Frosty Lasagna

(Contains mild sexual description of a fantasy base which may trigger some)

Frosty Lasagna

The lasagne slowly slides down my fork onto the plate with a loud slap. Everyone is now looking at me with eager expectation in their eyes. What other answer could I possibly give but “yes, yes of course I’d be honoured to cater your wedding”

Although I am mortified and broken over what I have recently discovered. I am also happy to have found my mystery customer khiadra.

“Ah brilliant thankyou thankyou” shouts the blond waitress, as she practically runs across from the other side of the table and embraces us all one by one in a big hug. “I knew she would convince you” she smiles “there is no one as convincing as my rare and beautiful frosty Khi” she places her hand on Khione’s shoulder with a little squeeze looking down at her lovingly. 

At the same time Khione, leans towards me and flashes those icy blue eyes up at me. Glistening like a thousand diamonds, through her dark feathered lace like lashes. I could not agree more. 

I smile and think to myself ‘I don’t think anyone in this world could resist Khione frost and her mesmerising eyes’ what Khione wants Khione gets.

“Alessandra, I presume, I’m Marco Rossi, From Rossi’s Italian Bistro” I say as I offer her my hand in a gesture to shake on the deal. She takes it joyously and I feel my mind drift back to seven months ago. 

At that time I was head chef Marco Rossi at my fathers Bistro, made famous by my specialty ‘Rossi lasagna al forno’. We had a customer that would come in every week and always ordered my lasagna. I’d never met them and always wondered if I ever would. 

Afterwards, they always left a huge tip and said “compliments to the chef, see you next week same place same time khiadra.” It had never occurred to me at the time that this customer was actually two people, who conjoined their names to remain mysterious.

I believed they were the only other person in the world who loved lasagna as much as Garfield the cat. And, of course as much as I loved making the lasagna itself.

There’s just something special about creating that slightly spicy, saucy flavourful mince, topped with a perfectly rectangular egg lasagne sheet, smothered in a creamy white béchamel sauce, with each new layer following the same perfect combo. Until the final layer of béchamel sauce and some sprinkled, grated Mozzarella cheese. Which then melts and bubbles away nicely at 180 degrees for 40 minutes, while smelling absolutely divine, as it transforms into utter perfection, hmmmmm. There is only one phrase for it “È perfetto” (it’s perfect).

Opposite our restaurant across the street was “The Frosty snow-cup” A bakery owned by the alluring Khione Frost. 

It’s crazy to think we had passed each other more than a million times and never even said “hello” over the years complete strangers, drifting on with our segregated lives. Completely obvious to each other.

Well not completely on my part. I had definitely noticed her exquisite ice blue eyes that sparkled like they had a million crystals gleaming in them, just like a galaxy of stars you could get lost in. This was a stark contrast to her raven coloured hair making her a rare beauty, A real life Snow White. In fact, just as rare, if not more so, than me with my red hair and brown eyes, making me one of only 0.57% of Italians in the population.

I often fantasised about what it would be like to be with her, of all the ways I could ask her out. But, alas I wasn’t as confident as I would have liked to have been. Besides, I doubted a cold frosty cake making queen would be interested in a hot saucy lasagna chef like myself. Little had I known how right that statement was at the time. If I had it would have saved me my current heartache. So, we had never had a reason to speak not until that night. 

That night that changed both our lives, thanks to Dante and Lilliana. 

On that night, we had both been asked to attend a meeting at the towns chapel. Along with other chefs and bakers for an upcoming wedding days menu taste testing session. 

I had been asked to save a sample of my famous ‘Rossi Lasagna al forno’, and she had been asked to bring along a sample of her famous ‘vanilla pistachio ice crystal cake’. A cake that was perfect for a wedding day.

In all there were 10 of us in attendance, each competing for the catering contract. However, it was myself and Khione, who were given the contract to work together to create Dante and Lilliana’s perfect wedding feast.

Between us, over the next few weeks, we came up with lots of ideas and finally decided on the following:-

Starters - Arancini (fried risotto balls with mozzarella cheese).

Mains - Rossi’s Lasagna al forno ( beef ragu, béchamel sauce silky pasta and melted mozzarella cheese).

Desserts - macarons (almond meringue pastry cookie sandwiches).

And of course, khione’s main feature the Vanilla pistachio ice crystal wedding cake. Called so due to the white icing, with added ice blue delicate crystal shape decorations, intricately surrounding all the top edges of each layer of the cake giving a magical effect like the enchantress she, herself was.

After seven long months, spent debating, taste testing, laughter tears, tension, chilling out together, and what I wrongly thought were flirty, fiery passionate moments. 

