Walking into the hospital, I looked no different than a pizza delivery boy. Bearing an armful of food, I asked the receptionist for directions to Dr. Jake Reid’s office. Her answer made me laugh.
“You take the elevator up to the third floor, turn left, and follow the yellow line into the Reid Wing. His office will be a few doors down on the right.”
Of course, his office was located in the Reid Wing. Jake’s late grandfather spent his money generously. If I were ever to get ill, I would be well taken care of at this hospital. Jake’s office resembled an office cubicle. It was also as messy as the closet in his bedroom. This room needed my housekeeping services right away. Bookmarkers were placed in opened books and stacked on his desk and neat piles of patient files were made from the folders strewn about the desk and sofa. I made a mental note to myself to bring some flowers to brighten up his dreary office next time.
Once I finished straightening up, the couch looked inviting as sleep overpowered me. I curled up on the sofa and dozed off, only happy to find Jake’s soft lips awaken me. He was kneeling on the ground, staring at my sleeping face. I grabbed his face and pulled it harder on my lips, not wanting to stop the embrace. Jake responded as he usually does with more passion than I was ready for. I pulled away and sat up.
“I hate it when you pull away,” he complained.
“Believe it or not, I hate it even more,” I confessed. “Can you call Uncle Henry? I have lunch for all of us.”
Jake introduced me to his nursing staff at the front station, and many welcomed me, while a few evil eyes didn’t. I dropped off a box of croissants for the staff, which seemed to win over the opposition.
Many of Jake’s colleagues also stopped and congratulated us on our way to the Reid cafeteria. Most of the doctors I met in this department were men, but there were a few women, who also weren’t pleased to meet me. We walked into the cafeteria and sat with the chief.
I looked at both men and commented a bit sarcastically, “Don’t you find it weird to work in the Reid Wing and have lunch in the Reid Cafeteria?”
“No,” they both answered matter-of-factly.
What could I say to that? I opened the bento boxes, passed out plates, utensils, and soups. Then we started eating.
The chief looked impressed.
“Emily, did you make all this?” he asked. “If your meals look like this, I’m coming over every day for a meal.” He sounded completely serious.
“No you’re not,” Jake retorted. “My bride is not your personal chef. I don’t want her working any harder than she wants to. Although, I must say, you outdid yourself with this meal. Thank you, Sweetheart.”
Jake smacked his lips on mine, and suddenly his blue eyes sparkled even brighter.
“Emi, have you thought of what you want to do after the wedding?”
“What do you mean? I’ll enjoy married life till school begins, mid-August.”
“Would you consider quitting work and going to culinary school? We have a top-notch culinary academy five minutes from our home. Why don’t you enroll there in the fall?”
That idea made me pause for a moment. Would I want to stop teaching and go to culinary school? This wouldn’t be any ordinary school with books I’d memorize just for exams and forget the next day. This would be all hands-on training. A dream I thought I would live later in life presented itself today as a reality.
“I don’t know if I’m cut out for the Culinary Institute. I’m not that good and it’s expensive. Plus, I don’t want to work in a restaurant, and I don’t want to become a professional chef. I just want to be a home chef.”
“Love, first of all, you said yourself you’ve always wanted to go to cooking school. Here’s your chance before we have kids. As for expenses, did you not take a good look at my paycheck? I can afford to send you to cooking school. In fact, we will have a plethora of extra money living at my parents’ home. Both our mortgages are covered by rent, and we can mooch off my parents as long as we like. Lastly, you don’t have to become a professional chef. Just go to school for the fun of it. Our livelihood won’t depend on your success at school. You have some time so think about it. I’d love to do this for you.”
We all continued to eat as I thought about how much fun it would be to go and learn to cook. This was definitely a viable and exciting option. The two doctors began talking about their afternoon rounds and I looked at Uncle Henry, hoping this lunch put me in his good graces and could get some time off for my fiancé.
“Uncle Henry,” I asked in the most polite voice.
“Yes, soon-to-be niece?”
“Any chance Jake could get off at a decent hour so we can spend some time together tonight? As you know, we don’t spend any time together deep into the night so our evenings are cut real short if he comes home at midnight.”