Jade

Chapter 51

We entered the deserted kitchen.  Aris started taking pots and pans down from the hangars over the kitchen island.  “So, what are we making?” I asked.  “I do not know, what do you want to make?” he asked.  “Pizza,” I smiled.  “You want to make pizza?” he asked.  I nodded my head yes.  “What kind of pizza?”  “One pepperoni and the other with as many toppings as we have,” I answered.  “Okay,” he started hanging pots and pans back up.  All but one.  He got a pound of sausage out of the refrigerator, opened it and put it in the pan.  He went into the walk-in cupboard and came back out with pre-made pizza crusts, sauce and pepperoni.  “We have to use the pre-made crusts because we do not have time for the dough to rise,” he explained.  He went back to the cupboard and I followed this time.  He got canned black olives and mushrooms.  I grabbed a box of cinnamon Graham crackers.  We put it all on the island.  He got a bell pepper and an onion out of the refrigerator.  I got a stick of butter.

“The crust has to sit in the freezer for a while before we start,” I explained.  “Okay.  You show me that while I do this,” he told me.  I got out a large bowl from the cabinet, a small microwave safe bowl and a coffee mug.  I put the stick of butter in the microwave bowl and heated it in the microwave until it was melted.  Then I opened two packages of the cinnamon Graham crackers into the large bowl.  I used the coffee mug to crush the Graham crackers.  It took a few minutes to crush them.  Then I poured the melted butter in and stirred it up real good with a fork.

“I need a thirteen by nine inch cake pan, but it doesn't have to be a baking pan.  It needs to have a lid,” I told Aris.  He opened a cabinet down low and held up a Rubbermaid pan with a lid.  “Perfect,” I took it from him.  I put some of the crushed Graham crackers in the small bowl that I had used for the butter and put the lid on the container.  Then I dumped the rest of the Graham crackers into the rubber maid pan and pressed them down into the bottom.  I put the lid back on.  “Did you see everything that I did?” I asked him.  “Yes,” he answered.  I put the small container in the refrigerator and the large pan in the freezer.  “How long do you freeze it?” he asked.  “Two hours is ideal, but there is no real set time,” I answered.

“So, what do you want me to do now?” I asked.  “You can start putting a pizza together,” he answered, draining the fat off of the sausage.  I spread sauce on one of the crusts, then started putting pepperoni on it.  He went to the cupboard and came back with two more crusts, “I think we should make more than two.”  “Okay,” I spread mozzarella cheese over the top then put just a few more pepperoni on top.  I moved to the next crust and spread sauce on it.  I sprinkled a little bit of everything on it then topped it with cheese.  Aris took the finished pizzas and put them in the oven.  I took the next crust out of the package and spread sauce on it.  “What should I put on this one?” I asked.  “You pick,” he told me.  “Okay,” I decided on another Supreme.  I went to the next dough, spread sauce on it and decided on only cheese.  Aris got more cheese, of different kinds, out of the refrigerator.  I added more cheese.  Done with that, I started cleaning up.  There weren't enough of the toppings, save for cheese, left to keep so I dumped them in the trash.  I got a clean dish rag and started wiping down the surfaces.  I put the used dishes in the sink.

“Would you like to set the table?” he asked me.  “How many?” I asked.  “Just five,” he answered.  I got out five plates and five forks and took them out to the dining room.  I set them on the table and went back into the kitchen.  I got out five Cokes and took them to the dining room.  Aris was cutting up a pizza with a large blade.  He had already put the last two pizzas in the oven.  Once he was done cutting them up, he carried them to the table.  I carried potholders to set them on.  They were waiting.  “Enjoy,” Aris told them, then I followed him back into the kitchen.

We had a couple of minutes to wait.  “So, how did I do?” I asked.  “You did great,” he answered.  “So, you will let me help more often?”  “Maybe,” he smiled, “if I can have a kiss.”  “Since when do you ask?” I smiled.  He rushed to me and backed me right up to the kitchen island.  I tensed up then let my held breath go.  He lifted me up to sit on the island.  This put me up to almost eye level with him.  “I want you to kiss me,” his voice got deep.  “I’m not sure if you deserve it,” I smiled, teasing him.  “I think I do,” he smiled, his voice going even deeper.  “Okay,” I leaned forward and kissed him on the forehead, then each eye, then his nose, then a quick peck on the lips.  I moved back a little and looked into his now open eyes.  “Is that all I get?” he asked.  I smiled and leaned forward.  I lightly brushed his lips with mine and swiped his with my tongue.  He pulled me flush against him and wrapped his arms around me.  I put my arms around his neck and kissed him as passionately as I knew how for as long as I could.