Victoria walked up the steps to her house. A text from Holly had asked what time she expected to be home. Curious to know how Holly had got on that day, she’d given a time far earlier than she ordinarily would have.
She opened the front door and was greeted by delicious smells. She placed her coat in the closet, greedily inhaling the aromas wafting from the kitchen. She often used the services of a chef when the children were home and she was working late, but Carina was having a well-deserved vacation. Which meant that either Holly was cooking, or a very cheeky thief was helping themselves to her pantry.
Victoria crossed the entrance hall and leaned on the doorway of the kitchen, a smile on her face as she took in the scene.
Holly had annihilated the kitchen. Shopping bags, packaging, ingredients, and an abundance of either flour or sugar covered the work surface.
“A year in Paris and this is the legacy,” Victoria joked.
Holly spun around in surprise.
“You’re home!” She smiled. “It looks worse than it is, and I swear I’ll clean it up when I’m done.”
“Done doing what?” Victoria questioned.
“Cooking you a meal.” Holly beamed. “Three courses, you better be hungry.”
Victoria took a step into the room and started to inspect what was on the work surface.
“No looking,” Holly chastised. “Go and sit over there, or go and get changed into an eating outfit…”
Victoria rolled her eyes good-humouredly. She walked over to the table and sat down.
“I’ll sit here and watch you further destroy my kitchen, if I’m allowed?”
Holly ignored the comment and removed a large saucepan from the hob. “I had the best day.”
“Wonderful, everything went well?” Victoria felt a weight lift off her shoulders at the news.
“Yes. My new doctors are great. We’ve figured out a schedule for physiotherapy, and we are going to try some new memory recovery techniques. Michael, your lawyer, was great. He found that I had three bank accounts, two were practically empty but the third actually had some money in it. So, I have money.” She curtsied.
“Congratulations.” Victoria couldn’t help but smile at the enthusiasm radiating from Holly.
“Yeah, it seems I was good with money because I had some savings. So, I thought I’d cook you a nice dinner to celebrate and say thank you.”
“I keep telling you, you don’t need to thank me.”
“Okay, make yourself useful and set the table then,” Holly joked.
Victoria chuckled. She stood up and picked out some cutlery.
“Oh, and I have stuff in storage. Well, I hope I do. I have a storage locker, so that’s cool.”
“Very cool,” Victoria said with a smirk.
“Oh, and I have very big news. Very exciting stuff,” Holly said.
Victoria placed a wine glass on the table. “Oh?”
“Yes, I have a date!”
“I’m fine,” Victoria muttered through gritted teeth.
“Let me see,” Holly insisted. She took Victoria’s clenched hand and inspected the bloody wound. She pulled Victoria over to the sink and put the cold tap on.
“It doesn’t look too deep,” Holly said as she put Victoria’s hand under the stream of water. “Where’s the first aid kit?”
“It’s fine,” Victoria repeated.
Holly glared at her.
“The cupboard in the hallway bathroom, second door on the left.”
Holly vanished in search of the first aid kit, and Victoria looked at her damaged palm in disgust.
“That wine glass just shattered,” Holly said as she returned.
“Yes, it was old. The dishwasher must have cracked it,” Victoria lied. “Anyway, you were saying you had news?”
Holly pulled Victoria’s hand out from under the tap. She gently dabbed a towel around the wound and started to wrap a bandage around her hand.
“Oh, yes, I have a date. Tomorrow evening,” Holly explained with a wide grin.
“Wow,” Victoria said with forced enthusiasm to try to match Holly’s glee. “That’s soon, isn’t it?”
Holly shrugged. “I suppose so. But you only live once, so why not? You know what I mean?” She tightened the bandage.
“Not really,” Victoria muttered.
“Sorry, what?” Holly asked.
“Thank you,” Victoria said louder. “For the bandage. Who… is your date?” She gave her best faux smile.
“Someone I met in Michael’s office, he’s one of the junior partners, David. He was really nice, and we hit it off.” Holly cleaned her hands. “That is okay, isn’t it? You didn’t have plans, did you?”
Victoria shook her head. “No. No plans. I… I thought you dated women?”
Holly considered the question and then shrugged her shoulders. “I never thought about it. I suppose I’m bisexual.” She turned around and continued with the meal preparation.
“Excuse me, I have to change into my eating outfit,” Victoria deadpanned.
She walked out of the kitchen, eager to get some space. She couldn’t believe that Holly was already dating. She tried to recall a David at Michael’s office, but all the young men just blurred into one poorly-suited stereotype. She wondered if her power of attorney gave her authority to cancel the date. Surely it was too soon?
She’d barely approached the stairs when the doorbell rang. Suddenly she remembered the other reason she was home early that evening.
She turned and walked towards the front door, at the same time Holly appeared from the kitchen.
“I’m sorry, I completely forgot about this,” Victoria confessed.
She opened the door, and a large Newfoundland came bounding into the house. She thanked the dog sitter and closed the front door again. When she turned around the dog was already barking happily at Holly.
“Down, girl!” Holly instructed with a smile. “That’s enough, Izzy, quiet now.”
Izzy sat down obediently, her large tail wagging loudly on the floor.
Victoria stared at Holly in stunned silence.
Holly’s eyes widened as she realised what she had said. She stared in shock at the dog and whispered, “Izzy…”
Izzy panted with excitement, looking from one silent woman to the other.
Victoria finally broke the silence. “Y-you… You. Remember. The. Dog?” she asked in disbelief.
“I don’t choose what I remember!” Holly defended.
Victoria stared at her for a few more moments before she shook her head. She turned and walked up the stairs.