Chương 779: WHAT HAPPENED AT HOME
29 FEBRUARY, MONDAY, DINNER TIME
Barry's cooking was very different from Ki's. And both of them were very different from Mum's cooking. I didn't know there were so many kinds of cooking.
So Mum's cooking was usually 3 dishes. 1 meat, 1 veg, 1 carb. Unless she happened to combine any two or three of the items. Like spaghetti with meatballs would come with pickled cucumber salad. Because carbs and meat were combined.
And everything would be put on the centre of the table, and we would just dish out whatever amount we wanted. The only rule was that for the first serving, we had to take at least a bit from every dish. Yes, this rule was created so I could not bypass the peas.
If we wanted dessert after dinner, we may have cookies. Or if mum had guests for tea that day, we might have something yummy like cake if there were any leftovers. Or if we were very good pups, Mum would scoop us ice-cream from a rectangular plastic box - not to be confused with the handmade artisan stuff in our freezer now.
Ki's cooking style served everything in 3 or 4 courses. Including dessert - which was neither leftovers or dependent on our behaviour that day. The plates would be served individually, each one with food arranged on it like it came out of Momoshiro's kitchen.
But of course the downside was that I usually couldn't ask for seconds, or take less of anything vegetably. Everyone had a set portion.
And now Barry had a completely different style. Barry's cooking was like one pot and dessert... I think.
The other day he made pineapple fried rice. Which was kind of a one pot. And he ended with Ki's fancy crème brulé with the lemongrass glaze I didn't like.
Today, he made a spicy crayfish soup with glass noodles for dinner. It was very spicy, had all its shells in, and he served it in one pot at the center of the table.
It was a messy spicy affair so the pack of disposable napkins he had left next to the pot was very considerate.
Sabre cried while eating till her tears ran.
"Maybe it's too spicy." Mum felt very sorry for the little girl, "You don't have to eat it if it's too hot, I can make something real quick."
She tried to remove the bowl from Sabre. But the little girl grabbed onto it and refused to let go, "But it's so good!"
So mum just took out a gallon of milk and a glass for her.
I got myself a glass of milk too. It WAS really spicy. But it WAS so good...and I didn't want to lose to a preschooler.
Mum was quite surprised, "Sam, you don't even like pepper in your food."
"This isn't pepper." I said stubbornly.
This was... I don't know what it was. My mouth burned in an alarming way, but the crayfish was sweet, the glass noodles wasn't really glass, and the soup had this tangy sweet vibe. I was dying but it was totally worth it.
Dessert made my eyes pop out when Mum brought out a tiered tray covered with every kind of sweet confectionery in the world! Alright, I exaggerated, but there were at least 10 different items, from strawberry shortcake to lemon tarts.
But this wasn't Barry's doing. Could it be that Barry couldn't make desserts? O.o
Recently, there was an opening for a new cook at the Packhouse Kitchen. Barry had told Mum today that he had considered applying for the position. Mum felt it was a good idea. Barry had helped there before when the kitchen was short-handed and Mama Rosa herself sang his praises openly.
"Barry has talent." Mum informed me, "And passion too."
"Then what is he waiting for?" I asked.
But if Barry stayed on as a warrior, with his strength and bloodline, he was sure to be an elite one. This was his childhood dream come true, right? He was so close too. The ranking matches would be held in Fall. Just half a year more.
Also if you asked me, becoming an elite warrior was way cooler than a packhouse cook.
"It's really a dilemma." Mum sighed.
"He should just be both." I decided. I picked up a slice of chocolate cake. I never subscribed to the saying that one could not have his cake and eat it too.
"Oh Sam!" Mum smiled ruefully and then she sighed, "You'll understand when you're older."
She might be right, I don't get it. But when I'm older, I'm going to still eat lots of cake.
The dessert tray was a collection of all the different goodies various guests had brought to our home for tea with the Luna, and as we enjoyed the sweet treats, mum recalled the different conversations we had in our home today.
It all started innocently enough. Laura had texted late last night from one of the newly widowed lady's home. Can they come over to the Alpha House for tea with the luna? Of course Mum said yes. So that was just a 10 o'clock tea with Laura and Sharon today.
It's not the first time Mum had a last minute tea party - even before Ki, ladies often came over for tea.
The morning was a little rushed. After I had gone to school, Sabre remembered that she was supposed to bring something to report on the Ceremony of the Departed.
Mum had to stop her morning tea and put down her screen and they managed to put together a blue paper plate mask because Sabre wanted to talk about the blue faces.
After that, Mum sent Sabre to school and was back with fresh cranberry scones from the bakery that opened early. She even had an hour to spare!
Maybe now was a good time for a spot of tea and catch up with her news feed.
However, Alpha Gunter arrived with Beta Glenn to thank the gracious Luna for her hospitality. He brought some gifts and apologized for the early visit, but he had to hurry back to his kingdom.
