"I guess I get points for Luther?" Allen asked as he escorted Gwen to
the sofa.
"You get points for Luther, the candles and the dinner. You have
truly made a good impression on me. Not to mention your place. Is it
always this neat or is this just a one time occasion?"
"Oh you mean a 'just for you' cleaning?" Allen laughed.
"Well you know?"
"Yeah I know. A brotha having dinner with a beautiful woman, at his
house, on the first date, he better have a clean house."
"OK," Gwen agreed.
"But no," Allen joked, "I keep a clean house. Can I give you a tour of
my humble home or would you like to have a seat and talk more. Or
better yet, would you like to help me in the kitchen?"
"Well, I met this guy, he told me that he could cook and invited me
over to try his cooking so I didn't eat a thing all day in preparation. So
maybe we should start in the kitchen."
"That sounds good." Allen said as he pulled out one of the two bar
stools for her to sit on while he fixed their plates.
"So what did you make, it smells good?" Gwen asked as she made
herself comfortable.
"I thought I would go all out. They say first impressions are hard to
recreate so I wanted to start out with my best and hopefully that will
make you want to stay around for more."
"That is the way to make a woman stay around." Gwen laughed.
"If that is the case," Allen began speaking in a British accent, "I've
prepared two succulent Cornish game hens, chosen specifically for this
occasion and have stuffed them with wild and long grain rice. To
accompany the hens, I have prepared the finest stems of steamed
broccoli with half a teaspoon of margarine and sprinkled with pepper to
give it a zestful flavor. With the hens and broccoli, I have prepared corn
muffins from a recipe that has been in the family for generations. As you
can see, each of them has golden brown tops and each generate the
distinctive smell of vanilla. Though the masterpiece has been created
and is ready to be devoured, the meal will not be complete unless we
start off with a finely tossed salad."
Gwen looked on as Allen entertained her with his wit and charm. She
smiled as she thought of the enjoyment that Allen brought to her. She
knew that there was promise in her new friendship with Allen. For the
first time in a long time, Gwen thought of her isolated world, but this
time she wasn't alone. With no thoughts of the past, she welcomed Allen
into her world, completely. While she looked on, Allen removed the salad
from the refrigerator and placed it the center of the table.
"This way my dear, your table awaits." Allen said.
Gwen removed her self from the stool, placing it in its original position
and walked to the table. As she passed Allen, she stopped and softly and
slowly kissed him on the lips before sitting down.
"What was that for?" He smiled as he helped her with her chair, then,
found one for himself.
"For cooking dinner."
"Thank you."