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I’m stunned she picked up on its freshness.
¨Yes, I did.¨ I try my best not to gloat.
She gives me a slow-spreading smile. ¨ You’re really good in the kitchen, huh?¨
¨Well, I do have a cafe.¨
¨With baked goods, not a full breakfast menu. Have you thought of adding more to your menu?¨
I shrug. The truth is that I really want to, but I don’t have enough space unless I use my home. She doesn’t need to know all that. Not right now. It’s not as if she will benefit from it since she’ll be back in California before an extended kitchen of mine is up and running.
¨Perhaps.¨
¨Yes, you do, Dad!¨ There goes Adam, sharing my desires with the pretty stranger.
Nadia covers her mouth with a napkin, finding humor in Adam’s bluntness.
¨Well, maybe I do.¨
Nadia uncovers her pretty mouth and declares, ¨I really, really think you should.¨
Something about Nadia’s faith in my cooking skills gets me going. Outside wearing a rainproof poncho and a sharpened ax in my hand, I take swift strikes at the fallen bur oak branch that I’m shocked to see on the ground. There are a handful of ailing trees around my home due to the old owner of this land. He was an ex-veteran turned chemistry teacher who experimented with various chemicals in hopes of creating a substance to prevent environmental warfare. It’s a bizarre story that many warned me about when I bought the land. The old man’s name was Luther. There’s an urban legend tied to him, and sporadically I’ll get a handful of teenagers stopping by just to remind me of him. He ended up taking his own life.
¨ That’s creepy.¨ Nadia stands next to me after I tell her the story. ¨Something worth investigating?¨
¨If you’re into that sort of thing.¨
¨I used to favor urban legends when I was young.¨ She grips the umbrella in her hand tighter as she hears a rumble of thunder.
¨Joaquin, maybe you should come in?¨
As much disappointment I saw in her eyes this morning, I was taken aback to hear her suggesting this. She must think how foolish it is for me to be breaking a sweat to try and make it safe for her to drive today.
¨There was a warning given to Evergreen to stay indoors. I really don’t need you to do this, especially with all the lightning.¨
¨Where there’s a will, there’s a way.¨ I say as I feel my shoulders are tightening up.
¨Well, the least I can do is help then.¨
Becoming utterly oblivious to the heavy rainfall, Nadia closes her umbrella, placing it on the ground. She stretches her arms above her head and, one at a time, pulls each elbow to the opposite shoulder to warm up her arms. Next, Nadia grabs the smaller ax behind me. She whacks at the fallen branch in front of the one I’ve almost completely destroyed. There’s a waft of arrogance in her actions as if she’s trying to prove she doesn’t want help or can do this alone. She’s a fit woman, but her muscles aren’t nearly as strong as mine.
¨Be careful.¨
I’m biting my tongue from advising her she’s best inside with Adam. I can’t deny she was superb at keeping him distracted from all the rumbles of thunder yesterday. Adam is frightened by thunderstorms and the thought of tornadoes or anything catastrophic. He’s an unusual kid since he loves watching earth-shattering documentaries, even at his young age, only to be frightened by them. As much as I try to peel him from the television when he fumbles upon them, his fascination for them is too powerful to outweigh.
¨Fuck!¨ Nadia flinches, dangerously tossing the ax behind her. It lands on the ground with a large thud.
¨Are you okay?¨
I stop my own axing and rush to her side.
She rubs her right arm as I pull her close so I can see. Examining her arm, I see it’s sore from overextending. Her wet arm in my hand unexpectedly arouses me, making me release it suddenly.
“I’m sorry.¨
I apologize for both dropping her arm so fast as well as for her having hurt herself.
¨I think it’s best if you go in and rest. Do you need any pressure or…¨