Of course Mum assured him that it was no problem at all and invited them for tea.
While he was there, Alpha Gunter commented about how he was glad I was safe and Mum's calm was remarkable to let me continue school. He wasn't sure what it was about Winderhill, but despite the dangers, his son River had been insistent on going this morning too.
Mum had assumed that Alpha Gunter had meant my long sleep throughout the weekend and simply laughed it off. It's the last week of school. The youngsters had earned some time just being kids and hanging out with their friends. Alpha Gunter nodded, feeling Mum was indeed wise. He had been to focused on the political and security concerns, and had not considered his son's social needs as my Luna mum had rightly pointed out.
Mum laughed it off again, she really didn't think it was as complicated as how Alpha Gunter made it sound. "Just let them bloom where they are planted." She smiled.
Alpha Gunter nodded, "So true, Luna. So true. You have graced me a new perspective. Thank you."
(Because it was the perspective from a Mum who hadn't turned on the TV and seen my spectacular entry to school this morning.)
By the time Alpha Gunter and his beta took their leave, Ki had also left in a hurry. Bell had required his assistance, he had already prepared tea for the 10 o'clock tea appointment and cut some persimmons.
Laura and Sharon... as well as Sharon's Mum and Sharon's Mum in law, and Sharon's sister in law all arrived within moments from when Alpha Gunter's carriage left our porch. Mum didn't have a second to spare.
Grateful for Ki's earlier prep, she exchanged out the used tea set with a new one and added persimmons to the dessert tray.
"What are persimmons?" I interupted.
Mum pointed to the orange slices which looked suspiciously like tomatoes. They looked and smelled quite different though. I wrinkled my nose opted for the chocolate chip scone instead.
"I want a permon." Sabre said. (I think the little human had a taste for exotic things.)
Mum put a slice on her plate, "Be careful not to eat the seed if you find one."
Which didn't make it any more appetizing for me.
Anyway, Mum was all ready to comfort Sharon... and her mum and mum in law and sister in law, so she was quite surprised when they came in asking if she was okay.
Laura was particularly concerned about me, but Mum assured her it was nothing that sleep couldn't fix and I was well and in school as usual.
She was still assuming the ladies were concerned about my absence from the ceremony of the departed, so she did not expect the ladies to gasp and Laura to worry even more, "Maybe we should send Beta to fetch her home? If he is busy, maybe I ask my Harry to drive her?"
Mum assured all of them that she understood and appreciated their concern, she had been worried earlier today too, but I was fine and had good warriors around me.
"I've realised that we cannot stop every danger, but we can have more faith. In our goddess, in our children, and in the wolves around us." She had smiled sagely.
And all the ladies lauded their Luna's calm assurance and Sharon was inspired suddenly to accept the loss of her mate with the same inner strength that Luna had displayed.
"I don't know how it would work out, but I have to believe my baby will grow up okay even without a dad around." She sobbed. And all the ladies gathered around her and promised to be there for her and the baby.
"That's right." Laura nodded, "We as mothers have to be strong for our babies. Then they can grow up and be strong too."
Mum was really glad that everything worked out and the ladies and Sharon left feeling better.
"It's a hard road ahead." Mum sighed, "But hard roads can only be crossed one step at a time."
"I can help babysit sometimes." I offered.
Mum looked uncertain, "That's sweet of you Sam, but maybe it's better you don't. I'm sure Savy or Lizzy might be able to help."
What was that supposed to mean?
"Yeah" Sabre nodded, "You're really fun, Sam, but you're the worst babysitter I ever had."
Grrr....
Anyway, Mum washed up after the guests left. She was just about to sit down for a cup of tea and a sandwich, maybe (finally) check her news feed on her phone, when Mama Rosa dropped by with a packed lunch.
"You must be busy! We saw Beta Ki's car go out earlier and didn't come back, and Luna was entertaining guests all day, so we made you lunch." Mama Rosa had said.
Because everyone knew that our packhouse kitchen was really the Alpha House surveillance team.
"Oh! You didn't have to!" Mum said, "Isn't the kitchen short-handed?"
"Today Barry is there, so I have a breather." Mama Rosa said, "Such a good boy. I wonder if my Penny would be so lucky to be his soul mate?"
"You remember Mama Rosa's daughter, right?" Mum broke off the retelling of her day to ask me, "You used to go over to the packhouse kitchen to look for her everyday."
Everyday? Omo. Wow, I had a lot of free time when I was a pup.
"I wonder how she is now. I heard she had become a nurse. Mama Rosa is so proud of her." Mum said.
"But you must have seen her Mum!" I exclaimed, "She came to our house! She's Delta Simon's nurse now!"
Mum looked puzzled and I tried to think of another way to help her pin the right face to the name.
"The sexy nurse, Mum!" I said.
"Oh!" Mum looked quite surprised and I took comfort in the fact that I wasn't the only one who did not recognize Penny at first sight.
