By the way she sighed he could tell she was getting restless if not bored. Nonetheless he left her to her own devices while he finished making the gravy. In the mason jar that he had set out on the counter Isaac added a tablespoon of flour then poured about a half cup of milk before closing the lid. He shook the contents until they were well mixed then added it to the gravy to help thicken it up while he wrapped up preparing the salad.
Once everything was done he poured the gravy in the gravy boat and turned off the oven. On the tan granite bar top he had everything laid out almost like a buffet style. At one end were two plates, two bowls, silverware and two cups; beside them was the wooden salad bowl with two dressing choices and next to it was a bowl of garlic green beans. At the other end was where he placed the marinated pork loin that had been baking for the last hour and the gravy he had made from scratch.
Everything smelled great, to him at least, he just hoped his guest would feel the same. “You might have better luck finding something interesting on Netflix or Amazon.” he commented as he clipped the corner of the dining room as he turned into the living room. His eyes watched the glow on the TV as the next commercial began to play. “Are you hungry?” Isaac asked when he noticed her body shift so she could look up at him from where he stood a few steps away.
At first, Vera had found one or two things interesting. When she had sat down and was given the remote to keep her busy, it was almost hope that maybe something would trigger. A favorite movie. A show she liked. Heck, even a scene that was similar to something in her life. Instead she had learned one thing. “Reality shows are pointless….” Her voice left out a long sigh as she watched him and leaned back against the couch. “Seriously, how many ways can women try to screw each other over or men compete in some stupid fashion. And this show...they get married in 90 days after just meeting each other? Really?” Vera’s hand flashed out at the screen. “I almost prefer the show Law and Order or something where they are buying houses.”
Isaac smirked and decided then not to tell her about the HDTV house flipping couple drama lest it shatter her hope of finding something worth watching.
It was the mention of food though that peaked her interest. Over the past few days, she had learned coke was not for her, in nearly any form. The stuff called Sprite wasn’t as horrible. Sweet tea she would down but the pitcher and coffee...keep it coming! Also bacon. That was yummy!
“Is that what you have been doing in there all this time? I kept hearing things and was scared you were breaking something.” Uncurling herself from the pillow ball she had put herself into, Vera slipped her feet onto the floor and stood up. “But something smells wonderful!” The long t-shirt she had stolen over her pair of jeans was more out of comfort than fashion. Who was she trying to impress? The man who had found her in the forest? If he wasn’t throwing her out yet, she’d at least done something right.
“Help yourself.” He motioned with his hand towards the kitchen. “I'll make biscuits and gravy for breakfast with the leftovers.” It had been a long while since he had to worry about making food for more than one person. Thankfully Vera seemed to enjoy most of what he had made, either that or she was being polite which he had a feeling might have been the case the other day.
Walking past him, Vera stopped in her tracks seeing the spread. Everything one could want in a full dinner was there and the smell...she had to follow her nose and it was worth it! “Isaac!” She smiled, reaching down and picking up green bean to eat alone. “When in the world did you find time to do all this? I could not have been staring at the TV that long?” Putting the end of the green bean in her mouth, she chewed slowly on it for a moment before smiling and quickly sucking the rest of it up.
“You’d be surprised,” Isaac smirked. “Time flies when waiting for something interesting to come on.” He nodded towards the time displayed on the stove; it read 6:23 and they had got home just a bit after 1:00PM; over five hours had passed granted she did use that time to take a shower, among a few other activities.
Opening the refrigerator he ducked his head to see what their options were for beverages. “What can I get you to drink? Arizona green tea with honey, ice water, or milk?”
“Tea please. Hold the ice.” She smiled sweetly at him before sneaking another green bean. Oh she could have just filled her plate but there was something amusing about trying the different things, stealing them in a teasing way, that just made her...happy.
But when it came to the main course, she needed a plate. And a knife for that matter. “Here is hoping muscle memory kicks in.” She shrugged and began to fix her plate before heading to the the table.
“Muscle memory? For what?” He set the jug of tea on the counter and looked at her curiously. “To cut your meat?” One snow colored brow rose shifting his expression into one of amusement instead. “If you can use chopsticks I’m pretty sure you’ll be able to handle it just fine.” Isaac set her cup on the countertop beside the salad then put the tea back into the fridge. His cup was grabbed next which was then filled with ice before using the water dispenser on the front of the door.
