Gerald was sweating like crazy. He cracked the eggs with more zeal than usual that some of the shell fell on the batter. Flour was all over the place too. He instantly cursed his grandfather`s clumsy hands (the only thing his mom told him he inherited from him). There was no choice but to make another batter.

He grabbed another stainless steel bowl. He frantically sifted more of the flour. Little did he notice that Kim was already standing behind him.

“I didn’t realize it was all this much trouble, I shouldn’t have insisted...” Kim said

“No, no! It’s no trouble at all!” Gerald lied.

In fact, it was like one disaster after another.

“Would you mind if I stay here for a little bit?...It’s getting quite creepy being alone there outside....”

“No, no I don’t mind...” Gerald replied. That is not true most days, though. He obsesses often times about how much germs people carry in and out of the kitchen. Hence, no other persons aside from his trusted crew can enter “his personal kitchen space.” But she was Kimberly Go. She’s a celebrity. She can do anything she wants.

“What about this?” Kim said, pointing to a large sign by the kitchen door...It said, ‘NO TRESPASSING, TRESPASSERS WILL BE SHOT!’

“That is just for ordinary customers...” Gerald eagerly admitted. “...and besides, you are...not just an ordinary customer!”

“Thank you,” she chuckled. “Glad we got that cleared. I’m not that pie-obsessed to risk being shot!”

His eyes widened. Kim observed he was seemingly embarrassed by her cheeky remark. Or so she thought. Maybe it was the fact that he referred to her as not an ordinary customer, she wasn’t sure.

“Hey, it was a joke!” Kim said, letting go of the door and the sign.

“Yeah, I know...” Gerald fibbed.

Something about her proximity makes him rethink about the threshold of how much his body can produce sweat. His stomach churned to a point of being audible. He tried to concentrate on mixing up his fruit glaze, but it was proving to be trickier than anything he has ever made. One can truly say he was very uptight.

“Do I make you feel uncomfortable or something?” she asked, sensing his uneasiness.

“No, no...It’s fine...I’m fine,” Gerald once more lied.

“You seemed nervous though.”

“It’s just that I’ve never had a celebrity come in and watch me cook...”

“So, I do make you nervous!” chuckled Kim. “Maybe I’ll just wait outside...in the dark...with ghosts as company....”

“NO! I’ll be okay...Here, make yourself comfortable,” Gerald instantly said, pulling out a stainless stool for her to sit in.

“No thanks, I don’t need a chair...” Kim replied. “Can I do this instead?”

She hoisted herself up onto one of the clean stainless steel tables.

Gerald promptly nodded.

“Thanks! I’ve been wanting to do that for a long time!”

“What? Sit on kitchen counters?”

“Yeah! My mom, when I was little, was so strict about her kitchen! She was so about sitting on the counters. It had something to do with the fact that your arse somehow makes contact with the surface you cook your food in...”

“In that case, maybe you can just use the chair!” Gerald instantly brought her the bar stool he offered a few minutes ago. Kim was laughing.

“Well, it was good while it lasted. The cold steel lends a nice feel to the bum!”

Gerald eyed her oddly.

“What?” she said, noticing his stare.

“You’re...strange!” Gerald admitted.

Kim’s chinky eyes significantly widened in animation.

“Strange good or strange bad?” Kim asked.

“Strange...good!” Gerald admitted.

“Eccentric then!”

“Eccentric?” Gerald asked.

“You said I’m strange in a good way. That’s what I am, I’m eccentric!” Kim explained, sliding herself up the barstool. “Which, I should thank you by the way, because if you said strange bad, I would have been weird.”

“Is that what it is?”

“Yup, the bad kind of strange is weird. Eccentricity is reserved for people like us who fear the conventional!”

“I am not unconventional!” Gerald exclaimed.

“Yes, you are!” she replied, her eyes shining brightly.

“And how did you come up with that?” Gerald seriously wondered.

“The mere fact that you let me in...in the middle the night...sharing with me your trade secrets...which, by the way, I can use to put up a rival business...shows me that you do not fear breaking the rules.”

“Yeah, I guess I’ve always been a rule breaker,” he chortled back. Gerald felt a little bit lighter by the second. Her presence alone seemed to have brightened his mood. “But you’re not serious about using what you’ve seen here in putting up a rival business, right?”

Kim didn’t answer back right away. Gerald could not read her expression.

Then, she broke her fake serious reaction as she joyfully made a face to him, “Of course not, I could barely fry things, how much more bake?”

Gerald keenly observed her. She seemed really different. She had always been this frank before and her sense of humour had always been dry. But, he never knew she was this witty or charming.

“I won’t steal your recipes sir!” Kim said.

