small things

all at once the table becomes a swirl of activity
Moscow and Durban place a small bowl of pasta on each plate, giving brief descriptions of the ingredients and cooking process
– it’s thick but sparse and light at the same time – there’s a bit of white wine in it…
– now this isn’t the hand-made stuff, if i had three hours i would have made it myself, but what you do with the packet stuff…
when everyone has their pasta, they continue to bring out bowls, plates and covered dishes of the things they have prepared
– now don’t wait – just go for whatever you feel like, there’s a bit more pasta if you want it
– this is different from the one you made in Boston isn’t it?
– yeah this time around i added a sprinkling of pine-nuts…
– my god this is fantastic – i’ve missed this
– how do you like it?
– um – it’s really great, thanks
– no problem – not bad for a couple of netheads ey
– no it’s really good
– somewhere in there’s some… yeah there – dishes of olive-oil and balsamic vinegar for the bread
– i should get the rest of that antipasto if anyone wants it…
to which several people simultaneously respond
– no no
– sit down and eat already, don’t worry about it, we’ll grab it later…
– i’ll go get it
– it isn’t that important
– no i want some for myself actually
– hey while you’re up i forgot water, i put some bottles in the fridge,
– the hyperplastic ones?
– yeah one-sec, i’ll grab them
– the rule is if you want it, just take it – you don’t have to try everything, so if you like one dish just go for it, don’t worry about us, no-one’s going to care if they miss out
– we’ll be doing the same thing so don’t think we’ll hold out for you
– sure, absolutely
– there’s juice in the fridge if you don’t want wine
– thank you
– so Riyadh, you guys have come from…
and it’s so normal
when first they’d met there seemed to be so much tension
slowly the children are drawn into this familial interaction
more and more they feel as though they’re talking to friends and relatives
friends is an interesting term, Melbourne thinks
she has never felt so friendly with anyone so quickly, not even when she first met Cardiff and Riyadh
whatever skills these people had, they extended beyond technology
– i mean, they’re all over the place, and you could probably run a good main-line hack from any one of them if you brought a little gear
– mm – we were there once for a Task, i have to admit there’s no other city quite like it
– that we’ve ever been to anyway
– true, though where haven’t we been that would have as many net-holes all over the inner-city?

Seoul smiles
it’s interesting to hear them all talk, but she’s growing slightly more quiet
the others are much better than her at keeping their thoughts from their present state
though she tries not to, Seoul finds herself devoting small amounts of attention to her concerns
Vitoria makes eye contact with her and minutely shifts her facial expression
Seoul smiles again at her, and Vitoria returns the smile
she’s worried, but she’s trying hard to enjoy the meal – Vitoria won’t press it
the food is delicious, and the table is alive with the dishes the two men have produced
once or twice in her professional life Vitoria had dined in expensive restaurants, but the atmosphere here tonight has never been matched
even the rain and the occasional low rumble of distant thunder seem to provide an almost mUsical counterpoint to the conversation and the clinking of cutlery on ceramic
she examines each person present constantly, taking in their every movement and gesture
their words, bodies and actions are familiar, but here and there she finds subtle changes in everyone
Seoul seems at times more confident, and at others more closed and self-conscious than she had been in the past
Moscow laughs with more genuine enthusiasm and joy
Durban clearly enjoys himself, though in some of his comments seems more terse
things have happened in his life, in all of their lives, that have changed them
Auckland and Cairo laugh and smile as much as the others, but aside from Seoul, are the most subdued
they had arrived with their hands clasped, and there seemed an ever so subtle change in their behaviour
their eyes lingered freely upon each-other, and they expressed open delight in the other’s comments
though they didn’t sit next to one-another, they seemed to touch in a very real yet non-physical way
it reminded her of Kyoto and Venice
her eyes water, but she blinks her tears away
– not tonight
Vitoria whispers to herself
– sorry?
– no no it’s alright – just talking to myself – go on…
– so all along the road they have these elms, and they look so strange because everything knows what elms look like
– i imagine growing them from seed in a sealed environment would make them more natural
– for sure, so these Spanish guys are really dedicated, it took them three generations before they’d take to the chemical levels of, you know, the air out here, so when people saw them for the first time, they couldn’t believe it

