SELEN woke up a little late than usual that morning. Since they migrated to the city, she did not get to have enough sleep. They were always busy preparing everything for their opening. Reinald managed to find them a place at the town proper. It was a commercial building owned by one of his professors.
From their new house, she got on her bike and went to the restaurant.
“Oh, it’s Selen!” Reinald put down the pot of plant just outside the restaurant and ran towards her.
She pulled over her bike in the parking area and got off. Beads of sweat from her forehead rolled down on her cheeks.
“Whew! It feels hotter in here.” Reinald took off his gloves and wiped her sweat with the back of his hand. “Thanks.”
“Indeed, it feels hotter in here. Compared to the rural areas, trees are fewer here, and it’s already polluted.” Reinald beamed. “Anyway, your grandma’s been waiting for you inside the restaurant.”
Restaurant to the left, flower shop to the right, Selen wondered how they will manage to keep such a demanding business when there were only three of them. She had been telling her grandmas to hire at least three helpers, but no one listens to her suggestion. Nana Cora did not like the idea of any intruder, while Nana Violy wanted some privacy.
“Don’t you have classes today?” she asked her friend when she suddenly remembered that it was a Monday.
“I skipped my PE class to help you here. It’s your opening today. Your grandmas decided to have a buy one, take one promo. Thanks to my parents, your restaurant is already the talk of the town. You will be very, very busy.” He clucked his tongue.
Her shoulders dropped.
“Yeah, right. It’s going to be a busy day.”
Selen pushed the front door open.
“I’m here,” she announced lazily.
She headed straight to the kitchen when she heard her grandmas’ voices there.
“Selen should be working in the flower shop. There is a bigger chance that she would meet a man with a good character if she’s there,” said Nana Violy.
“You and your romantic bones. Do you really think every man who buys flowers is a good one?” Nana Cora scoffed. “Selen will work here at the restaurant. Men of different professions eat food. There is an absolutely bigger chance for her to find a suitable husband here.”
She covered her ears with her hands.
“Enough!”
Their gazes both turned in her direction.
“You’re late,” said Nana Cora.
“Have you eaten the breakfast I left on the table?” asked Nana Violy.
“Hmm…” She pulled a chair and sat. “You don’t have to argue about where I should work. I just need to schedule when I’d be working in the flower shop and here at the restaurant.”
“Are you sure?” Nana Violy caressed the side of her head.
“Yeah. That’s the only way I can solve this, anyway.”
“Don’t forget your goal, Selen. We are here because you need to find a suitable husband,” Nana Cora said firmly.
She propped her hand on her chin.
“Should I date one, or should I collect and collect, then select?”
An onion leek flew in her direction. Good thing her reflexes had improved. She was able to catch it swiftly.
“Goodness gracious, Selen. Take this seriously!” Nana Cora snapped. “Dating and marriage is not a joke.”
She pouted her lips.
“Selen, she’s right. Dating is the process of getting to know each other. Don’t think of it as a game someone would play when he is bored. As much as possible, date the man you’d want to marry.” Nana Violy gave her a light pat on her temple.
If there’s a man I’d like to marry, that would be Sage Avelino.
She kept that thought to herself. For sure, her grandma would scold her if she heard her say that again.
Selen stood up to help her grandma prepare the ingredients. But when she was about to get a chopping board, Nana Violy pushed her out of the kitchen.
“Why?” she asked puzzled.
“You should work at the counter.”
Selen winced. “I’d rather do the serving than work at the counter.”
“Don’t worry, you will do both since we lack manpower here,” said Nana Cora.
“That is why I am suggesting from the start to hire a helper.” She marched out of the kitchen.
“EXCUSE ME!”
Selen’s gaze flew to the table at the corner when a customer caught her attention.
“Yes?” She sauntered towards the table.
“We ordered grilled salmon belly. Our order still hasn’t arrived yet. We’re almost done here,” said the customer.
“Oh, I am so sorry about that. Let me follow up on your order. Wait a second” She bowed at them.
“Okay. And oh, can we have another serving of the complimentary soup?”
“Sure.”
She rushed to the kitchen.
“Grilled salmon belly for table seventeen. Isn’t it done yet?” she asked. “And I need two cups of complimentary soup.”
“Here.” Nana Violy tossed a plate of grilled salmon belly on a tray. She then filled two bowls with the soup.
Selen picked up the tray and exited the kitchen to serve.
“Here’s your grilled salmon belly.” She put the plate in the middle of the table.
“Are you sure you want to have a break, Sage?”
Sage?
She turned to the man seated on her right.
He was wearing a baseball cap. Its visor hid almost half of his face. But the fact that the woman sitting across him called him ‘Sage’ was enough for her hand to shake in sheer excitement.
“Hm. So, please don’t accept any offer from now on,” the man replied.
Could he really be Sage? That Sage? My Sage? But he could be a different person.
Selen could only stare at him as if she was bewitched.
“Miss, is that our soup?” the woman asked.
The question pulled Selen out of her reverie.
“A-ah, yes.”
Without looking, she took the bowl of hot soup from the tray. But her fingers dipped directly into the soup. The bowl slipped from her grip, and it landed above the man’s lap, pouring the hot soup on him.
“Shit!” He stood up immediately.
“Oh, I’m sorry!”
Selen grabbed the pitcher of cold water and splashed it down there. But it looked like it did not help. She bit her lower lip and held him by the wrist.
Selen took him to the restroom.
“Running water! You need to—”
He held her by the arm and looked at her with menacing eyes. If looks could kill, she must be dead by now.
He took off his baseball cap.
“Oh! You’re Sage Avelino, right?” Selen cupped her mouth.
“And if I am Sage?” he said in a cold tone.