Vivo O Sonho

She didn’t know how she was going to decide. The relationships had started due to her best friend’s push to get her on a dating website.

“C’mon, Becca. You’ve been divorced over a year. Let me create an OkCupid profile for you. That’s how I met Cliff and it turned out great for us,” Shelley begged, flashing her engagement ring once again.

Rebecca had cringed, tired of the constant attempts from her mother and friends to set her up. “Fine. Just tell the truth and don’t make me look stupid. And I swear, if I get catfished, I’ll kill you.”

In retrospect she should have dated one guy at a time. But she was sure neither would work out so she accepted both invitations, which is why she was in this tight spot. The fork pierced the boiled potato, she blew and took a bite. Perfect. Now, she had to make a decision before it went any further. She was developing feelings for both men.

As she slowly stirred the cream into the sauteed onion, herb and corn mixture in the Dutch oven, she went through the pros and cons of Ted, owner of a trendy bar in the city, and Graham, a professor at the community college. Neither was really her type. Her ex-husband was a huge sports fan and she had always been drawn to jocks. But look what that got her; a crushed heart when a cheerleader caught her exe’s eye. It was time for something new.

Rebecca cut the fresh fish filets into chunks, thinking about the first dates. Ted had took her to a restaurant where they had been treated like royalty by the owner. They both loved good food and talked about favorite dishes and eateries over multiple courses. Graham met her for coffee in a neighborhood cafe. His ginger hair started the conversation about their common Irish heritage and led to stories about cooking with their grandmothers.

She scooped the chopped bacon onto the knife and sprinkled it into the pot. The next few dates with Ted were at the exclusive club at the top of downtown’s tallest skyscraper, sailing on a friend’s schooner on the Bay, and a night at the ballet. Ted made her feel like a princess. Graham took her to a student play, for a picnic at the concert in the park, and two days ago to the art museum’s fundraiser featuring a food-truck round-up. Graham was comfortable to be with and made her laugh.

Rebecca made the decision, crossing the line from public outings to her own personal space with an invitation to dinner at her home. He was the One.

She took one last taste before turning the burner to simmer. The doorbell rang, she fluffed her hair and opened the door and her heart.

“Is that Salmon Chowder I smell?! Rebecca, you know that’s my granny’s favorite!”

Rebbeca smiled as Graham threw his arms around her for a close embrace. Now, this was the kind of tight spot she loved to be in.

Written for the To Live & Write in Alameda 2019 “Flash Lit February” Challenge #1. We had three days to write a poem or short story (of 500 words or less) or draw a piece of art to the theme “In a Tight Spot” and submit. 

You might notice a link in the story … I’m adding my own stretch goal into each of these challenges by incorporating a link to one of my #TinyKitchen recipes posted on VivoOSonho.com in the storyline. This one featured my delish Salmon Chowder.