Chapter 47

Paul was ending his sift in C'est Si Bon in Port Angeles. The last day of November had been busy, there had been three big parties at the restaurant. But Paul had enjoyed the busy day, it went quickly. It was all he needed: days going quickly and Christmas coming soon. He had less than two weeks left in the internship and then he would get his assessments and references.

He had enjoyed working in the restaurant. The kitchen hierarchy had been a bit of a shock for him. Of course, Paul had known about it in theory but experiencing it first-hand was different matter altogether. Being bossed around didn't sit well with Paul, but he swallowed it all, he had to, but it was fucking hard since the day one Paul had noticed that the head chef didn't like him and made him do all the shitty things. This fuckhead wanted him to kiss his ass, well fuck that. But he kept his mouth shut, he didn't need any trouble.

First two weeks he had been peeling potatoes, preparing cuts of meats, filleting and deboning fish, putting away deliveries of stock and cleaning stations and other areas and taking out trash and washing floors, thanks to that fucker. But even the head chef didn't like him, he had been soon given other jobs too. He was too good to be washing the floors.

The students normally worked as a kitchen aid or as a commis chef but after first and half month Paul was working as the tournant, all-purpose chef of sorts. He moved from station to station and assisted with any tasks that was needed. It was very hectic work and if Paul couldn't handle stress, he would have lost his shit, but the work suited him well, he fucking loved it.

Every day was different, and he had learned a lot in every station. He had even taken over whole station twice when the station chefs had called sick. He had loved those days the most.

Every station chef would give their assessment of his work and it all would add up to his references he would get after he'd finished at the restaurant. It was the most important paper he would get out of this shit. Certificate was good thing to have, but the references gave him job.

Two of the station chefs were women who had acted like he was used to; they tried to get into his pants. He couldn't understand that him being married didn't stop them. He had his wife's name tattooed on his finger for fuck's sake. He had made it very clear from the beginning that he wasn't interested but especially one of them didn't give a fuck what he said. She had made it clear what she wanted and what she would give in return. It was fucking messed up situation, but he had to deal with it as discreetly as possible because he needed good assessment and references from all the station chefs.

"Hey Paul, would you like to go for a pint?" Matt Wallis asked when putting his apron to the laundry basket. He was the sauce chef in the kitchen.

"Yeah, why not," Paul answered. He was quite beat but some chatting with Matt wouldn't go waste. He wanted to talk with him about Camilla.

When they had their pints in front of them Matt asked, "where did you learn to cook the way you do? I honestly haven't seen anybody with such a creativity and enthusiasm as you have. It for sure isn't because of the art culinary school of Port Angeles."

Paul was stunned. Did Matt really think so? He knew he was good, and he loved what he did, but really. Matt himself was a very distinguished chef and his opinion meant great deal. Damn.

"Me and my foster mum used to cook together. She was amazing cook and we watched cooking programs from tv. I never missed an episode of the Naked Chef, you know, Jamie Oliver," Paul chuckled. He had been fucking obsessed with that tv-program. He could probably put it on that British fucker that he loved to cook.

"You are natural." Matt said and cheered. He took a swig and continued, "your wife must be quite a catch, if you turn down Camilla, she's hot. I tell you, she's a tiger in bed," Matt said with a wink.

Paul shuddered. Matt was a married man, what the fuck was wrong with these people. Why would they marry or stay married if they weren't in love?

Paul took his phone and showed him photo of Bella. It was one of his favorites, it was taken at the spot by the river where they had stayed few nights on their road trip in the summer.

Bella was smiling the way that made his heart flutter. She was lying on the bed, hair messy and face flushed after hot round of sex looking outside from the open campervan doors. She had her chin propped between her palms; setting sun was shining brightly and she had her other eye closed to block the sun. Her nose was wrinkled, and her freckles were in full display. She had covered her breasts with the sheet. He got hard on just watching the photo remembering that moment.

"Damn," Matt said looking at the photo. "She's a beauty, and she clearly loves the person who took the picture. You are one lucky bastard."

"Don't I know it. She's the most amazing woman I've ever met, and I love her more than my own life. So, I won't fuck Camilla or anybody to get good references."

