The Cooking Show

It was almost five when everyone decided to go to the beach. Though the cold January breeze is still present, the sun is still very hot that you'll end up getting sun burned if you're not careful. So they made sure they will go to the beach when the heat's not that intense anymore.

They were just a few minutes away from the sunset. Everyone watched the setting of the sun on the west side of the horizon. All of them were awed.

"Now, that is awesome," Ryan commented to the setting sun.

"The wonders of the universe," Jenneth said. She was so caught up with what she's seeing that she didn't realize she was already talking to Ryan.

But Kenneth did not fail to notice that. He faked a cough, earning the attention of everyone especially Ryan and Jenneth. The two looked at each other, realizing they have been talking to each other.

"Isn't it romantic?" Kenneth teased.

Jenneth and Ryan looked away.

"Uhm... I guess it's time for me to make dinner. You cooked earlier, so it's me this time," Jenneth said, just to escape.

She was about to leave when Ryan suddenly spoke.

"I'll help you."

"Huh?" She stared at him.

"So that I won't be called useless by other people here who complained I don't even help in the chores," Ryan said.

"That's good," Kenneth said. "Go ahead and help Jenneth and make yourself useful."

"Daddy, am I also not useful?" Darlene suddenly asked.

"No, my darling," Kenneth said. "Just your uncle, because he's already grown up. But you, you're still a baby so it's okay if you won't help in the chores."

"Baby? Until when?" Ryan asked. "Darlene, you come and help us cook dinner. Let's go."

"You're not planning on ordering around my daughter like a slave, are you?" Kenneth asked.

"I'm not!" Ryan said. "Come on! Let's go back inside."

Jenneth can do nothing but leave and follow Ryan. Good thing Darlene is with them. At least, she doesn't need to talk to Ryan all the time. She doesn't even need to talk to him at all.

"Aunty Jhing, what are you going to cook?" Darlene asked.

Jenneth paused and stared at Darlene. She suddenly realized she does not know what to cook for dinner. She suddenly went blank. Truth is, she wasn't thinking that straight because of the man that they're with.

"What do you want to eat, Ling?" Ryan asked Darlene.

Jenneth looked at Ryan. The latter just smiled. Jenneth felt her face blush.

"Can we eat... spaghetti?" Darlene answered.

"Spaghetti again?" Ryan said. "Can't you think of any other food you want?"

"Fried chicken... with spaghetti." Darlene smiled impishly.

That made Ryan facepalm. Jenneth giggled at the two's banter.

"She always eat fried chicken and spaghetti. She doesn't want anything else," Ryan said to Jenneth.

Jenneth smiled at Ryan. Then she stooped down at Darlene.

"What kind of spaghetti do you like? Filipino style? Italian?"

"Filipino style, Aunty, with lots of hotdogs and meatballs," Darlene answered.

"And you're not too demanding," Ryan said sarcastically to his goddaughter.

"But that's what tastes the best. Sweet spaghetti with lots of hotdogs and meatballs," Darlene explained.

Jenneth remembered that Darlene is fond of sweet food. If that's what she wants, then that's what she'll cook.

She went to the pantry and looked for the supplies they bought.

"It seems like Dr. Helen knows you love spaghetti," she said upon seeing the noodles. She took the package out of the cabinet and showed it to them.

"Yay!" Darlene exclaimed.

Jenneth smiled at Darlene's reaction. She then saw Ryan smiling at her, obviously happy to see his goddaughter happy. He smiled at her, and for the first time, Jenneth felt comfortable smiling back at him.

"So, you're going to help me, right?" Jenneth said. She started taking the ingredients out of the pantry.

"Sure! What do you need us to do?" Ryan asked as he went to the island counter where Jenneth put the ingredients to what she'll cook.

"You know how to cook, Uncle?" Darlene asked.

"Of course I do!" Ryan said. "How do you think I survive living alone?"

"Dad said you just order food outside."

Jenneth laughed at what Darlene said.

"That's not true! Your dad is lying," Ryan denied. "I'll show you how good I am at cooking." He then turned to Jenneth. "Jhing, what do you want me to do?"

"We need to boil the noodles," Jenneth answered.

