The Way I Need You

Chapter 9

KAO

"Sit down." I say calmly to Max.

"But Kao." He whined at me eyes begging, but after years of practice, it no longer work on me.

"You can't play with your brothers outside until you finished this assignment." He just whined more. "If you remembered to do this last Friday night, you will be enjoying this sunny Sunday afternoon out playing." I smiled at him, but still looking a little stern to let him know that I will not relent.

"Fine." Max finally concedes.

I patted his head and left him alone.

It was a bright sunny day and every Sunday we do laundry, it's now all hanged outside waiting for it to dry. After that, Papa Ed and I checks the kids' homework, that's when we discovered that Max missed his math one, thus the little predicament a while ago.

I walk down the corridor, glancing through the window I see the children playing outside, Papa Ed watching them. I continued walking through the dining room straight to the kitchen.

"Hey Lea." I greeted her as I stepped inside the kitchen. She is busy preparing dinner. "Anything I can help you with?" I asked.

"Yes, please." She smiled at me looking relieved. "I'm making spring rolls and stir-fried vegetables, but I forgot how long it takes to wrap this mixture." She points out to the bowl of ground meat mixed with few vegetables, also minced.

"No worries, I can wrap it for you." I smiled at her.

"Thank you, Kao. You're such an angel."

I then proceeded to stand in front of the counter where the mixture and the wrapper are laid out. I started putting the meat mixture on the egg wrapper and wrap it expertly as Lea started preparing the vegetables for the stir fry.

Dinner was uneventful, I wash the dishes when we were done while Papa Ed let the kids watch one movie before cleaning themselves up and go to bed.

The next morning, I prepared some toast and egg for breakfast, I was a putting the food at the table when Maria arrived, she then volunteered to wake up the kids.

After breakfast I started to prepare for my day, as usual on Monday morning I go straight to the café for my early shift.

"Good morning, Sam. How's your weekend?" I ask as I put my work apron and name tag on.

"Uneventful, but me and my parents tried the new hotpot restaurant in Blue Shopping Center. You should try it out with you friends." She says as she is decorating some chocolate cupcakes with white frosting on the top.

"Uhuh, maybe we can try that whenever we hang out the Shopping Center." I say as I double check that everything is okay on the counter and coffee machine. I can ask the guys to try it, should I ask Pete?

Ugh, what are you thinking Kao?

Soon came the morning rush hour, students and young professionals stormed in the café making me and Sam busy manning the cashier, brewing coffee and packing pastries.

"Hi Kao!" Sixto greeted me while Sandee just offered a small smile, they were next in line.

"Hello, your usual? Large mocha and cappuccino?" I ask giving them both a friendly smile.

"Yup, plus a triple espresso." I instinctively look around expecting to see the man who likes to order triple espresso, but I didn't find the familiar frowning face.

"Pete is running late. He just asks us to get him his coffee." Sandee, noticing me suddenly looking around, explained.

I nodded, "Anything else? Some cupcake or cinnamon roll?"