Learning to Be Little Again(12)
I was about to tell him that I needed him to back up when I heard him begin to sing.
“Let’s wash, wash, wash our hands, wash our hands, wash our hands, let’s wash, wash, wash our hands, and make them nice and clean. We make sure to wash the front and back, wash the front and back, wash the front and back, we make sure to wash the front and back, and all the fingers in between.”
As he was singing, he was washing my hands and his own, and I couldn’t help but begin to relax… and laugh!
“What’s so funny?” he asked, drying our hands.
“Your song,” I said, still giggling. It felt so good to laugh just for the fun of it, and I couldn’t stop. I laughed harder and harder and then noticed that Robert was laughing too.
After we both settled down, he said, “Don’t tell me that you’ve never heard the wash your hands song before. It’s a very important song! One that every person should know.”
“I’ll make sure to remember it. Now can we start cooking? I want to know what we’re going to make for dinner!” This had been driving me insane all day. I loved surprises, but my curiosity of what they were always drove me crazy.
“Okay, okay. So, I thought that we could have chicken parmesan with pasta and broccoli for dinner. Then for dessert we could have fresh fruit with some vanilla ice cream.”
“That sounds yummy! Though I won’t object if we decide to not make the broccoli.”
“Sorry but the broccoli will be made. It’s important to eat your veggies, even if you think they don’t taste that good.”
“Fine,” I groaned. Vegetables tasted horrible and I knew I would never like them.
“Don’t sound so upset. When I’m done making it with my special family recipe, you’ll love it,” he said, putting the items he brought over on the table.
* * *
“This looks absolutely mouthwatering!” I exclaimed as Robert placed the two plates on my kitchen table and I put two glasses of wine next to them.
We both took our seats as he said, “Let’s hope everything tastes as savory as it looks.”
“I’ll let you know,” I said, cutting a piece of chicken and scooping up some pasta on my fork too. I ate it and it tasted so delicious! I didn’t say anything at first, though, because I wanted Robert to squirm in his seat a little.
“Well, what do you think?” he asked, sounding eager.
“Don’t eat anything. It’s terrible!” I said, taking another bite, trying to keep a straight face. But the look on his face had me laughing so hard.
He took a bite of his food. “You brat! It tastes perfectly fine.”
“I know. I was just teasing you,” I giggled, taking a sip of wine.
“Very funny. Try a piece of your broccoli.”
“Do I have to?”
“Yes. Come on, it isn’t that bad,” he said, popping a piece into his mouth.
“Fine,” I said, doing the same. I chewed it, swallowed it, and I was speechless. It actually didn’t taste like garbage. It still had that nasty taste, but there was also a sweet taste that made it bearable. It was much better than what Mark normally made, or what I’d tasted at a restaurant.
“So, what do you think?”
“It tastes really yummy! Will you tell me what you did to it now?”
When we’d been cooking, he wouldn’t let me see what he was doing to the broccoli. He said that it was an old family recipe, and no matter how much I groaned and pouted, he wouldn’t tell me.
“Nope. Sorry. Like I said, old family recipe.”
“Awww…please!” I begged. I really wanted to know. If I could make broccoli like this, I would eat it much more often.
“Nope. Now come on, eat some more, and why don’t you tell me more about what you do.”
This was one topic I liked talking about. I loved my job. “I’m the secretary for one of the Vice Presidents at Johnson & Miles Co. I’ve been working there ever since I got out of college, so I’ve been there for four years now. It’s a pretty easy job. I know how my boss, Al, likes things done and we get along very well. He always been so nice to me, even more so after… what happened to me.” I ended that last sentence in a whisper. That wasn’t a topic I wanted to discuss on a first date, let alone ever.
“He does sound like a great boss.”
“Yeah. Well, he has three daughters and they’re all around my age. So, I think that helps.” Deciding to change the subject, I said, “Tell me more about your job.”
“Well, I’m doctor as you know. I’ve been at the same practice since I graduated from medical school. My partners and I all get along, which is great. I’m just a general practitioner. Most of my patients are adults, though I do treat some young ones too. Actually, about a year ago, I started to treat some people in the age play scene.”