131 Family Dinner (2/2)

It is somewhere along the line of: don't get too close to him or he will break your heart.

Kind of feels like what great grandfather had told my grandfather when he decided to marry Edith and then basically eloped with her.

Regardless, it is a good advice from a loving father who cares deeply for his daughter. It is not because of me but because of the breakup back in high school with my sperm-donor. It was quite devastating to my mother, and she refuses to date anyone afterwards.

My mother tries not to love anyone ever again, but I am inevitable.

And it is only right that she loves me, as I am her son.

”Hey… Max? Do you have anything to drink?”

Misha calls out at the doorway. A headphone hangs around her neck, emanating music.

One daughter goes, another comes. But that is strange. I would have thought that Misha runs into her father and older sister on the way to the kitchen.

They must have taken their talk to the study room, which is in the opposite direction.

”Sure, Misha. Let me get them for you. By the way, what are you listening to?”

I response and open the fridge and pick out several soft drinks. I made sure the drinks are cold enough before handling them over the Misha.

”Britney. Want to hear?”

Misha answers and pops a bottle. She takes a sip to quench her thirst.

”No. That won't be necessary. I can listen to it later in the recording room. Besides, I am a bit busy at making our dinner. It won't be long.”

I response and return my attention back to the task at hand. The oven is heated up nicely, readying to roast some nice and tenderized meat.

”Wait. Wait. You have a recording room? As in a room where you can record music?”

Misha utters. The moment I acknowledge that I do and state that she can use it if she wants, she is off and out of the kitchen. She has also forgotten about the drinks on the table.

Joshua drops by later to grab them and asks where Misha is. He drops by the recording studio just to have a look before returning to his gaming session back in the bedroom. There is quite a lot of games that he wants to play but never had the money to.

”Welcome back, Stephanie. I hope you have a pleasant talk with your father.”

I speak up when Stephanie returns to the kitchen. She seems upset despite the smile on her face.

”Do you want to talk about it?”

I offer while making a vegetable stew, but Stephanie responses by shaking her head. I have expected that since it is too personal, not to mention emotional.

”Smells really nice.”

Stephanie changes the subject and approaches the cooktop to have a look next to me. I stir the heated soup with a ladle before letting her have a taste.

”Here, please have a taste.”

I offer once I made sure the soup within the ladle is cooled enough.

”Tastes really good too.”

Stephanie compliments after she had a taste.

I nod and have a taste myself just to see. It isn't as good as I can make back home in the prime-reality due to high-tech ovens and cookware, but it is still very good, considering the state-of-the-art kitchen for the current year.

”Maybe you should become a chef, Max.”

Stephanie points out. I chuckle at that and shake my head.

”Maybe. What about you, Stephanie? What do you do?”

While I already know what Stephanie inspires to be, it is still good to hear it from her personally. And besides, it also shows that I am interested in her and want to learn more about her.

Dinner is ready soon enough, but only grandfather grumpily joins us at the dinner table. This is because he is unable to get Joshua and Misha to join. Those two are too busy doing their own things, thinking that this is basically their place.

”I'm so sorry about this, Max.”

John apologizes as he sits with his daughter across from me. It would be strange if Stephanie is sitting next to me even if she wants to.

”No need to apologize, Mr. Connors. They are just making use of their time doing what they love since they will only stay here for the night.”

I pause for effect before smiling faintly.

”Anyway, I am sure they will come out of their room when they are hungry enough. We don't need to wait for them, and the foods are better when hot. Let's dig in. No need to be polite. We are all friends here.”

I offer and enjoy the nicely roasted rabbit casserole. Stephanie did the same, finding the texture and taste to be exquisite. Grandfather gives his compliment.

Joshua and Misha join the dinner half way through just like I have told everyone. They hurriedly inhale their foods before retreating back to their respective room, making grandfather apologizes again.

”It's fine, really, Mr. Connors. As long as they don't break anything, I don't mind.”

Even if they break something, I probably wouldn't mind either. But in such an event, I will have to say something about it. Luckily, I didn't have to.

Stephanie helps me clean up afterwards and I had a chat with John about the sleeping arrangement as it is getting late. It did take like a couple of hours to prepare dinner and another hour for the clean up afterwards.

I don't mind if Joshua and Misha take over my bedroom, but since there is only one bed there, Joshua will probably sleep on the floor.

As for master bedroom, Stephanie will be sleeping there since John will sleep in the living room on the couch, listening to the radio. As for me, I guess I will be retiring to the study room as I have something to do.

While grandfather accepts the arrangement, Stephanie does not.

”I can't do that, Max. Please sleep in the master bedroom. I will sleep with Misha instead.”

I shrug and leave it at that as it is unnecessary to persuade her otherwise. The bed in the spare room is really small, so it will be very uncomfortable for two grown people to sleep together.

Besides, Joshua will be playing game all night.

And like I have expected, Stephanie couldn't sleep that night. She checks up on her father in the living room and covers him with a warm blanket before checking up on me.

I am still awake despite it is 2am in the morning.

”Shouldn't you be sleeping?”

I speak up before she did. I look up from my book as well.

”I couldn't sleep. What are you reading?”

Stephanie responses and have a looks around the study room once more.

She was here before with her father, during when I was making dinner. He had told her not to get too involve with me since I do not appear to be someone ordinary. Someone ordinary wouldn't be able to own such an underground complex. That is a fact.

It is ironic that she is here in this same room with me, alone. Even if she wants to listen to her father, it is impossible to silence her heart. People are always driven by emotion. It is irrational, but logical.

”The Code Book by Simon Singh. It is fascinating stuff.”

I answer before putting the book on cryptography down. I then offer her a seat.

”You know, I have always wanted to be a secret agent when I was little just like my father. What did you want to be when you were little, Stephanie?”