Chapter 2:The Disaster
1279 Words
THE DINNER DISASTER
By the time Kiara reached home, the sun was already beginning to disappear behind the tall buildings of Manhattan.
Their house stood in one of the quieter, more expensive parts of the city.
It was huge.
Too huge, according to Kiara.
Three floors. Tall windows. A wide staircase. A spotless marble entrance. Paintings on the walls that Kiara didn't understand but her mother insisted were "investments."
The kind of house where every room looked like nobody was actually allowed to touch anything.
The moment Kiara stepped through the front door, the butler appeared.
“Good evening, Miss Bennett.”
“Good evening, Mr. James.”
She slipped her bag from her shoulder and handed it to him.
“Thank you.”
Mr. James accepted it.
Then Kiara looked toward the kitchen.
A delicious smell floated through the hallway.
She smiled.
“Is dinner ready?”
Mr. James hesitated.
“Chef Daniel is preparing it.”
Kiara walked toward the kitchen.
“Not anymore.”
She pushed open the kitchen door.
Chef Daniel immediately turned around.
“Miss Kiara?”
“I'll prepare dinner tonight.”
The kitchen went completely silent.
Chef Daniel stared at her.
Kiara stared back.
“Excuse me?”
“I said I'll prepare dinner.”
“Tonight?”
“Yes.”
“For your parents?”
“Yes.”
Chef Daniel slowly placed the knife he was holding on the counter.
“Miss Kiara, with all due respect…”
“Yes?”
“I strongly advise against this.”
Kiara raised an eyebrow.
“Against me cooking?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Chef Daniel looked at her.
Then at the stove.
Then back at her.
“Because last time you cooked…”
He paused.
Kiara folded her arms.
“What happened last time?”
“The smoke alarm happened.”
Kiara's mouth dropped open.
“That was one time!”
“And the time before that.”
“That was an accident.”
“And the time before—”
“Chef Daniel.”
“Yes, Miss?”
“Are you trying to get fired?”
His eyes widened.
“No, Miss Kiara.”
“Then let me cook.”
Chef Daniel sighed.
“Yes, Miss.”
Kiara smiled.
“Thank you.”
She tied an apron around herself and began gathering ingredients.
Chef Daniel remained nearby, looking like a man watching someone walk toward danger.
“Are you sure you don't want my help?”
“No.”
“Perhaps just a little?”
“No.”
“Maybe I could supervise?”
Kiara turned around.
“Chef Daniel.”
“Yes?”
“Go.”
He slowly walked out.
But not before whispering,
“May God help us.”
Kiara heard him.
She laughed.
“Drama queen.”
An hour later, the Bennett dining room looked perfect.
The long table was beautifully arranged.
Candles flickered softly.
The plates were placed perfectly.
Everything looked expensive.
Everything looked elegant.
Everything except the food.
Kiara stood proudly beside the table.
She looked at her creation.
It wasn't terrible.
At least, it didn't look terrible.
There was rice.
Chicken.
Vegetables.
And a sauce she had invented herself.
The sauce was the part she was most proud of.
It had also been the part Chef Daniel had looked at with genuine fear.
The front door opened.
Kiara heard voices.
Her parents were home.
“Kiara?” her mother's voice called.
“I'm in the dining room!”
Her mother, Elena Bennett, entered first, still dressed in her work clothes.
Her father, Michael Bennett, followed behind her, loosening his tie.
Elena smiled when she saw the table.
“Oh, sweetheart.”
Michael stopped.
“You cooked?”
Kiara smiled.
“Surprise.”
Her father walked toward her and kissed the top of her head.
“That is very sweet of you.”
Kiara's smile grew.
For a moment, she felt warm inside.
Maybe tonight would be different.
Maybe they could just sit together.
No phones.
No work.
No rushing.
Just family.
They sat down.
Michael picked up his fork.
Elena did the same.
Kiara watched them.
“Go ahead.”
Her parents exchanged a quick glance.
Michael took the first bite.
He stopped.
Kiara's eyes lit up.
“Well?”
Michael swallowed.
“Interesting.”
Kiara frowned.
“Interesting?”
“Very interesting.”
Elena took a tiny bite.
Her smile froze.
For half a second, her eyes widened.
Then she quickly took a sip of water.
Kiara noticed.
“Mom?”
“Yes, sweetheart?”
“You don't like it?”
“What?”
“The food.”
“No!”
Elena smiled too quickly.
“I love it.”
Michael nodded immediately.
“Absolutely.”
Kiara looked from one parent to the other.
“Really?”
“Really,” Michael said.
He took another bite.
His face remained perfectly calm.
But underneath the table, he quietly pushed his glass of water closer.
Elena saw it.
She almost laughed.
Almost.
She quickly covered it with a cough.
Kiara narrowed her eyes.
“Why are you both acting strange?”
“We aren't,” her father said.
“You are.”
“No, we're not.”
Kiara looked at her mother's plate.
Her mother was eating so slowly that it looked like she was negotiating with every grain of rice.
Kiara looked at her father's plate.
He had somehow managed to spread the food around so it looked like he had eaten more than he actually had.
Kiara finally laughed.
“You hate it!”
“No!” they both said at the same time.
That made her laugh even harder.
Her parents eventually gave up pretending.
Michael placed his fork down.
“Okay.”
Kiara grinned.
“You hate my cooking.”
“I wouldn't say hate.”
“You're struggling.”
“I am fighting for my life,” he admitted.
Elena burst out laughing.
“Michael!”
“What? It's true!”
Kiara laughed so hard she had tears in her eyes.
For the first time that day, she didn't feel invisible.
She looked at her parents.
They were laughing.
She was laughing.
And somehow, the terrible food had created the best dinner they'd had in weeks.
Her father pointed at the plate.
“But sweetheart, what exactly did you put in this sauce?”
Kiara smiled innocently.
“A few things.”
“What things?”
“Secret.”
Michael looked at Elena.
“We need Chef Daniel back.”
“Definitely.”
Kiara shook her head.
“You two are terrible.”
Her mother reached across the table and squeezed her hand.
“But we love you.”
Kiara smiled.
“I love you too.”
She didn't tell them she had already eaten before starting dinner.
She wasn't hungry.
She had cooked because she wanted to do something for them.
Something they would remember.
Something that would make them sit down together.
And for one evening, it worked.
Later that night, Kiara stood in front of her bedroom window, looking down at the city lights.
Her phone buzzed.
She picked it up.
A message from an unknown number appeared.
UNKNOWN:
Hey. It's Adrian. About the project.
Kiara stared at the screen.
She hadn't given him her number.
Her smile slowly disappeared.
Kiara:
How did you get my number?
Three dots appeared.
Then disappeared.
Then appeared again.
Finally, his reply came.
ADRIAN:
That's a story for tomorrow.
Kiara frowned.
She stared at the message.
Something about it bothered her.
She didn't know why.
She only knew one thing.
Tomorrow suddenly felt much closer than it had a minute ago.
- Writer
- chap_listContents
- likeADD