Doner Kebab

The rest of dinner preparation had kept Caleb widely to the sidelines as Maddy scored meat, prepped flatbreads, made what appeared to be a salad of chickpeas and tomatoes, pickled vegetables, and generally moved around the kitchen. Every so often, she would point to a piece of equipment, get very excited, and explain its niche operations to Caleb. She was clearly in her element, and Caleb didn’t want to disrupt it as she seemed to be having a ball.

Eventually, she shooed him out of the kitchen saying, “It’s almost time for dinner, give me some time alone for plating please!”

Caleb half smiled, “I mean I’ve seen you cooking, it’s not like it’s really going to be a surprise.”

She started to forcibly push him out of the kitchen, “You’ve seen the components, not the finished dish. Besides, you eat with your eyes first, give me a chance to make a good first impression!”

“Aye Aye Captain, wait what do they say in kitchens?” Caleb asked through a mock salute.

Rolling her eyes Maddy replied, “It’s ‘Yes, Chef’”

“Yes, Chef!” Caleb which earned a pout from Maddy and a final shove out the brass doors.

Caleb chuckled as he walked to the table and took a seat. He had been anxious about this date if only for the fact that he and Maddy didn’t know each other super well. Also, the fact that she was rooming with Lily gave potential for her to not have the most flattering opinion of him. The fact that she seemed at relative ease with him was a sign that Lily hadn’t taken the time to badmouth him, which…she had every right to do. Lily always tried to do right by the people she cared about so she really must care more about Maddy surviving this competition than her own feelings. He would need to thank her for that.

Roused from his thoughts, the double doors opened and Maddy came out holding a tray accompanied by a concerned-looking faun. She came over to the table and placed the contents of the tray on the table. A half-moon large wooden plate, on one end flatbreads, in the center thin slices of spiced roasted lamb, a squeeze bottle of some orangish sauce, and a bowl of pickles. She then let down a bowl of the chickpea salad and two glasses of shimmering milky green liquid.

She handed the tray to the faun and the creature took it and began to walk to the kitchen as the chef gestured to the table, “This evening we have Turkish style kebab served with a spicy sauce and pickles. A fresh chickpea salad, and prepared absinthe as your drink. The shimmering loche is the result of adding ice cold water to the absinthe in the traditional way with a sugar cube which causes the oils and particulates to dance across the glass.” She then sat down and smiled gesturing again at the food, “Enjoy!”

Caleb leaned in and took a flatbread in his hands, which were warm. “So let me make sure I’m doing this right. It’s a sandwich that I make myself?”

Watching him carefully, Maddy shook her head, “You can do that sure, but there’s not a right way to eat it. I like putting it into a wrap myself but it is designed so that you can enjoy all the elements separately if you want.”

Nodding, Caleb put everything together in the wrap, topping it with the orange sauce and bit into it. The lamb was well seasoned and spiced and everything had so much flavour, it almost felt like his senses were assaulted. Every time he chewed he picked up on something he hadn’t before. It was absolutely delicious.

Maddy was leaned in, her face tense, “Do you like it?”

“Maddy, this is wonderful, thank you for making dinner.” Caleb got out before taking another bite of his wrap.

Maddy beamed and began to construct her own wrap while Caleb looked at the green liquid shimmering in his glass, “You said this was Absinthe?”

Maddy finished her bite and licked her lips before answering, “Yeah, served traditionally. I know a lot of people drink it straight but typically this is how it was served in Absinthe halls. Also, they lacked Raki which is what would typically be served and they both have an aniseed taste.”

Caleb regarded the glass carefully and then took a sip, it was surprisingly sweet and the taste was like licorice, but not nearly as assaulting as he had been led to believe based on how people treated the green fairy, “It…tastes like a good-n-plenty”

The chef laughed as she took her own drink, “Yeah a bit right? That’s a good way to put it”

Caleb smiled and took another bite of his food, “You know when you said you were cooking this isn’t what I expected…I’ll be honest with the food that Meridian serves I expected I dunno something more…pretentious sounds bad doesn’t it?”

Wiping her mouth with her napkin, Maddy shook her head, “No, I get what you mean. I like what Meridian does by bringing lots of different cuisines together, if you think they’re pretentious you would hate to see a Michelin-star restaurant. I admire molecular gastronomy but to me that’s not what food is.”

