Chapter VIII: A Dinner Party
Spice Meter: 1 flame
"Shane! What the Sam Hill is going on?!" Oliver hardly ever raised his voice, but the absolute disaster in front of him warranted some strong speech. The explosion in the kitchen had his blood pressure rising. The island countertop was covered with bowls, along with a ridiculous number of cooking utensils. There were splashes of sauce, and what appeared to be some sort of dough stuck to the counter. What on earth was she doing with the dough? Valentino was covered with flour. Thankfully, Flynn had been intelligent enough to flee the scene of the disaster. To his horror, there was an egg mixture dripping onto the floor. He quickly cleaned it up so Valentino wouldn't even think of putting his snout into the raw eggs. Oliver was about to have a fit when he saw Shane sitting on the floor in the corner of the kitchen with her hands covering her face. She was obviously crying! He always hated seeing her cry. Invariably it always felt like a fist squeezing his heart and he didn't like the feeling at all.
Kneeling next to her, he took her hands and pried them off her face. His heart broke into tiny pieces when he saw her splotchy face and watery eyes. "My love, what in the heavens is going on?"
"Oh Oliver, I wanted to surprise Dad and Vivianne with a beautiful dinner this weekend. I was practicing a quiche lorraine recipe following a YouTube tutorial. It didn't seem like it would be terribly difficult. As it turns out, it is difficult! I can't cook! The dough kept breaking on me and I couldn't time the baking of the shell to coincide with the preparation of the custard," Shane said, between sobs. "What a mess! Rita's a chef compared to me!" She wailed, covering her face again.
Oliver stood, grabbed a paper towel, and gently wiped the tears off her face. He kissed her and looked at her solemnly. "Shane, while I adore you wanting to do something special for Dad and Vivianne, I think I have to ban you from the kitchen until you take some classes, or you cook under my supervision."
"Supervision?" Shane sniffed. "I'm not sure I'd be on board with that."
Oliver raised an eyebrow and held up a hand, gesturing towards the war zone that was their kitchen.
"Alright, I'll accept your, and only your supervision." A small smile broke through on her teary face.
"How about we cook the meal for Vivianne and Dad together?" Oliver asked.
Shane's face lit up. "I'd love to do that. And I won't complain about you telling me what to do."
Oliver chuckled. He knew it was difficult for Shane to admit when something didn't come naturally to her. "You'll be able to do stuff in the kitchen on your own in no time. You just have to follow the recipe's instructions as if you were performing a science experiment."
"Oh dear," Shane grimaced and laughed simultaneously. "One step at a time, I guess!" She got up from the floor and looked at the mess around her. She winced. "I need to clean this up."
"Let me go change and I'll come right back to help you."
Shane grinned through her tears. "Have I ever told you what a wonderful husband you are and how blessed I am to be your wife?"
"Well, Mrs. O'Toole, you have, but I find myself needing to hear you say things like this every day."
Shane pulled Oliver by his suit jacket lapels and gave him a loving kiss. "I would hug you right now, but I have a feeling it wouldn't go over well," she said, as she looked down at her stained clothing. Why she hadn't worn an apron was beyond her. Both burst out laughing and shook their heads at the ridiculousness of the entire situation!
"Don't worry, my love, I know the dinner with Dad and Vivianne will go splendidly."
After taking care of the mess in the kitchen, they made do with a simple meal made from leftovers and decided to spend the rest of the evening in the backyard. They sat on their beloved swing while Valentino ran around chasing imaginary squirrels. Flynn was too lazy to do anything other than sit on Oliver's lap and let himself be petted like the ultimate king he was.
"Oliver, are you okay with Dad and Vivianne being a thing? You haven't really communicated any feelings on the matter…other than turning every shade of red, purple, and blue when you caught them kissing on the porch."
"Oh dear. That was unfortunate. I don't know what possessed me to go off running towards the house that day." Oliver's thoughts went back to that moment when they had returned from their Breckenridge getaway. He had been so mortified when he saw his Dad and the vet in their passionate clinch. Thankfully, they had laughed it off, but he felt like he had to make it up to them. Shane came to the rescue and handled the moment beautifully. They said goodbye with an invitation to dinner at their house the following weekend. "I think it's about time Dad had someone special in his life. My mother has been gone for so long… and the only woman I've seen him with since was the one who ran away with the fertilizer salesman. He deserves to be with someone who makes him happy. I don't know Vivianne well enough yet, other than she seems kind and is our pets' vet. Will she be the someone who will make him happy?"
"Well, this is what the dinner is all about, Oliver, to get to know her better. Dad does seem quite taken with Vivianne. I talked to him earlier today and he was already asking what to bring for dinner and how he should dress."
"How do you feel about this, Shane? I know you and Dad have developed a deeper bond. You can't be too excited over this development."
Shane sighed. Deep down, she had to admit she loved having a father again and she wanted both Joe and Oliver all to herself. However, she knew Joe was a vital man and he deserved to have companionship. It just seemed like everything had happened overnight. It was going to take a while to adjust.