Unfortunately for me It seamed I was seeing what I wanted to see in the situation. When, in reality she was just one of those people that draws you to them like a magnet attracts metal objects. However, we managed to make fabulous food together. Over the months and I felt myself wanting a taste of her, not just her food. 

I was so smitten that I managed to fool myself that we could actually ever be something. With every ounce of ingredient that we joined together. I began to feel more and more in awe of not only that shocking outward beauty of hers, but also became intrigued and excited about the way her hands worked their wonder on her masterpiece. 

I was so infatuated, I started to feel stirrings of jealousy over her piping bag, as she appeared to seductively, create her vanilla pistachio ice crystal cake. 

Though I now know it was all in my own head. I found myself, constantly wishing and daydreaming about us being together, completely distracted by my thoughts, on this particular day, in my head, I was the one in her hands Instead of her piping bag. 

As the heat of my internal fire was about to explode into flames, I suddenly let out a gurgling “gaaaahhhh”. Right at the moment she caught the dripping ice on her finger and put it to her pouty, cherry like lips and tasted it in a seemingly erotic way. At this point It was no longer possible to contain my inner fantasy world, as I was imagining those seductive lips moving towards mine, knowing we were just about to kiss. 

At the sound of my outward groan. She snapped her head in my direction, with a furrowed brow, finger still in her mouth. As her finger slowly fell away from her mouth, I felt utterly breathless and when she enquired “Marco! are you ok?”.

My breathy reply came along “Erm, yeah Khione, I’m fine, it just looks sooo magnifico. I was just imagining how you would taste, I, I mean, it would taste” I stuttered out turning as red as the hair on my head. I looked away sharply from her glance as I searched for that hole in the ground to swallow me up instantly. 

“Oh Marco, Marco” she drawled in her sing song like voice “it is so true that we make such, beautiful food together. It is so clear we share this same passion in life, No?”. 

She paused for a moment and then added. “Oh! Did I not show you my engagement ring?” She flashed her left hand in my direction, and there on her finger as icy as the blue in her eyes, shined an ice blue diamond. 

Just like the many segments inside it were crushed, so was my heart. As I realised the truth of my own illusions, shattering rapidly before my own eyes. How could I have missed this? Who was this lucky guy? I didn’t remember ever meeting him in the seven months I had known her. I’d only ever seen her with friends, no one she seemed intimate with. 

“Hmm” I coughed “so who is the lucky guy?”

“Lucky guy?” She replied looking rather puzzled.

“Yes erm, you’re fiancé?” I asked pointing at her engagement ring. 

“Oh” she chuckled “There is no lucky guy” now I was really confused. 

“But didn’t you just say that was your engagement ring?” I re questioned her.

“Ahh, yes” she replied “it is my engagement ring and it’s from my fiancée Alessandra, you have met her a few times. Did you not realise we were together?” At my further look of confusion she added “I am a lesbian Marco, I thought you knew that?.”

This was only yesterday afternoon, which dragged along drearily as we worked in stunned silence. It took a while for this new information to sink into my head ‘A lesbian’, I kept repeating to myself, no wonder. In the end I smiled to myself as I realised I hadn’t lost my touch with the ladies after all, she just didn’t see me that way.

Of course that is all in the past now, and today our focus is back on Dante and Lilliana’s special day.  

While the waiting staff move around our table, for the meal part of our pre wedding day rehearsal. Khione is seated next to myself opposite Dante and Lilliana with guests in their respective seats and a small taster of the wedding menu. 

The wedding planner is rushing around everyone like a headless chicken making sure we are all placed correctly. 

Khione turns to me and she says “ Alessandra and myself were hoping you would cater our wedding next May? as we do so looove your Lasagna al forno”

“You do?” I ask shocked “but when did you, ever try it?”

She looks a little taken aback, then replies with “who do you think recommended you to Dante and Lilliana?” Pointing in their direction.

When I don’t reply apart from a slight shake of my head, she adds “Alessandra and me come to Rossi’s Italian Bistro, every week and always order the lasagne al forno. We always tip big and say “compliments to the chef same place, same time, next week khiadra”.

“Khiadra ? Wait! You are my mystery customer?” I ask bewildered.

“Yes, well customers Khione and Alessandra, khiadra, yes?.” After another short pause she adds “ So, will our favourite chef, cater our wedding for us?” asking me with that irresistible flirtatious smile of hers, my heart still shattered. The room suddenly turns silent from the murmuring hum of conversation, to await my response. 

I pick up a piece of lasagne on my fork and with my mouth half open at the ready to taste it’s deliciousness. 

I feel the silent tension of anticipation surrounding me. I know I must answer the impending question. 

By Lou Jayne.