Stuck In Quarantine

9.

James threw the steaks into a giant cast-iron pan, and began to cook them. They sizzled and cracked on the heat. And the seasonings from the steak, gave the the apartment a lovely aroma.

"How do you like your steak?" James asked Celeste. As he threw more spices on.

"You didn't answer my question? How was your ex?" Celeste replied back, folding her arms, seriousness filled her brown eyes.

"What does it matter? Anyways, you barely told me about you ex." Said James, as he tossed in some salt and pepper.

"There is nothing major about my ex. We were together for barely a year, we were living together. But after the cheating, I moved out as fast as I could, and moved here. There were many red flags, but I ignored them... I kept giving him the benefit of the doubt." Celeste continued, "We would fight lots, over stupid things. But I kept giving my whole-everything to the relationship. I think the fights came from, his internal own fight with himself. Over being gay and not knowing how to open about it. I'm sure he liked me and all, and he liked women, because we had a decent sex life in the beginning. But something seemed empty with him, with us. And I was just too stubborn to see it. But I've finally accepted everything, and I hope he's happy now! Even though I took it on the chin. It's better it ended sooner than later, instead of being dragged out."

"I'm sorry to hear that." James said, feeling bad for her whole situation. Knowing, no one should go through that. "But at least you tried! And it's good you've accepted it, I would call that growth on your part!"

"And he does feel bad. He tried to talk to me, before this whole quarantine happened. But I was still so angry, I brushed him off. I was just being foolish and immature..."

"We're only human." Replied James, as he turned his head and faced Celeste, giving her a small smile. "We have feelings, strong feelings. And we sometimes don't know how to deal with them, or express them properly. We sometimes hurt those with our anger, and pride. And sometimes we hurt those, when we don't mean it."

"Yeah that's true." Celeste replied. As she looked down at her feet. "It just still sucks, you know."

James began to turn the heat down on the elements, cooking the steaks and potatoes. The entire kitchen was filled a beautiful-food aroma. He reached for a knife and fork, in one of his drawers, and sliced into the middle of one of the steaks. Which was cooked slightly on the outside, and still pink, and juicy on the inside.

"How do you like that?" James asked, nodding his head to the steaks.

"That's perfect!" She replied, looking them over.

"Can you mash the potatoes for me?" James asked.

"Sure!"