MARRIED TO THE WRONG PERSON

SIN

Ace arrived bright red early. Minna was in her room changing, having decided she didn't like what she had on.

Michelle let Ace in

Ace wore a short black pants, a orange T. shirt and the same sneakers. he was cute as the home made butter - pecan ice cream, her aunt used to make when she was a kid.

You look terrific "Michelle said, gesturing for him to come in.

Thank you Michelle" and you too you look good, he paused to inspect her cheek.

she smelled like coffee. it made his mouth water.

let me help you with the luggages, Michelle said

Thanks Michelle

And by the way, where is sister in law

she is in her room changing, she will be here very soon.

okay

Are you coming to your room? or you will stay here to wait for her? Michelle asked

I will stay here and wait for her

okay, I should take your luggages to your room.

okay, thanks.

Oh you're here! Ace! Good. Nice to see you

Good morning Mrs Pedro

he stand up to inspect her cheek.

stop it Ace, I don't like when you called me me Mrs Pedro, it makes me looks older than my age.

But you are married, I can't call you by your name, it looks disrespectful, or should I call you sister in law, that will be okay by you right?

Call me Minna, that's what I want you to call me and don't forget we are both age mate Ace.

I know, but still it doesn't look appropriate for me calling a married woman by her first name.

Am not complaining Ace, that's what I want you to call me.

okay Mi.... Minna, he said Stammering

Better, I said smiling at him

So, what's up, it had been a long while you came to visit us, I said smiling

Am good but you've never called mom for the past two months now, she said I should complain to you about it.

Am so sorry, she would've to forgive me, am so busy with work, you know as a model, I travel a lot for shoot, you are so lucky you met me at home, I just have to take a break because of the stress.

Wow!!! he said staring at me

why are you looking at me like that? I said shyly

you look superb!! I mean you look beautiful.

Really?

yeah

Thanks Ace!! I said blushing

Am so hungry? Ace said

okay, I will tell Michelle to prepare you something to eat

okay, but you gonna cook dinner for me me, I haven't tasted your food before and I will like to taste it this evening, promise

okay Ace, your wish is my command, I said smiling, but deep down I was nervous, because I haven't cooked before, I.e I don't know how to cook.

Michelle, I shouted

yes ma'am, I will be there in a minute

Michelle can you prepare something for ace.

what do you want to eat

Anytime Available to eat, Ace said

okay, Go prepare something for him

okay mrs p. but what do you like to eat ma'am

Am watching my weight, so I will be skipping breakfast today

okay ma'am.

ma'am, Michelle said

what again?

I will be going for a seminar today, I will be coming home tomorrow morning, so should I prepare the dinner now?

Don't worry, Michelle

Ace said I should cook dinner for him today, so you can go.

Thanks, Mrs p. Michelle said as she looks surprised, because she haven't seen me cook before and she knows I does not know how to cook.

( IN THE EVENING) DINNER)

Minna stood in the middle of her big kitchen and closed her eyes, groaning aloud. Here it was almost seven on Saturday night, she was nowhere near ready. she didn't know what she could've been thinking when she accepted Ace offer. Especially a dinner she'd made herself.

she didn't cook. she'd never cooked an entire meal in her life- at least, not one people could actually eat.

when she said so blithely said Ace would not taste any other food until he'd taste one of her dinners, she'd been challenging the fates.

Opening her eyes, she regarded her nomally spotless kitchen and wanted to keep.

Sauces- she'd supposed a recipe.

she could make a decent sauce, not this foul- smelling stuff burned to the bottom of her brand- new sauce pan.

But the only reason she'd ever used her stove before was to light candles when she couldn't find matches.

well, that was a slight exaggeration; she'd boiled water and heated canned soup. All her other meals were delivered or came in a package she warmed up in her microwave and that's when Michelle is not around or she travelled.

she checked her watch and groaned again. Ace would arrive soon, and she didn't know what to do.

Ace went to see his friends.

The sirloin-tip roast and sounded so easy. The butcher had been kind enough to give her detailed directions- a little salt, a dash of pepper, rub it with a garlic clove, then slap it in the oven. The same with the woman at the market where she'd picked up the fresh asparagus. A little water, she'd said, and a punch of salt. why, even a child cook asparagus. she'd really wanted to dazzle Ace with that sauce.

The mashed potatoes were.... disgusting. she'd wanted to be perfect for Ace, so she'd peeled, boiled and mashed the real thing. Her mistake had come when she'd put in too much milk. Then, in desperation, she'd attempted to fix her mistake by adding instant potato flakes. Now the whole sorry mess looked as if it would be better used as wallpaper paste.

As for gravy, her's resembled a watered down drink from the some sleazy bar. Not a thick rich sauce redolent of an expensive cut of meat.

The one bright spot was dessert. she'd been smart enough to pick up a strawberry torte at the bakery. it sat safe and protected on the bottom shelf of her refrigerator.

Her table, set with china and Crystal, looked elegant, Minna willingly admitted, she'd bought a book that showed how to fold linen napkins and spent a good hour learning how to fold linen napkins and spent spent a good hour learning how to turn each one into a bird. They sat, poised for flight, on her china plates.

Minna barely had time to change out of her jeans and into slacks and a silk blouse when the doorbell chimed. she sli

pped her feet into shoes and looped gold earrings into her earlobes as she hurried to the front door.