Playing With Fire

Chapter 3

       After the metaphorical weight was lifted off my shoulders, I drove off  to my Aunts restaurant within the city. My late mother used to drop my brother and I with her so that she could babysit seeing as her  job required her to work at all hours of the day and sometimes, nights. To kill two birds with one stone, Aunty Bernice decided to teach us how to cook while she focused on her catering business at the time . At least that kept me busy and I was always excited to learn how to prepare a new dish. It's been a great passion of mine ever since and today, I needed this very kind of distraction.

              David always insisted on eating out or having his chef prepare our meals so I never cooked for him. He claimed ' cooking was a job for the help' . How rude. It's always been something that the women in our family bond over. Trading recipes and introducing new ones every time the families came together.

              My Aunts face lit up as I pushed open the steel glass door. She immediately got up and gave me  a heart warming hug. I genuinely missed her. I could  because I hadn't been here in a very long while. She grabbed me by the hand and took me to her office at the back of the restaurant.  I looked at her hand and noticed her wedding ring missing. I wondered why but later assured myself that I was jumping to conclusions. She was probably making pastries or something and needed to take it off. Thinking about it took my mind back to last night. I would have been engaged today. I shook my head dismissing my thoughts .

              I took a seat on the opposite end of her oak table. She offered to make me a cup of coffee which I politely declined explaining that I just had a cup on my way here.
 

          " So, how's Michael doing?" She asked whilst taking a sip of her coffee and not breaking eye contact with me. Michael is my twin brother except I was born five minutes earlier, he acts like it was five years instead.

          " Michael is doing great. He has a new girlfriend who he is helplessly in love with. You know that show where the presenter  travel walk over  the world in pursuit of party destinations and exotic islands? ".

            " Yeah! Destination paradise! I love that show! " . Her eyes lit up as she put the espresso mug down in its matching saucer.

               " Yeah his girlfriend is THE Christina Morgan!"

               " No way! My son did good then. I hope I get to meet her she is really beautiful. " She says like a crazed fan girl. I giggled at her excitement.

              " Yeah. She's a nice girl too. So she's travelling again because they are filming a new season and the same production company offered him a job so that he can do his photography and also be with her. Plus they are paying him really well so I guess its a win-win for the both of them. "

              " Yes. That's nice. " She agreed. She adjusted herself in her seat picking up her espresso again before clearing her throat.

                " So, I wasn't home but your cousin's told me that David came home looking for you and you're here this morning. Of course I'm happy that you're here but do you mind telling me what's going on?".

                 That's Aunt Bernice for you. Always straight to the point. I explained to her all that happened but of course, left out the gruesome details. My Aunt is nice but at the same time can be crazy. If she knew what David really did to me, she would go find him and whoop some Jesus into him.

                " I hope you know, I never really liked him. " She had always made that fact very clear. We both chuckled as she interlocked her fingers around the mug as if she were trying to keep them warm. My mother passed away when i was thirteen and afterwards, my father met some Broadway actress who I call 'Charo' because she dresses exactly like her when she's not in character which is so weird. Her name is Rabecca and a huge part of me will always resent her for taking the only parent we had left away from my Dad. It's not like I'll ever call her Mum or anything. But what I feel for my Dad is deeper than resentment. He abandoned his two children who just lost their mother just to be on the road with his girlfriend? It was pretty selfish if you ask me. He has been on the road with her ever since. Looks like the Mitchell men have a theme going. Aunt Bernice or simply 'Aunt Bernie' as I like to call her adopted Micheal and I and she raised us alongside our cousin's like we were her own kids. She would go to the end of the earth to make it happen and for that, I'll eternally be grateful to her.

            " There isn't another man in the picture right?" She asked looking at me curiously?

             " No Aunt Bernie. If there was, I'd tell you. " Which was true. She became my rock and I confided in her about everything.

               " Okay but don't take too long. You and your brother's need to give me some grand babies soon. I'm not getting any younger. " She says pretending to strike a pose.
  
               " Dont worry. I'd always support any decidion you'd make. And when you have found the right one, there will be no question about it or doubt in your mind. You will just know he's the one. It will just feel right. " She kissed my forehead. Bless this woman's heart .

       " Thank you. " I said with a smile on my face.
        " I was hoping I would actually be able to help out in the kitchen today. I've really missed it. "

          She laughed throwing me a pack which included an apron, a chef hat and a uniform .

" I thought you would never ask" .

         I walked to the locker room to get changed. Looking at my reflection in this uniform just felt right. I smiled to myself. You know the expression 'home is not a place but a feeling?' This, right here and right now, this felt like home.