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was a angry honk from
an even angrier driver. Then, the traffic returned to a steady
rumble.
    He thought about what she had said. She
was right, of course. What was wrong with him? He was the one who
asked her to move in with him. He really wanted to be married, not
just to anyone, but to her. He could really see himself with her.
He wanted to move forward. And he really wanted to move forward
with her.
    “ I was just stressed because
of the tight deadline. This deal could make or break me. I can‘t
screw up again.”
    It was her turn to be silent. She
finally wiggled out of his hug, and turned around, her back facing
him.
    He was the first to speak. “Do you know
how I know I’m the right one?”
    No reply.
    “ Because I’m here with you,
wanting to be with you,” he said.
    She let out a sob.
    He spun her around, and kissed
her.
    Then, stroking her hair, he said, “Can
we give this a try?”
    “ Mkay,” she said, trying to
smile, her face flushed.
    Even on such a cold dreary day, his
body was warm.
    * * * * *

Chapter 5
    That evening, Alyssa set the table in
preparation for her mother’s visit. She set the fine china on the
table first, then laid the silverware carefully beside the
plates.
    She frowned when she noticed a fork was
out of place. She straightened it once, then kept fiddling with
it.
    Luke, who was standing beside her,
tried to help her with the utensils, but she grabbed his wrist, and
shook her head.
    “ I can handle it. You know,”
she continued. “You’re so lucky your parents are dead. My father
was OK, but my mother drives me crazy. She’s a professor of
theology. That doesn‘t make it any better.”
    Luke debated whether to ask
how.
    “ You might be wondering
how,” she said. “You’ll see when she comes tonight. You’re meeting
her for the first time. Are you nervous?”
    Luke shook his head. “Nah, I’m sure
she’s a nice lady.”
    She headed into the kitchen and he
followed. The kitchen was filled with the rich aromas of soup and
freshly-baked bread.
    She stirred the big pot of soup that
was simmering on the stove.
    “ How can I help? he
asked.
    “ Uuuhhh, you can hand me the
salt and pepper.”
    He handed both shakers to her, and she
sprinkled in a little of each. She stirred it, and scooped out a
spoonful.
    “ Taste, she
ordered.
    Obediently, he opened his mouth. The
minestrone was perfectly seasoned. “Yum,” he announced.
    “ You would have said that no
matter what I made,” she said with a smile. “Keep stirring it. I
need to check on the bread.”
    As he stirred, he was reminded of how
they cooked together on their vacation to Qualicum Beach. Cooking
together made him feel closer to her, as though they were a married
couple. He imagined they would be soon.
    At 7 pm, there was a knock at their
apartment door. Alyssa opened it, and embraced the person standing
in the doorway.
    “ Mom!” she
exclaimed.
    Luke examined the lady. She was a
large, matronly woman in a dress covered with sunflowers. Her grey
hair was worn in a tall bun, which added at least two inches to her
height. She wore silver-rimmed glasses that made her look like an
intellectual.
    When the embrace was over, Alyssa
stepped back.
    “ Luke,” she said. “This is
my mother, Florence.”
    Luke offered a hand, and Florence shook
it. Her grip was firm. Luke thought she was trying to crush juice
from an orange.
    “ So you’re Luke,” she said,
staring at him through her glasses. Her voice was unusually deep
for an old lady.
    Luke felt like he were being assessed
and judged, like a contestant in a beauty pageant.
    “ Yes,” he said. “It’s very
nice to finally meet you, Professor Hansen.”
    “ Yeeeessssss,” she answered,
dragging out the word. “Please, call me Florence. I’m starving.
Let’s eat.”
    The three of them made their way to the
dining table. Alyssa began serving minestrone soup into their
bowls.
    “ Don’t serve it like that,”
her mother snapped. Florence grabbed the ladle