Heaven's Delight (Part I)

Inspector Charles had just finished having supper when the doorbell rang. He told his wife and daughter to sit tight while he went to investigate who was ringing the doorbell so late in the evening. Shorts, vest and all, Charles opened the door. He looked around but there was no one in sight. He looked down. There was a brown envelope lying at his feet. His heart skipped a beat and his hands trembled as he stooped down to pick it up. The previous envelopes had been written the words: "To Inspector Charles" in both uppercase and lowercase letters but this one was written in all caps and bold letters: "TO INSPECTOR CHARLES".

He wanted to open it there and then. He had ripped it halfway open when he stopped. He looked around again, apprehensively…and vigilantly. There was still no one. No sound, save for the faint barking of a mongrel miles away. A stray, black cat ran silently along the sidewalk, probably chasing a rat. Even though he could see no one, Charles decided not to risk it. He retreated into his house backwards, slowly, his eyes acting as scouts. The thunder cracked, roared and boomed above him. It was definitely going to rain.

At 6:50 P.M. Sineas was ringing Clarissa's doorbell. He was hoping to make a good impression by being early. He breathed into his hand and brought it to his nose. He smiled and rang the bell again. He waited. A considerably large part of him began to hope she wasn't home.

He had called her before leaving his house to learn if her parents were still not home and she had confirmed that they weren't. She had said they left the house at around 5 P.M. His cab had dropped him off by the sidewalk just a few minutes ago and here he was, standing at the door of the house that belonged to the people that had strictly warned their daughter not to see him. The same people who had proven that they were willing to do anything to make sure she stayed as far away from him as possible.

The thought of turning around and going back home popped up in his head. It was enticing. He decided to ring the doorbell for the third time.

Clarissa opened the door before his finger hit the bell. She smiled radiantly at him. She was still wearing her white turtleneck sweater. She had changed into a pair of black leggings but she was barefoot.

Sineas could smell and feel the sweet strawberry scented perfume hovering around her body.

'Wow, Mr. Murphy!' she exclaimed as her eyes browsed him up and down. 'Seven minutes early?'

He smiled. 'They say it's rude to keep a lady waiting.'

'But I kept you waiting. I was just finishing up setting up the table. Is your aunt really okay with this?'

'Like I told you over the phone, Claire, she's working the nightshift. She won't be home til probably midnight.'

She pulled him into the house.

Sineas could smell something good in the kitchen. 'I thought you just ordered a pizza,' he said as she helped him take off his jacket.

She hung his jacket on the coat hanger on the wall just beside the door. She grabbed hold of his hand again and began leading him into the kitchen. 'Do you really think so little of me, Sineas?'

When they walked into the kitchen, Sineas' pupils grew. He was stumped. The kitchen table had been covered by a silky and dazzling blue cloth. On top of it was a bowl of chicken. The bowl right next to it contained mashed potatoes. A few inches next to these bowls was a bowl with what looked like a carrot salad mixed with co slaw and sliced boiled eggs. There was also a bottle of orange juice and a bottle of an expensive looking whiskey. "Heaven's Delight", the label said. Sineas did not remember ever seeing a whiskey bottle this close. His was completely amazed, and breath-taken.

'Will the mayor be joining us?' he asked.

She laughed and directed him towards a chair. She sat across him.

Ten minutes later they had dished several of the delicacies into their plates and they had begun to dig in. After about three minutes of silent eating, besides the sounds of glass and forks, Clarissa finally spoke. 'So…how is it?' she asked him.

Sineas placed his fork on the table. 'I have to confess,' he began, wiping his mouth with a napkin, 'my aunt is an excellent cook: dressings, desserts, salads, grills, baking and all that but…but this!' He waved his hands across the table, 'This spread could give her a run for her money.'

She laughed shyly under the table then turned back to him. 'Don't play with me, Sin, I'm being serious here.'

'So am I. Seriously, this has "pro chef" written all over it. To be honest with you, I expected to find a spread of apple pies, apple juice and everything else apple. Forget teaching anyone how to cook, I think you should open up your own restaurant.'

'And if I did, would you even come to it?'

'Of course I would, Claire, are you kidding me?' He took a sip of his orange juice. Although the Heaven's Delight whiskey bottle looked alluring, Sineas always had a fear of having too much alcohol, getting drunk and acting like a complete idiot. Worse in front of Clarissa.

Clarissa, not wanting to be the odd one out, had also decided to have orange juice.

'I'm guessing it was your mother who taught you?' he asked her before stabbing a potato and bringing it to his mouth.

'Yeah. But I can't really say that she taught me. I just observed her most of the time. Sometimes I would beg her to teach me how to cook the more difficult dishes, the ones you only find in French restaurants but she always had an excuse, telling me I wasn't ready. It's not like I was asking her to teach me kung fu or something. But she also had another reason for not teaching me.'

'And what's that?'

She placed her cup on the table and smacked her lips. 'There's a saying that goes, "The way to a man's heart is through his stomach". So, maybe she thought if she taught me how to cook the more delicious dishes…'

'You'd steal a lot of hearts,' he nodded grinning.

'And…has it worked on you?' she asked him, looking under the table.