Desserts & Dramas

Chapter 21

Marta went back into the kitchen grinning from ear to ear, leaving the four of them to figure it out on their own. The first person to speak was Alice, trying to take control of the situation.

"Sofi, did you invite Gabe to lunch?"

"Yes" Sofia didn't want to look at anyone at that moment. The painting on the wall showing a field of sunflowers was quite interesting.

"I see. Is there anything here we should know?"

"No."

"Then get rid of that desperate look on your face and assume your invitation. Did you really think that Mom wouldn't react this way after insisting so much?"

"It's just lunch. Just because I talked to a guy doesn't mean I'm going to marry him."

"But bringing him to a family lunch says a lot."

"You all know him already!" Sofia said exasperated.

"All right, let's leave it at that. Then you'll have to deal with Mom's questions. And you know there will be a lot of them."

Gabriel and Tomás watched the sisters' conversation without making a sound, far be it from them to intervene in a family matter. However, Gabriel was very interested in getting to know Sofia better, and her family was the perfect source of information.

"And you behave yourself," Alice pointed at Gabriel.

"I'll be the most polite guest you've ever seen."

"I know you," Alice stared at him and then smiled. "Then let's go."

Alan, who was outside tending the grill, had already been warned by his wife about the situation in the hall. He was much more discreet than Marta and managed to act naturally around Gabriel.

"Hello, honey. Gabriel, how nice to see you here."

The two exchanged a handshake.

"I say the same to you, sir."

" You can call me Alan."

Gabriel nodded. Alice went to get drinks for everyone, and they sat on the balcony while they waited for the barbecue to be ready.

After the initial commotion, Marta made no more direct insinuations about her daughter's relationship with her guest, but was determined to tell him all the important stories of her childhood during lunch.

"It was a happy childhood" Gabriel replied about the stories of the little naughty girls Sofia and Alice. The two-year age difference did not get in the way. Since they were very young they were very close, in games, in confidences and in injuries. Both were involved in everything together, only their chosen professions were different. Her parents provided them with a very structured childhood, suitable for each stage. Quite different from Gabriel, who had to grow up early and take care of himself.

"Oh yes, every moment made us the amazing people we are today " Alice commented with false modesty.

"And you Gabriel? We have heard something about you in Tomás' stories, but very little."

He didn't like to talk about his childhood and youth, yet he was too polite to cut it off.

"I'm sure Tomás has told them better than I have." He smiled "We were the three musketeers, along with Eric, and Sissy our damsel to be saved. Real gentlemen saving the world."

"And that made us amazing people," Tomás repeated his fiancée's line, laughing.

"Then we grew up and Tomás, for some strange reason, decided to go into Human Sciences, while Eric and I stayed in Finance and started our own company." Gabriel smiled at Tomás.

"What do you work with?" Alan asked.

"Our company is specialized in financial education. We teach people how to save money and invest better."

"Basically, they make money teaching others how to make money," Tomas explained.

"Great," Alan complimented.

"Thank you very much, sir. Starting the company with Eric was a big risk at the time, but it paid off."

"The greater the risk, the better the reward, young man. You are on the right track."

"It looks like a somewhat stressful job." Marta affirmed.

"Certainly not nearly as much as standing for long hours in surgery." Gabriel replied. "Indeed, we have to be very attentive to the changes and trends in the market to guide the students in the right way, but we have good teams so that nothing goes unnoticed. And Eric is our technology master, without him we would not be able to reach the customers with a good product."

"Maybe we should do some consulting with them." Marta suggested to her husband, convinced by Gabriel's presentation.

"Absolutely, Mom! Gabe is helping us organize the finances for the wedding."

"Feel free to make an appointment with Sony. I will assist you personally." Gabriel offered.

"We will, darling. Now eat more." Marta could not let her motherly instincts take over and push food at all the young people as if they were children. "Would you like some more salad? Some bread?"

"I am fine, thank you."

"It's good to save a little room for dessert." Alice whispered.

Gabriel immediately turned to Sofia, thinking that she had made the dessert, but she just shrugged her shoulders at him as if she didn't know anything about it. Alice continued:

"Dessert is from Mom. Where do you think Sofia got all this talent from?"

"I hadn't thought about it."

"Marta is exceptional in the kitchen." Alan complimented, looking fondly at his wife.

"Well, since everyone is so eager for dessert, let's clear the plates." Marta announced.

Alice and Tomás helped Marta, while Sofia kept Gabriel and her father company. She could not risk her father scaring him too. Her mother had already been too direct and he might have been offended. She couldn't tell, because she didn't know him that well yet. Later she would find out from Tomas.

The eagerly awaited dessert was an orange pudding, a recipe that Marta had improved over the years, always diversifying the garnishes. That day she had topped it off with a big bowl of oven"baked Italian meringue.

"This is delicious. Marta is truly exceptional in the kitchen." Gabriel repeated Alan's earlier compliment.

"Thank you very much. Any day Sofia can repeat it for you, she has the recipe."

There was your mother's delicacy again.

"I have not yet had the opportunity to taste Sofia's creations."

"This is unbelievable. She made the sweets for the engagement dinner." Alan exclaimed.

"I had to leave a little early and didn't get a chance to taste them."

Alice and Sofia exchanged a meaningful look. The older sister tried to hold back her laughter, but the shake of her shoulders gave her away. If her parents noticed, they didn't show it. Marta, determined in her mission to help her youngest daughter, implied:

"What a pity! There will be other chances, I'm sure."

"I'm sure of it, too." Gabriel merely agreed.