To Love Twice (9 page)

“Yes, please.  I’d like a chilled chardonnay and an ice
water, no lemon.”

“I’ll get those for you right away.  Would you care for
a moment to review our menu?”

“Please,” Kate said.  She watched the waiter walk away
and was surprised at how eager and excited he was about the restaurant, the
menu and it seemed, even his job. 
They must pay well, or he gets
incredible tips!
 

Kate looked over the menu and sighed a sad sigh.  None
of the menu items were traditional Italian dishes.  She was really craving
a hearty lasagna but she didn’t even see that option on the menu.  Looking
each option over carefully, Kate finally settled on Cappesante.  They were
pan-fried scallops married with golden beetroot, lemon and chili. 
Scallops were her favorite seafood, she was curious to see how this restaurant
would prepare them. 

While she waited for Ricardo to return, Kate gazed around
the restaurant.  There were a few couples in the restaurant and Kate
wondered if they had ever dined at Pappagallo’s and like her were trying out
this new place.  She was willing to try this new restaurant, but she
missed Pappagallo’s.  She wondered what happened to Mama Maria and Papa
Don.  She hoped they were okay.

“Here we are ma’am,” Ricardo said as he placed her drinks on
the table.  “Have you decided what you’d like?”

“Yes.  I’d like the Cappesante, please.  I’d also
like an order of the roast potatoes.”

“Certainly.  If there’s anything else you need, just
let me know.”

“Actually, I do have a question.  Do you happen to know
anything about the owners of Pappagallo’s?  Where they might be, what they
might be doing?”

Ricardo’s face fell and Kate felt her heart clutch. 
“Papa Don died a few months ago and Mama Maria couldn’t bear the thought of
keeping the restaurant open.  When she took Papa Don back to Italy, she
stayed.  It’s been hard on her, they were childhood sweethearts.”

“Oh my, that’s so sad.  You wouldn’t happen to have an
address for her, would you?”

“I do.  I keep in touch with her.  I don’t have it
with me today, but if you stop by tomorrow, I’ll bring it for you.”

“I’m leaving in the morning.  Do you mind if I call
here tomorrow when I get home?”

“Sure.  I’m here by four.”

“Thank you.  I only visit London a couple of times a
year, but I always made it a point to go in there.  Papa Don was a
genius.  I’ll miss him.”

“He was indeed.  I worked for them for many years, they
were both such wonderful people.  They are quite missed here in the
neighborhood.”

“I imagine they are.  I didn’t know them well, but Mama
Maria always remembered me when I would come in.  She is so special. 
Thank you for telling me.”

She watched him walk away with a heavy heart.  Poor
Mama Maria.  She remembered many conversations she’d had with Mama Maria
about their life, how’d they met, where they’d been and all they’d done
together.  Papa Don had meant the world to Mama Maria.  She couldn’t
even imagine being with someone for so long and then losing them.  She’d
known her own loss, and the pain from that still took her breath away.  It
must be a hundred times worse for Mama Maria.

“Excuse me.”

Startled, Kate looked up into a pair of the most gorgeous
blue eyes she’d ever seen.  “Y-Yes?”  She stammered. 

“I was sitting across the way there and I couldn’t help but
overhear your conversation with Ricardo.  You knew Mama Maria?”

He’d been sitting across the way and she’d overlooked
him?  “Yes, but not well.  I always stop into Pappagallo’s when I’m
in town.  I was surprised to see it closed.  And in fact, I got a bit
lost trying to find it,” Kate smiled.

“Do you mind if I sit?” The man asked, gesturing toward her
empty chair.

“Um, no.”  Kate looked around to see if anyone else was
having trouble believing this man was actually joining her.  No one else
seemed to be paying them any mind.

As he sat down, Kate studied his face.  His nose was
long and aquiline and he had a full lush mouth.  His face was square and
he had a small dent in his chin.  His hair was wavy falling to his collar
with a chunk that fell over his eye.  The man was absolutely gorgeous.

“Thank you.  I’m sure you’re wondering what I’m doing,”
he grinned at her.

“Um, well…now that you mention it,” Kate smiled.

“Pappagallo’s was my favorite restaurant.  I grew up in
Mayfair and worked for them for many years when I was a lad.  They were a
staple in Mayfair.  I love to talk to people who also appreciated
them.  It brings back so many wonderful memories.”