“I’m glad,” Gerald replied.

“Why?”

“Or else, I may have to shoot you!” he answered with a
smile.

“Is that your idea of making me comfortable?” she said brightly, slightly prying...”is that how you charm women here in your kitchen, by slightly mortifying them?”

“I thought you said you didn’t like conventional...that’s just me being unconventional!”

“I never said I didn’t like what you did...” Kim admitted, blushing slightly.

Gerald grinned from ear to ear. He felt as if his feet were off the ground. He was making progress. And she has not even tasted the pie yet!

“What made you become a pastry chef?” she wondered.

“It was a talent that sprung from childhood...”

“Making pies?”

“No, making people happy...”

“Care to elaborate?” Kim said. There is something mysterious about his demeanour that Kim found intriguing. She felt she needed to pry a little bit more into his character. She definitely was very interested in him.

“Well, I started cooking when I was little. It started out as a hobby, but then I realized that I was really good at it. But more importantly, I found it very rewarding seeing people happy by my cooking. Hence, it became a passion...”

Kim observed how enthusiastic he was when telling his story. She liked the way his eyes lighted up when he speaks.

Gerald continued, “I studied long and hard. I was so into the craft that I had to leave the country for four years to study abroad. For me, it always came down to that first bite. You can instantly tell if somebody likes your
cooking by the first bite. It’s where men are in their most honest state.”

“Really?” Kim raised an eyebrow.

“Yup, and when you see the satisfaction of people every day, that’s when you realize that you actually are doing something good and relevant. That is why I put every much effort in to making everything as perfect as they could possibly be. If that first bite won’t work, there won’t be another, hence I will lose my business. You see, all my years of training I put into that particular pie, so that you for example, can have that first-bite thrill.”

Kim’s mouth was agape just listening to him. She can tell he was a very passionate man. Being an artist herself makes her wonder about her own craft. She has never seen anybody this passionate about his work before, certainly not in show business. Her admiration for him grew by the second.

Gerald turned his concentration to his baking. He managed to have his pie dough pressed to the mould. He creased the edges to make a neat presentation. Sensing though that she was feeling a bit neglected, an idea came to his mind.

He washed his hands and excused himself to go to the cellar. He came out with a tall, thin bottle of wine.

“I thought this might be the right time to open this...” Gerald said.

“What is it?” Kim’s eyes widened.

“It’s ice wine,” Gerald said. “Have you tasted one?”

“Ice wine...” Kim muttered. “Sir, are you trying to drug me? First, you threatened to shoot me, then now you are trying to make me drunk?”

“I just thought you might be adventurous enough for it...suit yourself then!” Gerald said as he fancifully turned around.

“No, wait!” Kim said. “I’m just kidding. Open that thing up!”

Gerald uncorked the wine. He pulled out a couple of the tall wine glasses he stashed in one of the cabinets. He poured the clear, sparkly liquid into the wine glasses. He gave one glass to her.

She smelled the deliciously aromatic fragrance of it.
There is something magical about that liquid that by the smell alone, it awakened her senses.

“Taste it,” Gerald said. “It’s very sweet and fruity. It goes well with most desserts, that is why we serve it here in the restaurant.”

Kim tasted it. She took a sip and instantly felt the fleeting warmness of the alcohol envelope her delicate mouth.

“It’s sweet! I like it...” Kim declared.

“They make ice wines way differently than they do ordinary wines,” Gerald explained. “What winemakers do is leave the grapes on the vines well into the winter time. The freezing and the thawing of the grapes dehydrates the fruit, concentrating the flavours, sweetness and the acidity. Hence, the term ice wines!”

“I didn’t know you are such a wine connoisseur!” Kim said, seemingly impressed. She took another sip of the precious wine.

“Connoisseur? No, I am not. I was once a sous chef for a Frenchman who adores wines, that is why I know a little bit about it.”

“Hey mister, this is such a nice treat...” Kim said, as she shyly. “It must be expensive. I feel ashamed now.
What’s the occasion?”

The good way the conversation was going made Gerald feel a bit more brazen.

“Let’s just say I’m gunning for something...” Gerald declared.

“Gunning for what?” Kim said.

“The best one hour of your life...”

Gerald peered over to her as to what her reaction would be. Instead, he found her looking at the wall clock by the kitchen doors.

“Care to make it two?” she surprisingly answered.

Kim didn’t know where the feeling was coming from. What she knew was that she felt at home and at ease with this handsome chef. She didn’t feel threatened by his small advances. In fact, she found it adorable. He was trying to be cool but deep down he can’t hide his good guy side. She instantly wondered if he ever had a dark side. He seemed too good to be true.

