Ellen walked down the aisles of the supermarket with a determined look on her face. Behind her, Vivi pushed a cart, trying to keep up. Ellen had decided to do some grocery shopping to celebrate her little progress with Mason. If Mason was going to come home early, she needed to prepare dinner for him.
Having been alone and poor for most of her life, Ellen had learned to cook to save money. She didn’t think she was the best cook, but her meals were fine. She stopped by the vegetable section, carefully examined the vegetables on display.
"Mrs. Coldwell, you weren’t supposed to be here. You need to rest," Vivi said, her voice laced with concern.
Ellen brushed off Vivi’s concern with a wave of her hand. "I’m fine, Vivi. Please, don’t make a big fuss out of it."
"But I could have done the grocery shopping. You could have just asked me," Vivi protested, her voice rising slightly in frustration.
Ellen held up a tomato in one hand and a cucumber in the other, looking at Vivi with a playful smile. "Tomato or cucumber?"
Vivi sighed, realizing that arguing with Ellen was futile. "Tomato," she said, shaking her head with a smile.
Ellen tossed the tomato into her cart and continued down the aisle, grabbing items as she went. It felt nice to be able to pick up whatever she wanted without worrying about the price tag. Money wasn’t an issue now, unlike how it used to be. She could buy as much as she wanted, and it felt awesome.
Ellen picked up a few more vegetables, some pasta, and a selection of spices. Vivi dutifully followed, occasionally offering her opinions on what to buy.
They moved to the sauce aisle, and Ellen was about to reach for a bottle of marinara when she suddenly stopped in her tracks. Vivi, caught off guard, had to stop abruptly to avoid crashing into her. "What’s wrong?" Vivi asked, relieved that she managed to stop the cart in time.
Ellen didn’t answer right away. Her eyes were focused on a figure standing a few feet away. It was Aubrey. Aubrey saw her too, and for a moment, their eyes met. They nodded to each other before Aubrey turned and left the aisle.
Vivi watched the exchange, her curiosity piqued. "Was that your friend?" she asked, her eyes following Aubrey as she walked away.
"Not really," Ellen replied, her voice distant as she continued to stare at the spot where Aubrey had been standing.
***
Ellen and Mason sat at the dining table, the soft glow of the chandelier casting a nice, warm vibe over the room. The table was set with care, a simple yet elegant arrangement of dishes, cutlery, and glasses. Ellen still couldn’t believe it—Mason was home early, just as she had asked, and they were about to have dinner together.
Ellen had prepared a modest meal: roasted chicken with a side of mashed potatoes and steamed vegetables. The aroma filled the room, and even Ellen couldn’t wait to eat it. She had also made a simple salad with fresh greens, tomatoes, cucumbers, and a light vinaigrette. For dessert, there was a small apple pie, still warm from the oven. Ellen hoped the meal would be enough to please Mason, though she had no high expectations.
Mason took a bite of the chicken, chewing thoughtfully. Ellen watched him anxiously, her heart pounding in her chest. She had spent the entire afternoon preparing the meal, and she wanted it to be perfect, or at least good enough.
"So, how’s the food?" Ellen asked nervously.
Mason paused, his fork halfway to his mouth, and glanced at her. He took a moment to finish chewing, then swallowed. "It’s edible," he said simply, before taking another bite.
Ellen groaned mentally at Mason’s reaction. She hadn’t expected any kind of praise, but it was already good that he was willing to eat her cooking. She took a deep breath, trying to shake off her disappointment. At least he was here, and they were sharing a meal together. That was progress.
Feeling a sudden urge to fill the silence, Ellen started talking about her day. "I went grocery shopping with Vivi today," she mentioned with a friendly smile. "The fridge and pantry are fully stocked now."
Mason nodded, his attention still on his food. "Good," he replied, not looking up.
Ellen bit her lip, unsure of what else to say. She wanted to keep the conversation going, to bridge the gap between them, but it was hard when Mason didn’t seem to care. Then, without really thinking about it, she mentioned, "I met someone today."
This time, Mason looked up, a hint of curiosity in his eyes. "Who?" he asked, his tone neutral.
"I met Aubrey," Ellen said, watching Mason closely to gauge his reaction.
Mason’s expression remained unchanged as he took another bite of his food. "Is that so?" he asked, quick as a flash, showing no sign of interest as he resumed his meal.
Ellen felt a mix of relief and confusion. On one hand, it seemed like Mason didn’t care about Aubrey anymore, which was good. On the other hand, his lack of reaction made her wonder if he was just hiding his true feelings. She didn’t know which was worse.
Trying to mask her thoughts, Ellen forced a smile. "Yeah, it was just a brief encounter. Nothing much to it," she said, her voice trailing off.
Mason nodded again, acknowledging her words without much interest. "Okay," he said, his focus back on his plate.
Ellen felt a pang of frustration. Why had she even brought up Aubrey? What had she hoped to achieve? She glanced at Mason, who was eating his dinner with the same calm demeanor as always. He seemed completely unaffected by the mention of his ex-girlfriend. Maybe he really didn’t care anymore. Or maybe he was just very good at hiding his emotions.
She hoped it was the former. It would make things much easier for her.