They sat for dinner together. The table and chairs bore the simple lines and rough edges of portal forging. It was hard to sit on. She hadn't made any cushions yet.
They ate in silence but for the sound of fork on plate and the noise of human chewing and swallowing. Anne sneaked glances at Edmund. Once, he caught hers. She flushed and looked away. She didn't glance again.
Edmund had cooked. Anne's grandmother had told her tales of the great feasts the portals had once delivered. Fruits in all colors, some so sweet you couldn't take more than a bite, others sour enough to pucker the mouth and flavor the rest of your meals. Exotic meats dressed with tangy sauces and prickles of spice to light the mouth. Massive confections of sugar and pastry that rose almost as high as the ceiling.
Those days were gone. Rationing was tight. There was little enough to power the engines to maintain the security of their borders. There was nothing to spare for feasts and delicacies. In their place, Edmund had ordered raw long beans and potatoes. A flank of some sort of tough meat. It was similar to her dinner the previous night in her parent's home. But Edmund had treated the vegetables so they were tender and delicate. The meat had been long marinated and cooked. She found herself eating every bite and scraping the sauce off her plate.
There was a surprise for her too. Edmund must have cashed in every favor and spare chit he had. For he'd made her a cake. It was small, just large enough for each to have two bites. He cut it with feigned ceremony and she smiled, almost laughed. With parodic elegance, he bowed to hand her a slice and she did laugh.
It was good. One of the best things she'd ever tasted. The sponge was soft and crumbly in her mouth. It almost dissolved as soon as placed on the tongue. A pop of a bright fruit she'd never tasted brightened it and kept it from being too cloying.
She wished she could have more. She smiled at her husband. A small smile, she wasn't accustomed to it, but her eyes were bright. He extended a hand. She lightly rested hers on his.
“Thank you,” she said. He smiled in return.