Capítulo 245: Words of advice
Leaving Lia to watch television, Giselle accompanied Edwin to the kitchen.
**
Upon entering the space, Giselle got struck in awe from the view that displayed to her sight.
A very tidy kitchen that sparkled clean and shone beneath the sunlight. There wasn't much that occupied the countertop except for cookie jar that Edwin used recently. Even as such, the cookie jar showcased peculiar stacks of baked treats arranged zigzag that made them appear naturally elegant to stare. The center faucet will catch anyone's eye with its positioning. The white marble countertop matched the wine red cabinets that displayed Edwin's favorite utensils and kitchen accessories hanging below on the walls for ease and comfort handling gave ideas to Giselle.
Giselle, herself, is a tidy person. She keeps her kitchen clean all times, but visualizing this level of neatness and grace display, Giselle got dumbstruck with that thought that this kitchen can very well be modeled in the showroom for viewers to see and get admired and inspired.
Overflowed with admiration and impressed at great lengths, Giselle let out a casual remark to appreciate the sight she beholds for several seconds after entering.
"Thank you," Edwin returned with a proud, pleasing tone that he uses to anyone who praises his maintenance of the kitchen.
Having passed a few minutes into conversing about the space and sharing the tricks and techniques to utilize the place and handle things, Giselle and Edwin immersed themselves deep in discussion.
When their chat reached its end, Edwin popped a question to Giselle of giving her the right to choose the menu for lunch. For the guest, Edwin wished to cook anything Giselle desired. However, the guest politely refused and informed that she is never picky about food and that the host will please them with his choice.
Her response bought a frown to Edwin's good mood and made her sulk quietly. Giselle felt sorry for having turned down his request. She thought for a while to think of a way to cheer him up to his usual self.
"Mr. Edwin-" she began, but instantly Edwin clashed with his response to address him the way he told her.
Giselle corrected herself.
"Edwin, Lia likes spaghetti noodles. Maybe, if you can-" Giselle dragged her words slow and steady to lure in the host.
"Definitely, I can do that," Edwin cheered up instant to Giselle's relief.
..
"You see, I love to cook, and I like to do it for people and see them enjoy my meals," Edwin explained himself for his demeanor.
"I know," Giselle said to his startle.
"You know?" he asked eagerly.
Giselle then realizes that she said it loud casually, yielding to the flow of the conversation.
"Yes, Lillian told me that you are a great cook," Giselle said.
Edwin agrees.
"I guess she bragged of me in her school days!" Edwin remarked as he requested Giselle to grab a few ingredients from the pantry.
"She did," Giselle replied.
Edwin studied Giselle for every response she gave him and noticed how much of calm she held when talking about his daughter.
"That's nice. Do you know that myself and Donna- Ah, Diego's mother, do you remember Diego?" Edwin asked as he said.
At the mention of the very name Giselle feared, she exhibited slight fright and got recalled of the dark times she shared with this said person.
Giselle nodded instead of answering.
Edwin definitely saw the shift of sight and the sudden fright she displayed at minimal. However, he snubbed it to continue his talk.
He shared details of his and Diego's mother, Donna's cooking battles, and how the two used to gather on festive occasions to celebrate with feasts.
All while Edwin chattered, Giselle remained quiet. Her mind occupied by the previous mention of the said person. Giselle feared on her own of the effects that can result in Diego learning that Giselle came to see Lillian. Instantaneously, all of the fright pressured and made her rethink the decisions she made.
This man, whom Giselle hasn't encountered after that night, years ago, still manages to haunt Giselle, which is making her go insane.
As she froze at the spot, indulged into a panic, Edwin shook her slight to signal someone's appearance.
Giselle turned to find Lia, waiting behind her with a disheartened face.
"Lia," Giselle immediately bent to attend her child.
Lia poked Giselle and signaled her mother for private space.
Giselle glanced at Edwin and then quickly moved a little farther from their host.
Giselle then inquired Lia, the reason for her visit.
"Mother, I don't think your friend likes me," she said in a distressing tone. Even though Lia wanted it to be faint and low, she ended up shrieking her little voice to express her sadness that her cry reached Edwin's ears without him working much effort to listen.
Nonetheless, he waited patiently until the child can end sharing her worries.
Meanwhile, Giselle too waited till Lia could say it all at once. She seemed to hold in much and struggled to try to explain.
"I think your friend is unlike aunt Anna or uncle Jake," Lia confessed.
Giselle felt speechless from hearing such words from her child. She prayed for the two she loved dearly to get along, but it looks like the reality is running the opposite way.
"Aunt Anna? Uncle Jake?" Edwin roared upon hearing such familiar names dropped by the little one.
His voice alerted the two who seem to think that they were isolated, away from anyone overhearing them.
Giselle turned to find a shocked Edwin, and she affirmed Lia's words by agreeing to already meet Anna and her husband, Jake, at her party.
"Why didn't you invite Lillian to the party?" Edwin asked out of impulse, though keenly wanting to take every chance he would get to confront Giselle for the sake of his daughter, who got hurt in the process of loving someone for the first time in her life.
Giselle panicked to answer, especially when it came from Edwin Grey.
Edwin stared at Giselle, waiting for her to reply, but seeing the girl stunned at such close confrontation, chose to give up. He only wanted her to know and not really cared for an answer. After all, it is for the two involved to resolve their issues, not him.
Edwin walked away, leaving the two alone. He focused on cooking.
Giselle and Lia, lost at the sudden intrusion, returned to selves after Edwin's retiring.
Just when they thought they could continue their talk, Edwin's voice reached their ears yet again.