“Oh, I’m so sorry.  It must be hard for you to come
back and not have them around,” Kate said gently.

“I travel a lot and am gone for weeks, sometimes months at a
time.  I feel fortunate that I was here when Papa Don died.  Mama
Maria was in no shape to handle any of the arrangements.  I still have
trouble walking down Curzon and not seeing the bright red awning.”

Kate laughed.  “Yes!  That’s why I was lost, I
couldn’t find the awning.”

He smiled.  “Yoshi has done a fantastic job with Tempo
and I promise, you’ll enjoy the food immensely.”

“Why do you travel so much, what do you do?”

“I’m in entertainment,” he said after a brief hesitation.

“Really?  That must be exciting!”

The man laughed.  “Yes, sometimes it is and at other
times it’s frustrating.”

“Oh yes, I know what you mean.  I think all jobs, no
matter how much you love them, can be labors of love and banes of existence.” 
Kate paused and held out her hand.  “I’m Kate.”

He gripped her hand firmly.  “My name is Edward.”

“Nice to meet you.”  Kate took a sip of her wine. 
“So you said you’re gone for weeks and months at a time.  Will you be
leaving again soon?”

“No, I actually just got back yesterday.  I’m planning
to be here for a month or so.  Are you in town for long?”

Kate laughed, “I wish!  I’m leaving tomorrow.  My
employer has an office here and we visit quarterly for a week.  I love it
here so much that if my whole world weren’t back in the U.S., I’d probably move
here.”

“London does get into your blood.  I’ve heard many
Americans say that.  What is it about London that you like so much?”

Kate sat back in her chair, sipped her wine, and took him
through the London she loved.  From the Tower of London and all it’s
history to the beautiful parks that dotted London to the dinner cruises down
the River Thames.  The people, the shopping, the food – which left a
lot to be desired in most cases.

“It’s fascinating,” Edward said.  “Don’t you Americans
have this stuff in the U.S.?”

“Oh, of course we do.  We have Broadway, we have parks,
we have shopping.  But the history that’s here, it oozes out of everything
in London.  Everyone of you live and breathe it everyday.  I think
it’s wonderful.”

Ricardo returned with her dinner.  “Here you are,
ma’am.  Would you care for another glass of wine?”

“I would, thank you.”

Ricardo disappeared to get her wine. 

“I’ll let you eat.  It was so nice talking with you,”
Edward said as he started to rise.

“Oh please, stay,” Kate surprised herself by saying. 
“Keep me company while I eat, unless you have someplace to be?” 
Were
these words really coming from her mouth?

“I don’t have anywhere I’d rather be at the moment,” he said
smiling as he pulled his chair closer to the table.  When Ricardo came
back, Edward asked for a glass of Pinot Noir. 

“Where are some of the more exotic places you’ve
been?”  Kate cut a scallop in half and speared it with her fork. 
Dunking it into the salsa verde, she popped it in her mouth.  Kate closed
her eyes and concentrated on the flavors currently assaulting her tongue. 
It was delectable.  The lemon and chili warred for attention and the
scallop was tender and juicy.  The salsa verde gave it just the right kick
and melded perfectly with the lemon, chili and beetroot.

Opening her eyes, she was startled to see Edward staring at
her.  He smiled making the laugh lines around his eyes visible and led her
to think that this was a man who laughed often.  “It’s good, isn’t it?”

Kate shook her head.  “No, it’s not good.  It’s
amazing.  Superb.  I’ve never tasted scallops so tender and
juicy.  It’s delicious and I see what you mean,” Kate smiled.

“Yes, Yoshi is brilliant.  Would you like to meet him?”

Kate goggled at Edward.  “Meet him?  I thought
they were like Gods and no mere mortals could be near them?”

Edward laughed.  “You’re wonderful!”

Kate joined in his laughter.  “It feels good to laugh,”
Kate said as she wiped a tear from her eye.  She picked up her fork and
enjoyed some more of her dinner. 

“Yoshi can be temperamental, but he enjoys meeting his
customers.  Especially the ones who think he’s a God.”

Kate laughed.  “This really is the best meal I’ve had
in a long time.  Papa Don’s food was comfort.  This is art.”

“Ah, yes.  Yoshi would definitely want to meet you.”

“And I’d be happy to meet him, later.”  Kate took
another bite and sighed.  “So, you were going to tell me all the fun and
interesting places you’ve been on your travels.”