"You mean Penelope?" Mum asked.
I nodded vigorously, "She's transformed!"
Mum laughed then, "Wow, so that's the feeling of suddenly realizing the cute funny pup next door had suddenly grown up."
Wait, but Penny said I was the cute funny pup next door!
"I feel old suddenly." Mum joked weakly, "All the pups around me are growing up."
Anyway, Mama Rosa sat with Mum for a cuppa while Mum ate her lunch and chatted with Mama Rosa about the going ons in the Packhouse Kitchen.
It's been very busy. But they were coping since many of the younger ladies have been volunteering to help. Mama Rosa suspects that the fact that the new wolves in town were generally good looking, unmated, young men who were always hungry also helped draw in volunteers.
"But these kind of volunteers are no good." Mama Rosa complained, "Everytime a young warrior come to collect lunch, their eyes stop looking at what they're doing! Why the other day Betsy cut her own finger while chopping the carrots! I ask her why she doesn't look at the carrots when she chop. She says she doesn't know - but I'll tell you why, Luna! It's because there are handsome boys at the counter! Luckily one of the handsome boys was also a healer!"
Mama Rosa concluded, "Handsome boys are nothing but trouble. You mark my words, Luna. These boys are going to be breaking hearts everywhere if we don't do something about it!"
What exactly did she intend to do? Maybe we can make all of them wear masks. The kind they wore when they went out with the death god to cause mayhem. Although that might actually make them more cool and mysterious.
Okay, Plan B would be to draw moustaches on them with permanent marker. You can't crush on a guy with a marker moustache right? If he were too good looking, we'd draw and color in dark rings and a beard too!
I offered my genius idea to Mum before anyone got hurt or cried, but Mum dismissed my plan with a groan, "Oh Sam, Mama Rosa was just venting. She didn't really mean it."
"I knew that." I said.
"Me too." Sabre said, although she had looked very concerned earlier too.
When Mama Rosa left, Mum had thought she finally got some time to herself. But Ki wasn't back yet.
"I realised anew today how much Ki has been helping me everyday!" Mum sighed ruefully.
As Mum got ready to go out to fetch Sabre from school, she received a worried mindlink from Mrs Beta.
{I just got back from City Hall, do you need lunch Luna?}
{No thanks, Willow. Mama Rosa dropped by with lunch just now.} Mama smiled through the mindlink to her best friend, {I'm just heading out to pick Sabre up from school now.}
{Are you? Where's Ki?} Mrs Beta sounded immediately alarmed, {Oh dear. Don't worry, Luna. I got it. Ben will take care of Sabre.}
Wait what?
"Ben fetched Sabre from school?" I interupted.
Mum nodded meekly, "And babysitted her till 5."
Ben? I looked worriedly at Sabre.
"I've decided to marry Ben when I grow up." Sabre announced, which was NOT what I would have expected.
"What?" From the way Mum looked, I guess this was news to her too.
"Why?" I demanded. Who would fall in love with that guy?
"Because." Sabre said empathetically, "He tells me to shut up when I cry and he's got a cool car."
He did what?
"Nobody else would dare to talk to me that way." Sabre told us.
Who talked to a cute little girl that way?
"Oh Sabre," Mum shook her head, "I'm sure Ben is a very nice guy, but you can't choose to marry a guy because he has a cool car."
So Mum was going to just ignore the fact that Ben told Sabre to shut up when she was crying?
On mindlink Mum sighed to me, {I think she's been joining Lizzy and Savy boytalks one too many times.}
No way would Lizzy and Savy talk about Ben like he was mate material. Hell would freeze over first.
Okay, nevermind, I'll handle this.
"Sabre." I told her firmly, "You can't marry Ben."
"You don't understand, Sam." Sabre told me.
She's right, I don't. But that wasn't the issue.
"No, you don't understand Sabre." I told her in my most grown up logical voice, "Ben is my beta. And beta is family. You can't marry family."
Mum looked completely flabbergasted at this point, but I held up my hand at her. I've got this, "One day, you'll meet your soul mate (who happened to be my direct cousin), and he would tell you to shut up and drive a fancy car and so much more (I'll just have to clue him in when the time came)."
"I... I have a soul mate? But... but Taylor said humans don't have soul mates..." Sabre looked confused.
"Trust me. You have a soul mate. You just need to believe." I told the little girl, "And wait for him."
Don't waste your time with guys like Ben.
"Okay." Sabre nodded, "Then I'll wait. But he better have a cool car."
"Okay." I promised. Even if I had to pry the lambo out of Ben's claws and give it to little Eddy, "He will have a cool car just for you."
I turned back to Mum and smiled, "And then what happened?"
But Mum just opened her mouth and shut it again. I think whatever I said had just short-circuited her brain.
Oh wait. Ben babysitted Sabre and she still thinks I'm the worst babysitter she'd ever had?
Wth!
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