“Max?” I thought I heard a hint of something other than curiosity in his voice.
“Max is my best friend. We have known each other since high school. He used to spend a lot of time at my place, and my mom had this rule of only speaking Portuguese at home, so Max had to learn.”
“Wow, that must have been difficult for him.”
“I admire him for doing it. It wasn’t easy with all the school work we had to do, and my mom didn’t give him any more leeway than she gave me. She and Max were very close. He’s a nurse as well, and they used to work together in the same hospital. After we’d gone to college, we didn’t need to keep it up, but Max was adamant he didn’t want to lose a skill he’d worked so hard on.”
I was surprised at the ease with which we were chatting. It was as though no time had passed between us, and it felt natural to walk alongside David and talk about all these things.
“And how about your dad’s side of the family? Do you have anyone you’re close to?” David asked.
“Not really. There are a few cousins scattered here and there, but we’re not close. My grandmother died a few years ago. We were close, and I used to spend a lot of time with her. I tried to teach her Portuguese, but she never got the hang of it. Sadly, she was never well enough to make the flight, visit, and use the few words that stuck.”
“I’m so sorry to hear that. I bet your grandmother would have loved it here in Portugal. Your family is the best,” David said, his voice slightly wistful.
“Hey, you okay?” I wondered why David’s mood saddened a bit. David had been like a surrogate grandchild to my grandparents. From the time we were young, he used to spend as much time at their house as I did, not only because we were inseparable but also because David was considered family.
I was curious about David's relationship with his aunt and uncle. Teresa was happy and quite chatty during dinner. It was apparent she’d had a great relationship with her late sister and was also proud of David. Mário had been harder to read. He’d been pleasant enough, but I had a feeling about him that wasn't quite right. I could almost swear it had been directed at me.
“How about you? I don't remember the café hosting dinners before. Is that a new thing?”
“We've been doing it for about three years. When mom died, my aunt and uncle were doing a lot of the work, and I was still at school. Mom, and to an extent your grandmother, taught me a lot about baking, so by the time mom passed away, I was already helping out in the kitchen.
“University was an expense I couldn’t afford, so I took a few online classes and learned a lot by trial and error. It's really easy to know when you're doing a good job with baking because people will either like it or not.” David laughed. “After high school, I started working full time and was developing my own recipes. Our custard tarts are quite popular, and with the university campus nearby, we have a good passing trade as well as a lot of established regulars.”
“So, why the dinners? This is quite a late finish for someone who has to be up before sunrise.” I looked at my watch. It was close to midnight now.
“It started when one of the students from the university had family visiting for his graduation. He couldn't afford to take them all out, so he asked if we would hire out the café after hours to serve a more modest dinner and do a payment plan for him. He hoped he could pay some of the balance and work off the rest.”
“Smart guy,” I said. ”Did you go for it?”
“Kinda. I did it for him at cost. He was a regular and came in often for a coffee, but usually, he didn’t eat. I suspected he just couldn’t afford more and the coffee was his treat.”
“I bet he was pleased with your offer,” I said, feeling proud of David’s generosity.
“Hell, yeah. His family were the nicest people you could meet. They had a great time while they were together, which I suspect didn’t happen often, and they loved the food. After that night, he recommended us to other people, and slowly we started having a few inquiries.”
David wasn’t only generous, he was also a businessman.
“How often do you host these events?”
“It depends on the season. During Academic week, we have a few more events from students who already know us. It’s profitable for us but still a much cheaper option for them,” David said.
I could imagine the town coming to life with all the students wearing their black capes.
“We have also done a few very small weddings and birthday parties. I enjoy those as I get to make the cakes too.”
“With all this business, where do you fit in some time for fun?”
David laughed, looking briefly at me while we carried on walking toward the apartments. We weren’t that far now.
“To be honest, there isn’t much time, but it varies throughout the year. I always make time to exercise either at home or by going for a run toward the beach. I find it clears my head and energizes me to spend the day in the kitchen.”
I didn’t know why, but it made me happy that David was also a runner. I’ve always enjoyed running for the same reasons as David, but I ran in Central Park rather than on the beach.
“What else do you do?” I asked.
“My friend Isaac runs a youth center, so I volunteer there. I do a few cooking skills classes and spend time with some of the kids.”
