Ever said something and at the time it really sounded doable, only reality hit different and things went unexpectedly? Better yet ever tried recording your voice thinking that your voice would outmatch that of Nick Jonas, only after listening to your voice you realized that you were probably the worst singer to walk the face of the earth? Well, that's how he felt.

"I believe you got me wrong, Ms Carter. I'm asking you to dinner in my house and I'll personally cook for us to make amends"

The statement had sounded so bold in his mind. He would 'personally cook', something that had sounded so easy in his mind only it wasn't easy. He had cooked before. Debra Cervantes, his mother had ensured his sons knew how to cook. He wasn't exactly a pro like Gordon Ramsay but still he knew a thing or two.

Rather disappointment hit him in the face after realizing not cooking for so long had messed him up. He couldn't cook. Two hours twenty minutes later, Roman was still staring at the sloppy messy on his kitchen counter.

"It still looks like cake right?"

Roman asked wiping the sticky flour from the back of his hand on his forehead.

"Yeah,"Seth said rising his hopes abit,"if she's blind"

He added and although Seth's sarcastic remark should have pissed him off, it didn't. Seth was right in his own bored indirect way. The cake was rather hard, one would mistake it for a cookie. Again it was a bit dry and the buttercream which was supposed to hide the fact that the cake had it's flaws turned out to be extremely sweet and sloppy so much that a lot of it was stuck on the mixer.

"Guess I'll have to cancel dessert,"Roman said dejectedly.

Seth, his sous chef was of no help. Looking back now it was a bad idea to enlist his help, the kid knew nothing about cooking! Again telling Marga to have the day off was another mistake. Suggesting to cook for a rather proud woman like Lisa Carter was another stupid idea.

"You are worried about dessert? Dad, no amount of food here is suitable for human consumption. Unless you want to die of food poisoning, I suggest you leave everything and take her out some place else" Seth hinted untying the strands of the apron he had worn from his neck.

Biting his bottom lip irritably, he slammed the kitchen rag against the counter realising that his son was right and that Ms Carter would surely get a kick out of the whole 'I couldn't cook for you' situation. For some reason he felt challenged, the need to prove Ms Carter wrong was his driving force. Surely he could salvage something from the whole mess.

The salmon wasn't that raw, it probably needed a few more minutes to cook. The wasabi that Seth was to prepare had turned out to be bitter instead of hot and he was very sure he could turn everything around in an hour. Probably replace the cake with ice cream. Women loved ice cream right? Mikaella loved ice cream so he didn't see any reason for Ms Carter not to like it either.

"I can still whip up something,"Roman said hopefully.

Seth sighed, smiled a bit at how fast his father worked and left the apron on the kitchen counter patting his father's back on his way out.

"Knock yourself out. I'll be at Uncle Kev's"

Roman almost forgot it was Saturday. The day when Seth slept over at Kevin's. He understood his son, just like his mother Mikaella he had the tendency to see the good in everyone. Only Kevin was good but cared about his myself more. Sure the whole family cut him off and later forgave him but Roman on the other hand didn't have it in him to forgive him.

Every Sunday when Seth came back from his place, talked about how exciting the football matches they watched were, he missed Kevin. They had never been this separate before and now? He couldn't even say that they were brothers and maybe it was Roman's fault. Maybe it was his fault that they had drifted apart and barely talked but then again it was Kevin's fault that his reckless actions led to Mick's death.

No matter how much he tried looking around it, Kevin would always end up being the source of all his grief. The source of all his son's grief.

With the last finishing touches on the meal, he went upstairs taking a shower and putting on a simple white t shirt and faded jeans. It was no secret that he had stayed up last night researching on what and what not to do on a dinner date.

Compliment her looks, gentle words like she looked breathtaking.

Ask how she was doing, that would jumpstart the conversation and once she would start yarping about how her day was, he would politely dig deeper like 'and how did you feel after going to the salon?' You know, simple questions that would make the time fly by.

He had figured it all out. He had set the table all by himself satisfied that the salmon was baked perfectly, the wasabi hot as it should have and the cutlery perfectly placed.

