by Max Hudson
“I-I… I see.” Charles finally sighed out, more embarrassed by himself now that he had fully realized how he appeared to the other man. Was this really the cool, calm, and collected businessman that had walked off the plane in a hurry only two days ago? This atmosphere and mood were totally new to Charles. How long had it been since he had felt this relaxed in any place, even his own home?
“I think the rain has begun to calm down. That’s good! At least my plants outside will be able to breathe now.” Henrik cheerfully exclaimed as if nothing had happened, putting both hands down on the table as he pushed himself up from his seat. “Let me go fix you up something very quickly. I don’t want you to leave my store empty-handed, and don’t try to convince me otherwise. Like I said before, it’s my treat!”
Henrik retreated back behind the counter and into the kitchen where Charles presumed pre-made items were sitting in a refrigerator or cooler of sorts. Shaking himself off, Charles also got up, carrying his plate and utensils to a small area of the bakery where dirty dishes and similar things of that sort went. To be honest, Charles was almost upset that the rain had stopped. The atmosphere of the bakery was cozy and Charles definitely would not have minded spending an extra few minutes in the store.
Still, there was work to be done, and Charles had already begun to get sidetracked. He had come to Switzerland for an important business meeting, not to flirt with a random man he had met only a handful of hours prior.
Taking one last good look at the bakery, Charles waited until Henrik emerged from the backroom with a moderately sized box of sweets in one of his hands. The box was tied neatly together with a red ribbon, the name of the bakery written across the strip of fabric. When Charles was handed the box, he noticed that underneath the top of the box was a slip of paper. When he looked back up at Henrik, all the Swiss man did was place a finger against his lips as if to silence whatever Charles was going to ask. With one more wink, Henrik gestured toward the door.
“You must still be busy, right? I hope this didn’t detract from any important time you may have needed.”
Charles shook his head. Damn, they were both being too polite for their own good.
“It’s fine. Thank you for the items, seriously. It feels very wrong of me to be undervaluing your craft like this.”
“I keep telling you, it’s all right! I have more than enough money to make up for a few slices of cake. Just promise me you’ll remember to visit soon, all right?” Henrik watched as Charles made his way toward the door, calling out the last part of his statement just before Charles exited onto the street. Charles looked back over his shoulder and smiled. Of course he would.
Finding the hotel umbrella he had brought with him, Charles used his free hand to hold it open. As quickly as he had taken the slice of free cake, Charles was now on the open streets of downtown Zurich.
Henrik crossed his arms once more as he watched Charles leave the bakery. Oddly, Henrik felt as if this would not be the last time they met. Only time would tell.
Chapter Three
The projector lights were bothering Charles. That wasn’t to say that it was bothering him to the point of madness, but it sure as hell was a pain to deal with. As Charles continued to list off pre-rehearsed lines that he had dutifully memorized the night before in his bedroom, he began to grow impatient with the board members that sat in front of him. The members were all aged men, long past the age of being able to make sound decisions for the company. In Charles’ mind, there was absolutely no reason for them to still be on the board.
Finishing up his closing statement, Charles gave way to a quick sigh. Finally, that was done. As the entire room was engulfed with a flurry of polite applause, Charles straightened his suit and made his way back to his seat. There was no doubt that board members would now be clamoring over him with questions, and more likely, praise. For Charles to hold such a high position at his age was a rare feat, something the board members would likely want to exploit. Perhaps Charles had gotten ahead of himself, the presentation truly wasn’t over yet.
“Well, that was simply marvelous, Charlie. I think that was as expected, coming from someone with your caliber and skill. It is no wonder that you oversee so much of the company.” Charles grimaced slightly. It somehow felt wrong hearing those he was not close to call him by his first name, even more so his nickname.
“I think you’re exaggerating a bit, Mr. President.” Charles flashed his best business smile, placing a hand over the older man’s wrist. “I simply work hard. I think we all share the same passion for work, so you can understand that, right? I enjoy life, and I’m sure that is undoubtedly reflected in the things I do.”
The man nodded. “Of course, of course. You seem so much wiser than you appear, Charlie. If only my grandson had your work ethic.” The president of the board laughed at his own little joke and turned his attention back to the meeting room. “Will you be staying for dinner? I know you said that you had family matters to attend to, but you are always welcome to go back on your decision.”
Internally, Charles chuckled to himself. Eat with the board? Not in his wildest dreams. Although he would have preferred to meet with Andrea at another time, meeting with her seemed a far better option than having to pretend as if he actually cared for the rest of the board members.
“I’m quite sorry. This really is an urgent family matter, so I will have to decline. Thank you, however, for the offer. It’s very appreciated.” With that, Charles got up from his seat and headed toward the door. Thank God, that was finally over.
***
Charles sat in front of a local coffee shop a little way’s outside of his hotel. It had not been his original plan to meet up with Andrea at the coffee shop, but she had insisted after a long scolding over the phone. While Charles had been busy working on a business plan for the presentation, Andrea had called him in the middle of the night. Since Charles had forgotten to meet up with her a week ago (thanks to Henrik, of course), it was only natural that she had called him to express her frustration. Charles could only laugh dryly, continuing to make notes while his phone volume blasted in the background.
