CHICKEN SOUP

What Mira said was absurd to the ear. It made everyone's attention shift to her staring at her like a weirdo and quickly averting it. Even Phillip almost choked on a spit.

  Cough Cough Cough.

    " Sorry. Have some water". Suggested Mira still oblivious to what was going on.

  " Thanks". Phillip managed to say still tightening his throat in order not to release another cough.

  " Go have some water". This time Ramon said waving the man off.  " Don't worry we'll take care of it". He added when he sensed the man not moving from where he was.

  " Sorry about that". He said diverting his attention to Mira who is now paying attention to the hot soup.

  "It's alright. Why did you apologize anyway". She asked stretching her hand forth to take the plates from Ramon.

  " Don't worry about it. They'll dish their food themselves". He said handing her just one plate.

  " Oh please let me". She dodged her hand away from the plate Ramon gave her and stretched her hand for the remaining plates.

   " No. Please. Besides you don't know how much they eat". He negotiated with her.

  " Okay if you say so". She said, raising her white flag at last.

 Ramon sighed internally at her troublesome behavior but his glory of winning her in the debate was short-lived.

  " Hand me a plate let me help you dish yours then". 

 "...".

   " Huh?". He said hanging for a while before everything sunk in his head. " There's no need for that I'm not in the mood for soup". He said turning her down politely.

  " Okay then, hand me Zamiel's plate". She stretched her hand further into the air from where she sat.

  " Uhmm?". He hesitated still not handing her the plates.

  " Mr. Avi?. The plates?". She said shutting him a questioning look.

  " Okay then". He handed her a plate finally surrendering to her. Turning around to leave but was stopped by Mira's voice.

  " Mr.. Avi?. Are you leaving already?". She questioned staring at his broad back.

  ( " What is this?, Thought I was the one evoking trouble and disrupting the peace. Then why is it the other way around")?  He thought deep within him before turning around and summoning his flirtatious smile.

  " Of course, your highness". He said trying to twist the situation and lie his way out.

.

   " And why is that??". She shot back not considering him with how their relationship is.

  " What do you mean?". He asked, acting all oblivious.

  " I'll tell you what I mean". She replied closing the pot with its lid.  " You are not just going to bail and leave me here to serve all by myself. That doesn't sound gentlemanly at all". She tsked, making Ramon's pupil turn smaller.

  " I'm pretty sure you're not the type who leaves halfway". She stared up at him with a questioning glare that wasn't so threatening but with a closer look, it was.

  " What?!". He said holding on to his left chest as if he was hurt.  " That hurts you know". He replied acting all dramatic again.

  " I'm sorry if I hurt you, I was just stating the fact and what was in my mind. " She smiled at him before looking down at the food she wants to dish.  " We better hurry, the food can't wait all day".  She spoke still not departing her attention from the pot.

  " Sure, he answered walking towards her, he crouched down to her level. Squatting by her side.

   " So how may I be of help to you". He asked with a little humor in his voice.

  "  " You can be of help by helping me serve the food to Zamiel". She replied still not tearing her gaze off the pot.

  " Then these means I'm the server, like a maid". He joked once more.

  " Don't blame me Mr. Avi. You were the one who offered yourself". She smiled turning her gaze to him, before looking back at the pot which was a little cauldron.

     " And that's the exact reason I volunteered. For experience". He smiled at her even though she wasn't even paying attention to him.

  " Hmmph. Says the person who just tried to bail". She scoffed handing him Zamiel's food which had a plate over it as a lid on a tray. He received it,  walking away before Mira's voice halted him.

  " Mr. Avi?". She called softly like a kitten.

   " Yes, your highness?". He answered turning back to her with his dashing smile worn on his face.

  " I.. she paused. I hope you don't take it to heart with what I just said, I was just a bit upset that's why". She explained staring into his eyes which looked like a girl's.

 He stared at her for a while the smile slowly wearing off his face. But before it could wear off he quickly composed himself and smiled at her also staring into her brown eyes. 

   " It's fine. I'm used to stuff like that". He said trying to ease the mood between them. He flashed her a reassuring smile, and she returned it also before he took his leave.

 *******

  Zamiel stood there, watching the display, and also listening to the conversation going on. He smirked when he heard her talk about wooden plates being cute.

  " Cute". He whispered under his breath for him alone to hear.

   He stared at her lips her eye capturing every single of her features. He watched as she offered the man to get water. She had such a wide heart wide enough for everybody. He thought still staring at her conversate.

 He heard her offer of dishing everyone's food. He smirked once again at her stubborn behavior to serve everyone's food and Ramon's effort of convincing her. 

  Zamiel felt lighter with the little show that was displayed before him. 

   " Mr. Avi, are you leaving already?". Zamiel heard her question Ramon. He ( Zamiel) raised his eyebrows at her question. And another smirk came to his face when he heard her speak to Ramon nonchalantly.

  He loved it when Ramon gets the sick burn turning his expression into something unspeakable. He smiled this time when she answered him sarcastically.

  " And that's the exact reason I volunteered. For experience".

  "Hmmph says the person who just bailed a while ago". Mira scoffed.

    He quickly put on his usual facial expression when he saw Ramon heading his way with a tray in his hand and with his face looking frowny.

  He stopped when he got to his front, staring into his eyes frowning like a spoilt child.

    " Here, your wife told me to give you". He said stretching his hand forward which had a tray in it.

   " Thanks". Appreciated Ramon, receiving the tray.

 .  " Your wife must care about you. I can't believe she made me do all that. She made me serve you!'. He whined like a small kid who got deprived of having his daily allowance.

  " Hm". Zamiel answered half-heartedly, not in the mood for complaints.

 He sat down on a stool, putting the tray on his leg.  

  " Don't tell me you are going to ignore me". Ranted Ramon.

    " Care to join me?". Ramon asked diverting the conversation elsewhere.

   " Hmmph!. Really?, I can't believe this". He said finally walking out on Zamiel, leaving him to eat in peace. 

    *****

 Is there anything I can help you with". Asked Phillip, who just returned as soon as Ramon left. 

   " Nothing. Was just dishing my food".

   " Let me help you with that". Offered Phillip.

    " I have handed you know". She turned to him getting up from her seat. " I'm fine". She said walking away but stopping midway.

  " Can I use the carriage?" She asked the huge but soft-hearted man.

  " Of course, you can". He smiled almost bowing and his eyes almost popped out of the socket when he realized what her Edwards the carriage. She sat in the carriage. It looked just as she imagined. Two seats facing each other, a window parting the passenger from the Coachman outside.  She quickly brushed off her fictional thoughts and proceeded with eating.

   It was more delicious than she thought, the chicken soup was starting to thicken like broth when it was too exposed to the breeze. She shut her eyes savoring the taste before going for the bread. It didn't look like those slices of bread she eats. It was those long bread with lines over it. She was given a small portion out of it.

   She chewed the bread and she had to say. It was delicious even though it didn't have that much taste like the one she normally eats it was still good. It was soft and stretchy and the same time.

 She shut her eyes again to savor the bread's taste. She quickly opened her eyes dipping a piece of bread in the chicken soup before taking it to her mouth to let her teeth do the crushing.  She ate like a hungry beggar who haven't eaten for days.

 She soon finished with her bread leaving her with a bowl full of chicken soup. She didn't even hesitate to bring the bowl up to her lips and gulp it down her throat