CHAPTER 21
Sunday would be my new favorite day of the week. The three of us are complete at home. Though we spent dinner or breakfast on weekdays and Saturdays, having the whole day to spend with my brothers on Sundays is the best.
While Jay was washing all of our clothes, I helped Felix on preparing lunch. We started making the lunch earlier than the usual time we’re preparing it since it will take more than two hours before it cooks. Felix decided to make it a special one—Spicy Western-Style Spareribs.
“Check the ingredients, Catherine, if they’re all complete,” he told me.
That was my job earlier to check if have the complete set of ingredients. Pork, of course, we have it. Paprika, salt, garlic powder, sugar, pepper, and butter. Did we forget something? The lemon and chili! They’re the most important ingredient for this meal.
“We forgot lemon and chili. Do we have it right now?” I asked Felix and tried to check the ingredients presented on the table again. Maybe I missed it or didn’t find it easily? It can’t be absent when we’re already prepping my most anticipated dinner meal. It’s mostly served during dinner, but we’re having it for lunch. I guess there are no rules for consuming a meal.
Felix checked the fridge and pantry. Then he shook his head, indicating we don’t have the two ingredients. “I did lemonade yesterday. I forgot. Sorry. I guess we’re not going to have it today.”
“No!” I almost screamed. I must be acting weird right now because there’s a chance we won’t be having the Spicy Western-Style Spareribs we had for ages. It had been a year since I last tasted it when Felix tried to step up from his cooking skills. I loved it back then. Now that Felix improved his skills, maybe it would taste god-like. “I’ll buy the remaining ingredients.”
Felix wrinkled his forehead. “Where are you going to buy that? I buy groceries a few miles from the town.”
“There’s a community store where I could try fetching those. I won’t stop nagging you until I have that dish.”
Felix chuckled with his fathomless voice. “Fine, Cath. Just be back before dinner.”
“I won’t be staying that long.”
“Are you with Gelo?”
I shook my head. Going around the town shouldn’t be always with Gelo. I’m a grown-up now and it’s already day. There are no threats around except for freaking kidnappers that are teachers in the school. “He said he has a lot of homework to make,” I lied. I don’t want them to force Gelo to join me.
“Are you fine alone or do you need me to join you?”
Felix would see me talking to Gwen once we arrived at the store. And I wanted to walk alone and discover the town. “I can do this alone. I just need the cash.”
Felix pulled out from his wallet and gave me enough amount to buy all of the remaining ingredients we didn’t have. Felix told me to take care of myself before I left the house and started my journey for the missing lemon and chili powder.
…
The walkaway was smoother than my face. Gelo said one time that town officials are cleaning the road weekly or at least once every two weeks. Like before, the houses were abandoned and the way was night-quiet.
Some sniffed and they would glance at me. A strange thing is I’m not knowledgeable about my true identity as a half-blood. I guessed they won’t hurt me unless they were so curious to the point they were going to kidnap me like my teachers.
The sky was bright and sunny, opposite to the mysterious vibes that the town was giving. The sun was lemon-yellow, and cirrus clouds spread like jam.
I didn’t get sweat from walking. Just deadly stares and curious faces on the way.
Gwen’s forehead was already crunched when I entered the store. She was debating with one of the customers so she hadn’t noticed me.
“Sir, I told you that your change is only three dollars. Twenty minus seventeen is three!” Gwen almost shouted. Her fists were clenched on the counter of the cashier. They were fighting for how many minutes?
“No, no. As far as I could remember it is six.”
That was basic arithmetic to be mad or be wrong. I may be judgmental but that wasn’t a large number at all. Gwen was blessed that there wasn't a huge influx of customers in the store. That would frustrate the others and may leave because of it.
Gwen pulled out a calculator from one of her drawers. I’m not near but she typed in numbers on it then she showed the answer to the mad adult customer. “It’s three!”
“That calculator’s a cheat. You should just give me three more dollars then I’ll leave. So this debate would end.”
“I will not give you more dollars.”
“Then I’ll stay here forever.”
If I were Gwen, I would’ve killed that guy inside my head. He wasn’t being stupid anymore, he was fooling Gwen so he could earn three more dollars. As Gwen’s friend—no not a friend, a colleague would be a better adjective—I have to help her. I stomped towards the empty place beside the customer.
“Catherine,” Gwen muttered. “I’m having problems with this guy. He’s insisting that twenty minus seventeen is six! I don’t know what to believe anymore.”
“Gwen is right. Your change is only three, Sir.”
“Prove it? The real way.”
“Fine.” I gaze back at Gwen. “Do you have a pen and paper?” She bobbed her head and pulled a black ballpoint pen and a sheet of A4 bond paper from the inside.
I drew twenty circles n the paper. They weren’t perfect but the important thing is that I can explain it later to this shitty customer.
“This is the amount of money you paid for. Cross out seventeen because that’s the amount you need to pay.” I glared at him, waiting for him to do what I said. When he only shrugged, I spoke again, “Do it!”
The customer crossed out seventeen circles on the paper.
“Count the remaining ones.”
“One… Two… Three..”
“That is your chance. Now, leave the store or we’ll contact the mayor of this town to punish you.” I’m not even sure if we can contact her for small problems like this. Or if they’re going to side to omega and half-blood for this thing.
“Uh… S-she's right…”
He left the store and I won the argument.
“Thank you, Catherine!”
“I hate those kinds of people. It is already basic and they’re still doing that to you.”
“That guy isn’t stupid. He tried to fool me. Sometimes it happens here to poor families. If I let it slip up, we won’t be profiting from this thing. Why are you here by the way?”
“I’m fetching lemon and chili powder for our lunch.”
“A fancy dish like what we can see in the restaurants in the movies?”
“Yeah… Felix knows how to.”
Gwen pointed the direction to me. “I can’t leave the cashier to assist you. The lemons are on the fruit section while the chili powder is at the condiments, near the rice and vegetables.”
I thanked Gwen and walked to where the things she needed are. She grabbed five lemons. For sure, it’s more than enough for their dish. She’ll make lemonade if it’s too much then. On her way to the chili powder, she bumped into a big built body.
“Shit!”
Fear electrocuted my system . The guy was someone that I know. Someone whom I needed to avoid. Marvel—the guy who almost punched me in the school.