Alice was busy down the garden clearing out the old leaves and rotting debris of last summer’s bedding. The crocuses were up, and the first of the daffodils were beginning to appear under the sycamore and lilac trees. It was damp and chilly, but with her fleece, woolly hat, gardening gloves and sturdy boots she was well-equipped for the occasion. She’d been out since mid-morning and had only taken a short break for a bowl of soup, and with the temperature beginning to drop was about to call it a day when she heard the doorbell go. No point going through the house; she’d go down the side passageway and see who it was.
‘Alice!’
‘Rob! How are you? Is everything OK?’ she asked, surprised to see Rob Flanagan standing on the footpath in his coat and a business suit.
‘I was on my way home from work, and decided to call in for a minute as there was something I wanted to ask you about.’
‘Oh, fine, come round this way, please.’ She smiled, took off her gloves, and led him around to the back garden and the back door. There she kicked off her muddy boots, took off her hat, and led him into the kitchen.
‘Is everything OK about cooking on Tuesday?’ she asked, concerned and hoping that Rob didn’t feel too overwhelmed by the class.
‘Alice, the class is fine. To my great surprise I am really enjoying it, and it’s exactly what I need.’
‘Well, that’s good,’ she said, relieved. ‘I was about to have a cup of coffee, would you like one?’ she asked.
‘That would be lovely,’ he said, settling his large frame on to one of the tall stools at the kitchen island.
‘I’ve some homemade peanut cookies. Sean is addicted to them, would you like one?’ she said, opening the biscuit tin.
‘Thanks.’
‘Everything going OK with cooking at home?’ she asked.
‘Yes, couldn’t be better. I had an old neighbour, a widower like myself, over for dinner on Sunday and I did the fillet of beef. It turned out perfectly, and as for those potatoes done in the stock, we ate far too many of them.’
‘Well, I’m glad that you are putting it all into practice.’ She laughed. ‘That’s what I like to hear.’
She watched him over her coffee. He was a good-looking man, with an expensive suit and shirt, well-turned-out. He looked after himself.
‘The biscuits are great,’ he said, taking another one from the tin.
‘I must put them on my class recipe list,’ she teased.
‘Alice.’
‘Yes.’
‘The reason I called over was nothing to do with the class, and I didn’t want to ask you with everyone else around. I was wondering if you would be interested in coming to the opera with me next Friday. They are staging La Traviata in the Gaiety as part of the opera season. Kate and I used to go regularly, and I suppose I am still on some priority booking list or other. I have two tickets.’
‘The opera!’ This certainly was a bit of a surprise, but if he had two tickets it would be such a shame to waste them, and it was years since she had gone to the opera. It would be fun, and Rob, from what she knew of him, was good company.
‘That sounds very nice, Rob. I’d love to come along, thank you for thinking of me.’
‘There is a pre-opera supper in two or three of the restaurants close by. Kate and I always used to grab a bite before the show started. They all make sure to have you out in plenty of time before the curtain goes up.’
‘That sounds great!’ She laughed.
‘I’ll book Peploes, then, for about 6.00 p.m,’ Rob said, sounding very pleased with himself.
Walking him to the front door in her socks, Alice suddenly realized that she had agreed to go on a sort of a date, her first date with a man since Liam had left her.
Was she gone mad?
‘Calm down! Calm down!’ Joy advised her when she phoned her that night. ‘It’s just opera and a bit of supper … he’s not taking you off on a sexy dirty weekend!’
‘Ugh,’ said Alice, ‘don’t be so disgusting. It’s nothing like that. He’s a very nice man who also happens to be one of my cookery students. It’s just two friends having a night out together. Do you think I am breaking some code of ethics by dating one of my students?’
‘For God’s sake, Alice, you are both over the age of consent. Anyway, I thought you said this was just a night out with a friend,’ Joy teased.
‘I suppose he’s very lonely.’
‘Lovely,’ said Joy. ‘You should suit each other!’
‘You know I haven’t been out with anyone but Liam since I was twenty-three,’ Alice worried. ‘It’s just so weird going out with someone.’
‘You go out with me all the time,’ teased her friend. ‘So just relax and enjoy your date with that very eligible man, and don’t think too much about it. I believe the opera is totally sold out, so you’re lucky he got tickets.’