Pacify Her

Handler

7:06

Hi, you've reached Ms. Cassidy Madden. I'm unable to come to the phone right now. But if you leave your name, number, and a short message, I'll be sure to call back."

Beeeeep

"Hey, I just wanted to tell you. I still look forward to seeing you this weekend. I hope the feeling is mutual. You kinda-- seem to be avoiding me? I-- don't know if I did something wrong? But, please call me back when you have the chance. Bye.

Click.

I wonder if I should swing by later and see if she's alright.
It's been 8 hours since I've heard from her. She's not taking my calls, she hasn't responded to my emails, and text messages are left on read.

He places the phone on the counter and continues his cooking the meatballs and sautéing the onions, cilantro,
and red peppers for an attempt at a lovely meal with his wife.

After Nicole made the point to work on their marriage so Henry could have the chance of a regular functioning family, unlike the one he grew up in.
He was willing to try to talk things over with a nice home-cooked meal.
Nicole was out getting a bottle of Dornfelder wine and dropping Henry off to spend the night at one of her friend's houses.

'To be honest with myself,  I'd rather be sharing this dinner with Cassidy.'

She would probably tell a joke or two.  Share a delightful insight and hear out my thoughts. I'd be able to get a word in for fuck sake. Unlike Nicole..

He flips his phone over to see the time.

7:07

'It's been one fucking measly minute!?'

Beep beep beep.

Smoke trailed from the middle of the pan, the peppers sizzled and the grease from the meatballs popped,  hitting his forearm.

He was too far gone daydreaming about a scenario that he hadn't even noticed the food had started burning.
"Fuck. Seriously?" He groaned, grabbing the panhandle and slamming it down on a different burner.

He pinched the bridge of his nose, rubbing his eye on the near brink of having a mental breakdown.

The amount of stress that Charlie was under was unbearable.
Here he was, preparing a meal for someone he couldn't stand half of the time while being ghosted by someone he can't stop thinking of.

After a couple of deep breaths, he felt less simulated and calm enough not to knock a hole in the wall.

He stared at the meal that was cooling off, looking more like charcoal instead of meatballs.

A sedulous attempt at a nice meal, gone.
What else could he assemble in a short amount of time at hom from his fridge?

Nicole returned home full of optimism and a brown bag with her favorite wine inside.
Upon coming home she could smell what could only be described as a hibachi grill from hell.

A mixture of smoke and a putrid greasy smell that's unsettling to Nicole's senses and probably the surrounding neighbors as well.

Charlie could hear the key turning in the keyhole and the knob jiggling.

He quickly finished the final touches on his second attempt at dinner.

Chili Dogs.

"Hello, hello. What happened here?" Nicole investigates, charging into the kitchen.

"Just a minor setback is all. Dinner got burnt. So how was Henry when dropping him off?

He casually says while setting the table with a platter full of hotdogs to the center of the table and Hormel chili in a pot on the stovetop.