"I just want Joe to be happy, Oliver." She looked at her husband, tears threatening to spill once again.
"That's what we both want," Oliver said, as he pulled her closer. Shane leaned against him, with her head on his shoulder and her right hand over his heart. "Let's just take it one day at a time. First order of business is getting to know Vivianne and we're already taking care of that."
Finally, the big day arrived. Joe went to Oliver and Shane's first. He brought a peach pecan crisp for dessert and a beautiful bouquet of wildflowers and yellow roses for Shane.
"I have to take care of my daughter too, don't I?" Joe said, as he gave Shane the flowers. Shane's eyes watered slightly as she hugged him tightly. "You and I have a special bond, my dear daughter. That will never change."
"Dad, you're going to make me ruin my makeup! Vivianne will wonder what the heck is wrong with me." Shane's lips curved in a half-smile and Joe hugged her, gently laying a hand on the back of her head. Oliver walked in on them and couldn't help but feel a warmth around his heart. His father and his wife were such a miraculous gift to him. He had so many reasons to be thankful!
Squeezing Shane's shoulders and giving her his megawatt smile, Joe said, "Alright, let's get this thing going!" Joe paced, as he checked out everything while Oliver and Shane had to hide their smiles. Shane thought Joe was too cute for words.
"Dad." Oliver touched Joe's shoulder.
"Am I that painfully obvious?" Joe asked, as he winced slightly.
"Just to us," Oliver smiled. "Everything will be alright, Dad."
"How the tables have turned… I remember not so long ago, prodding you along with your relationship with Shane." Joe said wistfully.
"Look at how that all turned out, Dad. If it's meant to be, it'll happen. Trust the timing."
Joe took a deep breath and rubbed his hands together. "Alright, I'm going to pick her up. I'll be back soon."
While Joe was gone, Shane checked out the table setting for the millionth time, put the flowers in a vase and placed them on the dinner table. Oliver put the finishing touches on the beef bourguignon, leaving the Dutch oven on very low heat to keep it warm. Shane started preparing the crusty country bread with which they were pairing the main course. She sliced the loaf on the bias with a serrated knife and carefully laid the pieces on a parchment lined baking sheet.
"My love, you're doing wonderfully."
"Any idiot can slice and place bread on a baking sheet," she said under her breath.
"What was that you said?" Oliver raised his brows and looked at her with his gently passive expression.
"Nothing, darling! Just loving this crusty bread you got!" Shane blew away a wisp of hair from her face as she concentrated on measuring two tablespoons of olive oil into a small mise en place cup. Oliver taught her to methodically measure out everything she'd be using in a recipe ahead of time. That way she wouldn't be dashing to find an ingredient during the actual preparation. Everything had to be in its place, or mise en place as classic culinary terminology called it. She proceeded to rub a garlic clove on each slice of bread, or crouton. It sounded better in French. Shane had to laugh. Never in her wildest dreams would she have thought she'd be cooking a French style meal with none other than Oliver, to entertain his father and a lady friend! Well, Oliver was cooking. She merely chopped vegetables and toasted bread. She couldn't be trusted with any more than that, at least for now!
"Croutons rubbed with garlic, brushed with olive oil, ready to broil on low. Stay by the oven, Shane. We don't want the bread to burn!"
Oliver found Shane talking to herself incredibly amusing. He stood in a corner of the kitchen, trying to see if his presence would go unnoticed for a bit. In a matter of minutes, the bread was toasted to a beautiful golden hue and Shane's beaming face was a sight to behold.
"Oliver! I toasted bread!" Shane exclaimed, unabashedly gleeful.
Oliver couldn't help but chuckle as he walked towards her and slid an arm across her waist. He kissed her forehead and said, "My love, you excel at so much more than toasting bread."
"It's mind-blowing to say the least… I can hack and code my heart out in very sensitive scenarios, but toasting bread is a feat!" Shane shook her head and was about to sample the croutons, but the doorbell rang, interrupting the moment. They looked at each other, holding their breath, communicating without words "here goes nothing", hoping the evening would turn out to be a success.
There was no need to worry! Vivianne was gorgeous company. She brought a bottle of Pinot Noir and a six-pack of artisanal beer, which was obviously meant for Joe. Her daughter and grandson had helped her prepare a beautiful charcuterie board to nosh on over drinks and conversation. She was thoughtful enough even to bring treats for the fur balls. Flynn and Valentino practically pounced on Vivianne when she walked in the door, recognizing their vet. Valentino excitedly sat before her, wagging his tail, his little pink tongue hanging out of his mouth. Flynn just rubbed himself around her legs. Oliver and Shane couldn't help but feel just a tad jealous, but they were smart enough to know that animals recognized good people.
