8.

Dimitri drove into Ayesha's apartment complex on Saturday evening before calling her phone. He had been on his way to the cafe when he remembered that it was also the same route to her place. He didn't want to seem presumptuous but summed that it wouldn't be too strange for him to pick her up. At least that's what he told himself as he listened to the caller tune. 

"Hello?"

"Hi." He paused, wondering if she was even ready. He didn't want it to seem like she needed to hurry. "So, I am at your place."

"Hmm?" 

He heard metal clink and looked up at the building before realizing he couldn't make out which one was hers. 

"I wanted to pick you up since it was down the same road. I am at your place."

"You didn't have to."

"I know. Couldn't help myself."

"Give me five minutes and I'll be down."

"Sure. Take your time."

He glanced up at the building as the call dropped. He could go in, but he decided it was better to stay by his car, so he leaned against it and began scrolling the internet for some news to pass the time. There wasn't anything interesting to read, so he settled for the first article he saw and began reading. His eyes remained glued to the screen. It was easier to ignore the passing bodies that moved in and out of the apartment. Especially when he could feel their eyes on him. 

Thankfully, only a few people seemed to recognize who he was, and the attention he received wasn't as much as when he was younger. A few people her ran into after returning claimed his appearance had changed drastically. He didn't see it, but he was grateful they thought that way. It gave him privacy, and he needed a lot of it. One thing he wanted to avoid for as long as possible was being the centre of attention. So, it worked out for him that he was practically unrecognisable to most people.

When the little interest he garnered on the article faded, he sighed and tucked his phone away. He decided that he could spend the time in his own head, while he gazed at the sky. While he didn't want to think much of it, he wondered if he should have accepted Ayesha's offer to go out for a drink. He found her company pleasant enough, and enjoyed talking with her, but he couldn't deny that she was young. 

The town liked to gossip and though she didn't know who he was now, his name would pop up at some point. The worst thing he could think of was someone recognizing him and misreading their being out together. Gossip only needed one lose, ill intent lips to burn and he wasn't sure he wanted to deal with that. Hell, he definitely didn't want Ayesha dealing with that. She had a nice enough life. A simple one. Rumors would mess that up in more ways than one. 

Crap. Maybe he should have said no.

"Dimitri?" 

He turned his head to the left and spotted her waving at him from the entrance. She jogged towards him and came to a stop with a bright smile on her face. 

"Are you ready?"

"Yes. The cafe isn't too far from here. Do you want to take my car, or would you rather walk?"

He internally hoped she wouldn't pick the latter.

"Anyone you think is best."

"Come on then."

She nodded and got into the car, resting her jacket on her lap and setting her bag at her side. It was chilly enough, so he rolled the windows down low enough to allow some air in, while keeping them covered behind the tint. 

"How's pottery class going?"

"Still the same as last time we met, but I am getting better at it. Hopefully."

"Found any more classes?"

"Jewlery making." She replied with excitement. "I am not sure if I'd take it yet. I am weighing my options in terms of time and availability. As much as I want to learn new things, I don't want to stretch myself too thin."

"That sounds wise. Also, you don't have to fill your spare time with classes. You could do something recreational, like going to the pool or having a picnic once in a while. There are a few clubs here and there; you can get a membership."

"I don't think clubs are within my price range."

The club membership he had with his family was a high-end one. Dimitri couldn't remember any other good clubs with decent costs that were inclusive for all classes. He liked his club because they offered different things in one place. There was swimming, golf, tennis, and basketball, but it was rather pricey.

"I wouldn't know which club would fit your budget, but you can take some time to look into it. They are nice. At least from my point of view."

"Is that what you do to pass the time? Last time, you mentioned taking a break from work and doing other things."

"Yes. The club is a small part of that for me. But I will admit that I have not gone there since I returned. What I decided to do was take up hiking."

"Hiking?"

"The town has some good spots for that. It feels good being around nature, enjoying the scenery, basically just something to get my mind active, but it's also relaxing."

"And what was it you did before?"

"Before what?"

"Coming back. Your job."

"Agriculture." He turned and noticed her looking at him. She was giving him her full attention, listening raptly to his answers. "I run a few farms here and there."

"That's neat. Do you produce various products or just one?"

"Various. Some of my farms are set to produce only one crop, but most of them have different products growing on them."

"To be honest, of everything I thought you might work in agriculture was the farthest from my mind."