“Sure, I’ve got time! We’ve got the wine! The pie is in the oven. It won’t be ready for at least another hour, though. What do you say, we give the ice wine a run for it’s money...”

Gerald actually lied again. Baking time for this pie was only 15 minutes more.

“What do you have in mind?” Kim asked.

“Times like these, we need dessert...” Gerald wondered what they had lying around in the fridge.

“I came to the right place then. Come on, mister, I’m hungry...” said Kim, hooking her arm around his as he ushered her to the fridge.
.
.
.
Xoxoxoxox
.
.
.
An hour later, the glass of wine was lying flat on its back. Both of them had this glassy look in their eyes.

“You know what...we shouldn’t have drunk too much of it. Usually, you’re limited to a glass per person,” Gerald said.

“Why not? Because of the alcohol content?” Kim asked.

“No, the sugar content... It can seriously harm diabetics.”

“That’s okay, we deserve it...” Kim said.

“Really?” said Gerald.

“Yeah, because sweet people like us, deserve the sweetest wines.” Kim chuckled. She did seem a bit tipsy.

“I’d give a dime every time I’d hear that!” Gerald exclaimed.

“It wasn’t that bad!”

“Let me put it this way. If I sold that line on e-bay as the cheesiest line ever, I’d be rich by now...”

“Seriously?!” Kim said, as she playfully punched him on the arm. Kim paused slightly and faced him, “You know what? You’re a cool guy.”

“Am I still too conventional for you? Have I crossed the line of the quirky and the eccentric?”

“Let’s just say I didn’t expect you to be who you are. Under the circumstances, I can honestly say I was pleasantly surprised. Considering the bad week I’m having, I’ve had such a refreshing time here...I’m impressed.”

“I’m glad...” Gerald said, holding her hand.

Kim immediately withdrew her hand from his. Some sense of decorum came back to her. Her senses told her that despite the fact that this gorgeous chef was climbing up her attraction chart, she barely knew him.

“See, people are not who you see outside most of the times. Sometimes, you need to know them a little bit better...” Gerald said.

“Speaking of outside appearances, you do look familiar to me. I just can’t figure out where we might have met before...”

Gerald’s heart skipped a beat. This could be the chance he was waiting for. All he had to do is call her Ember and she will remember.

“Aha, now I know!” Kim cried out. “You look like...Jake’s younger brother Aaron. “

The mere mention of Jake’s name made Gerald’s blood boil. His plans of letting her know of his real identity had to be shelved for a while longer because he can see she was still hurting.

“Jake...”Gerald grumbled.

“Yeah, Jake...” uttered Kim.

Gerald saw how the happiness in her eyes was instantly replaced by a hint of sadness.

“You really love him, do you?” said Gerald.

“You know what?” Kim admitted. “Most days I question myself whether or not I do. But, if I didn’t really love him, I wouldn’t be hurting right now. So, I guess I do love him still. He was a good guy. He has always been good to me. You see, he never was the problem. I knew he had always loved me. The problem was me.”

“Sorry if I pried into your business, but if you want to talk more about it, I’m a good listener...” Gerald suggested.

“Nope, there’s nothing more to talk about,” Kim said, wiping a rebellious tear from her eye. “It’s over...”

“As cheesy as this may sound,” Gerald said. “the only advice I could give you, is to follow your heart.”

“Now, that’s cheesy!” Kim said, instantly smiling. “I can sell that on e-bay too!”

“At least I’m not pathetic enough to seek advice from a pastry chef!” replied Gerald.

“I’m pathetic, right?” said Kim, giggling as Gerald wiped her tears away. This time she didn’t pull back. She just allowed him to caress her face.

At that moment, Kim felt sharing a little bit more of herself with him. He did really seem sincere and nice.

“Are you up for something more dangerous?” Gerald asked as an idea came to his mind.

“What do you have in mind?” Kim was even more intrigued.

Gerald took her hand. This time she didn’t withdraw, she clasped his hand. She instantly felt the electricity shoot up her spine. He led her to main dining area. ON one of the corners was a big jukebox he had imported from the states.

“Oh my God, a jukebox?” Kim exclaimed.

“Yep, it’s extremely vintage.” Gerald said.

“Can I try it? “ Kim was excited.

“Here, it works with a ten peso coin.” Gerald handed her the money.

Kim excitedly perused through the selection. Most of the songs were old and unfamiliar but she saw one she knew. She slid the coin into the slot and pressed the button.

The sweet, warm music immediately filled the room. Kim smiled proudly at her selection. It was a song from the 60’s. It was “will you still love me tomorrow” by the Shirelles.

“What song is this?” Gerald asked.