"Lia, dear, don't worry about my silly daughter. She's been sick for a few days, and so, she reacted as such. Give her some time, and then she will be chatting with you nonstop," Edwin reassured from afar.
Lia, after overhearing, slightly felt relieved.
Giselle used the chance to ease the girl and sent her back to watch television.
Lia obeyed and followed.
Following her departure, Giselle joined Edwin to assist him.
In-between the time, Edwin made preparations for the dish he chose to cook for Lia and all. When Giselle joined, Edwin started to move his hands while instructing Giselle on her little tasks.
At the beginning of their cooking, Giselle, having soaked in the guilt of getting confronted for not inviting Lillian, tried to address the topic.
"I'm sorry, Edwin," she began with an apology.
"For what, Giselle?" Edwin asked as he mixed ground beef with sweet Italian sausage to make the most flavorful meatballs for the spaghetti.
He added the few more ingredients to mix and began to form a scoop sized meatballs in batches. Meanwhile, Giselle was left to mince the onions.
Hoping to explain herself, but unable to do so, put Giselle in a cornered spot. She struggled to form coherent words to express her thoughts. However, dicing onions is not helping her process.
"I'm not sure if you know about me and Lillian Grey," Giselle said it without reason.
Frankly, she was high on doubts with Edwin and him already aware of their past. Hence, Giselle tried to began by reminding him that he might not be conscious of the history of the two shared.
"Oh, I know everything about you, dear," Edwin replied to stop her from assuming.
"Though I couldn't hear it from Lilly, herself, I do know about you two quite a lot," Edwin chuckled as he said.
"You were the first one to confess boldly to my daughter."
It has been years since that incident, yet Giselle blushed from Edwin's reminders.
"I have to admit that I got quite shocked when I heard that it was from a girl, but it sure took me time to learn and understand, you know. It is not that I'm a modern father at that time. Nevertheless, I wished my daughter to be happy. Therefore, it is not for me to judge or question if her happiness is from a guy or girl," Edwin thoughtfully expressed.
Edwin already heated the oil and started frying the meatballs. Giselle finished dicing the onions, and so, she had free time to relax.
Giselle followed silence and never spoke ever since learning that Edwin knew about her and Lillian Grey.
Using the silence to his advantage, Edwin quickly deep-fried the meatballs and began to prepare the marinara sauce on the same pan by adding the diced onions.
"Are you feeling uncomfortable that I'm aware of you, Giselle?" Edwin asked.
He talked while cooking, and still, he made no mistakes.
Edwin signaled Giselle to open the cans of crushed tomatoes, and Giselle followed.
"No, it doesn't bother me too much. However, I wish that it is from me, who you should learn of my acquaintance with your daughter," Giselle disclosed.
Edwin watched Giselle's face sulk a little while she appeared lighter in her tone. He agreed to her point with a smile.
"I did think so too, but here we are now," Edwin remarked.
After the sauce came to a light boil, Edwin added the fried meatballs back into the pan with tomato sauce, he partially covered the lid and let it simmer for a half-hour.
The only task left is to clean the cooking station now that the recipe reached its final stage. Edwin and Giselle worked side by side, in cleaning the area while removing the wastes.
All of this got done while Edwin told Giselle to turn the meatballs occasionally. Giselle did a good of her task, and time passed quickly, with each doing their assigned chores.
Edwin also boiled spaghetti side by side while the meatballs are simmering in the marinara sauce. Everything back to its place and that the kitchen looked to its original form. Both leaned against the counter while waiting for the last few minutes to pass by. It was here when Edwin risked asking one question that bothered him for years from knowing Giselle and Lillian.
"Giselle?" he called out daringly.
When Giselle attended to his call, Edwin debated whether to ask or not at the last second, before he eventually agreed to go for it.
"Did you leave behind Lillian because you didn't admire her anymore?"
He asked, and before he could let Giselle answer, he thought that was a dangerous way to frame his words.
"I'm sorry, I meant to ask that if you-" Edwin paused to catch his breath.
"When you chose to leave, did you mean to abandon Lilly?" he asked this time exhaling at his decent attempt, from which he felt positive that it isn't grave for his company to answer.
"No, Mr. Grey-" Giselle thundered with her response.
"Never. Not until my last breath do I think that I wish to abandon Lillian Grey. But-" Giselle fought herself to speak, convince, and assure the parent to her best.
"But, my choice at that time was nothing but to leave Lillian's side. Please don't ask anymore, I beg of you," Giselle pleaded earnestly.
Edwin's tension released only after hearing her admit that she didn't mean to abandon his daughter. He saw the truth in her defense and along with the regret that is still haunting her.
Edwin felt sorry for the sad life.
"I will say this, dear. You both are adults now, which means you have the privilege to handle things of great sensitivity, maturely. Also, I am getting old now, and that means I can only give you two words of advice. It is up to you two to solve whatever is frustrating to you both. And that is what I've been telling Lillian as well."
Giselle listened to Edwin's words attentively, only agreeing to his views.
"I hope you make the best use of this visit to end things with peace. I wish you good luck, dear. You can always confide in me in trouble. I am Lillian's father, but I don't mind serving a good friendship to you, Giselle."
Edwin said out loud. His words tore him as well. He tasted the sauce and meatball, and it pleased him. He didn't add too much spice, for he was making it, especially for Lia.
"Giselle, be a dear, and can you toss the cooked spaghetti with the sauce. I'll go inform Lillian that lunch is ready; She might never come down if I don't do it," Edwin chuckled as he held back his emotional tears.
Giselle agreed, and Edwin left presently.
REFLEXIONES DE LOS CREADORES 
ljack_ace
ljack_ace Just like the chapter title, I have a word of advice to you dear readers:
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So, many thanks for that and peace out!
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