The thought of placing candles on the table came to mind but then again he was trying to make amends not to start a silly romance with Lisa Carter.

The doorbell rang and he walked to the door. Had Marga been there, she would have done everything. Cooked, prepared the table, concorted some pleasant words to welcome the guests on their way in.

He cleared his throat his hand still on the knob, he even did a stupid thing as to smell his breath, smell whether his cologne was just the right amount to sweep a woman like her off her feet. Maybe it was the pressure of trying to make everything perfect, maybe it was the need to make Ms Carter see that he was her type, maybe it was the air conditioning unit not working properly either way he was as nervous as hell sweating alot while he was at it.

"Welcome,"he said right after opening the door.

Lisa Carter stood on his porch, the blue dress she had won hugging her body tightly. Her blonde hair curly and her hair locks falling down her shoulders. Her cleavage showed a bit, so much that no matter how much he tried to avoid looking, his eyes ended up shamelessly resting on her bosom.

"You look lovely,"Roman said stretching his hand out into his home.

Ms Carter smiled and mouthed a thanks entering his home and leaving behind a rather foreign yet lingering perfume.

He showed her the living room ushering her to the dining room. Like a gentleman he took her purse later on pulling a chair out for her as she sat,

"Wow, such a gentleman"

That's the thing with Lisa Carter, her words were overly laced with sarcasm thus the need to make everything perfect.

He also sat on his respective seat, pouring wine in both their glasses.

"You cooked this?"

"I'm a man of many talents, Ms Carter,"he confidently said.

He watched as she cut her salmon delicately. How she put the piece of meat in her mouth and how within two minutes...she had spat the whole thing in her napkin.

Ofcourse she would try to find some fault in it, so being bold he also cut his salmon putting a piece in his mouth.

"God this tastes horrible!" He spat the fish on his napkin too reaching out for a glass of water.

"A man of many talents indeed,"she chuckled. A hearty chuckle that filled his sullen house. It was nice. Even though she was laughing at his poor cooking skills it was nice to hear her laughter, somehow it brought peace within him.

"I'm sorry. I-I thought I really nailed making this"

"Atleast you nailed the wine, it's a really nice choice"

It upped his spirits to hear that.

"You are a wine expert?"

"No. Actually my husband-my late husband had a wine collection and everytime we would have dinner he had to surprise me with a new different wine bottle. He taught me how to distinguish different tastes of wine"

It was evident just by the way she talked, she still missed him and in her heart she perceived her late husband was there with her. Something that they both had in common. For Roman, Mikaella was still there in his dreams and his thoughts. He wanted to ask how her husband died but wasn't that trying to pry? Trying to unearth buried memories and painful emotions.

"You can ask Roman. It's written all over your face that you want to know"

"Okay and how exactly did he die?"

"Cancer. Jack had been battling leukemia for three years and when he died, I guess it took some time to accept it. And do you know what his last words were, 'Live Lisa. Have fun, get a good man, remarry, have kids and best of all, be happy. We only live once, Lisa and we have to make it count',"she paused momentarily looking at the food on her plate.

A single tear erupted from her right eye and she wiped it away. Roman on instinct reached out to her hand, caressed it the little action simple but making her feel better.

"But how could I l-live without him? He was my rock, my reason to embrace life!"

"You are a strong woman, Lisa"

"W-what about your wife? What happened?"

Lisa turned to face him, her eyes still watery.

"Road accident. S-she was an angel. She appeared in my life right when I thought I was a man destined for loneliness. She saw the good in everyone, even in me. Me of all people. I can't say our marriage was a bed of roses but I can say having her in my life made me happy, made my family whole, made me feel like a man who deserved love despite my many flaws"

"Is there anything you would dodifferently had she survived that accident? I kept asking myself the same question, 'what would I have done differently if Jack had gotten another chance at life'?"

He smiled awkwardly looking at nothing in particular,

"Probably love her better. Make her feel that she and my son were the two most important people in my life"

Only fate had its own unique way of fulfilling wishes. Miles and miles away was his wish alive and kicking and about to once again knock on his door.