BLAMELESS SORROWS

17. Ride.

Heri's Point Of View.

Heri: Good evening Galen.

He look at me and smile his beautiful smile while starting to drive out.

Galen: Good evening beautiful. Anywhere you want to be before going home?

I nod my head in yes eagerly, while he look amused by my enthusiasm.

Galen: Okay, where might that be?

Heri: Let's go grocery shopping!

He chuckled softly when I said that.

Galen: You want to cook for grandpa?

I nod in yes.

Heri: Grandpa made me that delicious cakes and cookies, so I also want to return the favour.

Galen: But Grandpa won't like that you will cook, Iam very sure he will rather want to cook for you himself.

I look at him confused, why does he think I'll let such scarce chance of eating something cooked by a fine cook like Grandpa?

Heri: Of course grandpa will cook, and that will be eaten by me while grandpa eat mine.

He chuckled and shake his head in disbelieve.

Galen: I feel like Iam invisible in this house somehow!

Ah, I remember something when he says that.

Heri: Hmm! How are you invisible, after making me that embarrassed in front of Grandpa Kip.

He look at me confused, the nerve!

Galen: When did I make you embarrassed again?

Heri: You introduced me as your girlfriend remember? If not for that my coughing fit due to shock won't have happen!

I exaggerated my tone and flap around my hand to make my point.

Galen: Oh that!

I looked at him shocked, that is it. Just oh that?

Heri: When did I become your girlfriend anyway, I wasn't aware that I was ask!

He chuckled once more when I said that, why is he always laughing when Iam this serious.

Galen: We won't have many chance to visit grandpa Kip later, so I just want him to know in advance.

What kind of theory is this? Am I the only one who find his confidence so weird yet devilishly attractive?

Galen: Cause he is the closest to family like member that I can introduced you to. I don't want you to be disappointed when you meet me all alone, and my home quite empty with no warmness or anyone.

I look at him a bit surprised by his sincere words. I know he is an orphan but I never thought he will be this lonely.

Galen: I too have an aunt, but I don't think you will meet her either, she stay far away.

I look at him and can see his pain and loneliness clearly.

Heri: Am I going to date your family when I become your girlfriend? You alone is enough!

Hmph! He dont even give me a chace to complain about anything.

Heri: Besides, we will make a family ourself and make our home however we want it to be. If we need any advice or anything like that, I'll make sure you will have a parent like figure in my parents. They are really becoming your father and mother in law.

I was complaining about him not asking me out and now look at where our conversation is going.

Heri: You just make sure that you ask me to be your girlfriend nicely, Iam quite picky about such things.

He stop the car abruptly making me look at him a bit surprised, but the next second before I can comprehend anything, he is there hugging me tightly.

Galen: I will make sure I try everything I ever can to make you my girlfriend, I will not leave any stone unturned untill I can call you mine. So make sure you keep your word, Ill take everything you say as a promise, so make sure you keep it.

I remain silent flustered by the sudden change of the mood.

Galen: What the? Why aren't you saying yes? Are you already regretting your words? Iam a clingy and a possesive man, I don't let go of things just like that.

I chuckled at his words, but his tone and the vulnerability it have make me to hug him back and make him feel as assured as I can.

Heri: I will look forward to the journey of becoming your girlfriend then.

He smile and lean out of the hug, his smile turning into a grin with each second.

Galen: Wife, but I guess one step at a time.

And he get out of the car making me stare at his moving figure in shock. How is he so smooth with all this?

And also I realise we are at the store at this point, so I got out as well with Galen opening the door for me of course.

By the way we are not at the convenient store or anything like that. Rather we are at a place where there is line and line of street vendors who sell all kinds of vegetables, fruit and different kind of everything. From poultry to any sea food to any farm product.

I clap my hand in excitement and start my shopping with Galen closely following behind.

I hop from one place to another taking all the vegetables I need for tonight and all the fruits that I like as well. I take some corn as well, which I really like.

I pass the things to Galen while he silently carry it for me with no complain.

Finally we reach the seafood section and here I buy some fish which is the main ingredient of my dish.

