Film of Love

Douze

Later that day, Aryn woke up to the amazing smell of a roasted chicken and something new to her nose. As she smelled those she suddenly rose from her bed as she suddenly thought that she’s not in her room and house anymore. She expected that she slept long enough and decided to leave her thing to unpack. On the outside, she was greeted by the moon and stars who are obscured with clouds beneath them.

She fixes her clothes as she heard a knock on her door. She went and open revealing her Aunt who has an apron on.

“Hello, Dear! How’s your sleep?” she asked the lady.

“So far so good, Auntie!” she replied. “Are you hungry? It's dinner time! If you are join us in the dining.”

“Sure, I will,” she said as and the older nodded and went away to another bedroom across them. She guessed that it might her cousin. She never saw her in person but only in the pictures, they have in their photo album back to her home. Meeting with her will surely have an awkward situation at first but instead of being quiet, she wants to make new friends and also to establish a good relationship with her as they will mostly see each other as they lived on the same roof as of now.

Given her aunt a few minutes of breathing deeply alone in her room, she finally made up her mind and come out of the room. She thought that she will be alone going to the dining but she unexpectedly came out at the same time. She felt tensed as she saw how the girl stare at her, but she felt relieved as she smiled at her warmly.

“Cosette! Come here!” Melinda yelled as she didn’t notice that both of the girls were at the entrance of the dining area.

“Mom, stop yelling! We are here already!”

“Oh!? Really!? My bad! I didn’t say you two,” she apologized as she looks back at them

“What are you guys waiting for? Wash your hands and sit, so we can eat!” she ordered them. She saw how Cosette rolled her eyes at the elder and she just laughed silently and shook her head.

“What did you cook, mom?” asked Cosette as she wash her hands.

“Well, sweetie! My hidden and specialty dish, you never ate before!” Cosette’s mom excited and proudly said. For Aryn it's somewhat can be proud of because of how mouth-watering the dishes that are well presented on the table.

“Wow, Auntie! It is visually pleasing!” she complimented. “It looks like those luxury restaurants I saw earlier as we passed by them.”

“Yes, it looks amazing outside!” Cosette agreed but she added, “I hope that it doesn’t taste bad.” After she heard that she was surprised and she don’t know what will she responds as she still learning their behaviors, their likes and don’ts, their nature, and their personality, but this time she just doesn’t know what to do. She was relieved as her aunt seemed don’t mind what her daughter has just said to her instead she just faced palm.

“Don’t worry about it, Aryn!” her aunt said, looks like she noticed how she changed her mood and sensed that she is taking a step cautiously, but she also understands her niece's feelings and she is happy that she can feel her being thoughtful of their feelings.

“Are you fine with what I prepared?” she asked the silent girl.

“Oh!” she exclaimed as she was in deep thoughts. “Ah! yes, auntie. This will be my first time to eat this kind of dish.”

“Really?”

“Yes, we are more of pasta and pastries.” She shared what they eat way back home.

“But sometimes we don’t or I don’t eat when it's dinner time. I chose to sleep these days,”

“Oh! Really?” her auntie responded as she was curious about what life Aryn had in their home. She is not surprised but her eyes are full of affection to her niece on how she grew up, beautifully and with a kind heart.

“I want to also know the names of these dishes,”

“Oh, sure! This one is Boeuf Bourguignon or Beef Burgundy as it is a beef stew braised in a bottle of burgundy wine,” she pointed out a dish with a beef stew as well as the mashed potato and a handful of green peas beside and rosemary above it.

“That one beside your plate is a Butternut Squash Bisque. As we can feel that autumn is getting colder, I always make this is the weather is starting cool so that we can be warmed up only by a bowlful of that bisque. It has a velvety texture with mild sweetness but with a combination of savory from the herbs, I hope you don’t mind a bit of sweetness in your life.” Her aunty perfectly explained the dishes in front of them.

“Well, later I will let you taste the homemade pumpkin mousse that I made yesterday. That’s it! I’m pretty hungry and I know you also felt that your stomach is grumbling,” she said and sign that we can eat now. She felt sad about one thing in her mind as she mentioned earlier, she is sad by the fact that she chose to sleep instead of eating with her family but because of that one damn thing her relationship is dangling on the end of the line, but on the other hand, she is all good.

