I send a chef emoji along with my address at the end, then sit down to think about what I’m going to cook for her. Chicken and rice is always safe, and it’s something I can make in my sleep. I already have the rice, chicken stock, peas, and spices for the rice, so I just need to run out to get the chicken.
First, it’s time to finish the stress cleaning. I vacuum, make sure the aviaries are clean and don’t smell, fluff out the pillows on the couch, basically anything to keep my hands and brain busy. There is nothing more behind her coming over than two friends discussing a mutually beneficial arrangement, I tell myself repeatedly. That’s why my blood feels like lava right now. Sure.
Sweeping my gaze over the open concept first floor, I try to see it through her eyes. It’s a little sparse, and a little cold. If she does decide to move in, I wonder how much she’ll put her stamp on the place. She’s welcome to do anything she wants to the house to make herself feel comfortable and welcome, and I’ll let her know that. I know she hasn’t felt that comfortable rooming with Tania and Carlo, as much as she loves them, and that needs to change.
After a quick trip to the store for the chicken and ingredients for salad, along with a couple of other errands, I start prepping. I marinate the chicken thighs and let them sit to develop flavor before I pan sear them. Jersey tomatoes this time of year are absolutely out of this world, so I chop a few of them before tossing them with the washed greens and sliced cucumber for the salad. We can both add the simple vinaigrette I make at the table when we’re ready to eat. With that done, all I can do is wait to start cooking closer to when Celeste gets here.
I text with Diana to check how the bar is today, and she says it’s all fine. Hermes and Daisy hang out with me while I putter around, making sure everything looks perfect. A sweaty run helps me get rid of some of the excess adrenaline coursing through me before I finally shower and get ready. I choose a forest green button down to go with my jeans, adding my favorite silver chain around my neck, as well as the expensive silver and black watch that my dad got me for graduation.
The smell of lime, cilantro, and smokey seasoning permeates the kitchen as I pan sear the chicken thighs, letting them get crisp and brown on the outside before removing them. Then I lightly toast the rice with butter, the peas, and garlic in the same pot before seasoning it and adding the broth. Finally, I nestle the chicken into the flavorful rice mixture so that it all cooks together to develop a ton of flavor. Once it’s covered and simmering on low, I clean up as much as I can until I hear the doorbell.
“It’s the door,” Hermes says from his aviary. I put both him and Daisy back a little while ago so that they wouldn’t fly right at Celeste and possibly startle her when she comes in.
“Yes, Celeste is here, Hermes,” I inform him as I moveto go let her in. When I open the door, I lose my breath. Celeste is standing there in the gorgeous green sundress she had on the night we met all those weeks ago, when we all celebrated her release from prison. The very same dress that made me almost fall all over myself when I first saw her. Ironically enough, it’s also almost the exact same shade of green as the shirt I’m wearing. She notices right away, and her lips curve up.
“Aw, we match,” she says, tipping her head to the side to take me in fully with an amused sparkle in her eyes.
“Ugh, we’re already THAT couple,” I tell her with a wink.
“Celeste is here,” Hermes says from the living room. The woman in question goes still.
“Is someone here? I thought I was crazy when I heard you having a conversation with someone while you were coming to answer the door,” she says, clearly a little wary. Actually, not just wary, she looks like she’s ready to bolt at the sound of an unfamiliar deep and croaky voice, so I rush to reassure her.
“That’s Hermes, my parrot that I mentioned. Apparently he’s picked up on your name quickly, he’s a chatty one.” She lets out a breath and relaxes a little.
“Seriously? You said your birds were noisy, not that they could actually talk! You had me freaked out for a minute that I walked into an attack or something.” She lightly smacks my shoulder in admonishment. Shit. My bird freaking her out is not how I wanted our evening to start. I reach out and pull her into a hug of both greeting and apology, and after a second she melts into it.
“Sorry about that, I should have mentioned how verbal he is. I’m so used to it that I take it for granted. My other bird Daisy is much quieter and doesn’t talk the way he does.Do you want to meet them real quick? Dinner should be ready in a few minutes.” I rub a soothing hand down her back before we pull away from each other. She looks a little calmer now as I search her face. Hermes lets out an impatient whistle that sounds much more birdlike, which breaks the tension and makes her chuckle.
“Ok. Whatever you’re cooking smells great,” she says as I lead her into the living room with my hand on the small of her back.
“I’ve got chicken and rice simmering on the stove, plus salad with homemade vinaigrette,” I tell her, and her eyes light up with both delight and surprise.
“That sounds amazing. You like to cook, huh?”
“Watching my abuela cook and learning from her are some of my happiest memories. She taught me a lot,” I say. “Let me check on the food, actually. That would suck if the rice burns.” She nods, and I leave her to look around. Lifting the lid on the pot reveals everything looking and smelling perfect. I give it a big stir and put the lid back on since it just needs a few more minutes.
“Where’s Gage?” Hermes is starting to get demanding, so I head back into the living room.
“How does he know how to say that?” Celeste asks, obviously shook.
“I taught him to say that when we play hide and seek,” I tell her a little sheepishly. Who knows if she’ll think I’m ridiculous for how much I love and spend time with my birds. She sighs like she’s both happy and exasperated.
“That is way too adorable, and I don’t know how to handle it,” she declares. My relief that she is fine with the birds and how much I interact with them is palpable, and just one more reason why I think this fake marriage will work out perfectly. Daisy chirps and flutters aroundexcitedly when she sees us walking toward her, and Hermes rustles around, watching us in that all knowing way of his.
“Do you want to hold them?” I ask her. She nods tentatively.
“Celeste,” Hermes croaks. I laugh as I grab my clicker and pistachios before I open his cage.
“He likes you already. Hermes, come.”
He flies to my shoulder, and I quickly press the clicker as I offer him his reward. Then I offer my hand in a lightly curled fist with my thumb facing up.
“Step up,” I tell him, and he moves to my hand like the excellent bird he is.
“Good job, Hermes.” I give him another pistachio as a reward.
“Now you put your hand out if you’d like him to step up,” I murmur to Celeste. She puts her hand out, and without a command he steps onto it, much to her obvious amazement. I hand her a pistachio to give him, which he takes eagerly.
