Lemon Meringue Pie

"It is her." Layla kept insisting as Damien began to cook their orders.

This is going to take some time as it is a lot so he will be giving them out one after the other instead of all at once.

Hot chocolate is to be the last as a kind of finishing meal, maybe he could add some cookies for them.

"Ok." He said, turning to Layla. "Let's say that she is the girl. Now what?"

"What do you mean?" She asked, a little confused.

"What will you do now that you've met her in real life?" He asked again, stirring the pot.

"I- I don't know. I didn't expect to meet her in real life if I am being honest." She said, looking to the ground. "She has always stayed in my dreams and it is strange seeing her in front of me, breathing and moving. Interacting with other people."

"H-"

"Excuse me?" They heard a voice calling from the door and quickly turned to see one of the boys there. Dark blue hair and a bright smile.

"Yes?" Layla asked as he entered the kitchen. He came in with the red-haired girl who seemed to light up the room with her smile.

The kitchen is a little bit cramped with herbs hanging from the ceiling and also filling most of the shelves. They have four stoves at the right corner and two large ovens on the far left of the room.

A walk-in storage room for the foods and other items, including meat, is at the wall just behind the door to the kitchen.

The two looked at all the herbs hanging from the ceiling with a little bit of wonder and awe. They then turned to the other two and smiled at them.

"Sorry, we just came in here because we couldn't find you at the desk." The girl said, beaming with every word.

"No. No. It's my fault. I should have been there." Layla quickly said, "Is there something you need right now?"

"Ah yes. Do you have …? Max," She turned to the boy, "what was that again?"

"Meringue pie." He said, "Do you have that? We are willing to pay extra if you don't."

"We don't but I can make it for you," Damien said with a broad smile. "Now I want to know if you would like cookies with the hot chocolate."

"What kind of cookies?" The girl asked, a little bit of her brightness faltering as her voice became an octave lower.

"I have not decided on that." He said, oblivious to what Layla just observed. "Chocolate chip cookies seem to be a favourite, what of that."

"No." She suddenly said. "Nothing chocolate except for the hot choco, please."

"Of course." He said, "Is someone allergic to that?"

She shook her head, a solemn expression on her face. "Just … no chocolate."

"She'll be fine now, don't you think so?" The boy asked but she glared up at him, shutting him up.

"Would you like to test it out then?"

"No." He said, turning a little gloomy too.

Realizing they have company, they smiled again like nothing happened before. "We will get going. Thank you so much."

"Thank you." The girl waved with a bright smile on her face. And with that, they were out of the door.

________

"Someone must be very allergic to chocolate," Damien said with a chuckle. "I will try my best to make sure they enjoy their food."

"I am worried." Layla said, "Did you see the expressions they made? I wonder what happened."

"Hunny, you met the girl in your dreams. Now, why don't you focus on your own recovery?" He said, gently placing his hand on her shoulders. "I am worried about you. Have you been taking your medications?"

"I am fine." She dismissed him. "After all, there are other things we need to worry about instead."

"Like what?" he asked.

"Your soup is about to burn." She said, pointing to the pot.

"Oh." He quickly ran to the pot and pulled it out of the stove to the table. Taking a spoon he dipped it in and tasted it. "Hmmm."

"How is it?" Layla asked, taking the spoon from him and tasting it as well.

"What do you think?" He asked back, looking at her with anticipation.

"It's delicious." She said, smiling at him. "But then, all your food is delicious."

"Don't just say that." He took the spoon from her and tasted it again. "Is it really ok?"

"Yes. Why would I lie about this?"

"That is true. You are brutally honest with these kinds of things." He said with a chuckle. "Now, just a bit of coriander and they can be served. Could you bring the bowls here?"

"Sure." She said, walking to the cabin and taking out a matching set of bowls.

She paused when she saw another set of bowls, looking at the marble design of the bowls, she remembered seeing them in her dreams. "I used this for her. I wonder if she will recognize them."

"Hunny," Damien said with a sigh as he held the spoon full of soup up, hands outstretched for the bowl.

"Coming, coming." She said, walking to him with the bowls in her hand. She placed them on the table and watched as he filled the porcelain bowls to the brim.

_______

"We are back," Carlotta said as they sat back in their seats.

"Welcome back." Kaia greeted.

"Did they have it?" Shia asked, looking up from the diary she continued to read.

"No." Max answered, sitting down, "But they said that they will make it."

"Ok." She said, seemingly satisfied. "I can't believe not one of you has tried meringue pie."

"We don't really know much about these things," Max answered but Shia's attention was on Dorran.

"Ok, fine I can understand that. But Dorran? You too?"

"I'm not a big fan of sweets. Crumpets are my favourite." Dor answered, shrugging.

Carlotta laughed, "When I took him out for his birthday, he hardly ate anything except that dessert. I forgot the name."

"A dessert this grandfather likes?" Shia teased, "I wonder what that could be."

"You went out?" Kaia asked, looking at them. "When?"

"I can't remember but it was sometime before you told us about everything." She answered. "He was just surprised with everything, it was amazing."

"You got a lot of gifts, didn't you?" Max asked, looking at Dorran with an eyebrow raised.

"Yes." He said with a little too much passion. "How did she do that?"

"That's Caitlyn for you." Shia said, "She just charms everyone she meets."

"I'm sure it's just the hair." She said, pointing to her red hair, "Or my eyes."

"They are beautiful." Kaia signed, "But they can't compare to who you are as a person."

"Kaia." Carlotta placed her hands on her on, "Where did you learn to be so cheesy? It's like my parent reading off a script all over again."

"Sorry." Kaia instantly signed though she wasn't very sure of what she did wrong. "I didn't mean it that way."

"Of course not." She said, "It just happens. Maybe I am being a little cautious."

"It's understandable to be cautious." Kaia insisted, feeling awful for making her remember her parents. "I'm sorry."

"I have bought the soup!" They heard a voice call out as the two boys, sitting on the edges of the table got up and opened the door for her.

Layla came to the 'room' with two trays in hand and began arranging the bowls in front of each person.

As soon as she set down the bowl in front of Kaia, she recognized the design immediately and smiled softly, stroking the sides of the bowl.

Layla paid close attention to the girl and felt pleased when she saw her reaction to the bowl.

"I will be bringing the others as they come." She declared, "Please enjoy this for now."

"Thank you!" Everyone said in unison and, without waiting another minute, began scarfing down the soup, meat and all.

"I don't like capsicum," Carlotta said, picking it out of the thick soup.

"Oh, give it to me," Dorran said, moving his bowl closer to her and she picked them out of her soup, putting them in his.

"You like them?" She asked, scrunching her nose up.

"Sure," Dor answered, popping a piece into his mouth. "They taste good."

"If you say so." Carlotta said, "Next time I have to go out to eat, I am taking you with me."

"Sure." He answered, looking away as the others at the table gave him a knowing look.

"How is it, Kaia?" Max asked as the girl drank the soup in complete silence. "You haven't made a remark."

"It tastes the same." She signed, grinning. "I really did miss this."

"I'm glad you like it." He said, "We can come here anytime you like."

"I'll take you up on that offer too." She signed, going back to her eating.