Begin Again: Chapter 13

Have you forgotten me? Or are you still waiting for me? 

Francesca’s words echo in Portia’s mind while she’s sitting in front of her oven that night. To be honest, she didn’t know what to say when the question was imposed upon her. She was saved from the confusing situation because right after Francesca said that, the cab driver suddenly blared the horn and slammed the brake so suddenly that both of the passengers were almost thrown from their seat. The driver opened the window and started to yell out every curse words imaginable, partly in Spanish. 

Satisfied with his curses, the driver closed the window and started to drive again as if nothing had happened. He didn’t even bother to ask if the passengers were okay. 

Welcome to New York City. 

Portia and Francesca enjoyed their lunch afterwards in a Mexican restaurant on Ninth Avenue. They talked about what they have been up to for the last 4 years, they laughed and they joked. However, neither Portia nor Francesca ever mentioned the question that had been asked in the cab before. 

Ping! 

Portia blinks, stares at the oven in confusion, then realizes that it was her phone that produced the sound. A text message. She fishes out her phone from the pocket of the apron she's wearing. The name that shows up got her opening the message in the speed of light. 

Thank you for the tartlets. Sorry I’m not here when you came. 

Portia winced. Seems like the manager had waved away Portia’s words and ended up telling Ellen about her quick visit. 

I hope the poor man is okay, Portia types her reply. 

Suddenly Portia’s phone goes off and Ellen’s name shows up again on the screen. 

“Hello?” Portia says with her phone on her right ear. 

“It’s nothing too serious, thank god,” Ellen says on the other end, continuing their conversation. “He’ll be alright and will be able to get back to work in a few days.” 

Ellen sounds a little tired, but her voice is still as light and relaxed as usual. It’s completely different from yesterday night. Secretly, Portia sighs in relief and smiles. It appears that Ellen is no longer mad at her. “Yeah, thank god,” she mumbles. 

“Oh, you need to know what your tartlets have caused here. It’s started a havoc! Everybody wants to have one. Even my best pâtissier now claims himself as one of your biggest fans,” Ellen goes on. 

Portia raises her eyebrows. “Are you complimenting me?”

“Duh,” Ellen spits out. “My god, what’s not obvious about my words? Or are you the type of person who likes to fish out more compliments?” 

Portia shuts her eyes and sighs, “I hate you.” 

“No, you don’t,” Ellen replies calmly. Portia can almost see Ellen’s smile when she’s saying it. “Anyway, I have to go back to the kitchen now. What are you up to tonight?” 

Those seemingly irrelevant sentences make Portia squints her eyes in suspicion. She hesitates for a while before answering, “Nothing special. My oldest brother has finally come back from his honeymoon trip and we’re gonna have a family dinner at my mom’s place.” 

“Sounds fun,” Ellen says. “Alright. I’ll call you again later.” 

“Why?” 

“Why not?” 

“I really don’t understand you.” 

“I’ll be glad to give you the chance to know me better.” 

“I don’t… Oh, whatever.”

Ellen laughs amusedly. “Okay. I really have to go now.” 

“Then go.” 

“Oh, and one more thing,” Ellen says quickly. “Empty your schedule this weekend. My mom wants to invite your family to dinner at the Ramses.” 

“Wha—“

“Bye!” And the woman hangs up. 

Portia can do nothing but stares blankly at her phone for a minute before chuckling to herself and puts the phone back inside the pocket. She takes a deep breath and blows it out slowly. After talking to Ellen, her chest feels lighter somehow. 

Remembering something out of the blue, Portia pulls her hand from the warm pocket and looks down to the ring that’s crowning her ring finger. She almost forgets about this ring. She has to give it back to Ellen as soon as possible. Portia makes her way towards the kitchen sink and starts to rub her hand with soap. A couple seconds afterwards the ring easily comes off.

Now what?

Recalling that the ring is one of Ellen’s greatest treasures, Portia surely has to keep it somewhere safe. She looks around. Since she could only give the ring back once she sees Ellen again, she can’t just put the ring somewhere in the shop or in her apartment. It’s not safe and it’s not practical. Storing the ring in a pocket doesn’t feel safe either. Even her purse doesn’t feel safe to her, because Portia, as many other girls, likes to change the purse day to day. The safest place to ‘keep’ it is surely on Portia’s fingers, but Portia can’t possibly put the ring back on. 

Portia bites her lip and thinks. Oh, wait a minute… Portia’s left hand mechanically rises to her neck, touching the silver necklace she’s wearing. The necklace with the fleur-de-lis pendant was a gift from her brothers on her sixteenth birthday, and she treasures it more than anything else. 

Portia unhooks the necklace and slides the ring in. She watches as the ring slides down and makes a soft ding sound when it hits the pendant. She puts the necklace back around her neck and touches both the pendant and the ring that’s now hanging from her neck with the tip of her fingers.

