Posy
I stir the stew over the fire slowly, eyeing the enormous alien who sits at the table. He stares at me as I continuously add in a few spices here and there. I bring the spoon to my lips and give it a taste.
Dread pools in my gut when I realize the soup is done and I need to serve it. That meant that I had to interact with Torint.
I turn back to the pay as I heave it up and towards the kitchen. I didn't want to look at the handsome alien man. Well, he wasn't a man I guess.
I set the enormous pot on the kitchen counter, carefully setting a rag underneath so I don't burn the wood. I pull two bowls towards me and dip some soup into each of them. The dishes are nearly overflowing with the creamy soup.
My heart rate nearly triples as I think about his handsome face and my palms are suddenly slick with nervous sweat.
Why did I have to be so antisocial? Probably because the last guy I'd spoken to was my father before he abandoned me. That wasn't very helpful.
I get out some spoons, glasses, and napkins and head to the dining room to set the table. While I work in setting up for supper, the alien watches me. He squints as I lay out his napkin and cup. He pinched the fabric of the napkin between two humongous fingers and stares at it.
"That's for... uh... cleaning yourself when you eat. It's a napkin. See?" I take my napkins in my hand and dab at my mouth as if to wipe away some imaginary smudge of food left behind.
Torint watches me ever so carefully and I sigh. I knew the giant could understand me, but I guess some things didn't translate as well.
I round the table and set up my own place. Before I know it it's time to serve the soup and a flutter of unease fills my stomach.
What if he doesn't like my cooking? What if he can't eat earth food?
I sneak a glance at him around the corner of the kitchen door. The guy was huge and strong, I'm sure he had a stomach of steel.
Everything will be okay. It'll be fine.
I carry the two bowls of food and set them down on the table. Torint stares at the bowl with a squinted gaze and his eyebrows drawn together. He dips his spoon in and takes a sip, his features transforming into a mask of joy.
"You like it!?" He nods fervently, looking startled by my outburst. "I'm so relieved. I'm not the greatest cook on the planet."
Not that I would really know, seeing as how I knew no one else on this planet. But, I was pretty sure that somewhere out there was an amazing chef who's skill far outmatches mine.
I brought in the fresh squeezed lemonade I had made earlier and poured some for each of us. When I finally sit down, Torint is almost done with his soup. I'm incredulous as I stare at him. It was a huge bowl!
Quickly, I rush to the kitchen and grab the pot of soup from the kitchen counter and rush it to the table.
"Don't be afraid to help yourself. You can have as much as you want. You need to get back your strength." I tell him as I settle into my chair and finally dig into my meal.
The strange alien man furrows his eyebrows at me in confusion and I laugh.
"Since you know, you're hurt? You need to get your strength back." I explain further after swallowing some hot food. Torint answers by saying something in his growly language before lifting his arms above the table and flexing them.
His muscles were thick and wrapped in veins that popped out when he showed them off. It was clear that he was trying to show me that he didn't need to gain back strength, he was already strong.
I had no doubts of that.
"Yeah, yeah. You're big and muscular. You know, I've never really seen someone as big as you before, or as strange." I muse as I watch him across the table. He fills his bowl back up with more soup and wastes no time in shoveling it down.
All the while his eyes watch me.
I gulp and grab for my drink, swirling it around in my hand as I think out loud to my unexpected guest.
"Earth has been different for a while, but I don't think we've ever had a beautiful, muscular alien dude falling from the sky. It's not really something you see everyday." I tell him.
Torint's expression is awed a bit, and I just now realize that I told him he was handsome. I blush hard. My face was probably the color of a strawberry.
"Uhm, sorry, I uh, yeah. You're attractive, okay? I just meant to tell you that we don't have space travel here." I ramble. The alien is silent still, staring at me. It was unnerving.
"Well, we use to, but not to planets with life. We had no idea that other life existed outside our planet." I wave a hand to him, "And yet, here you are!"
He goes back to eating and so do I. The only sound is of us slurping our dinner in the empty, silent house.
It was still a bizarre sight to see someone else in my house. I would have to get used to it.
I wonder in the back of my mind how long he'll be here. Torint's ship was totalled. There was no way he was taking off in that hunk of junk. But maybe he had friends?
I pale. More hot, buff alien men? Heaven help me. I didn't have enough food to feed that many people, not to mention the amount that Torint ate now. He was already on his fourth bowl.
Shoving the thought away, I try to focus on the now, the here. If he did get rescued I'm sure they would leave as soon as possible.
I look at Torint again. Leave? Would he just leave me here? My attention focuses on the napkin in my lap and I fidget with my fingers sourly.
Of course he would. He didn't need me, he wasn't from here. He probably had a wife and kids and a life.
That leads me to the worst part. I would be all alone again.
My deep thoughtful are interrupted when Weasley jumps up on the table. A rumbled purr exits his chest while he walks towards Torint.
The alien appears calm, but there is a bit of reluctance in his eyes.
"Weasley! Get down. You're not supposed to be on the table, silly cat!" I say, but he of course doesn't listen to me.
Torint reaches out carefully and pets the feline slowly. Weasley purrs insistently and runs against the alien man's strong hand. He loved the guy.
I blow out a sigh and lean back in my chair.
"It seems like he's found a new favorite." I say, a little jealous of the affection my pet gave freely to the stranger.
Torint lightly grabs the cat with one hand and puts him on the floor gently. He brushes josh ands together to get some of the hair off before continuing his meal as if nothing happened.
I'm amazed at the kindness. He clearly saw it upset me to watch that, and he put an end to it. I try to hide my shy smile behind my hand as we finish up dinner.
I was really starting to warm up to this guy, that was for sure.
Hey, y'all! Sorry it took me while to get this chapter up. Hope you enjoy it!
I'll try and update as soon as I possibly can. Bye❤️