Chapter Two
Kennedy
It was a rainy day, and even though it wasn’t all that cold, I still decided that I’d make a chicken curry that night. There was just something about rainy weather that always made me want to curl up in front of the TV with a bowl of something warm to eat. Although, I wouldn’t be curling up in front of the TV that night. I was at work, and cooking for Mr. Wentworth.
Mr. Wentworth lived in a house that was too big for one person right in the middle of what was probably the most expensive part of Seattle. He’d lived there with his wife, and even though they’d had no children, they liked to live extravagantly. He had been a bit of a Gatsby in his day, throwing elaborate parties whenever he felt like it. He loved telling me stories about them, and I loved listening to them. It often felt like he was talking about someone else, even though I’d seen the photos to prove it was him. But that had been a long time ago. Ever since his wife died eight months ago, there had been no more parties.
Mr. Wentworth invited me to cook with him after I’d done a small demonstration at a shopping mall. I’d been in between jobs, and someone had given me the opportunity to hand out bites of my food along with my business card. I’d almost not done it, and I’d been sure that nothing would come of it. Also, I’d been so sure that I wanted to work in a restaurant, and I wasn’t sure if being a personal chef for anyone would be something that I’d want to do. But Mr. Wentworth had been there that day and had taken me up on my offer. He’d been battling without his wife who used to be the one that made the food each day. I’d immediately said yes. He’d seemed like such a nice man, and I’d felt so sorry for him. The pain and hurt in his eyes and been palpable and I’d started working for him the very next day. Since then, I came in twice a week to cook for him, always making enough leftovers for him to have the following day.
I’d often wondered if I’d made a difference in his life, just by being here. I hoped so. He’d worked as a surgeon for most of his life and stopped working when his wife died. But a month after coming to work with him, he’d begun working again.
“Sit with me,” Mr. Wentworth said as I began to dish up the curry for the evening.
I smiled. I’d grown accustomed to him inviting me to have dinner with him, and I didn’t mind. At first, I’d felt awkward. But now I didn’t mind at all. It was nice sitting and talking to him. He wasn’t the only one that didn’t have anyone to talk to each night. I lived alone and I actually looked forward having some conversation each night that wasn’t with my cat.
“Okay, let me get myself a bowl,” I said.
I dished up for myself and carried it to the table. I looked up to see if Mr. Wentworth was enjoying it, and I was glad to see him close his eyes and smile at the first bite. To this day, I still worried about what people thought of my food. Even though I’d been cooking for Mr. Wentworth for months now, it was still important for me to know that he liked the food each time he ate it.
“This is amazing, Kennedy,” he said to me.
I grinned. “I’m glad you like it. A rainy day means a curry day in my book. And I’ve made more than usual, so there’ll be plenty for tomorrow night and maybe even a lunch or something in between. That’s if you don’t get sick of it, of course.”
“Sick of your food? I highly doubt that.”
“Thank you. I have a friend who cannot stand eating the same food every day. She always cooks enough for one meal. That’s not like me at all. I love leftovers. Especially curry. You’ll see—the food will taste better tomorrow.”
“I don’t doubt it. So, how are things going with you, Kennedy? Met any nice boys lately?”
I laughed. “I have my cat. Merlot is more than a handful, thank you very much.”
“Merlot sounds like quite the character.”
I laughed as I thought about my cat, who had crept into my heart a year ago and firmly stayed. I’d always been a dog person, and in a way I still was, but Merlot was different. He was quite possibly one of the ugliest cats I’d ever seen in my life, which made him the most beautiful in my eyes. He’d been abandoned as a kitten and left to fend for himself on the streets. Caring for him and seeing him change throughout the year into a docile and chubby cat had been spectacular.
“He is. And trust me, I don’t need a man when I’ve got him.”
“One day you’ll eat those words. You’ll see.”
“Maybe. Maybe. And how about you? How’s work going?”
“Uh, actually, Kennedy, there’s something I need to talk to you about.”
I looked at him and frowned. Why did he sound so serious all of a sudden? “You need to talk to me? About work?”
“Well, sort of. I’ve actually decided to go into early retirement. I’m just not enjoying my job anymore. I have no passion for it. I keep trying, but it’s not there. And it’s not fair to my patients who deserve someone who can give them their full attention. I mean, it’s not the sort of job I can just be relaxed about. And I’ve got enough money to stop working, so I don’t see why I shouldn’t. I have a few hobbies that I want to start doing now. Things I’ve put off for a very long time because of my work. So, now is the time.”
