‘Did you know that Sandy thought we were dating?’
‘Well, I didn’t know. I mean, you seem to get on well and… umm.’ I think of how Abe talked about how Beatrix helped him when he was getting divorced. How could I get it so wrong? She helped as his sister!
‘Ha. I must be spending too much time with you,’ says Beatrix to Abe.
Abe looks at me and smiles, then he shakes his head.
‘You got it all wrong, but I’m very glad it’s been cleared up now,’ he says, giving me one of his bewitching smiles. Does this mean he is free and single?
I take a sip of my wine to compose myself as he stares at me.
Pieter and Lotte interrupt the silence by telling us they need to go over and speak to someone and Beatrix goes with them. I am about to turn to Abe again when a woman called Camilla comes over and makes a fuss of him, putting a halt to any conversation. Abe introduces us but she isn’t as friendly as the others. She seems hostile towards me. She simply says hi and starts whispering in his ear, making me feel like a spare part.
I turn to watch some of the revellers dancing in their crowded space as they start to get merry. As much as I want to mingle, I don’t have the confidence to approach strangers and introduce myself. I am certainly not as confident as Camilla, so I am grateful when a young lad named Dirk comes up and says he likes my devil horns. He then gets whisked off to dance by a girl in her twenties, and I am left with Camilla who still won’t leave Abe alone. Eventually, I decide it’s time to leave. At least I have shown my face and will now hopefully recognise more people around here. While everyone I have spoken to has been lovely, apart from Camilla, I can’t help feeling like the outsider. I find Annelise and thank her for having me before leaving, grabbing a beefbitterballenfrom the buffet table on the way out.
As I have this big ball of beef in my mouth, I come face to face with Abe, who must have somehow managed to tear himself away from Camilla.
‘Hi, I was hoping I’d catch you before you left,’ he says.
I try to swallow as quickly as I can so that I am able to respond. I curse myself for being so greedy and not taking a delicate bite out of it instead of shovelling it all in. That will teach me!
It seems like forever that he watches me chewing like some kind of goat, and then finally I swallow and reply.
‘Yeah, I wasn’t sure who’d be here but, yes, it’s good to see you.’ I look at him, trying not to acknowledge that I got him and Beatrix completely wrong, and a part of me is secretly ecstatic but also incredibly nervous about doing anything about it.
‘You too. How have you been?’ he asks.
‘Good. I learnt how to makestroopwafelsthe other day.’ I eye him nervously, waiting for some recognition; some sign of gratitude for the one I left him and Beatrix. Will he thank me for it when he realises it was me who dropped it off for him?
‘That’s great. You’re really settling in well.’
I feel a twinge of disappointment that he doesn’t offer even a flicker of recognition or gratitude.
‘Umm, yeah, I am. I’m starting to learn Dutch, too.’
‘You’ll have to let me teach you the best words. They’re not in the books. Only a local can teach you those words.’ Abe winks and then stares intently at me, with the collar of his Dracula costume touching his ponytail, the red face paint bleeding down from his lip. By the naughty look in his eyes, I don’t think he means he wants to teach me polite Dutch words forpleaseandthank you. I am so attracted to him, but I still have to remember that he is my next-door neighbour and I am not looking for a relationship.
‘Ik wil je kussen. I mean, did anyone teach you that?’
‘Um, no, but it’s early days. I’ve only read the first few pages of a book.’
‘Ah, well, I hope you can study it quickly and then you can answer me if it’s okay or not. Although, why wait? I asked if I can kiss you. Is that rude of me?’
‘Oh, umm. No, it’s not.’ I feel my cheeks flush and despite all my fears and reservations, I lean over to him and give Abe the quickest peck on the lips. It feels so functional and unromantic and I curse myself for being so clumsy. However, Abe gently pulls me back to him and kisses me. My body feels as though it wants to explode, and a warm tingle runs right through me. The houseboat might be full to the brim with partygoers but, as Abe kisses me, I am oblivious to everyone around us.
When Abe insists on walking me home, I don’t argue that I am a grown, independent woman who doesn’t need a chaperone. Instead, I take his hand and walk along the canal with him. We walk past the nearby houseboats, most of which are in darkness, since their owners are still at the party. You can tell which are the barges that are rented out to tourists as they are still lit up with twinkling lights.
We walk hand in hand beneath the street lights that shine down on us, creating ghostly shadows that complete the eerie Halloween feeling in the air. As we hold hands it strikes me quite how tall Abe is compared to my five foot five stature. He must be at least six foot three.
While we walk, I make small talk by asking Abe outright if he received thestroopwafel, but he seems genuinely baffled.
‘No, I never found anything on my doorstep.’
‘You didn’t see anything wrapped up in a red tissue?’
‘A red tissue?’
‘Yes.’
