Emerald Garland plied the stubborn, cold blob of goulash with another handful of spices. “There. Maybe a bit of cilantro will help. I don’t know why this refuses to settle down. Maybe if I turn up the heat…oh, mercy me! The burner isn’t even on.” Emmy chuckled and shook her head as she cranked the heat on the burner to its highest setting. “I’d forget my head if it weren’t attached sometimes.”
She turned to rinse her hands at the sink. A movement on the patio caught her eye. Someone seemed to drop over the wall. “That’s impossible,” she concluded. “I just forgot I had a visitor. That must have been the reason I came in here.”
Emmy wiped her hands and primped her hair. She poured a glass of lemonade and placed it onto a teakwood serving tray, delivering it to the patio, garnished with her toothiest smile.
The visitor shrank into the corner as she approached. For some reason, he had thrown a ski mask onto his head and rolled it to the bottom of his nose. He also wore gloves. He gathered his breath in big gulps.
Emmy laughed out loud and set the tray on a side table. “What a silly man you are. You’ll roast in that cap and those gloves today. Do you have a chill? Take all that heavy snow gear off and come have your lemonade like a good boy.”
The visitor hesitated a moment before shrugging and throwing off his hat and accepting the lemonade. He cringed as he sipped.
“Need some sugar, dear?” Emmy suggested.
“Actually, there’s quite enough in it,” the visitor replied. “Lemme guess…homemade?”
“Of course. Only the best for my guests. Can I get you anything else?”
“Maybe some ice?”
“Of course. Sit down, honey. I’ll fetch you some cookies to go with that. Make yourself at home.”
The visitor laid the cap and gloves on the chair before he sat.
“I adore entertaining,” Emmy informed him as she slipped back into the house. “Keeps me young.” To her fern, she commented, “Not often you meet someone more forgetful than me. Imagine him thinking it would snow on a gorgeous day like this. Poor thing. We’ll just keep him company, eh?”
i am gonna show this to my friend, brother
Good for you. Thanks. We’ll be back on track soon.