Lonely Kitchen

Work felt different. Nika was on her different rota. Filling in for the maid team. So Nadia didn’t have same company in the kitchen. The others were okay — but Nika’s absence was clear.

Nadia finished a few trays of pirate ship pastries. Some filled with meat and others with fruit. The sweet ones were dusted in sugar.

She licked her fingers. Sweet.

Oliver entered the kitchen. He was the strict but fair manager of the hotel. He was a year younger than Nadia but looked quite young. Olive skin and almost a bowl cut with a part above his left eyebrow.

“Nadia. Do you have a good tiramisu recipe? Head office wants it on the menu,” he said.

“Yeah. Of course. I’ve made it before,” she said.

“Great. I’ll need a test sample in the afternoon. And as usual make it pirate-y,” he said before going off on the next task.

Nadia put the pastries in the big industrial oven. Then let it handle the rest.

Tiramisu… She had made it for Greg… It was his favourite dessert.

She avoided thinking about the foods he liked. And there were so many because he loved to eat.

French cuisine and baking had given Nadia a new lease on cooking. Unlike Greg, Leon like healthy foods. Less sweets, more eggs, meat, rice, and salad.

She stood in the kitchen wondering again what Nika was doing somewhere else in the hotel. She had left in such a rush, Nadia was sure it was something she had said.

But what was it? Did I offend her…

Nadia hoped she still had Nika as a friend. It bet being lonely… And that was a hard feeling…