The Retreat
Chapter 9
Sara wasn't much of a cook. Most of what she made at home for herself, when she didn't order takeout, was pretty basic. It was difficult to mess up Ramen after all. After poking through the cupboards and fridge, trying to decide on what to cook, she settled on Spaghetti. She had found the noodles, and a jar of Spaghetti sauce, and figured it would probably be the easiest to make.
The pots and pans weren't hard to find. They were tucked neatly into a lower cupboard next to the stove. She pulled out one of the larger pots, filled it with water, set it on one of the burners, and set it to boil. She wasn't used to cooking with gas but figured it wouldn't take as long to boil as it would on a normal stove.
While the water was heating, she grabbed a large skillet and began to brown some hamburger she had found in the fridge. Next, another pot with the Spaghetti sauce was set up and beginning to heat. Sara also had found a loaf of frozen garlic bread in the freezer and had set the oven to preheat.
This wasn't so bad. I suppose it helps when you have all the things you need beforehand though
she thought.
It wasn't long before the water began to boil and she tried to measure out the right amount of noodles. It didn't seem like enough, so she added some more and tossed them into the water.
The next thirty minutes or so were spent stirring and watching everything. She wasn't exactly used to this, but she didn't want anything to burn or be ruined. She at the very least wanted to make a good impression.
Sara had just finished straining the water from the noodles when she heard a car door shut.
That must be him
she thought, and quickly dumped the noodles back into the pot. She turned around as the door opened and watched as he came into view.
Well, at least he's handsome
Sara mused as she eyed him up and down.
Dave was tall and lean. A bit of gray tinged his think brown hair, his blue eyes seemed highly intelligent, and seemed to notice things other people missed. Then it hit her. She knew him! She hadn't met him in person of course, but had certainly seen his face on TV.
The Vice President!?
She wailed inside her head.
"Honey, I'm home!" Dave called cheerfully as he hung up his jacket and set down his briefcase.
Sara couldn't move and couldn't respond. She was in too much shock. She knew The Retreat had catered to wealthy and powerful people, but the Vice President of the United States had taken her completely off guard.
"Hello? Anyone home?" Dave joked as he walked into the kitchen and saw Sara standing there frozen.
It took her a moment to recover and remember she was supposed to be play-acting as a loving and doting housewife.
"Honey! Your home!" she said awkwardly and stepped forward to give him a hug.
Dave just chuckled as he gave Sara a big hug and a squeeze.
"It's okay, I would be shocked too," he whispered in her ear in a friendly tone.
"What's for dinner?" He said stepping away and peering over the stove.
"Um...Spaghetti," Sara sputtered.
I'm not handling this very well
she thought, then took a deep breath to steady herself.
"Spaghetti and garlic bread," she repeated, feeling more confident.
"It's almost ready. Why don't you go wash up, then you can set the table," she said, turning back to the stove and fussing over the pots.
"Yes dear," Dave laughed, then gave Sara a quick peck on the cheek before leaving the kitchen to comply.
Sara used his absence to calm herself down and remember what she was supposed to be doing. By the time Dave had returned, she was feeling much more relaxed and confident enough to better play her role.
Neither of them said anything as Dave set the table, and Sara had transferred the noodles and sauce into some large bowls and set them on the table. They both sat down and Dave began piling his plate with the noodles, glancing over at Sara and giving her a wink.
"So how was your day dear?" Dave asked, pouring a ladle full of sauce over his noodles.