"Okay… I'll look for pots here." Ryan went to the cabinets and searched for a pot. "Is this okay?"

Jenneth nodded. "Yeah, that will be okay."

Ryan filled the pot with water. "Good thing this kitchen is complete."

"It seems Dr. De Villa really provided everything for his guests here in his rest house," Jenneth said.

"That doctor seems very nice," Ryan commented.

"He is nice," Jenneth said. "And kind. He even said he'll gift this rest house to Sam once she got married."

"Really?" Ryan looked at Darlene. "Don't worry, Lene. I will also buy a rest house, then gift it to you when you get married. But you should get married when you turn forty."

"I think that's exaggerated," Jenneth commented.

"It's just right," Ryan said. He then placed the pot on the stove. "Is this right, though?"

"Yeah," Jenneth said. "Let's wait for it to boil, then we'll put salt, and a little bit of oil." She started preparing the ingredients for the sauce.

"Is that really how it is?" Ryan asked.

"Yes. You don't know?"

Ryan shook his head.

"Uncle does not know how to cook spaghetti," Darlene commented.

"Hey! Pst!" Ryan said to Darlene.

Jenneth smiled at the two's banter. She then took the onions and gave them to Ryan.

"Really?" Ryan asked, obviously adamant into taking the onions.

"Well, I have to prepare the chicken because we still need to marinate it," Jenneth explained.

Ryan pretended to cry as he prepared the knife and cutting board for the chopping of the onion.

"Finely chopped, okay?" Jenneth told him.

Ryan just looked at her sharply. He then began peeling the onion.

Jenneth then turned to Darlene.

"Do you want to peel the hotdogs?" she asked the kid.

"Sure!" Darlene said, full of excitement.

"Okay. But first, you should wash your hands."

She helped her clean her hands under the running water on the sink.

"You hands are full of sand," Jenneth commented as she tried cleaning Darlene's nails.

"I collected some shells from the beach." She then took the shells she collected from the pocket of her shorts, then put in onto the island counter. "There."

Jenneth stared at the shells, not knowing if she'll be amused or annoyed. The shells are very sandy, thus making Darlene's hands dirty again. Not only that. The sand almost went to the ingredients that they are about to cook.

Ryan tried to hide the smile that's forming in his lips, brought about by Jenneth's reaction to what Darlene just did.

Eventually, Jenneth just smiled as she once again cleaned Darlene's hands with soap and water. After that, she proceeded to teaching the child how to peel the plastic cover from the hotdogs.

She then went on to prepare the marinate she will use for the chicken. It's just a simple recipe that she learned from her late mother. Then, she prepared the batter she will use in frying the chicken. She was on that process when she caught sight of Ryan. She can't help but laugh as she saw the guy literally crying over the onions.

"Go ahead! Laugh all you want," Ryan said, annoyed but still in tears.

"Gosh... Uncle is crying already," Darlene commented.

"Ah! So you're ganging up on me, huh? Go! Just go," Ryan said before sniffing.

That's when Kenneth and Samantha went in.

"Ryan? Are you crying?" Kenneth asked as he started to laugh.

"Out of all the tasks that I could do, I was given the onions," Ryan answered. He was about to wipe the tears from his eyes using his hand, but Samantha stopped him just in time.

"Oops! Don't you ever do that, or you will have a bigger problem," she told him.

"Okay, I'm done!" Ryan said, even though the onions are still not done. He went to the sink and washed his hands.

"What are you cooking?" Samantha asked as she went closer to Jenneth.

"Someone said she wants spaghetti and fried chicken," Jenneth answered.

"Daddy! I helped by peeling the hotdogs," Darlene said proudly.

"Wow! That was very good, Baby!" Kenneth went to Darlene and kissed her head.

"She just peeled the hotdogs! I cried all the water from my body and is about to get dehydrated," Ryan said.

Everyone laughed at his reaction.

"Well then, let me continue what you're doing," Samantha said.

"That's better," Ryan said.

"Can you do the frying, then?" Jenneth asked the two men.

"Sure. Let us do that," Kenneth said.

And so, everyone worked to prepare the dinner they will be having for that night.