“What was it like before this?” She began to unload her food items.
“I never saw the original kitchen. It had been remodeled in the 1950s before I was born,” he explained. “I was disappointed when Grandma changed it.”
“But didn’t you say that’s where you got the pieces for your kitchen?” Willow started to poke around the cabinets and drawers, looking for the utensils she needed.
“Yes. I suppose that was the upside.”
“And these appliances work okay?” She opened a door to one of the spotlessly clean double ovens.
“As far as I know. They’re not much to look at, but they were the best money could buy back then.”
Willow tested the burner on the gas stovetop, pleased to see that it flamed nicely. “Looks good.” She glanced at George and suspected by his furrowed brow that he felt uneasy about having her here. “If there’s anything you need to do, or if you’d like to go relax, I’m sure I can find my way around this kitchen. And dinner should be ready in about thirty minutes.”
“Well, I did want to get some things from my grandfather’s workshop down in the basement. An electric screwdriver will be helpful to get the cabinets back together tomorrow.” He frowned slightly. “I guess you can just make yourself at home.”
Relieved to have George occupied with something else, Willow began to pull out the things she needed and set to work. She felt like she was in a time warp, but it was fun to imagine what George’s grandmother might’ve been like. Obviously, she hadn’t been a woman intimidated by change. Toobad George hadn’t inherited that characteristic. And yet it was charming to think of how, as a little boy, George must’ve loved his grandmother’s fifties-style kitchen. So much that he’d recreated it in his own house.
Willow felt like she was “playing house” as she arranged the Danish-style place settings, silverware, and placemats on the dining table. She’d considered serving dinner in the kitchen, but that eighties-style interior with the awful fluorescent overhead light was so sterile and plastic—she just couldn’t bear it. Finding brass candlestick holders and candles in the buffet drawer, she decided to go all out. Hopefully George wouldn’t mind. She was about to call him to the table when she heard footsteps.
“Oh my.” He stared at the dining table. “This looks nice.”
“You said to make myself at home.”
George looked uneasy as he hurried over to pull out her chair. “I haven’t eaten in this room in years,” he muttered as he went around to the other side and slowly sat.
“I hope you don’t mind.”
“No ... no. It just feels a bit strange.” Then, as if to add to the strangeness, George folded his hands and bowed his head.
“Are you praying?” she whispered.
He looked up with embarrassment. “I, uh, I guess it was just a conditioned response. You see, the only times I ate in here were with my grandparents, and my grandfather always asked a blessing.”
“Then by all means.” She smiled.
“Well, I, uh ... okay.” He stiffly bowed his head again. “For that which we are about to receive, may the Lord make us truly grateful.”
“Amen,” Willow said quietly.
“That certainly felt odd.” George reached for his napkin. “And to be honest, it felt insincere.”
“Was that the blessing your grandfather used?”
“Yes. I never really understood it though. If we were asking for the Lord to make us grateful, well, what’s the point?”
“Meaning you should be grateful without the Lord’s help?” She passed him the salad bowl.
“I guess so.” He shrugged as he served himself. “Not that it matters now.”
“Because you don’t believe in God?”
“That’s right.” George smiled. “This looks delicious, Willow. Thank you.”
Although Willow would’ve liked to pursue the subject of God and faith further, she knew it was making him uncomfortable. So she attempted to make light conversation as they dined. More than anything she wanted George to simply relax and enjoy a pleasant evening. But for some reason it felt like pulling teeth to get a natural conversation out of him.
“When did your grandparents pass?” she asked as George helped himself to more salad.
“Oh, it’s been about fifteen years. They died within a year of each other,” he said absently.
