The Butler.(Kevin Hughes) “Him, he’s just a nice guy.”

“You really think so?”

“Oh, I know so. I rent his Garage apartment…sort of.”

She smiled at him. It was only their third date and they hadn’t talked much about finances, or housing. So far, they had met at two different restaurants- had some good food (and better conversation). When he suggested she come for a home cooked meal…she was fairly certain it was safe enough. It was a surprise to see he lived in a Garage apartment. Even more surprising is that the Garage apartment had more square footage then the house she grew up in…and that house was not small.

It was furnished tastefully in every room, had two and a half baths, a vaulted living room ceiling…and a fireplace. Her first thought when he led her through the kitchen door was: “It looks like a brochure for a rich hideaway.” She could smell something delightful coming from the kitchen.

“Are you a Chef?”

He chuckled lightly.

“No. But I am half Italian. My Mom taught me my way around a kitchen…and spices.”

She felt her mouth water a bit as he darted into the kitchen to lift the lid on a pot…the smell coming from whatever was in that pot…well, delicious is the word that first came to her mind.

“I suspect she did. I think you must have learned a bit more on your own. I am no culinary expert, but that smell wasn’t Italian.”

He gave her a quick nod of respect.

“Nice nose you got there…it isn’t Italian. It is a Japanese soup I learned to make. I think you will like it.”

She raised one eyebrow.

“Japanese? Wherever did you learn that?”

He blushed.

“I spent a year over there when I was in the Army.”

“We have a base in Japan?”

He shrugged.

“Not technically…no. But we do train some of their folks in certain areas.”

“What areas?”

He gave her a strange look. Like how much he liked her, was warring with how much he didn’t know about her…so what should he say.

“Not something I feel comfortable talking about right now.”

“I understand.”

And she did. It was only their third date, after about a dozen preliminary phone calls and a few dozen texts. Time would tell. And tell all, if her gut feeling about this man was right. He might well be “the one.” Her heart already thought that... because of his innate gentleness. Her brain was stacked with a ton of “almost" and “failed”... “the one’s”- that she held the right to reserve her judgement and overrule her heart.

The tour of the Garage Apartment took a few minutes. The Art work on the wall was all Original works. Some of them she recognized from her old Art Appreciation Class at University. The furnishings were a mixed match of period pieces and modern minimalist pieces that somehow managed to convey the impression of a fusion of turn of the century elegance merged with the Class of understated modernity. It was pleasing to they eye and comforting to the soul. It felt like…home. So she told him that:

“I can’t get over this place. When you said Garage Apartment, I wasn’t expecting to step into a place that looked like you took the wealthiest people from two different centuries, poured their taste in Art and Furniture into a blender of Modern Convenience- and spit out a place that feels like…well, home.”

She saw his eyes widen with shock.

“You feel it too?”

“What, the feel of Home? Yes, I do.”

The smile he gave would have made the Mona Lisa wistful.

“I had nothing to do with it. The Man I work for had it furnished to my tastes.”

“Who do you work for?”

Well, he might as well spit it out now. All the other women he brought here (a small number, but each one broke his heart) left as soon as he told them. He might end up eating dinner…alone. Again.

He turned and faced her directly.

“I work for a Wizard. I am his Butler.”

He waited. She seemed unfazed.

“I know what a Butler is. But what is a Wizard?”

He sighed. Some of the tension went out of his shoulders.

“What do you think a Butler is?”

She pointed around the palatial space and decoration of the Garage Apartment:

“I know a Butler serves only the Master of the House and the Household. I also know Butlers don’t make a tremendous wage, nor (waving her hand to include the entire place) do can they afford a place like this, let alone any of the Artwork. “

He chuckled again.

“You are right, and wrong. I am a Butler. And yes my duties are to the “Master and his Household”. He pays me quite generously along with (waving his hand to include the entire Garage Apartment) free Room and Board. These rooms. He had his Sister read my mind, and she decorated the place for me.”

She chuckled softly.

“So he is a Wizard, and his sister is a Mind Reader?”

She was caught off guard when he replied.

“Actually, they are both Wizards…just different talents. She can probe minds for what they really want, or feel. He can read people better than anyone I have ever known, but he can’t read minds. She can.”

“I think, I need to sit down. I am not sure how I feel about you working for Wizards. As a Butler.”

His heart started to fill with hope. She didn’t call him crazy, laugh at him, or run away with a polite: “I have to go, but it was fun. Maybe we can catch up again someday.” They never called back, or texted him again. So he guided her over to an overstuffed chair. He pulled the ottoman to the foot of her chair, sat down and began to rattle off the entire series of events that led him to being a Buttler for a Wizard (Well, three, if you count his Sister and Niece).

She interrupted him only twice. Once to have him explain how Mariam (the Wizard’s Sister) touched him gently on both his temples and said:

“Now think of a place you would love to live in, and call…home.”

When he opened his eyes…it was all here…just as you see it now. He told the woman he was hoping was “The One."

The other time she interrupted... was when he tried to gloss over saving the Wizard’s life. She made him relate every detail of the night he met the Wizard…entirely by accident. He had never fought a demon before…and never wanted to again. He fought hard enough, and long enough, for the Wizard to recover and gain the upper hand. The next day…he was offered the job.

“So I took it. That was almost two decades ago…and I am still here.”

She leaned out of the chair to look at him closely. She inspected his skin, his hair, his overall build and carriage. She was looking for something, a flaw, a blemish…anything. He merely stood up to encourage her further inspection. He looked puzzled but not offended.

“How old are you?”

“Forty seven.”

She let out a gasp.

“I thought you were thirty years old.”

He smiled a shy knowing smile.

“Most people do. There are some perks for working for a Wizard.”

“But…but…I am only 28 years old. I wouldn’t have gone out with you if I knew you were an old man.”

“Old man?”

She got just a bit flustered.

“Well, middle aged then. I am no gold digger and I don’t want people to think you robbed the cradle!”

He almost burst with joy

“You mean …I mean…well, you think there is a future for the two of us?”

“Yeah. I thought so that first night we met when you carried me across the giant puddle of standing water in parking lot of the store. You were so gallant without any of the creepiness that most men would have come across with. And when you held me in your arms for those few steps, you made sure to keep your hands clear of any of my curves. I respect that. “

“Well, dinner is almost ready. Do you mind if I make a call? And we have some companions for dinner?

She blinked twice.

“Sure, who are you going to call? And…who’s coming to dinner?”

“I have to call my Mom. She will want to know you didn’t leave when I told you the Truth. The Wizard, his sister and his niece will want to meet you…they told me to call them if you stayed for dinner.”

“Well, then I better all my Mom too.”

“Why?”

“I think she will be thrilled that I found a guy.She won't thrilled that he is a Butler, though.”

He laughed at that.

“We can invite her.”

So they did.

It was a pleasant dinner. Lots of laughter. Some quiet deep thoughts flowed along with the best wine her and her Mother had ever had.

The evening was almost over when the Wizard took her hand.

“You know, we have a position open for Head Housekeeper…if you are interested.”

“I don’t know how to be a Head Housekeeper.”

The Wizard patted her hand. Pointed at the Man she was going to marry.

“He didn’t know how to be a Butler either. Look at him now.”

She did.

“Okay, when do I start?”

It was the Sister who surprised everyone when she said:

“Tuesday the Nineteenth. The Day you get back from your Honeymoon.”

The Wizard patted her hand.

“Splendid! The Butler will help you pack.”

The Laughter was filled with their future.

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