Perfect, she thinks to herself. This way, she knows that the ring is safe with her and that she can give it back to Ellen whenever she sees that woman again. 

Portia’s still staring at the faint reflection of herself on the oven glass when Kali appears on the door and says, “Boss, someone’s here for you again.” 

************

“Hi, still remember me?” 

For a moment Portia doesn’t recognize the pretty face in front of her. She stares at her tall figure; red-head, green eyes, beautiful smile. The next second Portia finally remembers where she had seen this woman before. At the art exhibition she had attended with Nic a few days ago. Portia had stumbled upon Ellen and this woman there. “Ah, yes, of course I do,” Portia says in a friendly manner though she doesn’t remember her name. “How are you?” 

The gorgeous woman’s smile widens and her beautiful green eyes sparkle delightedly. “I’m very well,” she says. She then points at another woman with short black hair à la Liza Minnelli who’s talking to Kali and continues, “I’m here with a friend of mine. Since Ellen told me that you’re the owner of A Piece of Cake, I thought it’s about time I tried your tartlets.” 

The Liza Minnelli woman smiles at Portia and says, “Actually, Audrey also wants to know if you also make wedding cakes.”

Oh, right. Audrey. Her name’s Audrey. 

“Shut up, Karen,” Audrey says although the smile is still on her lips. 

“Oh, are you getting married? Congratulations!” Portia says. “When?”

Audrey waves her hand and shakes her head. “No. Don’t listen to her.”

“Soon after Ellen DeGeneres musters enough courage to actually propose to her,” Karen says, answering Portia’s question nevertheless. 

Portia raises her eyebrows. From the corner of her eye, she notices Kali’s head turns to her so quickly she wonders if Kali was actually an owl. 

“Karen, babe, Portia is Ellen’s best friend. So please don’t embarrass me in front of her,” Audrey says. 

Karen walks up towards them and says to Portia, “Her best friend? Why, that’s perfect. So perhaps you can ask Ellen why she’s been making my friend here waiting for so long.” 

Oh, no, no, no, Portia panics inwardly. She doesn’t want to get mixed up in this. Ellen’s business is Ellen’s business, not hers. “Uh… we’re not best friends,” Portia finally says quietly, staring at the two women in front of her. 

“Oh?” Audrey looks a little perplexed. “But Ellen said you guys have already known each other since high school?” 

Portia stiffens when she’s reminded about the high school life she’s always been trying to forget. She clears her throat and asks Audrey, “And she said we were best friends?” 

Audrey ponders for a while. “I suppose so,” she says, shrugging. 

“Well, we’re not,” Portia says curtly. “So I can’t help you.” 

Audrey and Karen exchanges a glance, then Audrey stares at Portia again with her green eyes. “Oh,” she mumbles. 

Late to realize that perhaps she was snapping, Portia adds lightly, “Yeah, I’m sorry.” 

“Oh, it’s okay, it’s okay,” Audrey quickly says. Her perfect smile is back on her lips again. “Karen was just being silly. Don’t even think about it. Right, Karen?” 

Karen rolls her eyes and says nonchalantly, “Whatever you say.” And then she goes back to Kali and continues picking the cakes she’s interested in. 

Audrey smiles apologetically to Portia. But when her gaze catches Portia’s chest, her smile fades away. Portia looks down, following Audrey’s gaze. What is it? There aren't any kind of weird stains on her shirt or her apron. 

“Alright, then,” Audrey says suddenly. Once again, her bright smile is there. “Since this would be my very first tartlet experience, I guess you should help me to pick some of the best. What do you think?” 

**************

10 minutes later, right after Audrey and her friend finally stepped out of the shop, Kali runs towards Portia and asks quietly, “Boss, what was that supposed to mean?” 

“Hm?” Portia chooses to play dumb and busies herself with the empty trays. 

“She said she’s waiting for your fiancée to propose to her.” 

Portia sighs and wipes her forehead tiredly. “Ellen DeGeneres is not my fiancée, Kali.” 

Kali scrunches her nose and clicks her tongue regretfully. “Well, yeah, seeing that you have taken the ring off and wears it as a necklace instead, I guess she’s not your fiancée anymore.” 

Portia’s hand flies up to her chest, touching Ellen’s ring that’s hanging on her necklace, then slips the necklace to underneath her shirt. 

“I don’t blame you, Boss, if you want to break the engagement,” Kali continues while grabbing the wet cloth and starts to clean up the empty tray that Portia has just stacked up. “Ellen must’ve done something that makes that woman think she’s gonna get herself proposed by her. An eloquent woman like Ellen must’ve played lots of women. I guess it’d be better if….”

Kali keeps on talking, but Portia doesn’t hear the rest of what she’s saying. She stops when something comes to her mind. Did Audrey also see the necklace and recognize Ellen’s ring on it?