchen."
"Okay. Olivia?" Natalia says. "A soufflé isn't a cake."
Olivia stares dumbfounded at Natalia.
"Well...then...," Olivia pauses to pick up a pair of oven mittens. "It shouldn't be that difficult. Just get the other food in the car. We're going to be late."
"Be careful, don't let it fall," Natalia says as Olivia pulls the delicately puffed food out of the oven. "I'll take it from here."
"I got it," Olivia says as she pulls the hot dish toward her. "Just work on the other stuff."
"Watch what you're doing," Natalia scolds. "You really should give it to me."
"No. Don't you trust me?"
"No, actually I don't," Natalia says as she tries her best to hide a secretive smile. "...not with the soufflé"
"All I have to do is get it from here to there," Olivia says. "Piece of cake."
"It's not a cake."
"I can do this!" Olivia says.
"Fine!" Natalia answers back.
"But if you think I can't," Olivia says as she hands Natalia the piping hot dish as Natalia turns to deal with all the platters that need to be put in the car. "Here!"
!CRASH!