Chocolate: A Love Algorithm Ch. 6
Chapter 6: Family Dynamics
Shabbat at the Yarden-Regev household was never a quiet affair.
The smell of freshly baked challah filled the air as Tal set the table, her fingers brushing the edges of the embroidered tablecloth. She glanced at the clock, noting Amir’s punctuality as the front door creaked open.
“Shabbat shalom, Ima,” Amir said, kissing her cheek before surveying the spread. His crisp button-down and neatly trimmed beard gave him an air of formality, a stark contrast to the laid-back atmosphere of the house.
“Let me guess,” Amir said, lifting a lid from one of the dishes. “Quinoa salad.”
“It’s healthy,” Tal retorted, swatting his hand away with a dish towel. “And you like it, so stop complaining.”
Yael appeared next, her entrance as striking as ever. She wore a flowing cream blouse that seemed to shimmer in the light, paired with tailored pants that accentuated her supermodel frame. Her platinum-blonde hair fell in perfect waves over her shoulders.
“Amir couldn’t decide which tie to wear,” Yael teased, leaning in to kiss Tal’s cheek. “We almost didn’t make it.”
“It’s Shabbat,” Amir grumbled, rolling his eyes. “Who wears ties?”
“You should try it sometime,” Yael shot back, her smile sweet but laced with mischief.
The door swung open again as Lila breezed in, her cropped black hair and mismatched earrings giving her the air of a rebellious artist. She dropped her bag by the door and headed straight for the kitchen.
“You’re late,” Amir said, his tone mildly disapproving.
“Relax,” Lila replied, grabbing a piece of challah. “Shabbat’s more about spirit than punctuality.”
Rafi, her enigmatic partner, followed silently, nodding a polite greeting to Tal before settling in the corner with a drink. His dark eyes scanned the room, always observing, rarely speaking.
Dinner was lively, as always, with laughter and debates filling the gaps between bites of food.
“Do you ever worry about what Chocolate is doing to people?” Amir asked, his fork poised over his plate. “Normalizing things that shouldn’t be normalized?”
“Amir,” Yael interjected, her tone measured but firm, “not everyone sees the world the way you do. And that’s okay.”
“It’s not about seeing the world differently,” Amir argued. “It’s about preserving values.”
“And what values are those?” Lila asked, her voice sharp. “The ones that keep people trapped in unhappy marriages?”
“Enough,” Tal said, though her tone was light. “Can we go one dinner without turning this into a debate?”
Eitan raised his glass, his voice cutting through the tension. “To family,” he said. “Even when we drive each other crazy.”
“To family,” the others echoed, though Amir and Lila exchanged glares over the rim of their glasses.
Later, as Tal and Eitan cleaned the kitchen, she turned to him with a sigh. “Do you think we’re good role models?”
Eitan paused, his hands stilling over the sink. “I think we’re showing them that love isn’t one-size-fits-all. That’s more than most people get.”
Tal smiled, though her mind lingered on his words as they finished in quiet reflection.