"Smart boy, you've understood Camilla's intentions. Don't worry, she's a bitch and yes, she is trying to use her position to get you to fuck her, but you don't have to give in to that shit if you don't want to. I'll talk to her. You are absolutely the best student we've ever had, and you are already better than most of us in that kitchen. As I said you got a special gift. I won't let her to use her power over you. Although she would be stupid to give you bad assessment, everybody is quite taken by you. I'll talk to Kate too."

"Thanks man! I really appreciate that. I'm moving Seattle before Christmas and I need good references to start looking good jobs."

Matt was third in command in C'est Si Bon, so his opinion meant more than Camilla's and maybe it was as he said: she would saw her own branch giving him bad assessment.

"Is it really true that you turned down scholarship that the French Culinary Institute in New York was offering you?" Matt asked.

"Yep. I didn't even apply it. It was one of the teachers that send the papers without asking me. I don't know how she pulled that through, one would think that the actual student had to apply the fucking scholarship."

"You know some would kill to get there, right?" Matt asked lifting his eyebrows.

Paul shrugged not offering anything else.

Matt chuckled and shook his head in disbelief.

Paul really didn't care any of that shit. Declining the scholarship might've been stupid thing to do, but he would not move to the other side of the country, not now when he and Bella were just less than month away from moving in together. When he had told Bella about the offer, she'd said she understood why he had declined the scholarship but she was afraid he had cast away the opportunity of a lifetime.

But Paul didn't see it like that. Fuck, it had been an honor of course, one of the most well-respected chef institutes in the whole fucking world had offered him a scholarship but it wasn't what he wanted. He wasn't looking for fancy certificates. He would work his way up. And if the opportunity would rise again after Bella had graduated and was able to move with him, then maybe.

"Would you mind if I called to my buddy who works in Seattle in an Italian restaurant called Altura?" Matt asked.

"What for?"

"I could tell him about you. I'm pretty sure after I tell him what a natural talent you are, he wants to hire you. I would love to hire you, but I do understand why you're not staying in Port Angeles."

"Thanks man. I appreciate it. It's good to know I could get job here, who knows where we end up after Bella graduates."

"What is she studying?"

"Marine biology. She wants to save the oceans," Paul smiled.

"That woman is special." Matt said.

"She sure is," Paul sighed and closed his photo album in his phone and put the phone on the table.

"Wow, can I see that photo?" Matt asked. He was looking at his screen photo on his phone.

"Sure," Paul gave him his phone.

Matt looked at the photo, the one taken on the bridge of the treehouse after their wedding. It was still Paul's favorite photo. He loved how fucking good they looked together, how happy he looked in that photo.

"I must say that I envy you," Matt confessed after looking the photo for a long time. "You are young, have very beautiful and special woman you love and who clearly loves you. You got exceptional talent, and you will do well. I bet I will hear from you in next five years or so, being a head chef in some fancy restaurant. Don't aim to be an executive chef though, your talent would be wasted in the management."

Paul felt a bit uneasy about Matt's confession. Yep, he knew he was very lucky to be in this place he was in right now: future open, very happy future waiting for him. But none of it hadn't happened without Bella, nothing would mean anything without her.

"It is all because of her you know. Before I met her, I was drunken man whore who fucked just about anybody with decent face and rack not thinking about the future at all."

"As I said: lucky bastard," Matt chuckled. "I'll talk to Camilla she won't cause any problems."

They toasted their pints. Paul hoped the fucking mess would be solved.

"Paula, are you using new brand of coffee beans?" Bella asked. The coffee aroma wafting around the bookshop made her feel a bit sick.

"No, what do you mean?" Paula asked.

"It smells different," Bella said. And when she thought about it, she didn't want to have any coffee. That was strange. Luckily, she had cappuccino in the morning otherwise she would have terrible headache by now.

Suddenly she felt wave of nausea hitting her and she had to run to the toilet where she vomited her stomach empty.

"What happened Bella? Are you ok?" Paula asked coming after her.

"Yeah, I'm fine. It seems that I've got a stomach bug."

"Oh. Do you want to go upstairs to rest?"

"Maybe. I'll wait and see. Maybe it was just this one time," Bella dried her mouth.