“So, how have you been! I don’t think I have asked you formally yet. Tell me about your mom, how is she?” Andrea ripped open a few packets of powdered creamer, mixing it into her iced coffee with a quick stir of her straw. It seemed as if she had dressed for the occasion, leaving her plain working clothes in favor of a nice dress and a swipe of nude lipstick.
Charles sighed, his right cheek resting in his palm.
“Well, she’s still in Louisiana caring for my grandparents. It took a while though- they still haven’t accepted that she married a white man…” Charles laughed to himself. It was no secret within his family that it had been a struggle for both his parents to marry. While his mother was a traditional Southern woman, his father had come from a well-known family back in Brooklyn. Both their parents had objected to their marriage at first. Only a few of their opinions had been swayed when Charles was born.
“Sorry to hear that. I would have thought that things would be better now.” Andrea sighed into her coffee, taking a quick sip before deciding it still wasn’t sweet enough for her liking. “But I’m sure your grandparents like you, right? I remember your father would always brag how you were the star child at school, hah. You always seemed so embarrassed when you were younger.”
Charles snorted. “And you wouldn’t? He always makes it seem like bragging about me is his only personality trait. I’m grateful for the resources he has handed down to me but… He just doesn’t know when to call it quits. Glad the old man has retired- he’s worked enough in his life.”
A waiter quickly came by their table, interrupting the flow of the conversation. After ordering a quick dinner meal, the two resumed their conversation.
“Enough about family. Let’s be honest, it makes everyone uncomfortable. How has Switzerland been treating you? I can’t even imagine what you were doing last week. You’re always punctual,
seriously, did I miss something?” Andrea pointed out after the waiter had left, sticking an accusatory thumb in Charles’ direction. Her eyes seemed to narrow down on him as if she were scanning him for any lies. Andrea was like the older sister that Charles never had the luxury of experiencing. In a way, he felt both relieved and exhausted by her presence.
“Not sure what you mean,” Charles took a small sip of the iced tea in front of him, relishing the cold sensation as the flavor of green tea coated his tongue. “I wasn’t doing anything. It was raining after all. What could I have been doing?”
This answer didn’t seem to satisfy Andrea. Placing a hand upon her forehead in fake anguish, she sighed.
“I can tell you’re lying, you know. It’s all right to tell me. Besides, I’m sure most of the people here can’t understand our conversation. It’s not every day you need to use your foreign language skills to understand two native English speakers here. So maybe tell me? Pretty please?”
Andrea clasped her hands together as if that would help pry the truth from Charles. Shaking his head, Charles could only shrug his shoulders back. If Andrea really wanted to know the truth, then she would have to work harder for it.
“You know… I’m not sure if I can remember. Though,” Charles snapped his fingers as if he had suddenly remembered an important detail of his time last week. “I think there may be something to help me jog my memory… Perhaps, something tangible? Edible?”
Raising an eyebrow at his cousin, Charles watched to see if Andrea took the bait. Although they had already ordered dinner, there had been no comments made about the possibility of dessert.
Andrea leaned back into her chair and snorted. “Really? We’re doing this now?” Still, the curiosity had not yet left her eyes, and so Andrea sat in her chair, weighing the risks and benefits of the bribery material.
Finally, Andrea straightened her back and uncrossed her arms.
“What do you want? Pick something out before I change my mind. You know, we could have just gone to my workplace and gotten something sweet there.”
“It’s not the same, I’d feel weird eating something you made.”
Andrea paused for a second, tapping her foot impatiently on the concrete floor.
“Why do I feel as if that is just an excuse to not eat the food I made?” The woman in front of Charles shook her head but still had a smile on her face. It felt nice to go back to old times. Once a waiter came back with their food, Andrea quickly ordered a plate of chocolate cake from the menu. This would be enough to satisfy Charles, right?
“Okay, it’s done. Now you’re obligated to tell me what happened last week.” With a smug expression, Andrea knew she had won this round. Scoffing to himself, Charles had no choice but to really tell the truth. He wasn’t necessarily reluctant to tell her the full details but found it more of a chore than anything to recount what had happened only a few days ago. If only there was a way to do so without having to expend the energy of actually verbally telling her.
“You know, it’s really nothing special. After I left the restaurant, I ended up entering a small alleyway. I met this man- he’s actually a restaurateur, like you. Well, it’s really a bakery. But I’m sure there are so many bakeries here in Zurich that you wouldn’t know which one.”
Andrea made a noise as if she were offended by this sudden accusation. “Excuse me? You say this as if I have not lived here my entire life. Unlike you Americans,” Andrea put an over exaggerated emphasis on the latter word, “I have actually formed close bonds with my neighbors.” Patting her own chest, Andrea looked quite proud of herself. Charles could not help but chuckle.
“Ah, forgive me then. I totally dismissed how foolish we Americans are.” Charles rolled his eyes.