The dinner itself was a success! Everyone raved over how delicious the food was. The star of the meal was Joe's peach pecan crisp. Shane warmed it up and served it with vanilla bean ice cream. She beamed when Joe told her the pairing was absolutely perfect. The foursome decided to take the party out to the backyard terrace so Flynn and Valentino could roam around, and they could take advantage of the fabulous fall weather they were having.
"Oliver, I noticed you're reading Marcel Proust. That's quite a difficult read, and not for the faint of heart," Vivianne commented. Joe had told her Oliver was an avid reader and maybe that could be a touchstone between them. When she saw the hardcover copy of the book lying about, she knew she had found her icebreaker to start a conversation with Joe's son.
"Oh, have you read Remembrance of Things Past?" Oliver asked, his expression showing interest.
"Yes. I minored in French literature while in college."
"I hope you don't have a taste for bad French poetry," Oliver replied.
Shane choked on her wine and Joe coughed into his beer bottle.
"I'm not really into poetry. I prefer novels, mostly 19th century French authors like Balzac and Flaubert. I read Proust because it was necessary for my minor. I prefer stories like Cousin Bette and Madame Bovary," Vivianne replied innocently.
Oliver intelligently continued her line of conversation. "That's intriguing. I have a penchant for 19th century British authors. Dickens is my favorite."
"What made you pick up À la Recherche du Temps Perdu?" Vivianne asked, referring to the 2,400-page Proust novel.
"Probably the challenge of reading such a complicated piece of literature. I find that to really understand and savor the writing, it should be read only a few pages at a time. It's quite the philosophical treatise of life. It is great art based on analysis."
"Yes, that's how Joseph Conrad described it." Vivianne added, knowing Oliver would know the British author. They smiled in commiseration. Shane and Joe also shared a look and grinned. Shane knew her husband had found a kindred spirit and couldn't be more pleased.
"You two should get together and talk books over coffee sometime," Shane suggested. "It could even be here, Oliver. Maybe once or twice a month? Joe can come too. I'll have some dad time and we can watch a movie while you two can nerd it out over 19th century literature." They all chuckled over Shane's turn of phrase.
"That's actually a good idea. What do you think?" Oliver asked, looking at his father and lady friend.
Joe glanced at Vivianne, not wanting to impose his will. She smiled and agreed enthusiastically over the arrangement. Joe couldn't help but feel grateful she wanted to spend time with his son.
"Everything has been wonderful. I must invite you to Moonrise Ranch soon," said Vivianne.
"Vivianne, you're really something else. Not only are you the vet over at Happy Paws, but you own a working ranch, you help take care of your grandson, and you're an avid reader too," Shane gushed. She was completely in awe of this woman.
Vivianne charmingly blushed. "You're no slouch yourself, Shane. I have been told you're very accomplished, both professionally and personally."
"My wife is an amazing woman, Vivianne. She's intelligent, beautiful, a hard worker, a loving wife and friend," Oliver added.
"She gives herself completely, Vivianne. To be Shane's friend means she'll hang on to you with all she's got. She knows what you need before you do yourself," Joe said.
"I find that to be quite true. Shane knew what I needed before I could ever decipher it myself," Oliver found himself saying. When he looked over at his wife, he found her blushing furiously.
"Guys, I'm flattered, but please, stop!" Shane exclaimed, chagrined.
"Oh, this is just lovely," Vivianne said, "It's beautiful to witness the love between all of you. You are indeed a gorgeous family."
While Oliver took Shane's hand and gently squeezed it, unbeknownst to them, Joe did the same with Vivianne. The mirrored gesture said so much about both men. While Shane simply counted her blessings, Vivianne just hoped there would be more days like this. The O'Tooles were filling a space in her heart she didn't even know had been empty.
This Author's heart simply flutters. I can't love Oliver and Joe more because it simply isn't possible. I wish I could tell Oliver how much he is like his father. Maybe as he gets to know Vivianne, she'll be the one to tell him? It's simply amazing, not to mention heartwarming, how much these two men simply love. It makes this Author's frail heart so joyous… I'd say there are no words to describe it, but I always say that and end up being quite verbose.
As to what happens next… well, I can tell you this: Oliver gets Shane some private cooking classes. Ramon recommended the sous-chef at Bistro Ramon for this particular task, giving the young budding talent a day off every week so she could teach Shane some basics. Wasn't that just so thoughtful of Oliver? Much like the private dance classes, he didn't want Shane to feel self-conscious in a group setting. It was for the best, because while Shane is amazing at a lot of things, she was completely abysmal at cooking. But Victoria was an excellent teacher, and finally Shane could do some things in the kitchen without creating a war zone!
What Oliver wasn't counting on was that Shane was highly interested in learning how to make desserts. She quite efficiently convinced Victoria to teach her delectable recipes along the lines of chocolate pot de cremes and various custards like panna cottas and pastry creams. Because of course, they were Oliver's favorites.
Shane is something else, isn't she? You just never know how her mind is going to work. Might she be planning yet another surprise for her husband? Well, this Author will put on his (her?) fedora and detective-esque sunglasses to find out. Au revoir!
