The Psychology of Love

Chapter 53 February

Chapter 53   February

"I'm cooking for Manfred now. You can go home already," Bernhard tells Dieckmann's Persian housekeeper Fereshte.

"Nah, he needs something decent in his stomach. Besides, I've already turned on the rice stove and put on the stew.

Today we're having your favorite meal, Manfred, Ghorme Sabsi. And I put extra love into it. Enjoy it," says Fereshte, walking past Bernhard to Manfred, who is standing in the doorway to the kitchen.

She pinches his cheek affectionately and turns briefly to Bernhard: "Turn off the pressure cooker in 30 minutes. Then the stew will be ready," she orders Österreich and looks back at Dieckmann, "And you, enjoy it. I've put a lot of meat in it for you, so that my Manfred will be even stronger. Too bad I won't be there when you let out your deep 'Mhmmmm'. Ha, I love your deep growl," she says, tapping Dieckmann's chest with the flat of her hand.

Manfred smiles and gives her a deep, long 'Mhmmmmm'.

Fereshte starts wagging her head, 'Bah, bah, bah! Go ahead and say it. I taught you how Persians express their gustatory delight, didn't I?"

"Bah, bah, bah!" goes Dieckmann, stroking his belly.

And Fereshte also strokes the firm, somewhat protruding belly of the happy old man at that moment.

"Tomorrow is laundry day. Today you get to get really dirty.", she smirks and starts to let her eyebrows dance.

They both laugh heartily.

"What would I do without you, my angel. Your name really becomes you. Give my love to the little ones.", Dieckmann says and accompanies Fereshte to the door.

He is really glad to have her and her family in their lives.

Since Sam left, Fereshte still manages to make him laugh with her warm manner.

With a smile on his lips and touched eyes, he walks back to the kitchen to find a magenta Bernhard.

He falters for a moment, unable to explain why his color change must be so intense.

And he also finds the clenched fists exaggerated.

He looks as if his boiling point is about to be reached. The steam is going to come out at any moment.

Exaggerated.

But kind of cute, Manfred thinks, and prefers to avert his gaze quickly.

"Did you look at the clock? Fereshte said 30 minutes. Her ghorme sabsi is fantastic. You're going to love it. Lamb with endless aromatic herbs and sparrow-eyed beans. I don't know what you call them in German," Dieckmann explains, showing his chuckling smile again.

He only smiles like that at Fereshte. She just makes him chuckle.

But his old friend Bernhard manages to stop his chuckling.

He snorts and runs away.

Just past Dieckmann.

Manfred turns around and sees him disappear out the door.

He strolls after him and considers Bernhard's reaction.

Exaggerated. Absolutely exaggerated.

He thinks and grins broadly.

Even wider.

His reaction triggers a broad grin.

And much more.

But Dieckmann doesn't want to show that to the outside world.

The feeling of being a teenager again.