{"id":354,"date":"2011-03-29T08:34:11","date_gmt":"2011-03-28T21:34:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ravenoustales.com\/?p=354"},"modified":"2013-09-27T16:14:07","modified_gmt":"2013-09-27T23:14:07","slug":"impromptu-cupcakes-and-a-dateor-three","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/ravenoustales.com\/?p=354","title":{"rendered":"Season 2: Episode 5"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

The front door slammed and Mia heard footsteps running through the hall, before Willow burst into the kitchen, carrying a large box of fresh fruit and vegetables.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2026are\u2026never\u2026going\u2026to\u2026believe\u2026what\u2026happened!\u201d She was so breathless she could barely get the words out.<\/p>\n

Mia laughed. \u201cWhoa, slow down!\u201d She filled a glass of water for Willow and handed it to her. Willow downed it in three gulps.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat am I never going to believe?\u201d Mia was still in her pyjamas standing at the kitchen bench, the Saturday papers spread in front of her, a bowl of muesli balanced in one hand. She had been woken early by the smells of biscotti wafting through the house and although Willow hadn\u2019t really spoken about it, she suspected that it had something to do with the mystery man from a few weeks ago.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe asked me out!\u201d Willow\u2019s eyes were shining, her cheeks flushed.<\/p>\n

Mia grinned, happy for her friend. She couldn\u2019t help the small, gnawing feeling in her stomach, though. Jealousy? She glanced at her phone on the bench. She had kept it within reach for the entire week, but he hadn\u2019t called. Not even a text.<\/p>\n

Mia smiled brightly at Willow. The last thing she wanted was to rain on her friend\u2019s parade.<\/p>\n

Willow clasped her hands together and announced, \u201cI have to bake!\u201d<\/p>\n

For Willow, baking was just about the most cathartic experience in the world. She baked to relieve stress, when she was excited, when she was feeling down \u2013 as far as Willow was concerned, there was a baked good for every occasion.<\/p>\n

After many years of observation, Mia and Ana were able to tell what was going on in Willow\u2019s life just by what she spontaneously baked. Labour-intensive pastries \u2013 cannoli or croissant \u2013 meant that she was stressed out by something; bread indicated a morose mood; savoury pies signified annoyance; sweet pies, satisfaction; biscuits for anticipation\u2026 the list went on.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s it going to be today?\u201d Mia asked, although she suspected she knew the answer already.<\/p>\n

Willow looked pensive for a moment. \u201cCupcakes!\u201d<\/p>\n

Cupcakes represented the pinnacle of happiness in Willow\u2019s hierarchy of baking.<\/p>\n

That moment, Mia\u2019s phone rang. She looked at the screen and frowned. Withheld number.<\/p>\n

It couldn\u2019t be\u2026 could it?<\/i><\/p>\n

Her heart pounded as she pressed answer. \u201cHello?\u201d<\/p>\n

A male responded. \u201cMia?\u201d<\/p>\n

The voice was familiar but she couldn\u2019t place it. \u201cYes?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is Nick. You used to teach me Pilates\u2026.?\u201d His voice trailed off, unsure if she would remember him.<\/p>\n

Nick! Mia\u2019s mouth dropped open. She hadn\u2019t seen him for\u2026 months! He had been a client of hers for a long time and then one day he changed time-slots and she hadn\u2019t seen him since. Mia had been devastated. Secretly, she had been in love with Nick from the moment she first set eyes on him, but had always been too shy to ask him out. Her inaction had spent a long time at number one on her extensive list of regrets.<\/p>\n

Well, maybe not quite so high now, after the events of last weekend<\/i>, she thought angrily. Mia shook her head, bringing herself back to the present.<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course. How are you?\u201d She wondered why he was calling her \u2013 and more to the point, how he got her number\u2026?<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re probably wondering how I got your number\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

What was he, a mind reader?<\/p>\n

\u201cI know it\u2019s late notice, but I was wondering if you wanted to go out tonight?\u201d His voice sounded vulnerable, expectant.<\/p>\n

