What Matters Most

Chapter 26

Remembering that he saw a drawer full of takeout menus the other day, Chase decides to order some Chinese takeout for dinner. He pulls open the drawer and starts to look thru the menus.

"Damn Christopher do you have a menu for every restaurant in town in here?" Chase says. He grabs his phone and calls Leigh for help.

She answers after a couple of rings. "Hey, Chase what's up?"

"Hey I really hate to bother you, but I need your opinion about something. I was wondering which place near here has the best Chinese take out. Christopher has like fifty menus over here from every restaurant in town. There's more than one copy of some of them. This is insane," he says.

"Yeah, he keeps stuffing them in that drawer."

"Why does he have so many of them?" Chase asks.

"Well that would be the phantom's fault," she says laughing.

"Excuse me the who's fault?" Chase asks.

"We have this phantom menu guy who comes around, and slips menus under our doors from the restaurant's around town," Leigh explains.

"Sometimes when you come home you will see a menu on your floor once you open your door, and you know he has been here. We've also been home several times too when a menu comes flying under the door. We jump up and try to catch a glimpse of the guy in the hall, and we can never catch him," Leigh says.

"Come on Leigh that's crazy. A phantom menu guy, there is no such thing."

Just then as if on cue, a menu comes flying underneath the door. "He's here!" Chase yells running towards the door. As he opens the door so does Leigh, and all they see is each other.

"Where the hell did he go?" Chase asks.

"See I told you, phantom menu guy," Leigh says laughing.

"That's kind of freaky. So you never did answer my question," he says. Leigh looks at him confused.

"What is the best Chinese place near here?" he asks.

"Oh yeah, ok so I will tell you if you let me order something too," she says.

"Of course you can. I would have offered, but I figured you might be tired of eating with me."

"Heck no I'd love the company. I hate eating alone remember," Leigh says.

"Ok great, so which place is the best?" Chase asks again.

"See that menu in your hand that the phantom just delivered?" Leigh asks.

"Yeah," Chase says looking at the menu.

"That's the one," she says walking past him into Christopher's apartment.

Leigh goes straight to the drawer full of menus and starts pulling them all out. She starts to throw away all of the duplicates and is sorting thru all of the rest. "Don't worry I am saving you the best ones," Leigh says.

Chase looks over the menu in his hand and finds what he wants. "Do you know what you want?" Chase asks.

"Yeah please order me a number five. I will go grab some cash, and be right back," she says heading to the door.

"Don't worry about it. I've got this" he says.

"No Chase you bought me dinner last night."

"You brought me cookies today."

"That is not the same thing," she says.

"It's only five dollars Leigh I've got it."

"Ok well I will treat you some other time then," Leigh says.

"Anytime gorgeous, I am available anytime," Chase says smirking at her.

"Just order the damn food before I starve to death," she says rolling her eyes at him.

"I'm going to run back home,  and take a shower. I will be right back," Leigh says.

When she gets back they eat in front of the TV and once again share their food with each other. Chase tries to teach Leigh how to eat with the chopsticks, but she can't get the hang of it. She just laughs at herself the whole time and then grabs a fork instead.

"So what day are we supposed to go to your parents for dinner?" Leigh asks.

"Saturday night. Is that ok with you? I can tell my mom we can't make it if that's not a good night for you."

"No Saturday is fine with me. It will give me more time to get all dolled up, and not be rushed to get ready on a weeknight," Leigh says.

"You don't have to go to any trouble," Chase says. Secretly he can't wait to see her all dressed up, but she really doesn't have to worry about impressing his parents. They already love her.

"I'm not going over there for a dinner party in my yoga pants Chase," Leigh says motioning to her current outfit.

"Wouldn't bother me a bit. I happened to like it when you wear these yoga pants," he says grinning at her.

After they finish eating, they clean up and put the leftovers in the refrigerator. "It's getting late I guess I better get going," Leigh says. Chase walks her to the door and opens it looking out into the hall.

"What are you doing?" Leigh asks.

"Making sure the phantom is not out here," Chase says.

"Give it up, you're never going to catch him," she says as she reaches her door.

"Oh yes, I will. I've got skills that my brother doesn't have," he says grinning at her.

"Night Leigh, sweet dreams," Chase says.

"I love it when you say that to me. It is such a sweet thing to say," Leigh says.

"Our mom used to always say it to us when she tucked us in at night. I guess it kind of stuck in my head," he says.

"Doesn't Christopher say it to you too?" Chase asks.

"Sometimes, but not every night. I guess you're just used to saying it to all the girls," Leigh says sarcastically.

"Actually I've never said it to anyone, except my mom," he says.

"I don't do sleepovers. I guess I kind of figured that afterward, the girl is going to be having sweet dreams about me anyway, so why waste the sentiment."

Leigh shakes her head at him. "Look I'm just being honest. I don't want to share my personal memories with someone I don't really care about. I only want to share those things with someone who is important to me like you," he says.

"Thanks for letting me see the real you," Leigh says smiling at him. She walks back across the hallway, and hugs him and kisses him on the cheek.

Then she turns around and walks back into her apartment. A few minutes later as Chase gets in bed, he hears his phone ding saying he has a text message. It's from Leigh, and all she says is

Sweet dreams Chase.

Chase replies You too gorgeous.

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