Amber and Nathalies world

I can’t tell if only a minute or hours have passed since Mario let me rest a little. But with a gentle step and a soft knock, he comes into my room. “Are you awake?”, he asks. I blink, nod and smile. “Fine”, he says, “then let’s eat.” His hand is warm and firm as he takes mine. I follow him, unsure, but also excited. My movements still feel unfamiliar, like those of a child just learning to walk. But he gives me support. A faint smile plays on his lips as he leads me down the stairs, step by step.

Then I see it. The dining area spreads out before me in soft candlelight. The table is set with elegant crockery and two glasses of red wine, their ruby red surface shimmering in the flickering light of the fire. A gentle fire blazes in the fireplace, its flames bathing the room in a cozy warmth. The logs crackle softly, a soothing rhythm that blends perfectly with the music playing in the background.

Piano sounds. Chopin, his melodies melancholic and tender, weave through the air like a soft whisper that touches the soul. The sounds seem to have been created for this moment, as if they were part of the warm, peaceful atmosphere. But then the music changes and the first notes of Liszt’s Liebestraum fill the room, soft and full of promise. It is as if the melodies stop time, reducing the world around us to something essential: longing and the feeling of having finally arrived.

The sounds are soft, almost like a touch that embraces me. They tell a story - of longing, of tenderness, of love. I can’t just hear them; I feel them deep inside me. It is as if the music draws me into a dream of love, a dream that I am only just beginning to understand. The name of the piece resonates in my mind, Liebestraum. A dream of love. And yet … it feels so real here and now.

“Come on”, he says, his voice soft but full of conviction. He leads me to the table and pulls back one of the chairs. “Sit down, Amber.”

I settle down, carefully, almost reverently. The feeling of upholstery beneath me is another new experience, one that I can barely process. He takes the seat opposite me, his movements calm and deliberate. His eyes stay on me, full of a warmth that spreads through my core.

“I wanted this evening to be special”, he says, and his voice carries a little more weight, a meaning I can’t quite grasp. “For both of us.”

I look at him, trying to understand his words. Especially. For us. It sounds so big, so important, and yet it feels right. “Thank you”, I whisper, my voice still quiet, but I know he hears me.

He pours me a glass of red wine and hands it to me. The red wine glass is elegant and the scent of the wine - fruity, heavy, rich - tickles my senses. I take a small sip, carefully, like everything else that evening. The liquid glides over my tongue, warm and velvety, and I can feel it relaxing me. The wine is just the right temperature, its aromas have unfolded perfectly and envelop me with an unexpected familiarity.

“Do you like it?”, he asks, and I nod, perhaps a little too eagerly. He smiles - a smile that makes me smile myself.

Then he raises his fork and points to the plates in front of us. “I hope you’re hungry.”

I’m not sure if it’s me, if I can really eat at all, but in this moment it doesn’t matter. It’s the act itself, the togetherness, the celebration of a moment that moves me. The dishes smell wonderful - the first course consists of scallops in saffron sauce, tender and aromatic. This is followed by a duck breast, served with cauliflower nougat puree, thyme jus and a hint of cinnamon foam, which rounds off the taste perfectly. For dessert, a ginger and lime pannacotta with chili mango awaits us, its slight acidity and subtle spiciness rounding off the evening in a delightful way.

The menu is now behind us and I can feel the pleasant heaviness of a fulfilled moment. The red wine in my glass glistens in the warm glow of the candles. I take a sip, letting the velvety taste linger on my tongue. Mario had asked me during the meal if I liked it and I had nodded, perhaps a little too convinced, but I wanted him to know how happy I felt. Now we enjoy the moment of silence. It’s not empty, but full of a new feeling that I only realize as the melody of Liszt’s Liebestraum continues to float through the room. Everything feels perfect, as if time has paused for us. My thoughts keep returning to the melody. Dream of love. It’s as if this evening itself is a part of it - a dream of love that is so real, that it touches my heart in a way I can’t explain. And that makes it even more beautiful.