They ate calmly but still, they find a way to chat and get to know each other thru dinner. They finished all of it and saw that each other plates that almost clean. Melinda move out a little as she went to the refrigerator to get the mousse. Aryn is anticipating the unique but healthy dessert they made.

She saw the orange-looking creamy sauce beside a brownie.

“We all know that Pumpkin is all known to be abundant this season, I grab the chance to make some mousse out of it because it’s much more affordable than the artificial flavor they put on their mousse.” She explained. “My mousse is creamy, sweet but you will taste the secret of mine which will spike with a hint of spice on it. My pumpkin mousse will make you love me and autumn more.”

“Mom!? Do you really need to include yourself in that?” she uttered in disgust and disbelief.

“Why?” Her auntie acted innocently. It made her chuckle a bit at how they are playful with each other.

Aryn noticed that Cosette is very close to her mom, to the point that she can tease her like that and her mom seems cool about it. She likes and is envious of the relationship Cosette has with her mother. She remembered how things she is watching right now is far from hers.

After that Aryn offered to wash the dishes but they are kindly denying her offer as they might saw the blackness under her eyes.

“You can go to your room and we will just clean this up and we will also be in our room anyways,” said Melinda, who is wiping the table while her daughter is in charge of washing the plates and utensils.

“Uh-Thank you!” she shyly thanked her which made her aunt smile at her nod her head. As those things had been set peacefully she waste no time and went to her room and starts to unpack her belongings. The room is medium-sized but the storage is pretty enough, she thought. While unpacking she found it boring so she went to her bag and get her phone out and play some music.

After an hour of unpacking, she stretched her limbs and went to take a half bath as part of her midnight routine. After a half shower, she locked the door as she noticed that there is no light outside anymore, which means that they are in their respective rooms.

She plopped down into her bed, when she is nearing into her sleep a notification popped up that made her open her tired eyes again to check.

It was from the company and she hurriedly sat with eyes wide and her heart starts beating so fast. She felt her emotions just mixed up and made her stomach turn up that she wanted to throw up because of this sudden mixed emotion of afraid, nervous but at the same time excited about the result. She slowly clicked as she performed her calm techniques. As she clicked and felt that the tip of her fingernail in the screen she also closed her eye.

She opened her right eye slowly and cautiously but then she screamed at what she had just seen. That scream of her made the two women bolt up and hurriedly go to her room because they thought that there is something wrong with her.

“Aryn! Open the door!” her auntie yelled a little who is nervous. She opened the door with a wide smile that made them jump up.

“What happened?” asked Cosette.

“Well, guys! I passed the application stage and they said that they want to interview me the next day after tomorrow,” she said. The looked on their face went from worrying to happiness because of the good news which they probably don’t know because she is still new to them.

“Congratulations, Aryn! Tu peux le faire!” (You can do it!) Cosette said.

“I think I will be able to sleep more peacefully tonight!” she said to herself as the two women went back to their room after finding out what just happened and they just ended up congratulating her which made them happy. Aryn never thought about how kind, humble and great her Auntie’s family was to her. They don’t fake their actions and words as she observed them from near close view.

She only knows right now is she might like staying here for such a long time. She still reading the resume and her application form that was well-made by Tristan and the message from Levitate Entertainment. Reading it for the second time around doesn’t feel the power, not like the first time she read it.

“Whoa! What a day full of something!” she cried out as she sat in the chair of her new desk and open the window. From afar she can see the moon above the Eifel tower. She feels unbelievable at what view she is seeing right now. The moon and stars along with the lights that shine in her eyes she thought on herself that as she finally walks into the new line, she asked on that line. She asked, where her footprints step to? And What sky spreads at the end of it? If she will ever get the answer if ever the world she is in unfolds is not what she is given. Will she be able to reach the line?

She also asked if what she is seeking is important? but there is something she wants to know, to prove. She thought also that she will grab the chance to find out everything, even if her mother is stubborn to help her.

As she felt tired of thinking and asking to the air, she finally turned off the light and lay in her bed. Wishing upon the stars that they will guide, and watch her in her sleep.

Tomorrow will be another day for her to greet the sun that shines in her eyes. Another day of thinking, seeking, and a never-ending story of hers.