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“Prepare yourselves for the best curry in London,” Paul trilled.
“Mmm, now that’s a tall order,” Rocco added as we all sat in a pale blue leather booth that felt as comfortable as a couch. Its color harmonized with the saffron wall and the glass chandelier above us.
Then, the host removed the candles from the highly polished oak table, replacing them with rich sauces, meats, naan, and fragrant rice dishes. The spicy aroma smelled delicious.
Nadia folded her napkin next to me. “Do you like curry, Adelina?”
“I do, but I’ve only tried it a few times.”
Rocco held a piece of meat on a fork to my lips. “This is the chef’s signature dish, Tikka Masala.”
I took a bite, and the meat melted in my mouth in a creamy, spicy delight. “Wow, this is so delicious.”
“Glad you like it,” Paul said, adding more rice to his plate. “Wait until you try my mom’s. She will be excited to show off her culinary expertise.”
A nervous rush went through me as Paul Crane casually invited me to his home for dinner with his family. “I…I’d love to try it. Thank you, thank you very much.”
Nadia waved off my nerves. “Relax, Adelina. You’re among friends now.”
“You didn’t relax right away,” Rocco mused between bites. “You kept asking if whatever you did was okay. It was so sweet.”
“Yep,” Paul said. “Hugged everyone for the littlest thing.”
Nadia let out a laugh. “I still do that.”
I tried the yogurt fruit drink, which cooled my mouth from some of the spicier dishes on my plate.
“What’s this I hear about you rescuing a family?” Paul asked Rocco.
Rocco put his fork and knife down, his chest swelling with pride. “A hero never rests.”
“Come on, Rocco. Tell us the whole story,” Nadia pressed.
I nodded and Rocco winked at me, then started to share what happened.
“Okay. I first sent Adelina back to safety then headed out on a boat with my home manager, Henry, to see if we could help. The thick smoke stung our eyes and the heat of the flames was intense. It was a struggle to see through the haze.”
I tensed in my seat remembering how close he’d been to danger.
Rocco took my free hand and squeezed it under the table, but continued his story.
“We hadn’t seen the family, but I asked Henry to try closer because I thought I saw something light in the water. Sure enough, it was the mother and her baby under a dock. I think she was too scared to swim with her baby.”
“Oh, God, that must have been terrifying for her,” Nadia said. I was thinking the same thing. I couldn’t imagine that terror she was feeling.
“She was so brave, honestly. Protecting that little one. Once we got close, I jumped in the water and took the baby first. Then, the mother.”Thank God.
“What about her husband? Where was he?” Nadia asked.
“She told us the father was unconscious.”
“Where was he though?” Paul asked.
“He was near the beach.”
“Do they know what happened?” Paul asked.
Rocco squeezed my hand. “There’d been an accident with the open firepit. It exploded and started burning the house. Thehusband was near the water’s edge, but the wife had taken the baby into the water to get away from the fire.”