Perky Goth and the Court Composer: chapter 6

Bud and Michelle were introduced to Forte when it was closer to Christmas time. He thought it would be best if they knew who he was since he mentioned that he would like to become a mentor for their daughter and possibly help her get out of depression.

Forte explained who he was and it shocked the parents, but they accepted him once they got used to him. It was the day before Winter Break when Cherry went to school, so Bud and Michelle agreed that for an hour or two after school and up to three or four on weekends, Cherry would meet with Forte.

She would have to do what he would want her to and they would work on their relationship with each other. Forte really wanted to become Cherry's friend and make up for the trouble he caused her with her first official Christmas away from home, or as Cherry would dub it: The Enchanted Christmas.

Michelle also felt a hint of nostalgia that Forte had played organ and she mentioned when she was younger, she had lessons for it in her church growing up and thought Cherry could take lessons as well and Forte had also wanted to teach her the French language. Bud and Michelle would have to work late tonight, so they asked Forte if he could actually leave the church and go into their house since Cherry wanted to stay home and have dinner, but he would have to make it. He, of course, agreed.

Cherry was in her bedroom, lying on the bed, but she kept the door open after her parents left so she could let Forte inside the house. When she heard the knocking, she stopped what she was doing and went to the door, unlocking it, and letting the over 300 year old man inside her family home.

"Bonjour, Cerise." Forte greeted.

"Erm... Bonjour, Maestro..." Cherry greeted in the best French she could muster.

"Comment allez-vous?" Forte then asked.

"Uhhh..." Cherry had no idea what he just said to her as she turned on the lights so they wouldn't be left in total darkness.

"I'll just take it that you're fine," Forte chuckled, teasing her for not yet being bilingual, but he was hoping he could change that. "What are you hungry for, Cerise?"

"I dunno..."

"When I was a child, if we said that if someone asked us if we were hungry, we'd get nothing to eat."

"Is that why you're skin and bones?" Cherry chuckled.

Forte rolled his eyes slightly, then turned on the stove light. "I heard your mother say that you like chicken and rice in the oven..."

"Yeah, I do..."

"Why don't I make that?" Forte suggested as he took out the ingredients. "You want to help me?"

"Not really..." Cherry said as she sat at the kitchen table.

"That's the problem with your generation..."

"Yeah..." Cherry said, she went back to her room and went on her desktop computer.

Forte sighed, he then got to cooking. He filled the broccoli rice with water and added in the vegetables with the frozen chicken. Once he got the oven preheated and he carefully stuck the food into the oven, he went down the hall and found Cherry's room. He saw her and it looked as though her eyes were glued to the screen. He gently knocked on the door.

"Huh?" Cherry blinked, looking back to him. "Oh, hey... How's dinner?"

"I just put it into the oven," Forte said, coming closer to her, very curious of the large device in front of her. "Cerise, pray tell, what is that thing?"

"What thing?" Cherry looked around.

"That thing," Forte pointed to the monitor of Cherry's computer as it had a lot of colorful images on it. "What is that?"

Cherry slightly rolled her eyes. "It's a computer... You're over 300 years old and you never seen or heard of one?"

"I was too busy focusing on finding you," Forte chuckled sheepishly. "Perhaps while I help you with organ and your French vocabulary skills, you could help me grasp on modern technology..."

"Uhh... Sure..." Cherry shrugged, but she agreed with it. Maybe that way her visits with him would be a little more enjoyable.

About half an hour later, Forte went to collect dinner. Cherry sniffed the dinner she really liked and had to admit it was very lovely tasting. Forte scooped her up a nice helping and served her as he let her sit at the table and he would let her eat that way.

"Forte, you don't have to serve me like this..." Cherry said as the plate was gently placed in front of her with a fork and a knife.

"I insist, Cerise, it's the least I can do." Forte said, sitting across from her.

Cherry noticed he had no plate nor food. "Aren't you going to eat?"

"I don't need to eat to survive, Cerise, besides... You should eat... I know you're trying to lose weight because of your loneliness and solitude, but you shouldn't starve yourself..."

Cherry took out her fork and started to eat the chicken and rice, expecting it to taste like her mother's since it was the same recipe. However, it tasted a little different in some parts. She even liked this better than her mother's own preparation of the delicacy.

"How is it?" Forte asked delicately.

Cherry happily moaned as she placed the silverware own once she finished her evening meal. "This is incredible... I didn't know you could cook."

"How do you think I survived in the church for three months?" Forte rhetorically asked. "Do you really like it?"

"Yeah, I just never took you one to be in the kitchen..."

"Well, the Master already had Chef Bouche and Mrs. Potts with their assistants Chaud and Tres, so there was no need for me to cook," Forte gave a shrug to her. "I'm glad you like it though."

"You should open up a diner or something..."

"Well, I hope to cook for you more in the future then..." Forte smiled to her as she finished eating.

About fifteen minutes later, Cherry finished eating and felt very full. Forte asked her questions about school and she very hesitantly answered them.