330 A comfort meal together (1/2)

Giselle kept herself busy in the kitchen when she turned to ask an opinion for dinner to her two companions.

Lia jumped instantly to sell her pick.

”I want Chili Dogs, mother!”

Her spontaneous answer seemed way too imposed, and Giselle shifted her gaze towards Lillian.

”Did you tell her to say this?” she asked.

Lillian shook her head almost too soon to expose herself.

Giselle sighed. She asked Lia if it was alright with her to go with the menu Lillian chose.

”Did you mean the menu that Lia chose?” Lillian wanted to join the teasing, which received a threatening glare.

”Got it!” she withdrew herself from participating and let Giselle and Lia decide.

Since Lillian was a special guest staying for the dinner, Lia agreed to go with her choice of food. Having no other option left to consider, Giselle accepted the request. She decided to make chili dogs for their dinner and whip up kale salad for side greens.

Lia offered to help her mother in the kitchen and did so wore her little blue stripy apron Giselle got for her. Lillian also wished to join the squad even without knowing to cook.

How hard can it be to make chili dogs? - She thought to overlook and insisted on joining the team.

Giselle gave each their responsibilities:

Lillian was in charge of grilling the hot dogs and buns. She and Lia would join together to assemble the food with some chili on top and finish it with shredded cheese and chopped red onion.

Before their duties came Giselle's role, as she asked her happy helpers to stay put while she prepares the chili topping by starting with the ground turkey, followed by adding a few spices and sauces. When the filling is almost simmering to get thickened, Giselle planned to make the salad.

As outlined, she cooked the meat in a skillet. Both Lillian and Lia watched the turkey getting smashed into tiny pieces. Adding the condiments made them visibly drool, so Giselle kicked them away to wait over. When it's almost time with the filling, she asked the two to take over. She had already kept a pan for toasting the buns and grilling the sausages. Lillian took her place while Lia waited nearby.

”Give me a minute for the onions!” Giselle yelled to get the ingredients for the salad while grabbing the cheese and red onions on her way. She began to dice the onions first for the toppings. Lillian grilled the sausages first, and then she began to toast the buns, Lia, on the other hand, waited by her side with a cup of shredded cheese and empty plates.

Lillian followed the drill after toasting each bun.

Lia had two full chili dogs and couldn't take another bite. Due to fatigue, Giselle had two as well. Meanwhile, Lillian gobbled four chili dogs, rejoicing every chew, and thanked Lia for the generous sprinkle of cheese. It was a sight to behold as the mother and daughter witnessed it to their awe.

Giselle could guess her appetite, but Lia had her eyes wide open till Lillian devoured the last bite of her fourth chili dog. She even let out an astounded gasp at the end to commemorate Lillian's feast.

The devoured chili dogs rested in their tummies as the three hit the couch to watch Lia's cartoon together. It was Lillian's first time in several years, watching a kid's show, and she wondered how things aged from her childhood to now. It sparked an interest in her to pay attention.

Meanwhile, Giselle had no interest, so she just lay there next to Lia, waiting for the child to doze off any minute. As expected, after two episodes, Lia began to nod on and off, soon to fall asleep by her mother's side.

”She's finally asleep! I'll go put her in bed,” Giselle says to pick up Lia.

”Ignore me! This episode is damn interesting!” Lillian disregarded to comment.

”Kiss her goodnight for me, honey!” she added carelessly for amusement, only to find Giselle paused to a startle. She turned around, still carrying Lia steadily to find Lillian already recognize her offhanded comment. Flustered, Lillian explains how the animated parents from that cartoon did something similar and blames it on them cowardly. She kept giggling to hide her humiliation and saw Giselle walk away.

”I will kiss Lia goodnight for you,” Giselle agreed to resume her pace.

Both dispersed to their beet-red faces and racing sweat. Lillian resumed watching the show, only to forget what was happening in the episode.

'Wow, I don't have any clue!” - she thought to find her senses fully blacked out. That was the cue for her to leave now that the dinner is over. It became hard to depart, but Lillian waited restlessly, watching the show to her growing concern.

Giselle carried little Lia to her bed and tried to put her carefully to sleep.

However, the child stirred to the shift and woke up to a blurry sight of Giselle's sweating panicked face.

She faintly called her mother, and Giselle hushed her back to sleep. Lia apologized for giving her a hard time.

Giselle covered Lia with a blanket and sat by her side.

”You promised me, remember?” she said.

Lia nodded lazily.

”Then, don't worry. I can understand my girl.”

Giselle gently brushed the strands of hair, and it pleased the child towards relaxing. She then thought suddenly to inquire if Lillian Grey had truly scolded her. Lia vaguely recalled the moment with a sad frown to admit.

'Oh! She did scold Lia-' Giselle confirmed soon to hear soft snores.

Lia finally fell asleep. Kissing her a goodnight, Giselle left the room without a sound.

Coming out, she noticed Lillian restlessly moving back and forth. The television already switched off. As soon as they spotted each other, Lillian strode to inform her leave.

”I should get going,” she said hastily.

Seeing the time past nine, Giselle couldn't refuse and walked her to the door while she wore her jacket. Their silence expressed their dislike of departing. Yet, slowly and reluctantly, both moved as Giselle followed Lillian to the foyer.

**