Flightless Birds

Dinner Date

It takes me twenty minutes to commute home from work.
I park my car in the parking garage one block away then walk to my apartment.
" Hey Mark!" Mark is our lobby man who holds the door and is just the sweetest man ever. I hand him a ten and enter into the apartment building.
" Thank you Miss Sophie." He shouts to my back as I press the elevator button.
" You're welcome. Have a nice day!" The elevator dings open and I step in. I push the eighth floor button and wait for it to reach the level.
I get off the elevator and walk down the hallway to my apartment. I open up my purse to grab my keys. Tom's wet shirt is still in my bag. I laugh to myself. I reach in further and find my keys. I unlock the door, place my keys in the bowl on the side table next to the front door then walk in the laundry room and place mine and Tom's shirts in the dryer. I walk into the kitchen and prep everything I will need to make ravioli for one. I turn on the T.V. to create back round noise. I walk down the small hallway to my bedroom and undress into some jean shorts and and baseball tee.
I go back into the kitchen and begin making dinner.
As I'm almost done cooking, I hear a faint knock on my door. I walk over and look through the peep hole. It's Tom.
I open the door.
" Hi." He says nervously. "As I was leaving the studio I remembered you had my shirt but you were already gone so I asked Steve for your address. Is that alright?"
I laugh. " It's no problem. Your shirt is in the dryer right now. Do you want to come in?"
He hesitates for a second. " Sure."
" Just make yourself at home." I say.
He takes a seat on my turquoise sofa. " You have lovely place."
"Thanks." I say as I take the ravioli off the stove. " I just finished making ravioli, would you like some?"
" Oh I probably shouldn't. I-"
" You have plenty of time! I just put our shirts in like twenty minutes ago."
I walk into the living room and set a plate down in front of him. His face lights up. " This looks wonderful!"
I take a bite. " Try it, it tastes better than it looks."
He takes a bite and closes his eyes. " You're extremely talented Sophie."
I laugh. "Says the one who has won numerous awards."
" Not as many as you would think." He says humbly.
" More than I ever will!" I finish my food and take my plate into the kitchen. "Would you like me to take your plate?"
He stands up beside me. " No, I can handle it."
I shrug my shoulders. He follows me into the kitchen. I place my plate into the sink then take his plate from him.
"Thank you for dinner."
"You're very welcome." I smile at him. "You know, you're not how I expected you to be."
He smirks. " And how did you envision me to be?"
" Well, I thought you were going to be like every other celebrity I've come across. Rude, stuck up, acting like you're better than everyone else and basically treat me like a door mat."
He looks surprised. "Wow. I'm shocked that you thought I would be like that."
I immediately regret telling him.
He steps closer to me. "It's funny because I thought you were going to be some old, ugly assistant that hated her job and the people she works with."
My mouth drops open. I'm very offended right now.
" But it only seems to be partly true."
I cross my arms over my chest. " Which part?"
He comes closer to where he is standing over me. He leans down and lifts my chin up to his. "Guess."
I close my eyes. I hear a loud DING.
My eyes flash open. I'm laying on the sofa. One plate on the coffee table with the remainder of the ravioli for one. I place my plate in the sink then grab the T-shirts out of the dryer. I put Tom's on a hanger and mine in a drawer in my room. I put my phone on the charger then go to bed and prepare myself for an emotionless day tomorrow.