Chapter 5:
I looked around the room, attracted to the study table next to the window and the wall to the right with a floor to ceiling rack full of books. It was covered with a thin layer of dust. I took my discarded sweat shirt and cleaned the surfaces and the books. As soon as I opened the door, Rusty came in wagging his tail and making me feel special. He had bought a ball with him, clearly asking to play catch.
I took the doughnut seat, the hospital had given me and sat on the floor, my back to Gabriel's parent's room closed door and threw the ball towards his, making Rusty run across the landing. Couple of times the ball went down the stairs and Rusty quickly fetched it. The phone started pinging and I found Gabriel's unlocked phone on the study table. I picked it up and he was messaging me from my phone asking what I liked. I shared some of the stuff I normally had, they were good and always on discount. I threw the ball as I was typing and it rolled into his room from gap as the door was ajar and Rusty got in and started barking. I walked into his room and the ball was under the dresser, which I fetched for Rusty. It was almost plain, the dresser, one chest of drawers, a bed and a study table, no pictures or personal items besides chargers and a laptop. As I was about the leave I saw the stained jacket. I took it and then my stained sweats downstairs limping slowly now that I was alone. I went through the rooms behind the staircase, the pantry and laundry. The pantry had a motion sensor light fitting, lined with handmade shelfs, I touched them wondering if Gabriel had made them. Not much was stored, soup and baked beans tins, water bottles and some spice mixes. But large quantities and different varieties of dog food, gravies and treats. There was a large chest freezer at the left end of the small room with transparent sliding doors on the top with only two packed chicken breast pieces in it.
I went to the laundry a much bigger room and looked like it was extended to include some part of the backyard. It had a long sink with 2 faucets, a washer and a dryer under similar handmade shelfs with laundry stuff. The right wall had 2 baskets and one of it had dirty laundry in it. Again not much, couple of shirts , a jeans , the sweatshirt and joggers he was wearing when he saved me and some white underwear, either he did his laundry frequently or like me didn't bother wearing much at home. I removed the stains from my tracks and his jacket and put the entire load for washing, still texting with Gabriel.
I took the chicken on my way out of the space and limped to the kitchen. Again a very organized but sparse set up in a huge kitchen. I looked through the large 3 door refrigerator and found store bought salad with a packet of dressing, oranges, lemon and an apple. No carbs like bread or rice or anything.
I threw away the dressing and made some myself with olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Mixed the salad vegetables, diced oranges, apple and smoked chicken. I marinated the raw chicken in the same dressing and was looking for pan when I heard someone open the front door.
As soon as I heard the door opened, I panicked and had to consciously stop myself from ducking and hiding.
Gabriel walked in with 2 bags full of groceries, smiling ear to ear and shining covered with a thin shin of sweat. He looked like dinner and the thought scared me. Rusty who was sleeping in the dining room, went to him lazily and slept again.
"See he doesn't get excited to see me now." he smiled and looked at Rusty lovingly , making me want him to look at me like that too, again a stray thought that startled me.
"What are you doing? You are supposed to rest." He came close and took the pan out of my hand, our fingers touching, I quickly moved back as if he was a live wire.
"I cooked for you ... eh us, with whatever you had in the pantry. Was looking for a pan to cook the chicken."
"You found all this in our house?" He took a spoon from the holder, "This came with the salad?" and tasted the dressing, "OHH WOW!! I didn't know it's supposed to be this good, I always throw it away because it looks so murky."
"I made it."
"How? Where did you get the ingredients?"
"Here. Why don't you put away the groceries and I will finish dinner."
"You tell me what you want done and I can help you."
"Nope, I got this. What about Rusty?"
"I will feed him at 7, once we come back from our daily check around the property."
He walked around the kitchen and to and fro between the dining room and pantry stocking the purchases, making small talks and smiling at me. He walked straight backed and long strides with a very slight limp, which again was part of his persona making him unique. Everything but bread, so definitely no carbs. He washed his hands, and laid the dinner table. I served the salad and pan seared chicken.
"This is brilliant. I haven't had home cooked meals since years. I can't believe you made this from the stuff from what we had in our kitchen. Superb!"
