If You Met Me First...
Breakfast Together

Cottage in Maine

Apsarini woke up when the alarm on her phone went off at four in the morning. The girl was also preparing to perform dawn worship and take a morning bath.

Afterwards, the blue-eyed girl exited the room and prepared coffee and breakfast. Especially yesterday before dinner, Apsarini already bruised chicken for breakfast this morning.

"Lho's? How's cooking?" ask Shane who just came out of the room.

"Where's breakfast, Shane?" ask Apsarini while preparing coffee.

Shane just smiled and walked up to the girl and kissed her cheek. "Good morning."

Apsarini's face flushed. "Goodmorning. Your coffee, Shane."

"Thank you Sari. There's a diner near here that's ready for breakfast."

"But they have a bacon menu, Shane" replied Apsarini made Shane who was about to sip his coffee speechless.

"Sorry, I forgot.." Shane said later.

Apsarini smiled. "It's okay. This morning breakfast with scrambled egg, chicken sausage, fried chicken flour and mashed potatoes."

"No veggies?"

"Coleslaw there, don't worry." Apsarini put all the food on the table.

"How about we get Hugo and Thea to breakfast here?" shane Tawal.

"Try it" Apsarini replied as she sat on the dining chair opposite Shane.

Shane picks up his phone and calls Hugo. Last night the two men exchanged cell phone numbers.

"Morning Hugo, are you awake?" shane asked through the loud speaker.

"Morning, Jane. Already have. I woke up and I'm making coffee. Thea pancake parts. How's it?"

"Oh, I'm offering breakfast together at our cottage. Apsarini cooks quite a lot."

Hugo's voice asked Thea and the girl agreed.

"Oh Shane, said Thea wait a little more we came with pancakes and mapple Syrup. Oh and bread toast. Geez, there's a lot of Carbo" chuckles Hugo.

"OKs. We wait." Shane turned off his phone and looked at Apsarini. "We wait?"

"Okay. I'm not really hungry anyway." Apsarini sipped her tea while scooping her mashed potatoes.

"You cook a lot, don't you Sari?"

"It's still in the kitchen. If it's chicken, I fried four." replied Apsarini.

Shane tried scrambled his eggs and smiled. "This boy."

"Thank you" replied Apsarini.

"You don't like cooking?"

"Living in Finland makes me have to cook. It's nothing, not all the cooking there I can fit in. So, I cooked according to my English and Indonesian tongues" replied Apsarini.

"But that way, your abilities are honed right?" shane Goda.

"Just simple delicious meal that I can make because I am not like the Eagle mas who is in the culinary field. But it's about the recipe and the easiest way, ask him anyway..."

The bell cottage rang out and Shane walked over to open it. Hugo and Thea brought pancakes and a bowl of salad for breakfast.

"Let's go in. We'll have breakfast before we go for a walk" Shane asked.

***

"So many Karbo, bro" chuckles Hugo.

"I salute you for keeping your body" Shane smiled.

"Oh body makes me think sane, Shane. It's nothing, getting all kinds of trials and accusations that are so serious that threatening the career I built is something, bro. Let alone all the evidence pointing to me all that time" Hugo replied.

"But it's not proven, is it?" Apsarini looked at Hugo sitting next to Thea.

"Thank God my alibi is proven and there's other DNA there besides me." Hugo looked at Thea. "Your cousin is very serious and professional in handling my case. And I'm sure Blair's family's upbringing."

"Thanks Hugo" Thea replied making Apsarini gawk.

"Wait ! If you call Mr. Melker first name... Mean...?" Apsarini's blue eyes widen. "You guys dating?"

Thea's face flushed red and Hugo only smiled. "Technically, we did date but Thea still wanted to be professional and we just kept it quiet. Because Thea won't spread anywhere and fortunately in Maine her people are cuckoo."

"Actually you guys are dating no problem because Hugo has been declared free and clean from the charge of killing Salsabila. And you are also not wrong if you fall in love with each other" said Shane.

"But there haven't been 40 days when Salsabila died... It feels unethical." said Thea.

"You weren't having an affair when Hugo was married. Meet also when Hugo stumbles on a case. After all Hugo moved on, people can be understood because his wife cheated on him" Shane replied gently. "If you think of Bayu or Travis, let me help you talk because I'm the witness for you both.'

"But Shane, doesn't it matter?" ask Apsarini.

"If from my point of view objectively, Hugo wants to date again, not my business but ethically it is true. It's just that Salsabila died a month ago and if Hugo falls in love with Thea, who would want to ban the cupid's arrow from landing?" shane Smiles to Apsarini.

Apsarini looked at Thea. "Then, what's your plan?"

"I'll keep my relationship a secret with Hugo. We're just publishing if everything's over including the actual murder trial" Thea replied.

"Did Omar Zidane have the culprit?" ask Shane.

"We'll wait and see." Thea looked seriously at the three people there. "And I hope, don't wear it for long, we'll all get cover of this case."

"Aamiinu. Because after all, I want everything to be done immediately, then I can determine what steps I should take including talking seriously with the Ramadhan family in Stockholm Sweden" Hugo continued. "However, I was accused of murdering my wife even though I was finally cleared of all charges but still Thea's family would object if her daughter was related to me..."

"Because you're a widower?" celtap Apsarini. "Listen to Mr. Melker, our family doesn't matter if you're a widower or single, the important marital status is clear. And most importantly, your earnestness and loving feelings are sincere. Not something to be made up of.."

"i know's. I can think of this because if I had a daughter, I would have thought of the same thing" Hugo replied seriously.

Shane smiled hearing the conversation at the dinner table. "It turns out that Hugo and I both had to fight to gain the trust of you and your extended family."

"Of course, Shane. We want to avoid choosing the wrong partner" Apsarini replied while holding the Irish man's face.

"Everyone wants to have a partner who loves him very much. It's just that I misjudged my partner" Hugo said in a bitter tone.

***

Yuhuuuu Up Afternoon ya Gaeeesss

Thank you for reading and support author

Don't forget to like vote and give

Tararengkyu & ________________________________________________________