“Molecular…gas…I’m sorry?” Caleb tripped over his words and Maddy laughed

“Molecular gastronomy is the term for taking a more scientific approach to food, its where they do things like make foams, mists, spheres, lots of things like that.” Maddy reached out and grabbed a pickle with her fork and stuffed it into her mouth.

Caleb took another sip of his drink, “Ok, so can you talk a bit about that? What is food to you then?”

“I think food is art, but that isn’t what it should mainly be. At the end of the day food is sustenance, it should fill people’s bellies and make them happy. But, also food is culture and history. I’m not Turkish and I can’t speak to how authentic my Kebabs are compared to ones made in Turkiye, but by eating them and enjoying them we establish one very simple truth.”

Caleb’s interest was piqued and he gestured for Maddy to continue, “We all eat, we all want tasty food, to live and have something yummy that sustains us. No matter the different lives we live or what we’ve gone through, everyone can connect over a plate of food.”

“That’s honestly, really beautiful Maddy. Makes me wish I did more cooking myself.” Caleb finished his glass.

“Do you do any cooking at all?” Maddy finished her wrap and leaned in.

“Mostly off of package instructions, but there are a few things I’ve learned to make. Though most of them were camping meals that I then brought home with me.” Caleb shrugged

“Wait, camping? You like to camp?” Maddy’s eyes shone brightly.

“I mean, in theory, yes…right now it’s obviously hard but I used to be a scout. My dad insisted on it to keep me active when I was young and I really enjoyed it. Before I developed my phobia, I used to go out with friends and just spend nights under the stars.” Caleb began making another wrap.

Maddy smiled, “I used to camp with my mom and dad. My mom is blind, right? So we always tried to pick activities that she could enjoy. She said she liked being out in the wilderness because of all the smells and sounds. I love camping. I wonder if there is a way to do it here?”

Caleb shrugged, “I’m not sure, I mean I suppose we could ask. Mira made it sound like they have next to everything on this island to use. Though getting out would still be difficult for me.”

Maddy looked nervous at the mention of Mira, so Caleb leaned in, “Hey can you fill me in on something? I noticed that Mira and Maya seem separate from everyone else and it’s making people nervous. Can you tell me what exactly is going on?”

Maddy fidgeted with her apron and sighed, “I don’t want to speak badly of people but Maya makes me really nervous, Mira less so…she always shares whatever she learns about the Island, and when everyone was freaking out about the Sabotage Shoppe she tried talking people down. It’s more that she hangs out with Maya that makes me nervous.”

Frowning Caleb locked his fingers together, “And why does Maya make you nervous?”

“I um…this is just my impression ok? I could be totally wrong, so keep that in mind,” Caleb nodded and gestured for Maddy to continue, “She’s just scary, when we were being given a tour she seemed so bored until we got to the Sabotage shop and then she just started smiling and having a good time. Like she was excited at the chance to get one over on someone. I don’t understand how anyone could be here and be excited about it…”

That bit of information matched what Mira had said about Maya, she was enjoying this competition more than anyone else. What sort of experience must a person have to behave that way in a situation like this? Was that why she was picked despite no previous contact? Was she a plant designed to stir up the competition? It seemed as likely as anything else, and with how duplicitous Lucian was, Caleb wouldn’t put anything past that demon.

“Ummm…” Maddy interrupted his thoughts, causing him to refocus on her, “Do you mind if I ask you a question?”

Caleb shook his head, “No not at all we’re supposed to be getting to know each other right?”

“Are you really afraid of going outside? Is that why you stopped showing up at Meridian?” She was regarding Caleb carefully, her expression was nervous like she didn’t know if she had overstepped.

Caleb sighed and nodded, “Yeah, um it’s going to sound stupid but it’s going to come out sooner or later. I was walking home from my part-time job at a convenience store one night and I was mugged by a man with a gun. Didn’t even notice him until the metal was poking behind my back.”

Maddy raised her hand to her mouth, “Oh no, what happened?”

“Well he told me to give him all the money I had…and I did. Which like…I was fit at the time, I thought my experience fencing or just being in good shape…I had always imagined the situation in my head that I could handle myself. But with a gun to my back, I froze up and I couldn’t do any of that.”

“That’s not your fault though! Anyone would be scared in a situation like that!” Maddy said encouragingly.

“Yeah well…after that it didn’t happen all at once. First, it was just panic attacks at people sneaking behind me. Then loud noises. Then it was being alone. Eventually just trying to step out for any period of time was enough to send me into a fit of hyperventilating. It’s been that way ever since.” Caleb felt the words hang in the air, he always felt so small and pathetic explaining his condition.

