CHAPTER 11: Spaghetti Dinner

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Candy was strolling in a farmers' market to buy the ingredients for tonight's meal for Neal. She picked the freshest tomatoes, lemon for tea, herbs, meat and more and took them to the counter to pay.

"What idea do you have for spaghetti dinner tonight?" Candy asked the shopkeeper.

"Rosemary with fresh baguette." He smiled. "We have fresh rosemary just came in." He opened the oven behind him and the smell of fresh baked bread was too good to not buy.

"I get a package of rosemary and two loaves of baguette," said Candy.

At home, she asked her housekeeper to clean the house and took out the best China. She wouldn't let him laugh at her modest house appearance. She and Beth then prepared the dinner carefully together.

A few minutes before six, Candy heard sounds just under her window. She peeked outside. A lavish vehicle was pulling to the driveway and a superbly well dressed man stepped out. Candy nodded to Beth and went to open the front door herself.

Feeling a bit nervous, Candy straightened her apron and reached out the door handle before she stopped to take a deep breath.

Neal is here, she exhaled.

She had only herself to blame for tying to be a manner guru. At least she had Beth and not alone here. Strengthening her inner self, she prepared for outburst of unpleasant surprises and opened the door.

"Hi!" Her heart banged nervously.

"Hello," he said civilly.

That's a good start. She secretly heaved a relieved sigh.

"Dinner is almost ready," said Candy, debating if she should smile or not.

She didn't want to look too happy and make him think that this dinner was a date that she's excited about. It's not at all a date by any stretch! This is just a friendship dinner because he's nice to Bebe.

"Come on in!" She decided to just give a little forced grin.

Neal entered. She noticed him carrying a fancy paper bag that looked like coming from a high scale department store.

"You don't have to take anything. It's my treat, you know," Candy murmured.

"Yes, but I am not the type of man who came empty-handedly when invited to dinner," he said. His voice deep and velvety. His face good looking. She had to resist not to look at it.

"Put your stuffs in the sofa. I just need a few more minutes." She hurriedly stepped back to the kitchen to divert her attention from him.

Neal put the paper-bag as directed and followed her to the kitchen. He watched her stirring the spaghetti sauce, chopped the herbs and sprinkled them into the pot.

Silently, she buttered the baguette, topped them generously with roughly chopped rosemary and put them in the oven. She felt awkward to have Neal stand here and watch her. Never in a million years she thought she would invite him to a dinner.

Neal arched a brow. "I can have my driver get someone from the mansion to help," he said, breaking the silence.

Unable to resist the worries in those perfect brown eyes, Candy released a polite chuckle. This perhaps was his first time enter a kitchen and see someone serving dinner. "No need. We have enough man power. I am only coking for two," said Candy.

Using a colander, she drained the spaghetti and finally turned off the stove.

"Just need to put this in a big bowl and we can eat." She opened the cupboard to take a big serving bowl but it was on the top shelf much too high for her to reach.

"I'll get it," said Neal from a height of around six-three. He squeezed passed her in that small kitchen space. Easily, he reached out the big bowl and gave it to her.

"Thanks," Candy said curtly, trying to look aloof before finally gave up and smiled. She decided to be just a good hostess and not ruined the meal which she had spent so much effort to prepare.

"Careful! I might start thinking you're nice."

"We can't have that!" He grinned.

"Absolutely not." She chuckled. "What do you want to drink? I have soda, water, coffee, tea."

"Tea is fine," he said.

Candy poured hot water into a tea cup and added the dusty deep green tea leaves before slicing a slice of lemon and tucking it on the side. She passed it to him. "We get the bread later. We don't need to wait here."

She brought the soup she had made earlier and put them on the table before she came back to take other things. He followed her. She took two plates from the cupboard and handed them to him. They then headed to the dining table together.

"All furniture has been wiped very cleanly," said Candy, studying his face. She wondered what he really had in mind being in an apartment as modest as hers.

He sat down without making any comments.

"I can't believe you make all these," Neal said. He set his tea cup and plates down.

Candy beamed. Her cooking had improved since she cooked often for Bebe. She loaded his plate with some spaghetti and the sauce before sprinkled it with Parmesan cheese and pushing it to him. Then she sat down and dug into her food.

"Good," said Neal, taking a first bite. "I didn't know you can cook well."

"This is my only specialty actually," said Candy modestly. "Taught by Albert when he lived here. Now Albert, HE really can cook. Almost as well as his rowing. We went to the lake to row a lot... You row in Florida?"

"No, I like surfing better though," said Neal shortly. He never liked Albert. "Where's Bebe?" Neal swiftly changed topics.

"She stayed in the dormitory from Sunday night to Friday." Candy smiled. There's nothing sexier than a man who asked for Bebe.

"I have something for your and her." Neal got up to pick the paper bag he put on the sofa. "Here." He stretched his hand and passed it to her. Great hands. Amazingly she just noticed that he had really great hands.

Candy looked inside the bag and pulled two boxes from it. There's a gift box of coffee blend and tea specialty of Florida for her and a jar of sea shells for Bebe. Her heart melted at the sight of the mini shells.

"Oh, she'll love these."

"I'm sure Chicago doesn't have sea shells." He grinned.

Candy laughed.

"You still like outdoor?" he asked.