And with that we drive back home again.

Back home.

I went inside and shout out a quick.

Heri: Grandpa, Iam home.

And after I shout that out I facepalm myself. Why am I shouting that in someoneles place?

It is my habit to announce Iam home wherever I may be and it seems that does not change even here.

While Galen look at me amused by my habit and my dramatic face palming.

But nonetheless I was recieved warmly by grandpa, who came out from the kitchen towards the parlour with a spatula in his hand.

Grandpa: Welcome home kids!

Heri: Are you cooking grandpa?

He nod his head and signal for us to follow him which we did.

Grandpa: I invite you to dinner, how can I not cook in such a case.

I smile already excited to taste his dish.

When we reach the kitchen, Galen went towards the refrigerator and start to kept all the things we brought.

Heri: No don't Galen, we have to wash it first.

He nod, and bring all the stuff towards the sink.

Grandpa: What is all this now?

And he point towards the stuff I brought, while Galen look at me to explain.

Heri: I also want to cook for grandpa while I am also looking forward to eating your food.

Grandpa: Then I will look forward to it too, little one.

I nod excitedly.

Heri: But what are you cooking, it's smells heavenly!

He smile and open the lit and there I saw pork simmering deliciously purely red in colour.

Grandpa: Iam hoping you can eat spicy.

I nod my head in yes, I can eat anything if it's tasty, spicy non-spicy does not make a difference.

Heri: How are you cooking this, it look heavenly.

Grandpa: It's a dish I have been making since I was much younger. First we boil the pork by itself for about two hours in low heat, with nothing but red chili powder and salt. And then after that boil the water down to dry and will let the fats of the pork cook itself. And during that time, we add bamboo shoot which is already cook and some clove of garlic crushed.

I sign a thumbs up in his way while he smile and close the lid again.

Heri: Iam already salivating, so to eat quickly let me also get to cooking.

And with that I wash my hands while dragging Galen to do the same and both of us wear an apron each, ready to cook.

Galen: Am I cooking too?

Both grandpa and me, we look at him as if the answer is obvious.

Galen: I guess Iam.

We nod happy that all of us are doing this together.

Heri: Grandpa is making spicy, Iam going to deep fry the fish, so what are you going to make?

Galen: Salad and I will make something a bit on a plain side to balance your dishes out.

I nod happy with his dishes while grandpa goes back to cooking his bamboo shoot while I also starts to cook.

I quickly clean the fish and cut it to a size I prefer, and then leave it. I cut some Tomatoes into thin slices and then some onion and many garlic and then put them all above the fish and mix it with spice and salt seasoning.

I leave it to marinate for a while, when at that I went and heat up the oil to fry it ans wait for it to be heated. The fish does not need long to marinate, cause I score it preety well and besides it's in thin slices so.

After all the things needed were prepared, I deep fried everything and in no time all of us were done.

So we make our way to the dinner table, with grandpa dish on the middle with mine on its side while Galen salad and his simply boiled vegetable serve as a side dish.

And in no time we start to eat, after saying out prayer of course.

I quickly take the pork in my bowl which is filled with rice, yeah rice is our stable food. And then start to inhale in the food.

Heri: Wow this is so delicious Grandpa.

And I continue to eat it, the soft texture if the long boiled pork is just so unique and so so tasty, and also the little sour taste added by the bamboo shoot is so refreshing and take away the oily element of the meat. Besides eating this with the salad is just bomb. And of course the veg serving as a balancer did all the job.

Grandpa: Iam glad, Iam also enjoying the fish to quite an extend.

I smile with my mouth full of food, munching on it non-stop.

Galen: I feel so left out, if I knew you guys were going to do this, I will also have came up with a main dish.

He said in a quite serious way but the smile on his face betray his words.

He seems relieved and happy that Iam getting along with grandpa quite well.

Heri/Grandpa: You are being left out!

Grandpa and me look at each other surprised after we said the same thing but with a smile high five each other, making Galen roll his eye and huff in annoyance. But the little smile never leaving his face. And like that, while chit chatting and playing around here and there we finish our dinner.