She returned to shelving the books.

Her mind was occupied with the exam that was held next week. It was about marine biogeochemical cycles and she'd been studying for it like crazy, losing sleep and having constant headaches. She could not wait to get it done. It would be last one before the Christmas break.

And she had so much to wait for. Paul had just finished his work practice the other day and he would have his final exam tomorrow. And then he would come to her and hopefully they wouldn't have to live separately ever again.

The wave of nausea hit her again and she rushed to the toilet.

What had she eaten to make her feel this bad? On the brunch this morning she had gone with Emma there had been salmon that had tasted bit off. It must be a food poisoning.

She flushed and finished her business in the toilet. She felt like shit.

"Go home and rest," Paula said to her.

Yes, she really felt like some rest would be good. Maybe hour or two of sleep would make all the difference, all that studying was getting to her too.

"Thank you, Paula."

Bella left the bookstore and went up to their home. Yeah, it was finally their home, hers and Paul's.

Paula and Charlie had been able to move out on the last day of September and Bella and Paul hadn't wasted any time to move in. They had had friends helping them to carry all their stuff, including Paul's ranger; it had been a tight fit, but they'd got it in.

Paul had left pretty much all his furniture at his place for Sam and Sarah, who was moving in with Sam beginning of next year. Bella was so happy about that. Bella on the other hand didn't have any furniture; the apartment she had lived in had been fully furnished. Bella and Paul had bought a dinner table and a work desk for Bella. But that was all, they didn't want to rush buying anything else. It was nice to have the big space open and easy to clean and keep tidy.

Paula had left them her couch because it didn't fit as well to their new place, and it was perfect in this apartment being custom made for the big space. Bella and Paul were happy, it saved them money and it really was very comfortable and beautiful piece of handmade furniture. Bella had bought new cushions and a throw just to put some personal touches to it.

Bella smiled remembering the move-in-day. They'd decided to make it a bit of a festive occasion; Paul had made large amount of seafood paella, the same they sold at the beach in Oregon in the summer and bought lots of beer and people had been happy. Paul's friends Sam, Jared, Matt, Jim and Nathan had come to help, and Kai had brought two of his friends along.

It had been a very noisy occasion but filled with good humor and happiness. Getting them, all out had been a bit of a challenge and only after they had promised to throw a house-warming party soon after Paul would have moved permanently they've managed to get Paul's friends to leave and to have the place for just them two.

Bella sighed and went to kitchen get some water when her phone buzzed. She saw Paul's face on the screen.

"Hey baby," she answered.

"Hey, how's work?" Paul asked.

"Meh, good. I came home to rest for a while. I'm feeling a bit off."

And she felt the rush of nausea again.

"Hey Paul, I'm feeling a bit sick. I call you back soon." She hung up before Paul could say anything and rushed to the toilet and vomited again.

"Shit," she said while still heaving and hearing Paul trying to call her. She wasn't able to answer.

She was getting a headache too. It was because she had drunk only one cup of coffee today. But the idea of coffee made her heaving again. This really sucked. She waited for a while and got up from the floor. She rinsed her mouth yet again, grabbed her phone and went to the living room and laid down on the couch.

She called Paul.

"Hey baby, are you ok?" Paul asked worry lacing his voice.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I think I ate salmon this morning that was spoiled," Bella said feeling queasy.

"Oh, shit baby, that can make you very sick. I hope you are wrong," Paul said.

"Well what other reasons there would be?" Bella sighed shutting her eyes and massaging her templates.

Cold wave rushed through Bella's body when she realized; She was late. How was it possible? She was never late, ever. She had taken her pill, not forgetting it not once, no medication or any other reason why her contraception shouldn't be as effective as it had been all the time before.

"What's the matter baby?" Paul asked, "you look so pale."

"I might be pregnant," Bella whispered, and the wave of nausea and panic hit her, and she rushed to the bathroom leaving the phone and Paul on the couch.

AN:

Thank you dear readers for the commets, follows and favs. It's nice to know that there is still people reading my story ;)

So pregnant? I'm sure I didn't fool anybody with the stomach bug thingy eh? What do you think Paul thinks about Bella possibly being pregnant?