"Yeah..." Candy hesitated, trying to guess what he's after. She didn't plan to have a regular contact with Neal. Just this one dinner and that's it.

"There's a nice woodland nearby that I am sure you haven't seen."

"I bet it's extraordinary but I don't think I have the time. You've read in the news how busy hospital staffs are," Candy declined politely.

"A busy person needs to eat too. Did you ever have a picnic lunch? I prepare the food this time."

"I am sure I have been to all woodlands around here with Albert. We did all kind of picnics too. Breakfast, lunch, brunch, dinner. He prepared all sort of food, you name it. Homemade cold sandwich, chicken wing barbecue, organic hot soup with Italian sausage, paella with shrimp caught in the wilderness, previously-frozen apple salad-"

"Did you have fresh Florida blue crab salad?" cut Neal.

"Albert mentioned that once. Yup. He said it's famous. But, no we didn't have it," Candy admitted. "There's no fresh Florida blue crab here."

"I can get some. Easy."

Candy looked up at him and laughed.

"I'm not kidding." Neal snorted. "I have someone catch them in the morning and transported them here in an aquarium. They will be guaranteed alive until they're cooked."

Aquarium? Darn! She looked at him thinking what to answer. "Well... A connoisseur like Albert would love to venture that, I'm sure. As for me-"

Albert again! Neal was about to comment in unpleasant way but they heard a ding sound. Candy jumped from her seat. The rosemary bread was done. She left and came back taking it from the oven.

"This is Bebe's favorite... well every kid in Pony's home actually." Candy cut a piece and served it to Neal.

"Thanks." He paused then added. "I'm sorry about Sr. Lane."

"It is difficult." Her voice cracked a little.

Neal felt guilty to laugh at them in the past. He had thought about that a lot in Florida.

"Ms. Pony didn't say it but I bet she is depressed." Candy regrouped herself. "Saving little kids is her passion and now without Pony's home she can't do it. And of course she lost her best friend. I wanted to take her here but at least there is Jimmy and neighbors visiting her often there. I think deep inside she's hoping to have another Pony's home." She sighed. "Terrible flu."

"I know." Neal sighed. "I got one last year."

Her eyes opened wide looking at him. "You should go to a doctor to check up and make sure it didn't come back," she said seriously.

He shrugged. "The patients antibody that counts and the doctors who get credits."

Candy burst out laughing. His smart comments amused her now rather than annoyed her. She picked the coffee box he gave her to diffuse the situation. It's not good to look too happy with Neal.

"You mind if I try your Florida coffee?" she asked.

He shook his head. Candy brewed some coffee and poured it into two mugs for her and him.

"Mm..." She smelled the fresh smell and took a sip. "Florida is not bad at all. And you surfed too you said just now?"

"Yes, surfing is incredible there. But unlike the blue crab it is more of a challenge to take ocean waves down here for you to try." He laughed, deep rumble vibrated in his throat.

Neal made a joke! Candy half shocked half thinking.

She had a feeling tonight was going to be the start of a great friendship with Neal. They had a rocky start but tonight she had fun and enjoyed his company.

How much the situation changed just because she decided to treat him nicely! He reciprocated it well and it was so easy now to talk to him, to laugh, and to be with him. He still had his touch of arrogance but now he didn't use it to bully her she found it desirable. Suddenly she understood why Daisy and those girls were crazy for him. It's the man's quality that they're seeing not his money unlike what she thought previously.

Unable to deny the fact that the man had grown up so well, she started to feel the weight of his stare. Stopped looking at him, she concentrated on drinking the coffee...

oO-o-o-ooo

George was driving Albert home from his office.

"Should we leave tomorrow morning at seven, Sir William?"

"What time is the train?" Albert asked.

A day before Albert left for St. Helena with his family, important business matters came up. He couldn't go with them until now. Having taken care of everything, now he would go to join them.

"Eight, Sir."

Albert nodded. "Seven is fine."

"Should I inform Ms. Candice?"

"She is busy. No need." I will just send her a postcard from St. Helena, thought Albert.

At six thirty the following day George had come to make sure the car was ready. He was checking the car when a servant came notifying him a horrified news.

"Sir William has a fever?" asked George in horror. What to do? The family doctor had left with the rest of the family!

George quickly went to the hospital to get Albert checked in but the hospital condition was too bad. It's so inundated by patients that it didn't offer private rooms anymore. They would put Albert in an overcrowded tent outside the hospital. George was worried that Albert didn't get enough care and attention.

Panicked, George went back to his office to make phones calls to inquire situations in other hospitals. No one picked up the phone. He then called Dr. Leonard's direct line. Someone answered saying Dr. Leonard was very sick and slammed the phone down in a hurry.

I should ask Ms. Candice!, thought George.

As a nurse she should know insider information better. Frantically, he picked up the phone and dialed Candy's number. No answer...

Answer me, Ms. Candice... quick..., George terribly panicked. He redialed her number still no one picked up the phone. Please! I need HELP!

Suddenly George heard someone knock at the door.

"What John?" George looked at the butler's pale face.

"T-there's an officer looking for Sir William."

"What officer?" George frowned. "Quick! I'm in a rush."

"Cornwell... Lieutenant Alistair Cornwell."

...

oOo

- To be continued-

THANKS for reading this among your busy hectic schedule.