#Leonie is a woman in her 40s, she could be your neighbor. After her divorce, she builds her new life. With neighbor Mandy she has dinner appointments of the good kind: Mandy cooks! Love also comes around the corner, with all the consequences that entails.

The next morning at half past ten Leonie's bell rang. She was still in bed. It had become late the previous night. It took her a while to realize it was her doorbell. Quickly she put on her dressing gown and walked to the door. At the door was Mandy, with a wrapped present in her hand. Gold with pink and lots of ribbons. Mandy saw Leonie looking at the gift. “For you,” she said softly. “I had already bought it, in duty-free, when I understood it was your birthday. Am I not too early, by the way? I wanted to come at eight o'clock this morning, I couldn't wait anymore, but... were you still asleep?” Mandy was now silent and looked at Leonie expectedly. He laughed, the tension was gone immediately. “Eh.. I slept, yes, but it doesn't matter. Do you want coffee?” “Gladly,” said Mandy. She went after Leonie to the kitchen.

Mandy put forward the gift. “For you, unpack!” She said. Leonie took it smiling and began to untangle the tangle of ribbons. It was a bottle of perfume. Leonie took the cap off to smell it. It smelled delicious! Sweet, but not too sweet, light and floral. It wasn't the perfume that Mandy always had. This was even better if possible! “Oh, how delicious! Thank you!” exclaimed Leonie. She looked at Mandy and doubted for a moment. “I'm just gonna give you a kiss,” said Mandy who also felt the doubt. “A kiss is not a marriage proposal after all!” She wrapped her arm around Leonie and kissed her on her cheek. “Congratulations, sweetheart,” she whispered in Leonie's ear. The sweet scent of Mandy, her itchy hair and her soft voice, Leonie wished she could stay in that moment forever. “Thank you,” she said and looked at Mandy. “Coffee now?”

A little later they sat at the dining table with a cup of coffee. “You don't see me at my best,” said Leonie, who suddenly realized that she was just coming out of her bed, her hair in all directions and dressed in her yoga pants and dressing gown. Mandy grinned. “You are always beautiful, I would like to see you like this much more often.” Leonie had to blush. Mandy was watching Leonie holding her coffee mug with two hands. “Sorry, I shouldn't say that kind of thing to you.”


Loading full article...