Diana

8

The week passed quietly, with no major events. But, on Friday, an idea came to her mind and she decided to discuss it with Jason. So, she went back into Jenny's restaurant, but Jason wasn't there.

She decided it was time to clear things up with Jenny anyway, so she went to talk to her.

"Hello, Jenny!"

"Diana, hello!" Jenny replied in surprise, "Can I help you with something? You need anything?"

"I will, but first I would like to talk to you."

"Sure!"

Diana sighed, trying to choose her words carefully so that she could be well understood. "Look, you didn't hurt me. We got along pretty well before... well, you know."

"I know and I'm sorry! I regret not talking to you earlier about it, but I didn't know how to tell you. I didn't want to upset you and ruin everything, but in the end, it seems like I did it anyway."

"I don't know if it would have mattered or not if you had come to me and told me something like that. These things bother me a lot and I don't see them as normal behavior. I understand your point of view, but that doesn't mean it's okay with how you did it. I can't even tell you how it would have been okay to proceed. I'm very confused about this whole situation. I am not used to such plans, schemes and situations. I always avoided getting involved in such matters. But, it seems, I'm pretty much involved, either I want it or not. So, I'm going to have to face my own demons and move on. That's why I don't want any tensions between us. We should help each other out."

"You are perfectly right. Whatever I can do, tell me and I'll do my best to fulfill it."

"In order to start over, we must first establish the terms and conditions of our relationship, so to speak."

"What do you have in mind?"

"First of all, I don't like to owe anything to anyone. So, you have to tell me how much the rent for the apartment is per month and how much I owe you for what I consumed this month in your restaurant."

"I don't even want to hear about it, Diana. I could never ask you to pay a monthly rent. Besides, I used those apartments upstairs just to store useless stuff anyway."

"Jenny, I really don't want to feel indebted to you if we want to wipe everything with a sponge and start over."

"Okay. Let's make a deal. You pay me a modest rent of, say $ 200, but I don't want to hear a thing about you paying for anything in this restaurant. Agreed?"

"Isn't that a small rent? Let's say $ 300 to cover the utilities at least."

"Ok. So be it." Jenny said, rolling her eyes. "You and your fairness are giving me a headache. Now tell me what do you want to eat."

"You know I'm not pretentious."

"I hoped you'd say that." Jenny said and went to the kitchen. She returned with a piece of grilled beef, baked potatoes and a sauerkraut salad next to it.

Diana raised her eyebrows in astonishment. "Is that...?"

"Yes." Jenny said proudly, I went every day to blow in the cabbage barrel, as you told me and yesterday, I decided to take one to see how it tastes. Try it!"

"I forgot about it."

"I didn't. When I'm asked to do something, I do it. "

Diana tasted the cabbage salad first.

"Mmm, it's delicious."

"It was a colossal success. I put it on the menu today to see how people react to it. Quite a lot of salad came out of one big cabbage but I don't have any more of it. I kept a portion for you so you'd tell me if it came out the way it should."