Chapter 10: Summer

Pete enjoyed those stand-in nights, he always said those nights reminded him of his teenage years in his dad’s restaurant as well as the evening meals he prepared for long term residents at his mum’s lodging house in his twenties.

As Alice Dunlough predicted, Craig and Rebecca hit it off together romantically and Pete considered moving out of Porter House, especially after the rapidly recovering Ann and her mother Sheila moved in, but Rebecca insisted on him staying at least while they had the room before considering starting a family of their own. Besides, Rebecca (often with Craig visiting) baby-sat Annie on the two nights a week that both Pete and Tracie were working together at the restaurant.

April Dunlough heard the news from her mother Alice that Pete had opened the steak restaurant with Tracie as a business partner and later that summer she booked a table for one for 10pm when the very last orders are taken for the kitchen.

“Hello, April,” Tracie said, welcoming the actress as 10pm approached, “I wasn’t expecting ‘table for one or possibly two for a Miss Smith’ to be you, but you are very welcome here, I’ll tell Pete —”

“No, don’t tell Pete, not yet. Tell me, Tracie, are your porterhouse steaks big enough for two?”

“Yes, they are traditionally larger than T-bone steaks, at least 6mm thicker and we find that they are often shared by two diners together.”

“And do you have those baby turnips that Pete used to love to cook as a kid?”

“At this time of the year, baby turnips cooked in garlic butter are virtually standard fare in this steakhouse,” Tracie laughed.

“In that case, I would order the porterhouse, well seared outside but bright pink in the middle, with turnips and veg in season, plated up for two, and I would request that the chef join me in a ... yes, join me in a celebration. Could you do that for me, Tracie?”

“Of course, April, that’s no problem. A celebration, huh? Champagne and separate orange juice for Pete with your meal, on the house?”

“Champagne, most certainly! The celebration? My divorce from Jacques came through today.”

Tracie smiled, “Yours is happily the only 10pm order, so I’ll pass it through to Pete now.”

A few minutes later, Pete emerged from the kitchen with two steaming plates.

“April?” Pete asked, “Have you ordered this meal and want me to share it with you?”

“Yes, please make yourself comfy. Orange juice? We need to make a toast.”

“Please. What are we celebrating?”

He placed the plates in the two settings and sat down opposite April.

“Well, as of today, my divorce is final and I am a single woman.”

“Wow! Fantastic, but ... I can see why you are celebrating, but why are we celebrating again?”

“Because tonight is my first as a single woman again and you, Pete, is my chosen date for tonight. And, Pete, I want you to know that tomorrow, and all my tomorrows are free of any booked dates, yet, so far. So, Peter Porter, once my childhood sweetheart, this is where you come in.”

“Oh, right, Okay ... so what are you doing tomorrow, Apes?”

April smiled at Pete’s affectionate name for her that he used all those years ago and reached across to hold both his hands.

“Hopefully, I’ll be doing whatever you’re doing with me. Now, this lovely food is going cold, so kiss me Pete, we can eat up and for afters you can kiss me slowly like you used to. You still remember that, honey?”

“I do, Apes, I do.”

“Good. Then kiss me quick, Pete.”

And he did kiss her and kept on kissing her as the whole restaurant, including his mother, daughter and all Porterhouse Pete’s closest friends stood to a person and applauded the happy couple.