Mack got up out of her seat and rushed around to Flora. She opened her arms and asked, before she got in Flora’s space, “Can I hug you?”

“Of course you can.”

Mack wrapped her arms around Flora and hugged. “You are some woman. All my favourite foods.”

Flora giggled. “You’re easily pleased. It’s not à la carte.”

“It’s what I like.” Mack inhaled Flora’s perfume and felt like she was melting inside. She gently pushed her head into the crook of Flora’s neck. Don’t push her too much, Mack thought. She broke away and said, “Simple food is enough to keep me happy. My family will tell you, I’m a glutton, a bottomless pit, all that.”

“Well, taste it, and tell me what you think.”

“I will. The only thing I need from you, little mouse, is tomato sauce.”

Flora scrunched up her eyes. “Ketchup? What, for the lasagne?”

“Nah, for the mac and cheese. It’s not complete without tomato sauce.”

Flora rolled her eyes but got up and went to get the sauce.

“Oh, and have you got white bread?”

Flora looked back. “White bread? No, I only use brown.”

Mack shrugged. “Oh well, doesn’t matter.” She couldn’t wait for Flora and dove into the lasagne. “Yum. That’s so good.”

“Really? You like it?” Flora said as she walked back with the sauce.

“It’s amazing.” She took the sauce from Flora, squirted it on top of the mac and cheese, and began to eat. “Oh my God. This is bloody heaven on this plate.” Mack looked up and saw the look of happiness on Flora’s face. “You have to try this.”

“I will.” Flora took a normal-sized portion of lasagne and added a side salad, which she had brought over earlier.

“Do you want some salad?” Flora asked.

“No, thanks, I’m not really a salad kind of person.”

“Why did you ask for white bread? I suppose I should have gotten us garlic bread to go with it, but I didn’t think,” Flora said.

“This is great. No, the white bread is to make a mac and cheese, tomato sauce sandwich.”

Flora looked at her in disbelief. “A macaroni sandwich?”

“Yeah, I’d probably put some lasagne on it too.”

“Let me get this straight.” Flora held up her hand. “You were going to have double carbs, possibly triple carbs, on white bread?”

Mack smiled and winked at her. “I love carbs. They keep me strong.”

* * *

Flora enjoyed her meal. It wasn’t very often she would have gone to the trouble of making lasagne just for herself. The last time would have been when her grandad was around. When you lived alone, meals became more simple.