Maddy however looked at him with a determined expression, “Well, that’s awful that happened to you, I’m sorry it must have been scary….maybe though this island is a chance to get better?”

Caleb glanced at her surprised, “What do you mean?”

“There’s no one here on this island except for us and the Fauns. Which means even if you go outside, most of those triggers you were talking about won’t exist. I deal with a lot of anxiety and I know it’s not the same but…” her voice died down as she seemed to lose steam.

Caleb regarded her and thought about what she said and then Mira’s advice from yesterday echoed in his mind, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath, “Yeah, maybe you’re right. Maybe I can try going out sometime.”

“I’d go with you! Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad if you weren’t alone?” Maddy piped up.

Caleb looked across the table, wondering how this woman had ever seemed small to him, and smiled, “Yeah I think I’d like that,” He glanced around the table, “Are we done with dinner then?”

Maddy looked flustered, “Oh I guess so…I should help with cleaning up-” As she said the statement a Faun came up to her and made an X with its arms and began to gather everything up.

Caleb chuckled, “I think that’s them saying that they will take care of it.” He walked to the other side of the table taking Maddy’s hand and began to lead her out.

Maddy felt increasingly flustered as they approached the elevator. The date had gone pretty good so far she thought. She had been getting along well with Caleb, they had more in common than she thought and also he hadn’t once mocked her or made fun of her. She paused and as they got on the elevator felt her nerves get the better of her as she blurted out, “Did you mean what you said, about choosing to Date me over everyone else if you had a choice?”

Caleb felt his face go crimson as he was caught off guard by the question, but quickly swallowed and tried to regain his composure, “Yeah…I mean…When I saw you at Meridian you seemed cute and nice. I don’t even know if you remember but the first time I was there, you saw I was alone and gave me a recommendation of what to try.”

Startled Maddy looked up at him, “I did? No I don’t remember that…”

“It probably wasn’t super important to you, but you were so nice and enthusiastic it made an impression. And over the course of the night, I don’t think it was wrong. You’re really something special.”

Maddy felt her body trembling as they reached the top of the elevator and was doing everything she could to hold back tears, “Do…you mean that?”

Caleb looked down and saw the moisture welling up in her eyes and smiled as he nodded, “Yeah Maddy, you’re special and I’m glad we have this opportunity together.”

Maddy felt the emotions well up and before she was aware of what she was doing, stood up on her toes and kissed Caleb on the lips. Caleb for his part received her and kissed her back, wrapping his arms around her, they stood in the open elevator caught up in the moment.

Madeline -+1 VP (Kissed the Master)

Madeline -+1 VP (Hugged the Master)

They slowly parted and with a hesitant voice Maddy whispered, “Does this make us boyfriend and girlfriend now?”

Caleb chuckled nervously, “I think under any normal circumstances yeah it would…”

Maddy shook her head, “I think it’s fine…I know that we don’t know each other that well yet and I have to share all because of this contest…but the fact that you chose me…do you choose me?”

“Yes Maddy, absolutely, there’s no question of that.” Caleb smiled at her.

“Then that’s enough for now.” She gave him a big grin which he returned as he guided her to the room.

Entering the room, Maddy looked around but then made no comment instead simply asking, “May I use your bathroom to get changed into my pajamas?”

Caleb swallowed thinking of the bedwear his previous guests had worn, “Um…yeah go ahead”

“Thanks!” Maddy darted into the bathroom, closing the door and leaving Caleb sitting on the bed imagining what she might be changing into.

After a short amount of time, there was a knock from the inside of the bathroom and Caleb heard Maddy’s voice, “Ok…I’m going to come out. Promise you won’t laugh.”

Caleb steeled himself, lump in his throat, “I promise.”

Then she opened the door and what Caleb saw was beyond his wildest imagination. Maddy was standing there in the middle of his bedroom wearing a pink onesie complete with a hood shaped to look like the face of a bear.

Caleb shook his head wondering what he might have been expecting and then looked up, “You’re so goddamn cute.” He crossed over and gave her a gentle kiss.

Maddy blushed furiously, “Sorry maybe you were expecting something sexy…when I packed for tonight I just wanted to be comfortable.”

Caleb sighed, “You look amazing, today has been great and I wouldn’t change a thing.” This was the start of something positive, there was no need to rush things, to worry about the show at this moment. Caleb just wanted to relax here with Maddy and enjoy this one moment of joy.