THE LONG WAIT

Chapter 15: Flashback

Shelley moved back and forth from the kitchen to the dining room, setting up dinner for two. Just then, the doorbell rang.

"Come in!" she called out, her voice echoing as she strolled back to the kitchen. A fragrant dish nestled in her hands, she returned to the dining room, only to catch sight of Ben in the hallway. He stood there, effortlessly shedding his coat and letting it drape over the arm of the sofa, a casual air about him that drew her attention.

As soon as Ben catches sight of Shelley across the room, a warm smile spreads across his face. He makes his way over to her, his steps light with anticipation. When he reaches her, he leans down and places a gentle kiss on her temple, savouring the familiar scent of her hair. He then wraps his arms around her from behind, pulling her close and enveloping her in a comforting embrace. "Good evening, sweetheart," he murmurs softly against her ear, a hint of warmth and affection in his voice. "How was your day?" he asks, genuinely curious, ready to listen to whatever she has to share.

"Good," she said with a smile. "There were fewer patients at my unit today, thereby giving me enough room to rest. How about you?"

"Busy as usual, but nothing I couldn't handle. So, what are we having?" he asked.

"Peanut Abomu with Yam. You will love it," she says. "This dish, a local Ghanaian delicacy, combines peanuts and tomatoes with dried fish in an earthenware bowl. It is served with drizzling fried palm oil over it. You can enjoy this sauce with yam, plantains, or even cassava."

Turning to him, she said, "Sit down. I promise you will love it." Ben was unable to contain his excitement as he gazed at the delicacy on the table. On a separate plate, he noticed sliced avocado and some boiled eggs-an accompaniment to the main dish. Once seated, they savoured their meal, relishing each bite.

After supper, Ben and Shelley get right to work cleaning up. During her casual discussions with Ben, he offers his genuine appreciation for the tasty meal.

"To be honest, I never know what to expect when I drop by your apartment. I always have the opportunity to try some totally new cuisine, and I absolutely adore it."

With a smile on her face, she says, "Thank you." How wonderful that you feel that way. It is my pleasure to have you over nonetheless. By the way, how is the refurbishment at your firm progressing? she asked.

"It has been great," he says. "With Margaret handling the interior decor, Matthew seeing to the installation of equipment in the server room, and David seeing to the management of everything, I would say everything is sailing smoothly. I am hoping by the end of this month we will be done with the renovation, and the firm will be open to the general public."

"I can't wait!" she says, expressing her excitement. "Tell me, why Margaret? You could have chosen any interior designer. Why her in particular?"

"Aah, that! Let's just say I wanted her to take a step back from her husband, so I thought about getting her out of the house. She often complains that Blackson works too much, which is driving her husband crazy. I figured that if she had something to do besides being at home all day with the kids, it might help. Plus, she's really talented at her job."

"She is not wrong about that, you know. Dr Blackson is indeed a workaholic, but I am grateful you're looking out for them." Shelley nodded thoughtfully. "That definitely explains why he was grumpy at the office last year."

Turning to him, she said, "Tell me, how did you, Blackson, and Matthew meet?"

"That will be somewhere at Harvard," he points out. On my way to my dorm after class, I overheard two men arguing with three other males. The two gentlemen were visibly outnumbered, as I noted. Without bothering to enquire as to why they were arguing, I decided to intervene. After we had the situation under control, I found out why they had gotten into it. Thanks to my suggestion, we were able to resolve the issue. Matthew was eternally grateful to me after that, and Blackson thanked me for my help. A lifelong friendship was born at that moment.