More to Life ✔

Chapter 8 Family

Rialoves2cook: For as long as I can remember, my family gatherings mix loud conversations, endless buffets, and spirited karaoke. They wouldn't be complete without lumpia, our Pinoy spring rolls. Today, I had the best excuse to make them. My amazing cousin Sunshine is back on Canadian soil with plans to stay. True to her name, she has always brought warmth and joy to our lives, and she's super excited to have a taste-test cameo for this competition since she's been following along. So happy to have you home, Sunshine!

#familygathering #lumpia #deepfried #tastetest #homecoming #HerecomesSunshine

posted: September 20th, 10:25 PM

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After Camilla placed dish after dish in Maria and Tina's arms, the young women's muscles strained under the weight of the foil-covered trays. Their mother prepared for a party like they were feeding half the city. Although Maria had reminded Camilla it was a small family barbecue, the woman wouldn't listen to reason.

She leaned toward Maria. "You should talk to Sunshine about working in Thailand instead of the awful boy you keep seeing. He is not worth your grovelling, Ria. Have some self-respect."

Since they'd gone to the bakery together, they'd talked almost every day. She and Adrian were becoming friends, at the very least, and Kelsey's name appeared less frequently in Maria and Adrian's conversations.

Rodrigo closed the car door and scowled. "Why talk about the Thai job? There's plenty of work in Canada."

Slinging her oversized purse over her shoulder, Camilla let out a "humph" and slammed the trunk shut. She strutted up the cement block path toward the two-story house they'd once called home with a small plate of baking she couldn't fit in her daughters' arms.

Inside Maria's auntie's house, relatives and family friends swallowed Maria in awkward side hugs and greetings as if she was the one who had moved abroad. As she squeezed past people, polite smiles replaced their conversations. Cousins Tina's age had the karaoke machine going on the TV Uncle Joseph was still bragging about.

After setting the food down in the quiet, renovated kitchen, Maria turned to joke with Tina, but she'd already left. Instead, Sunshine stood with a hand on her hip like she stepped off the page of a fashion magazine in a thin-strapped, red dress tight at the bust and flowing everywhere else.

"Ria!" Sunshine kissed her on both cheeks then crushed her in an embrace. "I've missed you, girl!"

"Me too. How was Thailand?" Maria beamed.

Sunshine must have accumulated so many crazy stories since their last video chat like a wild going away party.

"Amazing, I'm not sure why I'm back," Sunshine joked. "But how are you and what did you cook for me today, you talented little chef?"

Maria crossed her arms as Sunshine always loved to point out how Maria could scarcely reach items on the top shelf. "Lumpia, mom's request."

"Nice, I love these." After grabbing a few deep-fried meat rolls and dunking them in peanut sauce, Sunshine leaned against the dark, laminate counter. "Wow, these are delicious!" She stepped closer to Maria and whispered, "Better than your mom's."

"I doubt that."

Sunshine grinned. "It's a close match, but yours wins. It might be this sauce. Reminds me of Thailand."

Maria smiled as she had prepared a Thai-inspired peanut sauce with her cousin in mind.

"Want to hype it up for my post today?"

Sunshine nodded like a bobblehead and danced around. "Of course I do." She rearranged her hair and tucked some behind her ear before raising her eyebrow at Maria.