“Something my mom used to sing to me when I was little.” Kim reminisced. “When I can’t sleep at night, she would sing it to me...”

Gerald listened to the lyrics. He realized how the song was so appropriate for them. If he had just one night with her, it would just have to be this perfect.

“Why choose this?” he asked.

“I was feeling a bit romantic,” admitted Kim, more brazenly.

“Care to dance?” Gerald said softly.

“Finally,” Kim said. “You got my drift.”

Gerald smiled. He moved in closer. His heart was beating really fast he was afraid she could feel it. He lovingly placed her arms on his shoulder. He placed his arms around her waist. All the time she was closing her eyes, swaying gently to the soulful music. Gerald wondered what she was thinking. Moments later he found himself holding her closer and she responded by placing her head on his shoulder. The lines of the song reverberated in Gerald’s mind. He wondered, will she still love him tomorrow?
.
.
Xoxoxoxox
.
.
.
Another half hour later, their magical night had to end. Kim was ready to go. Gerald had the pie ready in a box. He tied a ribbon on it.

“So, this is the famous Happy Pie?” asked Kim.

“Yup, the one and only,” said Gerald.

“How much for it?”

“I don’t sell Happy Pies. I give them away for free to people who need them...” Gerald said, putting his hands into his jacket pocket.

“Are you serious?” Kim said incredulously.
Gerald nodded.

“You may be a good pie maker, but you as a businessman.” Kim replied.

“Consider it as part of customer service,” said Gerald. “Besides, I don’t give them out every day...only to...special people.”

“Well, is this pie going to make me happy?” asked Kim.
“Most people say it does make them feel that way, so yes, you should get some warm, fuzzy feeling out of it!” Gerald regaled.

“Do you actually believe them?”

“No...”Gerald said courtly.

“So, you don’t believe that this pie has this magical power in it?”

“Nope, there is nothing magical about it at all!” Gerald professed.

“So, how do you account for the effects it gave people?” Kim asked curiously.

“Let’s just say, it works like a placebo drug,” Gerald explained. “People believe whatever they want to believe. If they think that this pie makes them temporarily forget their sadness and worries, so be it. I mean, that pie is really very good. I just don’t think it can chemically induce happiness out of them.”

“I guess it won’t work on me now,” Kim said, slightly sad. “Now, that I know the secret.”

“But, I still recommend that you only eat a slice, nothing more!” Gerald warned.

“Why?” Kim asked.

“Well, let us put it this way, even placebo drugs have their doses, right?”

“Okay...” Kim answered, raising her eyebrow.
For a few seconds, they just stood there outside the door, waiting for each other to speak. Both were smiling, reminiscing some of the tender moments that transpired.

“Thank you for the pie, thank you for doing it.” Kim said.

“My pleasure,” Gerald answered. But, in his mind he wanted to kiss her. “I had a wonderful time.”

“I had a wonderful time too. You’re such a great company!”

“Thanks,” Gerald muttered lightly.

Kim smiled and headed back to her car. Gerald’s mind was racing. He just can’t end this wonderful night that way!

“Kim, wait!” Gerald cried out.
Kim looked back. He was running towards her.

“What is it?” Kim said.

“Can I ask you something silly?” Gerald said, catching his breath.

“What?” Kim said.

“What we had tonight, the wine, the dance, the conversation....”

“What about it?” Kim wondered.

“You know...it's just that... being you, a celebrity and all...” Gerald rambled.

“Come on, say it...”

“Can I consider our evening... a date?”

“You’re sweet...” Kim uttered in surprise. She was so taken aback by his candour.

“I mean, I’ll just keep it to myself. Promise, I won’t tell anybody I had a date with a Kim Go. Besides, nobody will believe me, anyway. I’ll just think about it sometimes...no wait, who am I kidding...I’ll be thinking about it a lot of times!!!

“You’re rambling...” Kim noticed.

“That’s because you make me nervous...”

“I do, don't I?” Kim said proudly.

“So, what do you say?” Gerald beseeched her.

“About...the date thing?” Kim playfully wondered.

“Yep!” Gerald demanded.

“Okay...consider it as a date then. It was, honestly, one of the nicest dates I’ve ever been to.”

“Thanks, Kim. Thanks for the date...” He said, his hands still in his pockets.

“Thank you too...” she answered.

Kim smiled at the sight of him. He was so cute and innocent looking. His eyes glowed with child-like amazement. It pierced her heart seeing him really happy.

She slowly moved closer to him and gave him a peck to the cheek. He was so surprised by it that he just stood there, with the biggest grin on his face. His reaction was priceless.

Then, she entered her car. Little did Gerald know that she heard him mutter, “Best Date Ever!”

.
.
.