“I still didn’t know I could do that…” Vera chuckled as she remembered back to the sushi attempt. Truly she hadn’t even thought about it. Just...dug in! Now the teriyaki chicken had been another story.
“I wouldn’t worry though. The meat should be tender enough to cut with the side of your fork.” He commented having done so already. When she had finally finished getting her plate together Isaac set about filling his own before joining her at the table. For only a moment he closed his eyes and bowed his head before mouthing the word ‘amen’.
“Ladies first.” He motioned towards Vera’s plate, waiting for her to take the first bite.
She had to stop herself from digging in when he sat down. The man prayed and she always seemed to forget that until she realized he was mouthing something again. Glancing off, she allowed him to finish before her hovering knife and fork found the tender meat. “Remind me again. Which deity do you pray to?” she asked softly, feeling as if the prayer she had seen him mouth before was...familiar. Strange.
But her thoughts completely altered as she took a bite of dinner. “Holy Cow!” Vera chimed in mid chew. “That’s incredible!” Already going for a second bite before she finished the first, the raven haired woman stopped a moment and stole a glance back at Isaac. “Um...sorry…” Putting the fork down, she put her hands in her lap and calmed down a bit, swallowing what she had in her mouth.
From across the table Isaac did not bother to hide his amused grin or the startled laugh she had pulled from him. It has been far too long since he had company over, let alone one that made him feel so relaxed. If asked he would openly admit that having her around was a refreshing and welcome change to his otherwise quiet life.
No doubt the prospect of not remembering who she was hung over her like a daunting cloud but somehow she seemed to stay ahead of it and instead find joy in the most simple of things. Her optimism was infectious but not as much as her smile or laugh. Even those he viewed as an acquaintance took notice of his change in demeanor when he entered a room.
“Don’t be sorry, it’s fine.” The cadence in his voice was nothing shy of amused as he too took a bite of the meat and had to agree, it did taste pretty damn good. “Trust me, the men in my troop were barbarians compared to you. I’m pretty sure a few of them don’t even know what food tastes like because they just inhale whatever is put in front of them. Good luck getting a conversation in.” He laughed in remembrance of the time they recreated that YouTube watermelon eating video, Jake and Brandon devoured theirs so quickly it made everyone laugh so hard that at least two of them choked on their slice.
“But to answer your question I pray to God. My parents raised me as a Christian, non denominational” he added as there were several out there. “And even though I definitely don’t go to church as often as I should, I still make time to pray.” Partially out of habit or to some degree routine but it really did help in ways that could not really be explained; especially in times where help is needed and there is nowhere else to turn.
“You really did have an amazing troop.” Vera smiled back at him, amused to see his laugh and slightly red around the cheeks being the cause of it. It did make her happy though to see he appeared to at least not regret letting her stay with him. Though the first morning had been interesting as she tried to find her way around the house. She was pretty sure he had not expected her to be walking around in his shirt post shower. Oops!
“Where you paired up randomly or did you know each other before you went in?” There was a reason she tried to keep her questions light. He had already told her that most did not make it. The last thing Vera wanted was to seem him fall quiet and sad. “Because if your introduction to their table manners was them eating like a wild boar, I have to wonder how they didn’t rub off on you.” With a smirk, she went back to her meal, savoring every piece.
“Brandon and I went to boot camp together. Everyone else came together on our first deployment. A few had already served a tour together but most transferred in from other units.” Isaac tried to explain. “Most of us have known each other for about five years or so if not more.”
That was when she blinked and looked up at him as if something struck her. “Oh. Um...that phone you gave me for emergencies? And to keep the Social Workers happy…” She added that last part with an eye roll. “Well I got a text from Victoria.” With a long sigh, Vera looked up and just shrugged. “They still haven’t found anything yet. No one has come forward either so…” Trailing her voice a bit. “The police are moving it all to a case of lesser importance. Since I’m functional, no major damage, and have a roof over my head, they figure why worry. If someone comes forward, they will call. Otherwise…”
Taking a sip of her tea, Vera just watched the man across from her. “Guess I need to start figuring out what to do now…”
“You just- take it one day at a time. You don’t need to worry about me kicking you out; the room is yours for as long as you need it or want to stay.” Isaac wasn’t about to allow her to become homeless if he had anything to say about it. “Your arm is still healing. Perhaps once it is better you might want to look around for a part time job to fill your time. But until then we should probably take you shopping and get some clothes; I’d like to see if I could get a few of my shirts back.” He jested although he didn’t quite mind it when she wore his black under armor shirt the day before. It...looked quite nice on her; something he wasn’t keen on admitting out loud lest it make her feel uncomfortable.
