Chapter 7: SECOND STRIDE
I took the meat, placed it in a bowl, and washed it by the kitchen sink. Years in the military came in handy, as cooking became a norm. When I turned around, Conri was gone. I place the meat in the pan and put away the canned beans and rice in the cabinets. The fridge was filled with fresh vegetables and I guessed that he grew them in a garden nearby. After preparing the vegetables, the rice was simmering slowly in the cooker. As the meat simmered over the pan, I took out my phone, took a photo, and sent it to Zeeb’s phone.
"Fuck me! You found the cabin!!" He texted back.
"Of course. Your doubts were misplaced," I texted back.
"What about Conri?" He texted.
"Work in progress," I texted back.
I placed the phone on the kitchen counter and continued to cook. It was almost nine o’clock when I finished cooking and set the dinner on the small table that was in the living room. I placed cutlery and plates on the table before taking the trekking bag with me, I walked into his room to take a shower without a care in the world. Twenty minutes later, I was done, and I walked out of the bedroom to find Conri looking awkwardly at me.
"What is it?" I raised an eyebrow.
"Do you understand the word’ boundaries?" He demanded.
"I just took a shower. Don’t worry, I had all my toiletries necessary. I just used your water." I responded.
Sidestepping, he walked to sit at the small table and I followed suit. Dinner was quiet as Conri ignored me and ate his meal in silence. Once he was done, he stood up, cleared the table, and said, "Hurry up and finish eating."
His brutal manners were just a cover. I knew it, but it still annoyed me as I complied to his words. He washed all the dishes, and I walked through the glass back door and pushed the door open that led into the patio. It has one chair and a small table. The view was spectacular. The night sky was clear, and the ambiance gave a feeling of peace and tranquility while I sat down, closed my eyes in bliss.