Minnie messaged me on the day, confirming that dinner is going ahead, and everyone had been notified. She also said that it would be a good night for a gathering. Minnie had decided to do something special for Daisy and me…
Dinner. I arrived at the double glass doors of the apartment block and pressed in the number of the unit of the intercom. The door clicks and I push it open. A Deliveroo courier was just behind me, after the glass doors had closed. He faces the intercom. I walked to the lift foyer and take the lift to the floor. A cake under one arm, and a carry bag with a few bottles of red and white wine. The doors open and I step out of the lift car and look for the numbers on the units. I turn to the left. A young Chinese girl, in her trackies, wearing a Mickey Mouse jumper and Ugg boots on, walking in front, carrying what looked like a brown paper bag of takeaway food. It smelled good…
I hear a door open down the hallway on the left, it was Daisy. She smiles at me, waves and beckons me over. My eyes light up, and I smile back. We greet, and I give her a quick peck on the lips. She was a little hesitant at first, because of the others in the apartment.
I step inside, gave Daisy the cake. I slip off my moccasins and walk in behind Daisy. I hear Minnie call out and ask Daisy for a hand. Minnie greets me from the kitchen. I don’t see anyone else in the living area and ask if there were others around. Minnie was busy finishing up her last cook of dishes. She asked me to have a sit in the living room and make myself comfortable, whilst Daisy gets me a drink…
The front door opens not long after I had settled down on the sofa. It was an Asian male. I get up to face him. We exchange looks and he greets me, introducing himself as Mickey. He was taller than me, and a lot taller than Minnie. He was gangly thin, and around the same age as me. Short black hair parted to the side, three-day growth on his face that forms a faint goatee. He had a serious face, that soon turned to a smile when Minnie yells out for his help as well. The cooking is done, and she needs him to bring out the heavier plated dish.
Steamed mud crabs in ginger and shallot, deep fried grouper with sweet and sour sauce, stir fried jumbo green prawns in Chinese white wine and soy, scallops steamed with soy and ginger, stir fried crispy noodles in a wet eggy sauce and a platter of steamed Asian greens with mushrooms in oyster sauce. It was a big seafood feast for the four of us. I remembered the dishes because Minnie had elaborated what they were, and how she cooked them. Minnie had singlehandedly cooked one after the other...
Dinner came sooner than I thought. There were no awkward conversations with Mickey earlier. There was no initial catch up with Daisy either. I was asked to head towards the dining table, as soon as all the plates were arranged on a lazy Susan, on top of a round table. Minnie whips off her apron, with Mickey by her side. Daisy comes towards me. We all stand there around the table, smiling, marvelling at the food in front of us, then pulling out a chair to seat…
As we sat, Minnie stops everyone and calls out, ‘Goofy! Are we forgetting something?’ She looks at me with a glint in her eye, and smiles wickedly, before exclaiming, ‘Alcohol!’ She asks that I do the honours by picking a bottle that I have brought in and serve everyone. Everyone agrees and laughs. As I pour out the wine, Minnie was sharing a story of how she would look after Daisy when they were younger. She always looked after her like she was the mother. Minnie was the eldest, with Daisy in the middle, and then a younger brother…
We brought our half glasses full of wine and toasted to the dinner. Minnie wished Daisy a happy Mother’s Day, wished Mickey many happy moments and wished me to find the love of my life. I was touched, genuinely felt her warmth and sincerity. We clinked glasses, I acknowledge the couple, then to Daisy on my right. The atmosphere was lively with Minnie’s stories about Daisy and what they got up to when they were young. Both men, sat back and listened to it intently...