#Leonie is a woman over 40, 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 this entails.
“I don't know what to say”, stammered Leonie hoser. Mandy shrugged her and grabbed her hand. “You don't have to say anything, I'm sorry, but I have to go, I can't help.” “But how am I supposed to go on? Will I still see you? When are you going? How...” The words lingered in the air. “No, you don't see me anymore. I'm going to see Elis tomorrow, maybe tonight. The apartment will be sold, my furniture will be picked up. I don't come here anymore.” Mandy looked at her tight, she had rediscovered herself and almost came across cold. Leonie, on the other hand, was upset and couldn't stop crying. “But, is it just me?” begged Leonie. Mandy shook her head. “No, I just explained to you, it has nothing to do with you. Come on, Leonie, drink some water. You're strong, you'll get over it, you can.” She gave Leonie the glass of water. Leonie almost automatically grabbed Mandy's glass. She took a small sip and then put the glass back on the table. She looked at Mandy through her tears. She felt empty. She had nothing more to ask. It was obvious. Mandy was going to leave. Without her. To start a new life with Elis in France.
“The flammkuchen is ready, I'll get it.” Mandy got up and disappeared into the kitchen. Leonie was in conflict. She preferred to get up now to grab Mandy and make her reason. But it didn't make sense, she knew. Mandy put a sign in front of her, and Leonie looked at it. She had no appetite, she already almost got vomiting tendencies from the smell. She wanted to get up to walk out the door, away from this place and hide under her duvet. On the other hand, she wanted to stay in this chair. With Mandy, while you still could. Because she knew if she walked out the door, she'd never see Mandy again. So she stayed seated. She started cutting some in the flammkuchen, little squares she put in her mouth. Endless shoved them back and forth in her mouth and occasionally swallowed a piece. Mandy sat on the other side of the table quietly eating, while occasionally taking a look at Leonie as unobtrusively as possible.
After ten minutes, Leonie gave up. She didn't get a bite down her throat and there was no point in stretching this evening endlessly, if Mandy disappeared then she would. She put down her cutlery and pushed her plate a piece forward. “I'm going home,” she said without looking at Mandy. Mandy nodded. She got up and doubted if she'd give Leonie a hug. She didn't do it. When Leonie walked past her, she put her hand on her back for encouragement. She knew very well that she couldn't comfort Leonie right now. Leonie walked down the hall to the front door. When she opened it up and stepped out, she turned around and looked at Mandy. “Bye dear,” said Mandy sadly and tried to smile. Leonie didn't say anything, just looked at her for a few seconds, and then shut the front door behind him.