“Enough avoiding the topic, though.” Andrea’s attention quickly switched back to the events that had transpired the week before. “So, was he cute? Let’s be honest, this is the only reason you’re here, isn’t it? There’s no way you could have kept this info from me if he weren’t actually cute. I know your type.” Andrea laughed triumphantly to herself, taking another swig of her iced coffee. It was in times like these that Charles wished the woman would tone down her intensity in the slightest bit.
The man sighed.
“Does it matter? It really was nothing special…” Despite his initial aloofness, Charles had begun to feel self-conscious. The man didn’t think he had the self-control to keep himself from spilling any more details, especially if Andrea asked him even more questions.
“Well, regardless, you should tell me his name, if not, the bakery’s name. I may know him. I’ll set you up, really.” Although Charles (understandably) doubted Andrea’s words, there didn’t seem to be any malicious intent behind them. Charles knew that he could trust his cousin despite the playful banter that they often conversed with. Taking a deep breath, Charles relaxed his shoulders. When had they become so tense?
“His name is Henrik, Henrik Wagner. Like I said, I don’t expect you to know him or anything-”
“Oh! Henrik, of course! Please Charlie, everyone here knows who Henrik is. Like me, he has spent his entire life here. It would be a crime to live here so long and not know his name or the name of his bakery. Did you happen to catch the name of it? It’s called ‘der Naschkatze’, which I suppose would translate to ‘sweet tooth’ in English.”
As Andrea began to muse to herself about the sweets that one could purchase from the bakery, Charles began to fidget in his seat. Was Henrik really that well known? Sure, he had greeted a few people on the streets as if he were a well-liked figure, but when they had talked, it didn’t seem as if Henrik was that popular of a man. It wasn’t as if Charles minded, but it bothered him that he hadn’t noticed when they had first met.
“I don’t think I have ever talked personally with Henrik, though. I am sure he knows of my existence, but we have never had the opportunity for a one-on-one conversation. I could still try to find a way for you to meet up if you’d like-”
“It’s fine. Like I said, I don’t think it’s too important. I’m here for a business trip, after all. I didn’t come here looking for something to fill the gaping hole that is my love life…” Charles chuckled at his own self-deprecating comment, leaning back into his chair as he crossed his legs together.
Andrea feigned apathy, once again going back to stir her iced coffee that was almost depleted.
“You sure? I definitely could arrange something if you really wanted me to. I’m good with these types of things, you know?”
Charles dismissed her comment with a wave of his hand. It was probably for the best if he forgot about Henrik, anyways. There were still a few days left of business planning to be done, and the rest of the month was still up in the air. For all Charles knew, his company could still force him to stay in Switzerland for the duration of the next month too. Although Charles had initially wished that that would not be the case, he soon found himself hoping more and more that his days would be extended.
“I’m fine. Expend your energy elsewhere, could you? Like, for instance…” Charles watched as a waiter came over and placed a piece of dark chocolate cake in front of him. “Actually perfecting your chocolate cake recipe. Yours tastes like shit.”
Charles chuckled through mouthfuls of cake, watching as Andrea’s face reddened from embarrassment.
“Really! You’re the worst, Charlie.” Andrea placed both hands on her hips and huffed. Oh, how Charles had missed times like these. He hoped that his time in Switzerland wouldn’t end as quickly as it had started.
Chapter Four
Another week came and went. Although his trip had gotten off to a rough start, Charles found himself enjoying Switzerland’s scenery more and more. Even as he walked the streets occasionally after work, Charles had started to brush up on his German. It was a wonder what a few days of immersion could do for someone who had not used the language in years.
On this particular day, Charles had finished his work early and found himse
lf walking the same main street where all the shops seemed to be. More occupied with his work, there didn’t seem to be any time for Charles to actively go out of his way and find Henrik’s bakery. Still, the man lingered in his thoughts whether Charles liked it or not.
Charles found himself walking toward the city square. As the weather was fair and it was a weekend, not only tourists but families and their children were out and about, crowding busy shops or taking interest in other vendors outside of store fronts. With the sun beating down brightly, the front of Charles’ vision was quickly blocked. Holding up a hand against the sky, Charles trudged forward, occasionally becoming distracted by a persuasive vendor that enticed him with free samples or a nice compliment.
Carrying on with his walking, Charles put his hand down after a few seconds had passed. The action had grown cumbersome and Charles was sure he could bear the few more seconds he had in the sun. As he continued however, it became evident that the sun was becoming more and more of a problem. When had such a thing become so annoying for him? Before Charles could comment any more on the detail, he had suddenly bumped into another person, subsequently knocking down a few items from their arms.
“I’m sorry-” Charles quickly said in his practiced German, bending down to help the person with their dropped items. “Are you all right?”
Thankfully, not many people had stopped to help the two. Although he was appreciative of the extra help, Charles usually preferred to help himself. It only became more embarrassing if someone else had to step in and also assist him.
“I’m all right, I’m all right.” The voice replied in German, a hand quickly rummaging around the ground as if looking for their lost possessions. “Wait a minute, do I…” The voice trailed off and for the first time, Charles looked at who he was talking with. As if the day could not have gotten any worse, Charles felt all the blood in his face suddenly drained. Digging his nails into his palm, Charles sucked in a breath. It was Henrik.
