Her Value. ( BWWM).

chapter 8.

I carefully arranged the plates on the table before heading into the kitchen to fetch the remaining items.

Today, I found myself in an unusually good mood. It's not that I'm always downcast, but since Chetachi's passing, there haven't been many occasions where my parents and I have gathered around the dinner table for a complete meal.

I prepared all their favorite dishes, eager to savor this moment. To fully immerse myself in the experience, I decided to keep my phone aside until we finished dinner. I also asked my family to leave their phones out of the dining room.
I hope this evening will be filled with laughter and joy as we sit together and enjoy a wonderful meal. I'm truly looking forward to it.

"Momma, Dadda Come down. Dinner's ready. " I shouted for them and immediately received a response.

They both descended the stairs together. As soon as their eyes fell upon the table and then on me, I flashed them a genuine smile.
"Surprise!" I exclaimed excitedly. "Now come quickly and take your seats. I've prepared this entire dinner just for the two of you, with all your favorite dishes. My back aches from all the cooking, but I truly hope you'll enjoy it."
I arranged the plates as they settled into their seats. Dadda sat at the head of the table, Momma on his right, and I on his left. The seat beside Mom was where Chetachi used to sit. He would often switch between sitting with Mom or me, but since his passing, none of us had dared to occupy that seat.

"Of course we will love it, my dear," my mom exclaimed, patting my head. "My daughter has learned her cooking from me; it's obvious whatever she makes is going to be beyond delicious." I couldn't agree more.

I don't know how time has flown by so quickly. From being by my mother's side in the kitchen, gossiping and helping her cook, to actually cooking like her myself. Of course, I can never quite replicate the flavor she infuses into her dishes, but I'm confident I'm not a bad cook.

All three of us-Dadda, Momma, and I-were happily chatting about countless things in the world. To my surprise, the food I had cooked was delicious! Both of them loved it.

We were enjoying this wonderful night, just as I had hoped. However, my father's phone rang, interrupting the peaceful moment.

"Dadda, please! I told you not to bring your phone," I said quickly, trying to stop him from answering.

"Don't worry, I won't pick it up," he reassured me with a small smile. The phone continued to ring until it finally stopped.

Just as we were about to resume our conversation, his phone rang again.
I was getting annoyed now.

"Dadda-"

"Let me see who it is. It might be important," he said, taking his phone out of his pocket. As soon as he saw the caller ID, his expression changed dramatically.

"I need to take this. You two continue eating," he said hurriedly, leaving the dining table. I was a bit upset by his sudden departure.

"It's okay, Dora. Maybe it's really important," my Momma assured me, as always.

I nodded and focused on my food as my mother and I resumed our conversation.

After a while, our dinner was finished. As Momma and I cleaned the table, I couldn't hide my disappointment that Dadda had left abruptly, taking his car keys with him.

I knew Momma sensed my mood, but she didn't say anything. I didn't want to overthink it either, so I went to my room after cleaning the table. Momma told me she would wait for Dadda, but I insisted on staying with her.

"No, dear. You must be tired from all the delicious cooking you did. Why don't you go and rest? It's late. Don't worry about your Dadda. He'll be back soon," she said, patting my head and kissing my temple.