I smiled at him. When I’d first met Mr. Wentworth, he’d been a very sad man, and for good reasons of course. It was good to hear him talking about taking back control of his life again.
“I’m happy for you,” I said. “You deserve this. You deserve to go out and live your life. Your wife would’ve wanted that for you.” It was something that I had often thought of but didn’t have the heart to tell him. I knew that he needed to figure that out in his own way.
“She would. But, uh . . . I think I’m going to have to have a whole new change.”
I had a feeling that I knew where this was going. Mostly because he couldn’t look me in the eyes. He kept his eyes firmly on his bowl of curry.
“A new change?” I asked.
“Yeah. I’ve been talking to some family and friends of mine in Alabama, and I’ve decided to move there to be with them. I’m not sure if that’s where I’ll stay, but it’s a start. I want to lead a more simple life. I want to get rid of the house and all of the things I’ve collected over the years. They meant something to me when I was sharing them with my wife, but now that I’m alone, they don’t have the same appeal. I think it’s time for me to live a different life. There’s simply nothing here for me anymore. And I cannot stay in this house any longer. It’s too sad being here alone. I’m so sorry, Kennedy. I’ve been resisting this conversation all evening. You know how much I’ve enjoyed having you here.”
If Mr. Wentworth moved away, it would mean that I would no longer be cooking for him. It would mean I was out a job. He had not told me that outright, but we both knew it was what he was getting at. And it wasn’t like he was asking me to move with him. Even if he did, it was not something I would do. I felt a pang of sadness that it was going to be over. It was a very easy job. It paid extremely well, and I’d enjoyed my time with him. But I always knew that it wasn’t going to be forever, and I didn’t want to make him feel bad for his decision.
“You’re doing the right thing,” I said instead. “I’m sure going to miss this job. But I do believe in following your heart. It’s time for you to move on. And moving on doesn’t mean that you’re going to forget about your wife at all.”
He smiled. “That’s what I’m finally coming to realize. I wanted to move out ages ago, but I kept feeling guilty. I didn’t want her to think that I was abandoning her. But I’m finally starting to see that . . . she’s not here. She’s in my heart and will be with me no matter where I go. It’s definitely time for me to move away from here. Thank you for being so understanding. You have been such a tremendous help on my journey of recovery, Kennedy.”
“It’s my pleasure. I’ve enjoyed every minute of it.”
“And I’ve enjoyed every morsel of it.”
I burst out laughing. “I like your cooking pun.”
He laughed. “I’m going to miss hanging around someone that finds my jokes funny. So, I don’t like to leave you without a job like this.”
“Don’t worry about it. I’m not your concern right now.”
“Well, the thing is, I’ve decided to start the process this week, so today is sadly our last day together. I’ve obviously given you a bit more money this month to see you through, but I wanted you to know if you need help finding another job, I’m sure I can find someone that will want this same service. I mean, there has to be a lot of people like me out there. Especially in the medical community. They’re a busy bunch of people who need a bit of a helping hand.”
I shook my head. “Thank you, that’s very nice of you. But I think I’m just going to take a little time off and decide what I want to do. I’ve always wanted to start my own restaurant, so perhaps now is the time to do so. Who knows, maybe this will be the start of something great.”
“I think that’s a great idea, Kennedy. If anyone can do it, you can.”
I wasn’t so sure. It had always been a dream of mine, but it wasn’t going to be easy without any real industry connections. I got home that evening, soaked from just the small run from the car to my apartment, and wondered how I felt about everything. I looked at the paycheck that I’d received, my last one, and noticed that he’d given me a lot more than he said. Which was going to be just enough to see me through for a little while without a job. A part of me was excited. I’d always wanted to start my own restaurant, and I’d put it off for a very long time. Maybe this was the push in the right direction that I needed. But I was also a bit sad. I’d enjoyed cooking and talking to Mr. Wentworth, and I was going to miss his company. Merlot came up to me as if he knew I was sad and looked at me with big eyes that instantly melted my heart. I picked him up, kissed him, and set out to give him some food.
“From cooking for one old man to another,” I said as I placed his bowl down in front of him.