"Did you want to take your LIFE???" she asked in a soft, cautious voice.
"Here girls, I have some appetizing soup for you. Food is coming right up."
Her father entered before she could answer the question. Seeing their tense expressions and his daughter's strange look, he couldn't help but ask, "Is everything alright?"
"Yeah, Dad…" Jay nodded with a smile, and Venelope followed.
"Yeah, Uncle, everything's good. We were just talking about university and stuff."
"Ahh… are you sure? Both of you don't really look that good…"
"We're fine, Dad."
"Okay, if you say so…
"Well, here, take this." He handed the bowls to both of them. "You can come out in 30 minutes dinner will be ready by then. I'm cooking Jay's favorite spicy shrimp fried rice. You'll love it too. You don't have any allergy to that, do you, my dear?"
"Ah… shrimp?" Venelope looked at Jay, who was looking at her father.
"No, I'm not allergic… but Jay… aren't you allergic to shrimp? You don't even like shrimp…"
Her father stared blankly at Jay.
"Yeah… I mean, yeah… Dad cooked it for you. He's making something else for me… There was a time I loved shrimp fried rice…"
"Yeah… you'll love it too… I cook really well…"
And without saying more, her father rushed out of the room.
Venelope was watching after him… then she broke the silence first.
"He didn't know you're allergic?"
"No…"
"Why?"
"I don't know…"
"But he's your dad…"
"Yeah, he is…"
"Your mother doesn't know it either?"
"Yeah…"
"Do you eat seafood every time they cook it?"
"Not really… but yeah…"
"Huh? Like they cook it and you don't tell them and you don't eat it… how does that work?"
"I tried telling them once…"
"Then…?"
"Then what…?"
"I am asking…what happened when you told them you cannot eat seafood?"
"Nothing. Mother said I was being superstitious, that I was overthinking. I used to love seafood, after all…"
"You didn't try telling them again?"
"I tried not eating seafood again…" Jay laughed. "I don't even know if I really am allergic… or if I'm cured or something…"
"Hmmm… well… you're dangerous… Instead, it's really reckless and careless on your part!"
"You think it's my fault?"
"Whose fault is it, then? It's your condition. You should clearly define your needs, your problems, your stances… Instead, you've caught yourself in your own jumbled situation…"
"Hahaha… I guess you're right… it's my fault… everything is my fault… Being sick is my fault, not wanting to get married for others is my fault, and now getting married is also my fault…"
Jay stood up and put the bowl on the side table.
"Jay, I didn't mean that!" Venelope stood up with her.
"I don't blame you… but yeah, I need time… I'll be back after I freshen up…"
Saying this, she took her pajamas and went to the bathroom, bolting it shut loudly.
Venelope sat down, staring at the bowl in her hands for a long time… Soon Jay came out.
"You haven't had the soup! V, it's all cold now!"
"You feeling better?" Venelope got up.
"Yeah! I am… just some pent-up frustration came out. I'm sorry…"
"You don't have to be sorry.
I strongly believe… in anger, people are truthful…"
"Leave this… here, freshen up and change into something comfortable." She said while giving her pajamas. "Let me heat it for you as well." She took the bowl from Venelope.
Jay took the two bowls and went out, then came back with sizzling hot, sour and spicy soup. Venelope had already freshened up and changed. The cool air through the window hit her wet hair and face while the warm bowls in their hands brought comfort to the chilly evening.
They sat down together on the bed and started gossiping and chatting, the warmth of the soup calming their souls.
…
As soon as her father rushed out of her room and into the kitchen, he stumbled around the corner of the counter and nearly fell. He was breathing heavily. It felt as if there was a weight on his chest and head. He couldn't think, couldn't breathe, and felt a surge of irritation, he literally wanted to break everything and create a lot of noise around him all this quiet was pinching him.
There were no tears in his eyes, and no words in his mouth. Finally, after a while, he opened the tap and put his head under it, drenching himself with cold water. As he took his head out of the tap and steadied himself over the sink, arms supporting him, he tried to think about what was happening to him but all he could do was pant.
During all this commotion, he didn't realize Jay was standing near the oven, putting the bowls in. Instantly, his anger disappeared and a wave of disappointment surged through him as he saw his beloved daughter not even asking him if he was alright.
"You need something, my dear?"
"No, Dad…"
"Soup was no good?"
"It went cold as we freshened up, so…"
"Ah… you can also take those snacks we have biscuits and chips in the cupboard."
That, Jay accepted happily and walked away. Her father kept looking after her, his expression instantly shifting as he watched her go. As if… as if he wouldn't be able to get hold of her ever again…
…
Soon, dinner was ready.
There was chicken curry, bread, shrimp fried rice, nuggets, custard jelly dessert, and drinks to go with it. Her father called them from the kitchen:
"Girls! The food is ready! Come out!"
"Food's ready, let's go!" Jay told Venelope and went out.
The table was beautifully set, and Venelope was in total awe. She looked at Jay as if wanting her permission to sit and enjoy.
"Ohhh… please don't be like this. Sit! You must not have had warm homemade food like this in a while!" her father said when he saw this.
"Dad, Venelope can cook really well. We had homemade breakfast this morning. If anything, I'm the one who hasn't had homemade food in ages."
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