TS 2 Chapter 10

Chapter 10

May 4^th, 2009

Monday night.

If there was something Guntram hated with passion, an abridged SMS could rank among the first positions: “delayed meeting. K.” 'He has a full QWERTY keyboard in his phone and he can't be more specific, like giving me an estimated arrival time? Should I give the boys dinner? Put them into their pyjamas and make them sleep or what?'

'It's chicken with carrots casserole time. I will not risk to have them hungry and assaulting the cookies jar.'

“Come on boys, your father will be late and you have to help me with your dinner,” Guntram said with more spirits than he really possessed; facing his children in the kitchen was going to be a thought moment for him and a test for his abilities. He watched as both boys ran excitedly toward the kitchen to wash their hands and take their places in the stools at the counter.

'And Jean Jacques whines about the Bocuse D'Or judges. He should be here and face the boys to know what is hard,' Guntram sighed and took the plastic cutting board from the shelf.

“Plastic? Jean Jacques says that one made of olives is better,” Klaus announced very clearly and his brother nodded.

'Great, both are in tandem.' “Olives are very small to make a cutting board, Klaus,” Guntram answered sweetly, hoping this would give them something to think about and gain five minutes of peace. With any luck he could have cut and sauté the chicken breasts.

“No, Klaus is wrong. It's made of Olive Trees Wood,” Karl clarified and his brother threw a dirty glance at him. “You have to keep one for meats, another for fruits and a third one for vegetables. In different shapes so you don't mix them,” he recited the lesson and Guntram cursed the moment he had decided to let the boys look what the cooks were doing in the kitchen.

“It's a very small flat, Karl and I only have one. After I cut the chicken, I will wash it thoroughly and cut the onions, carrots and mushrooms.” Guntram said, already knowing that it was going to be a long evening. “You can help me to peel the potatoes with the peeler,” he added, perfectly aware that he had only one and the boys would have to share and be busy criticizing to each other.

“All right,” Klaus accepted and took the offered tool and potato from Guntram's hand. As expected, Karl directed all his attention to what his twin was doing and giggled when he lost part of the skin to the floor. “My turn,” the younger mumbled and his brother gave him the peeler while Guntram hurried himself to finish with the chicken.

“The pieces are not even. They have to,” Klaus informed him. “It's very important.”

“That's right; all should have the same cooking time,” Karl supported his brother after a careful inspection of the pieces laying on a dish while Guntram was washing the cutting board.

“Make room, here comes the onion,” the young man only said. “Do you want to squeeze some oranges?” 'That should keep them busy. I can clean the wall later.' The boys took some distance to the cutting board but continued to look at him critically and Guntram was glad that with all the pressure around him, he still kept his fingers. 'Twenty years more and I don't want to be in a bank with those two. Worse than the father.'

The boys kept quiet till they saw that Guntram was going to slice the mushrooms, “No! Let them as they are!” Karl shouted in shock at the horrible crime.

'I'll certainly have a word with Jean Jacques,' “All right, they're small enough for you to swallow them whole,” Guntram sighed and when he was about to throw the chicken to the frying pan, he heard a unison cry of : “first the onion, Guntram!”

Guntram had to repress a sigh, still wondering if there was really an order to throw things in a pan but obeyed the command, and also put the potatoes to boil in a separate pot. He followed the twins instructions wondering when they had learned so much about cooking and sighed when he finally added the broth (there were some long faces at the Starlux cube, but nothing was said), leaving the food to simmer.

At eight he was able to serve the chicken and the boys ate it heartedly without any kind of complaints, only asking when papa was coming home.

“I don't know; he has a meeting.”

“Maybe we can stay overnight,” Karl suggested.

“I think he will prefer to go home. He must be hungry,” Guntram answered.

“He ate here yesterday and there's enough chicken left for him,” Klaus said.

“And strawberry yoghurt!” added Karl, his face brimming with happiness.

Guntram was speechless when he realised that all might have been a set up from Konrad. 'Meetings? My ass! He stayed late to invite himself overnight! I can't forget about going to bed early so I can have some spare time before flying tomorrow.' He forced a smiled to the boys thinking that they will force the father to eat the extra-sweet desert. 'Serves him right; next time choose your allies better, Lintorff'.

The noise of clicking keys confirmed Guntram that he was effectively trapped, cornered or whichever Konrad's idea was. 'Could he play fair, just for once?'

“Hello,” Konrad greeted his boys merrily and let them search his pockets to find nothing interesting there. “No, I have something in my briefcase,” he said, leaving it on top of the counter. He opened and took a DVD out and gave it to the boys. “You can look it now. Just arrived today.” Both boys only muttered “thanks” and ran away before Guntram could confiscate the film as it was later than 8 p.m.

“We had dinner as we didn't know when you were coming,” Guntram said innocently. 'Two can play, Konrad.'

“That's good. They can watch it now and leave us in peace.”

“They have school tomorrow. Will it be not too late to drive home?”

“They can stay here, in their bedroom. I understand you have nightclothes for them, Kitten.” Konrad said very softly and started to clear the table, grimacing at the sight of the empty yoghurt container and the smell emanating from it.

“Yes, but I have no clean uniforms for tomorrow,” Guntram retorted quickly.

“I sent an SMS to Friederich. Someone will bring a fresh set of clothes tonight,” Konrad said and enjoyed the clear defeat written in Guntram's face. 'You're delusional, my love if you think I'm going to let you fly to Paris to meet the snake without checking first what you're up to.'

'The Cid just camped here, Guntram. No way you can kick him out now.' “What about you? I have nothing for you.”

“I can sleep for one night in my underwear and I have a fresh set of clothes at the office,” he said simply and left the dirty dishes over the sink. “Something left over?” he asked nonchalantly.

“Yes and the boys saved you a yoghurt,” Guntram answered with great satisfaction.

'Small sacrifice for spending the night here.' “Good,” Konrad said and grabbed Guntram to kiss him to see if he was upset for the intrusion, but the young man let him do it and leaned against his chest. 'He really needed a vacation, he's less stressed than before and much happier. Almost like when the boys were born. In less than a week, his face has changed and even looks healthier. But don't think you're going to Paris without any kind of restrains', Konrad evaluated as he deepened his kisses, clutching his lover stronger than before, till he heard a chuckle and found Karl looking at him.

“Is there anything you may need?” Konrad almost growled at his son.

“Water,” he answered without flinching. Guntram was not upset with papa and this was just trying the new house, exactly as both parents had told him.

A very flushed Guntram served Karl a glass of water and the boy ran away before finishing it to tell his brother what he had seen. “I hate when they see this,” he mumbled and focused on reheating the leftovers.

“They are concerned about your leaving and we should do all what is in our hands to prove that this is only a temporary solution,” Konrad ventured and sat at the counter, waiting for his dinner to be served.

'Well, at least he learned that you can eat in a kitchen, like most people do and left the dinning room alone,' Guntram thought while he placed the dish in front of him and sat down to keep him company.