Flavour of the season - Christmas story

Flavour of the season

by Tracy-Ann L. Francis

 

 

Rachel swayed her hips to the melody of smooth jazz; he grabbed her from behind as she twirled and wined her backside around, they both rode the rhythm of the soul song welcoming the season of love as she held the mixing bowl firmly in her hands whipping the concocted mixture with a wooden spoon in unison with the mood.

Jason took a step back to watch her mix and dipped and wined to the rhythm of the music.

“Don’t you like Christmas? It’s so festive.”

She slurred her words as she took a deep waft of the rum blending with the mixture of prunes, cranberries and raisins soaking up the alcohol to later provide a decadent savory taste for the spiced rum cake she was attempting to make. 

He shook his head as he licked his tongue, he plunged his finger in his wide open mouth wrapping his tongue around it then slowly pulled it out, savoring the taste of the thick creamy mixture he had managed to swipe from the bowl.

“Yep, I like what I see babes and I do like how this tastes, and if you keep this up you’ll be pleasantly surprised.”

Maggie chewed on the pencil’s eraser while resting her hand, as she slouched in the leather chair around her desk she waited for Joan to give her honest review.  Joan cocked her head to the left leaning on her wrist as a head rest, her eyebrows lifted in surprise as she proceeded to wrap up the ending.

“So what do you think?” Joan had that look in her eyes that Maggie knew all too well which was a gift for being her friend for the past three and a half years.

“Well, with all those, clicking and licking and wining and sucking, even a corpse would stand up. It seems more of a sexual piece rather than geared toward the holiday theme.”  Joan was surprised by her comment as she had no intention of being sexual, she just thought about the beauty of the season and the traditional delicacies that are shared between loved ones as a tribute to embracing the spirit of the season.

“Honey you are hinting more like on the flavour of the season rather than its traditions. I think you are distracted and need a brain smoothie – a break.”

Maggie couldn’t help thinking about what she had wrote, was it that obvious that she was lonely, but she made a pact with herself, not another looser, she’d rather keep her sweets and wait for a date with destiny.

She toyed with several ideas but none flowed smoothly like her original piece.  Maggie in frustration threw her pencil in the air and started to bang her head on the small table at the corner of the café, allowing her banana-raspberry smoothie to jolt and jiggle in its container. She heard the liquid swishing, so she slowly lifted her head to survey the damage but her eyes caught the most magnificent piece of candy wrapped in suede and navy blue jeans. Without hesitation there was an impulsive longing to be locked in his embrace.  She watched as he released his crouch and swayed his jacket to find his wallet and ordered a strong black coffee with a touch of cream and double drops of raw sugar.

She must have been staring because he looked in her direction and cast a smile. Maggie’s heart leaped with excitement and confusion, because she didn’t know if he actually smiled at her. She slowly glanced over her shoulder to see if there was anyone behind her who could merit such a tender smile. 

He took his order, sniffed the beverage and his chest bulked in such a tempting way that just drove her mind wild with excitement and then she decided that she must continue writing her original piece.

Joan emerged from the hallway clutching her leather Gucci purse and straightening her skirt before anyone could see her rumpled apparel.

“You look flushed, what’s going on in that ticker of yours?”

“Nothing much.”  She lied, because she knew how Joan loved a pursuit.

“I’ll go grab something before the line gets any longer.”

She watched as Joan strolled over to the cashier to place her order and watched as the stranger exit and released the door.  She sighed heavily then paused to smile at the thought that he was a worthy distraction.

With such turmoil nothing was getting done.  Maggie stroked the bridge of her nose as she listened to the latest announcement blurting from the office intercom speakers and with that broadcast she knew she would be heading up another assignment geared toward the splendor of the season.

“Yes, that should be no problem; I’ll have it ready for print first week in December. She hangs up the phone and made a note on her electronic day planner to have the assignment completed by mid November and to be reviewed and ready for print first week in December.  The word December rolls off her tongue like rain drops on an unfolding spring leaf.  She stopped midair and started to think of what it would feel like with him cuddled up around the fireside sharing spiced cake and rum punch, with mistletoes hanging around them beaming in candle lights as they shared their nights in bliss.

“Maggie! Time to go, no overtime in this place.” She was startled back to reality as Joan rapped on her door and proceeded down the hall.

“Ok, see you in the morning.” She sung the words out just loud enough to sound cheerful.

Half an hour had passed and she decided to wrap thing up because she was getting nowhere with her project. Closing the door behind her she spotted the janitor doing his rounds and she shouted in a friendly voice “I’m off for the night Mr. Laufs, don’t work too hard now.”  He chuckled and waved a hand to bid her good night.

Destiny or a lucky coincidence, she didn’t care much, as she entered the parking lot to retrieve her midnight blue Mazda car, she could not believe her eyes. It was the hunk with the tender smile standing next to her vehicle, fiddling on his phone apparently waiting for someone. She had to take a chance and say something, even if it felt dumb.

Maggie searched for several things to say as she slowly walked toward her car, but nothing felt right, she started to panic still searching for the right words to say without making a fool of herself or embarrassing the female race.  She had run out of thoughts and as she neared him she was lost for words so she did the only thing humane, she smiled, it was the weirdest and most awkward smile she could summoned but at that moment their eyes met, her heart skipped a beat and she felt at ease.  He stopped fondling his phone, looked her over then smiled.

“I remember you from the café this morning.”

He remembers me, what stroke of luck.  Playing innocent she did a closed mouth smile, raising her brows and squinting her eyes as if she was trying to recall the morning’s events.

“Oh yeah, you got coffee with raw sugar. Ops that slipped, “Oh, I like raw too. Sugar, I mean.” What an idiot I am I need to stop rambling.  He realized that she was nervous and offered his hand for an introduction.

“Josh.”

She fumbled with her keys trying to switch hands and accidently dropped them near his foot, they both bent to pick them up and collided head on leaving a nasty aching in Maggie’s forehead.

“I’m sorry, how clumsy of me.”

“No I was a bit distracted, I’m the one who should apologize.” 

Indeed he was distracted by her dainty appeal then she approached him and her Monaco Moon Light scented perfume captivated his mind drawing his attention to scan her silhouette figure which left him imagining what other secrets she had hidden beneath her multicolored fall jacket.

“Let me make it up to you, would you have coffee with me?”  He crossed his fingers behind his back hoping she wouldn’t turn him down. 

She did not answer his question, but proceeded to put her stuff away in the car.

Under the covers of her vehicle she pinched herself to make sure she wasn’t dreaming then she blew a kiss to thank destiny.  When she was satisfied that he waited long enough, she stood up held out her hand and said “I’m Maggie, and very pleased to meet you.”

 

The End.