With a weak smile, Vera looked back up at the man. “You really are something else. If at any point and time I’m intruding, please, just tell me and I’ll figure something out. Like giving back your clothes.” That made her blush a little bit more. “I mean, thank you for it. So I don’t have to live in that sweater but I think your shoulders are a little…” putting down her fork, she held out her hands to either side of her own shoulders. “Broader than mine. Not that I’m complaining but…” She gave a slow, embarrassed shrug.
“It’s fine to wear around the house but don’t see yourself wearing outside?” He smirked then took a bite of green beans and washed them down with a mouthful of water. “No offence taken. Trust me I understand.” His shirts were basically mobile tents on her more lithe frame.
He had spoke to his mother about the situation and while she offered to bring some clothes over he was pretty sure that only the shirts would fit as the woman who had raised him was more on the petite side in other areas. Conversely she did offer him a few places he could take her without making either of them feel ‘cheap’; Kohls for one was reasonably priced and offered a decent selection, same for Target. She had also suggested Wal-Mart for camisoles if that’s something Vera might like to wear.
”Do you feel comfortable enough going to get some clothes that actually fit tomorrow?” The one question most men would never be caught dead asking actually didn’t make him feel the urge to shove his foot in his mouth. He was going into this understanding full well that this wasn’t going to be a cheap trip but he trusted her enough not to go overboard if he accompanied her to the shopping areas.
“If you feel comfortable enough to go with me and not make me wear camo.” Vera responded with a smile showing she was warming up a bit at the idea. The change of topic and his willingness to help made her honestly feel far better about everything. “Because while it may look really good on you, I don’t think that pattern does me any favors.” What she didn’t admit was that when she was poking through his laundry, she might have tried one on. The mirror told her the truth.
“And who knows. Maybe I’ll run into someone or something. Can’t give up hope! Otherwise, I’ll just…” She gazed up and met his face. “Start over! How many people get a chance to make new memories and try new things. I’m sure some would almost kill for it.” Honestly, it was the best she could do. Look for a silver lining and follow it.
Isaac had opened up his home to her. His world to her. There would never be a way to thank him for that. Even if she did get her memories back...what he had done for her and continued to do for her had no value. She owed him so much already…
“Isaac, I know you are tired of hearing this but...thank you again. I can’t say it enough. If it wasn’t for you…” She trailed off before something seemed to dawn on her. Perking back up, she glanced at him. “Oh! Do you dance? I saw something when I was flipping channels called ‘Dancing with the Stars’ or some such name. It looked like fun!”
“I will neither confirm nor deny the likelihood of me knowing how.” He jested, eyes glancing sideways as if he held a secret considering the truth was a mix of both. “I can’t say I’ve gone to any recently though. But if it is something you’re interested in we could probably find beginner classes at the commons or some of the studio’s downtown.” One of his buddies at the base hand mentioned going to a swing dance club and on tuesdays they helped teach beginners the basic moves.
His reaction drew a smile and then a laugh. “Based on that reaction, I take it you learned something. But the question is...Ballroom or Ballet?” She asked pointedly, more trying to provoke an answer than anything.
“Neither. Square. But I was in elementary school at the time.” This time he wasn’t teasing. A long time has obviously passed since then and he wasn’t about to count the high school dances since he didn’t really go to any
“But it was just something I thought looked fun. Honestly Isaac, I’ll just be happy to get out into the world a bit. Your neighborhood is nice but...I’m starting to feel a bit claustrophobic.” Taking a sip of her tea, she offered a playful shrug. “Maybe after dinner we could hike that trail not far from here again? If it isn’t too dark. It seemed like such a nice day…”
“If you’d like to we can.” Even if it got dark he always carried his firearm on him along with his concealed permit. “I have a lantern that I take while camping we can bring.”
“Vera,” Isaac set his fork down and folded hand hands in front of him. His mood shifting to something a bit more serious than a moment ago. “I don’t want you to feel like you’re a prisoner you can come and go as you please.” While he would feel more comfortable going out with her until she became more familiar with the area, he wouldn’t stop her from going either. ”I’ll get you a key of your own tomorrow while we’re out.”
