Little Wonders

An interlude over wine

Follows on from Dinner Disaster

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It only took one meal for things to become a habit. Despite his inability to cook, Dean was actually really well versed in food and provided very good feedback for Teri's recipes.

"My mom is a great cook, but my dad was the gourmet. He didn't like being away from us, even when filming a movie, so he'd always make sure to film where we could all join him in whatever country he was filming in. And he'd make sure we got to see the sights and taste the food, even if he couldn't get away. I honestly wish I could cook because man I have some great food memories I'd love to recreate."

Teri had learned some of Dean's background that his father was a film director (of some movies that she was fond of even) and that he'd grown up in some amount of privilege. But he wasn't forthcoming about how he ended up here, raising his little boy by himself in a small town doing what sounded like a mind numbing job in data analysis. But while Teri was curious, she didn't want to pry or upset their casual friendship, so she never asked. So instead she cooked him dinner and sometimes lunch, gave him the occasional parenting tip and took notes on the flavors of what she was cooking.

Two weeks after that first dinner, she found herself ringing his doorbell again, this time bearing groceries.

He looked at her when he opened the door. "Hey Teri, I'm sorry, did you not get my voice mail?"

"I did," she smiled at him and held up her bags. "And that's why I am here. Just because Christopher's sick doesn't mean you go hungry."

He grinned a little relieved. "I mean you set me up with plenty of leftovers but I have to tell you, I was looking forward to that pasta dish you told me you were making." He stepped back and let her into the house.

"Sorry about the mess, but you'll find the kitchen is the cleanest room in the house. For obvious reasons."

Teri giggled. "How is Christopher? Ear infections can be so tough. My Emerson got them a lot at his age."

"He's sleeping, the medication seems to be helping. Thanks for the advice by the way. You must miss your daughter."

Teri nodded. "I do but her dad has been so happy to have her one on one. And," Teri shrugged, "I think he's going to ask his girlfriend to marry him, so I think it's best they have some family time leading up to it."

"That bother you?" Dean asked with curiosity. "I know it's none of my business."

She shrugged again, starting to take groceries out of the bag. "Jon and I . . .we were best friends who thought we were in love. I mean you should marry your best friend, but we . . . well you need more than friendship. We're best friends again and the woman in his life is the love of his. I wasn't and he wasn't mine either. We got a beautiful daughter out of it and we're lifelong friends."

"Ah," Dean said, deciding to change the subject. "Um, I don't know how much kitchen equipment I haven't ruined. My mom set me up with stuff and I do know I have a pasta pot that I never used."

"Well," Teri hefted her other bag up. "I brought backup except for the pasta pot, I figured if I had to run home to get mine I would."

"Well I am inept, but if you need me to hand you things, I'm good at that."

"How about you open that bottle of wine and turn some music on and keep me company? This is a quick dish, not exactly the pasta dish from my cookbook I promised, but one of my tried and true recipes. We both need a break."

After dinner, Teri found herself sitting on Dean's couch, another bottle of wine having been opened. Dean came back down from checking on Christopher.

"He took his next dose and went right back down, thank goodness. You know you don't have to stick around if you have some place to be or more work to do."