\u201cGo out tonight?\u201d Mia wasn\u2019t sure she heard correctly.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been meaning to call for weeks, but I\u2019ve been away for work\u2026 it\u2019s a long story. Can I fill you in over dinner?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDinner tonight?\u201d Mia the parrot.<\/p>\n

His laughter tinkled down the phone. \u201cYes. With me.\u201d He added quickly, \u201cUnless you\u2019ve got other plans\u2026?\u201d<\/p>\n

Mia slowly shook her head. \u201cNo\u2026 no, I don\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her mind was reeling as Nick suggested when and where to meet. She hung up the phone, a bewildered expression on her face. She had dreamt about this happening for so long, so why wasn\u2019t she more excited?<\/p>\n

When she finally looked up, Willow was surveying her friend quizzically.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have a date tonight.\u201d She spoke slowly. \u201cWith Nick.\u201d<\/p>\n

Willow\u2019s eyes widened in surprise and she bounded over and gave Mia a quick hug, leaving a trail of self-raising flour in her wake. \u201cWhat are the chances? Both going out with our dream men tonight!\u201d<\/p>\n

Nick. Her dream man. He had been for such a long time. So what had changed?<\/p>\n

Her phone rang again. Same thing, number withheld. He probably needs to change the time<\/i>, she thought. She answered more quickly this time, the butterflies gone. \u201cHello again.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMia?\u201d A different voice, still male, still familiar.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJohnny.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mia knocked her empty bowl, the spoon falling to the floor with a loud clatter.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou OK?\u201d He sounded amused, like he was aware of the effect he had on her.<\/p>\n

She cursed herself and took a breath, steadying her nerves. Be cool. \u201cWhat\u2019s up?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJust wondering if you wanted to grab a drink later. Say 7pm. In town somewhere?\u201d<\/p>\n

Her heart pounded. Maybe she could call Nick back, cancel? She groaned inwardly \u2013 she didn\u2019t even have his number, it had been withheld and she hadn\u2019t thought to ask for it. \u201cI can\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n

More than anything she wanted to see Johnny. She couldn\u2019t stop thinking about him, dreaming about him. She wracked her brain, trying to think of another time to suggest. Tomorrow? Or during the week?<\/p>\n

But before she could say anything, he spoke.<\/p>\n

\u201cFair enough. Catch you later then.\u201d<\/p>\n

He hung up.<\/p>\n

Willow was sifting flour into a large mixing bowl. \u201cNick again?\u201d<\/p>\n

Mia shook her head. \u201cUmm\u2026 work. Needed a shift covered.\u201d<\/p>\n

She couldn\u2019t look up at Willow for fear that she\u2019d see the tears in her eyes.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

In his kitchen, Johnny swore out loud. He had been trying to pick up the phone and call her all week, but nerves had got the better of him each time. Finally he\u2019d mustered up the courage\u2026 to no avail. He thought there had been something between them, something unbelievable. But she obviously didn\u2019t. Probably put it down to the Champagne, the celebratory mood. She clearly wanted to have nothing to do with him. He ran his hands through his hair, frustrated.<\/p>\n

He just couldn\u2019t stop thinking about her.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The front door slammed and Mia heard footsteps running through the hall, before Willow burst into the kitchen, carrying a large box of fresh fruit and vegetables. \u201cYou\u2026are\u2026never\u2026going\u2026to\u2026believe\u2026what\u2026happened!\u201d She was so breathless she could barely get the words out. Mia laughed. \u201cWhoa, slow down!\u201d She filled a glass of water for Willow and handed it […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_s2mail":"yes"},"categories":[198],"tags":[54,56,171],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/ravenoustales.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/354"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/ravenoustales.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/ravenoustales.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/ravenoustales.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/ravenoustales.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=354"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"http:\/\/ravenoustales.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/354\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1189,"href":"http:\/\/ravenoustales.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/354\/revisions\/1189"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/ravenoustales.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=354"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/ravenoustales.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=354"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/ravenoustales.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=354"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}