Dimitri laughed. "Why?"

"I don't know." She laughed along with him. "I don't know. It just never came to my mind. I see it though."

"Yeah?"

"Your hands are rough."

He turned his right palm up in reflex before setting it back down on the wheel. "Guilty. Once in a while I like to work the machines and tools instead of being cooped up behind papers." 

"What do you produce?"

"Rice, various vegetables like tomatoes, peppers, and the like."

"Do you use your own products?"

"Sometimes."

"Sometimes? How can you use them sometimes?"

"If you were in my position, would you use your products all the time?"

"Definitely. When I get better at throwing clay, you can bet every dollar you own on the fact that I am making my own utensils. I will make my cups, I will make the plates, bowls. Everything in my apartment will be something I made."

He pulled the car to a stop and shut it down before turning to her. "You don't think that will be a little... I don't know vain?"

"Absolutely not." She chuckled, grabbing her bag and jacket.

Dimitri noticed it was the same one she had on when they met. A smile played on his lips as he walked around the front of the car.

"Think of it as a fashion designer." He continued while they walked to the door. "Fashion designers wouldn't only wear their own designs." 

"Hmm, I guess you have a point, but I still don't think it's vain. I'll call it taking pride in my own work. You also know what you're putting in your body or I think you would. Do you know what is used in your farms?"

"Yes. I do. And I am very particular about them being legal, and healthy."

"Hey," She raised her hands. "I am not a cop."

That made him laugh. Ayesha thanked him when he held the door open, and they chose a seat by the window. With few people in for the evening, it didn't take long for a waiter to take their order. He settled for iced tea and some of their signature biscuits, stating that it was their best dish. Ayesha agreed to try the biscuits but opted for a fresh shake to go with them.

It was warmer inside the café, so Dimitri stripped out of his coat and laid it beside him as Ayesha did. The bright lights seemed to add extra value to Ayesha's brown hair. She had put them into braids for the night. Dimitri didn't know what the style was called. Her hair was parted in two, but instead of being braided to the tip, it was braided halfway. It left some curls to run down her back. It suited her.

"You said you used to come here often?"

"Yes. They have some good things on their menu. Do you have any other nice places that you frequent to eat?"

The waiter returned, and Ayesha dropped her hands from the table so he could set their orders down.

"As of now, no. Aside from a restaurant down the street, I haven't had time to check those places out."

She took a bite of the biscuits and a long drag from her shake. "Good?"

"Mouth-watering." She managed to reply before drinking up some more. "Okay, this is amazing. Ever tried making a shake by yourself before?" He shook his head, stirring his iced tea with a straw. "I have, and no matter how many recipes I try, can't get it to taste half as good as this."

He chuckled and took a bite of his own food. "I shy away from making my own drinks, shakes or otherwise."

"I need to get better. I like to make them at home. Especially when I want to bake some deserts."

"What kind of baked treats do you like?"

"Cookies." She replied almost immediately. "I love all and any type of cookies. Sugar, chocolate chip, gingerbread. You give it to me, and I'll eat it."

"Do you like cakes?"

"Depends on how it's made." She lowered her eyes to her glass, pushing the straw in and out of the shake. "If the cake is made with icing, the strong and well-frozen kind, I'll eat it. I am not into cakes that are too soft or mushy. I have a sweet tooth, so the icing must be extra sweet and firm for me to enjoy. I am also not into chocolate cakes."

"No," he dragged.

"Yeah."

"You were doing so well." He feigned disappointment.

She laughed, reaching across the table to slap his hand playfully. "Hey, I am not saying I don't like chocolate. I love chocolate drinks, chocolate bars, and cookies, but I just can't take chocolate cakes."

"You'd be the first person I have met who doesn't like chocolate cake."

"They are the only kind of cakes I can't stand. Any other cake is fine, as long as it's sweet."

He made a face, taking a long drag from his glass. "Chocolate cakes are the only cakes I like. Not much into icing. Even worse when they are too sweet."

"Really?"

"Not that much into sweet things. I indulge once in a while, but that's on rare occasions. I try to avoid sugars as much as I can."

She looked down at his drink. "Don't tell me that's..."

"It is," Dimitri confirmed. "Unsweetened." He took a long drag, and she groaned with amusement.

"You were doing so well."

He chuckled and took another long drag of his drink. Ayesha scrunched her nose at him again before doing the same.