“Right.  Where should I start?”

“At the beginning.  Tell me of the very first place you
visited.”

“That’s easy.  Scotland.  My mother has family
there.  Her sister and some cousins.  We would travel up during the
summer, which made me angry when I got older and knew what I was missing here
in London.  But it never failed, we’d go up for six weeks in the summer
and sometimes we’d go up in the winter if my aunt was popping out another
baby.  My mother liked to go up and ‘help’.” Edward said as he used air
quotes for help.

“How many children does your aunt have?”

“Ten.”

“Ten?!?  Oh my!  She’s brave!” Kate laughed.

“Brave is a word for it,” Edward laughed.  “Of course
they’re all grown now and living their lives.  They’re good kids though,
they remember their mother and are always helping her with whatever she
needs.  And they fill in for me with my own mother when I travel.”

“Oh that’s nice.  You don’t find too much of that
anymore.  Most of the people I know are too concerned with themselves to
do anything for anyone else.”

“That’s very cynical, but true,” Edward agreed.  “Is
London the only place you’ve been?”

“Yes.  Until I was offered this job, I’d never traveled
outside of the U.S.”  Finished with her dinner, Kate sighed and pushed her
plate away.  She took another sip of her wine.  “Didn’t know what I
was missing.”

“And you still don’t.  London is just a small part of
the world.  Where else would you like to see?”

“Japan, Australia, Italy.  The Caribbean. 
Mexico.  Alaska.  Hollywood.  Hawaii,” Kate shrugged.  “I
know those last few are in America, but I’d still like to see them.”

Ricardo arrived and swept her plate up.  “Dessert for
you?”

Kate patted her stomach.  “Oh, I don’t know.  I
had thought about the pear and almond tart, but I think I’m too full now.”

“Ricardo, bring us the tart – I’ll help her eat
it.  Kate, would you like some coffee?”

“Actually, tea, please.  And thank you!  That tart
sounds good and I really didn’t want to miss out on it,” Kate smiled.

“Tea for Kate, and I’d like a large espresso, please.”

“Right away, sir.”

“Tell me, Edward.  Why don’t you have something more
important or fun to do than to sit here with me, a stranger, and watch me eat
my dinner?”

“I suppose you’ll think me odd, but I enjoy doing my own
thing.  Usually I’m at the beck and call of others and when I’m home I
like doing what I want, when I want.”

“That’s not odd, that’s normal.  That’s how I am when
I’m here.  Other than during the day when I’m helping Erin with
work.  The afternoon and evenings are my own time.  It’s nice to have
that down time with no responsibilities.  Come and go as you please. 
Enjoying yourself and the surroundings.  It’s so freeing.”  Kate took
a sip of her water.

“It is.  It’s too bad you’re leaving tomorrow. 
I’d really like to spend more time with you.”

Kate coughed on her water.  “Y-You would?”

“I would,” Edward paused and studied her face.  “That
surprises you?”

“Y-Yes, a little.  You’ve only just met me.”

“How else does one get to know another person?”

“But I’m not from here,” Kate said. 

Edward laughed.  “Are you afraid?”

“Afraid of what?”

“Of getting to know me?”

“Not exactly.  I mean, you seem nice and you’re
interesting.  I’ve enjoyed our conversation a lot,” Kate started.

“But you live on the other side of the ocean and you have no
idea how to keep a chance meeting growing into something bigger.”

“Exactly.  I just don’t know what else to say. 
I’m leaving tomorrow.  Maybe fate will look favorably on us again and
we’ll run into each other the next time I’m in town,” Kate said.

She was relieved when Ricardo stopped at their table with
the pear almond tart and their drinks.  He cleared away the wine
glasses.  “Anything else I can bring you?”

“Just the check please,” Kate said.  “Thank you,
Ricardo.”

Kate took a sip of her tea and then cut a piece of the
tart.  She placed it on her tongue and again was blown away.  It was
divine.  “This is delicious,” Kate whispered.

“Why are you whispering?”

“Because I don’t want to ruin the experience,” Kate
whispered.

“I understand.”  Edward took a bite of the tart.

They continued to chitchat throughout dessert and Kate was
relieved when the previous topic didn’t come up again.  Ricardo returned
with the check and Edward snatched it up before Kate could even flinch. 
“Edward!” Kate exclaimed as she reached for the check.  “Please, you don’t
have to do that.”