Opening her mouth to respond, Vera quickly found it shut again as she felt a slight smile rise to her face. “Isaac, I don’t. So please don’t worry.” She admitted softly and firmly with a nod for added effect. “It’s the last thing I honestly feel like. Am I going a bit stir crazy? Yes. But wouldn’t anyone who has no idea where they are or which direction is North? I thought you figured that out the other day that I appear to fail at directions.” With a soft shrug, she reached her own hand over and gave the one he leaned on the table a squeeze.
“Promise. I’m not climbing your walls or trying to make a break for it when you open the door. While I would like to go out more, I’m still trying to figure it all out. Not to mention, I couldn’t go that far.” She squeezed his hand and pulled back. “Not if I didn’t want to be arrested for driving without a licence. While I’m sure I could figure it out quickly, there is that no ID thing.” Again it was clear she was trying to make the best of it. No ID...no info. Until she got some lead as to who she was, she was...Vera no name. Oh well!
“Come on. I think the fireflies will be out by now and I think some fresh air would do us some good before you let me at you wallet.” Chuckling now, she rose up and reached to grab his arm, playfully tugging at it. “We only caught the tail end of them the other day so let’s see if they come back!”
“Ok ok.” He drew in a deep breath and stretched, his muscles flexing beneath his cotton shirt before scooting his chair back and getting up. “You go get changed, I’ll take care of the dishes.”
From the corner of his eyes he caught a glimpse of her smile and found himself wondering when was the last time he had enjoyed the company of another quite like her. Julie was someone he got along with, friendly with the capacity to care about others to a degree reserved for doctors and nurses; both a pleasure to be around but distinctly different in nearly every way.
Vera, while younger than himself, did not conduct herself like most young adults who held onto their teenage years looking for handouts and taking advantage of everyone around them; but at the same time she had the innocence of someone who did not bear the weight of the world on their shoulders every time she got up in the morning. She was an enigma to everyone and herself but held the tenacity to keep going forward; a quality he admired about her greatly.
The corners of his lips turned upward in a secretive smile as he reached across the table to pick up her very clean plate; in truth he was considerably surprised she didn’t lick the gravy off it, the way his cousin Jessie would, with how spotless it seemed. “Or… you can stand around and watch me, but if we miss them it’s on you.”
“I’m going. I’m going!” Vera laughed, turning to stick her tongue out at him as he headed towards the sink. Lingering in the corner for a moment, she watched him, biting her lip as he moved. She had seen the photos he had hidden around the house. How few of them he really smiled. Not like that. Not like how happy he appeared with the simple things. She had a hunch very few men smiled like that doing dishes.
Slipping into the living room, she headed back to the room she used and changed into something to go a little easier, and tennis shoes. Heading back into the kitchen, she reached the spot she knew he kept his keys and jingled them. “Waiting on you now slow poke.” She called out, opening the door and slipping outside into the night where she waited for him to join her. Lord it felt good.
Isaac flicked the water droplets off his hands into the stainless steel sink then wiped the remaining dampness off on the towel that hung over the oven handle. “One moment,” he hollered.
Slipping into his room he stepped into his closet, pulled on a pair of hiking shoes off the top shelf beside his camping backpack then walked over to his nightstand to grab his gun which he then holstered on his hip which was tucked on the inside and clipped to his belt. “Okay,” He opened the coat closet and pulled out the battery operated lanterns then stepped outside and locked the door. “Here you go.”
Jumping slightly when the door opened, Vera turned back and grabbed the handle of the offered lantern. There was still enough light to at least see around. They would need them later but for now, she saved it. “Took you long enough.” She smirked, eyeing his small bulge at his hip.
“Some days I wonder if you ever go into anything without being prepared.” Reaching out, she grabbed his hand and pulled, heading off at almost a skip towards the trail.
Isaac stumbled the first few steps but quickly found his pace and kept up beside her with his long strides. “One of us has to be.” He commented, giving her hand a squeeze.
The two soon fell into an even rhythm while walking down the neighborhood, beneath streetlights that had turned on some time ago, towards the trailhead. Clouds spotted the horizon creating bluish purple voids in the otherwise starfilled sky completely obscuring the moon in the thick mass that hid the full moon glow. But neither were the reason they were out this evening, and for now Isaac was thankful that rain was in their immediate future. The fireflies would be out soon, if they weren’t out already, but until then he would enjoy the way her lithe hand fit comfortably within his own and how she did not shy away from being near him.
Sirene Naiads
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