Moscow leans back in his chair for a moment and looks at the table
he and Durban have poured everything into this meal
all the feelings of separation and loneliness that have come to an abrupt end, albeit under slightly strained circumstances
their longing for this family has been replaced by enthusiasm
he finds himself wishing he could do this, that this was normal
that they could all eat together every night to make up for the years they’ve been apart
he wants to know everything about all of them, everything he hasn’t been able to share with them
tonight the reason for their reunion seems so far away
the wine is helping with that
Durban pours himself another glass of red
it was the best available, rare South Australian wine made from organic grapes
, a surprising find in a city like this
there were other good wines available, but it had been too long since he’d had it
money being no object, he still treated this wine as celebratory and for significant events
drinking it on his own had only ever left him feeling keen isolation
now though he is genuinely interested in everyone, speaking to them all equally including the children
in them he sees himself, as he knows the others do
Cairo and Auckland especially keep very subtle watch over them
making sure they are always included in conversation, letting them converse with each-other interrupted
they’re very tactful, and he suspects the children might not even be aware of the extent to which they’re being cared for
he remembers that care, how good it felt
everything about the evening is about happiness, and for once he doesn’t inhibit the feeling
he’d been alone enough, and in the half-hearted company of people who could never understand him
even if he is only given this one night,
it’s enough

– now do we want dessert now or you want to sit for a while?
– god no
– i’m stuffed
– because they’ll need twenty minutes in the oven is all
– yeah i’m full but i mean… dessert
– i’m up for it unless everyone else wants to wait
– wait wait
– alright
– ooah
if i eat anotherthing i’ll just die
– that’d be a good way to go
laughter
they sit around the table talking with their hands lingering by their glasses
empty dishes and plates, empty and half empty bottles

the sound of rain

– i’ve been getting into the Korean stuff actually, and there’s been a lot of great Chinese material out too
– i haven’t seen much of it
, except that one film ‘among the bowls’

– yeah that was one of the best ones to come out of China last year…
Durban and Moscow both lean back in their chairs
– job well done
– absolutely
– great to cook with you again Moscow
– same – we nailed it tonight i think
– yeah well done guys
– that was fantastic
– it was really good – thank you
– yeah thanks, it was great – unbelievable
– alright – we’d better load the dishwasher
– no we’ll do it
– sit down sit down
– yeah take it easy, you deserve a rest
– i think we just spent the last two hours resting
– enough – we’re doing it, relax
– i think i’ll retire to the – spacious lounge room Moscow – care to join me?
– lounge now is it? yeah sure – hey bring that bottle of wine
– wouldn’t dream of leaving it behind
– um, do you guys need a hand?
– they’ll be right, you guys can chill-out with us if you like
– or watch media or go to bed, but being one of us i don’t imagine you’d sleep early
it feels good
all three children feel a gentle sense of pride in that casual inclusion
– want some more wine?
– no i’m right
– i’ll have some
– me too
– hey i’m going to put the oven on so in about half-an-hour we’ll have coffee, don’t fill up
– we’ll be fine
the five of them space themselves out on the couches facing the kitchen
conversations continue between them all while the others sort out the dishes and clean the table
eventually they finish up and the whisper of the dishwasher joins the soft sound of the rain
– wine
– here
the others refill their glasses and sit down
they all face each-other across a low coffee table
– thank you Durban, Moscow,
Seoul says sincerely
– that was wonderful
– you’re very welcome
– i don’t think i’ve ever eaten so many exquisitely prepared things at once
Cairo adds
– well… except for the last time we had a small things menu
– but that was so long ago, and i really think you out-did yourselves this evening
– thank you Cairo
– to dinner
Durban says and raises his glass
– to dinner
they all respond, lifting their glasses