Jake Barry
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Chapter 59
🕑 Added 2023-12-06 16:32:38 +0000 UTC"Dinner's ready!" Robin calls to us from the kitchen. The smell of his cooking permeates the house.
"Be right there, baby!" Sophie calls back. She turns back to look at me, having been cut off mid-sentence just a moment ago. She opens her mouth to speak, only to decide not to. Instead, she stands and offers me a hand. "Let's continue at the table?"
"Very well." I nod, taking her hand and rising to my feet. The two of us take our seats at the dining table, which has been carefully set in advance. Two large dishes, one vegetable and another full of potatoes, sit in the middle. I breathe in the aroma of carefully selected spices, just as he steps out of the kitchen with a third dish in hand. My eyes widen at the sight of it. "Oh my! Are you trying to get on my good side?"
"Always, Ma!" He smiles, setting it down beside the others. He takes a seat across from Sophie, prompting her to stand and begin serving us. "Truth be told, I just felt like making it. It's been ages, and I know it's your favorite."
"It has been ages. I believe the last time I had this was when..." My voice trails off as I try to recall just when it could have been.
"It was when Robin came to ask for my hand." She glances lovingly at him, reaching across the table to place her hand atop his. "Don't you remember?"
Stoic as I am, I cannot help but smile as I recall such a heartwarming memory. "I most certainly do."
Back in our settlement, food was a central part of our tradition. When such a necessity is sparse, its status becomes elevated. No matter one's age, young or old, a good meal is a simple pleasure most everyone can enjoy. The feeling of a full stomach is often taken for granted, especially by those who have never experienced true hunger. There was no greater gift than a meal, and no greater way to show respect than one cooked by oneself. Indeed, we took great pride in our cooking, and in feeding one another.
On that day, I remember Robin prepared this exact dish for me. A meat-based pie with a side of fresh wild-berries, drizzled in a sweet syrup. The perfect complement of sweet and savory, and a highly difficult dish to make, let alone well. Perhaps that is why it is my favorite? The three of us ate until we could hardly breathe. Only after I was in such a pleasant mood did he formally ask his [burning] question. Confident, gentle, and strong, I knew there was no one better for my daughter, and for this family. My answer was a resounding yes.
We do not know how or when this wonderful tradition was conceived, but we have no intention of letting it die. Despite abandoning our old home for a new one, our customs were brought with us. Some of the citizens of the city have even adopted a few.
"Please enjoy. I am praying you will like pie." Robin acts humble, but I can see the unwavering confidence behind his eyes. There is no doubt in his mind.
"And the berries." Sophie chimes in. "I messed up the sauce twice, but the third attempt was perfect!" She insists, and like her husband, she is also very confident.
Something about their demeanours is unusual today. For Sophie, who hardly ever cooks, to be so involved in our meals is odd. Equally so for Robin, who generally does not prepare such a feast for us, let alone a dish with such significance to our bonds. I refrain from commenting, more interested in the food in front of me than mindless speculation. Unable to hold back any longer, I pick up my fork and scoop up a bite of the pie. I raise it to my mouth, taking a moment to smell it and feel its lingering heat from the oven radiating against my lips. I blow on it softly before putting it in my mouth. Immediately, its nostalgic taste fills my mouth.
"Mmm~" I moan in content. A rare reaction from me, but well deserved in this case. The taste of the meat is splendid. Clearly, it was prepared meticulously; perhaps even marinated over several days. Not only that, the crust crumbles so pleasantly. I chew the mouthful slowly and then swallow. "This is truly wonderful, dear. Well done."
He appears relieved at my reaction, relaxing in his seat. I notice Sophie looking at me expectantly, waiting for me to try her part. I eagerly pick up my spoon and scoop two berries up. I allow the smell of fresh fruit, chilled to the perfect temperature, to fill my nose. I put them in my mouth and bite down, causing their juices to explode across my tongue. The normally overpowering sweetness combines with the saltiness of the pie harmoniously. I swallow, and then look at my daughter incredulously. "Equally wonderful. Honestly, I find it hard to believe Robin did not make both."
"Mom!" Sophie objects, pouting at me. "He did not! Tell her, Robin."
"She did. She made it herself." He chuckles. "But it took five failed attempts, not two."
I laugh softly at my his comment exposing my daughter. It is no secret that she is a poor chef, but she tries, and that is all that matters. To her credit, this dish is practically flawless. I have never seen her make anything close.
The three of us settle down and begin to eat. I suppose they were waiting for me to start before they followed suit. It is at that point that I remember the conversation Sophie and I were having earlier.
"Sophie. You had asked me about work earlier." I remind her.
"Mn!" She makes a sound, hurriedly swallowing her mouthful. "Yes, I was! You always mention a young man you work with, but you never offer a name. Then, today, someone at work said something that helped me put two and two together. Is that guy's name Nick?"
"It is." I answer, between bites. "Why do you ask?"
"Oh my god!" She gasps, dropping her utensil with a clang. She leans in toward me, partially out of her seat. "You mean that Nick? One of the first twenty?"
"Yes? Though, I am not sure what you mean by that." I answer, glancing at Robin for his reaction. Surprisingly, he appears similarly shocked.
"He's practically a celebrity. All of the first group are, from what I hear." She explains. "So you know Ori and Daedalus and his son. That makes four! Wow!"
"They are just people, like you and I." I roll my eyes at her. I am well aware of their fame, but not so much that I would act any differently. Nick, specifically, is quite ordinary. A fairly plain young man, living a very extraordinary life. Such was his lot in life, I suppose. "There is no need to swoon."
"How about Orina?" Robin asks, his interest piqued. It seems as though the two of them are of similar minds today. "Is it true she is the richest in all the city?"
"I do not know for sure, but it is likely. If not her, then Engineer Daedalus." I explain, feeling the need to clarify the details. "Neither of them happened upon their wealth. Both worked incredibly hard for this city in order to make our lives better. It is only natural that effort bore fruit."
"Woah." They both say at once. Their timing is uncanny, almost comical.
"Why are you both suddenly interested in those people? There are several others who migrated here later on who are doing very well for themselves." I ask, genuinely curious about what could have sparked this.
"Well, there isn't any particular reason." Robin shrugs. "They are interesting people and we would like to know more about them. Sophie thought that you might have something to add, beyond what the general public knows."
"I mean, you are meeting with a bunch of them pretty often these days..." Sophie averts her gaze.
I would interpret that as a comment about Daedalus, but the look on her face suggests otherwise. No, she is referring to more than just him. At that point, I stop eating and place down my utensil.
"I have, but even so..." I glare at them both. "You two know better than to ask me about matters of the city."
"Yeah, but this isn't confidential, is it? I mean, if it was, you wouldn't have confirmed anything. But even if you didn't, you've been acting so strangely these days! I just want to know what's up." Sophie points out, causing me to grow impatient with her. Robin reaches over to grab her hand in an attempt to get her to stop talking. I am glad that at least one of them has the ability to read the room. Sophie reacts with frustration, her question addressed to both of us. "What? Am I wrong?"
I gesture at him to relent, to which both of them settle down. My daughter is correct in her assumption. Indeed, I would not have divulged that information if it had been confidential. Never would I allow such a slip of the tongue. My odd behavior, however, is not something I realized. How careless of me. I must admit, Sophie has always been very sharp. Truthfully, I do not mind talking about this, but it would have been better if they had been direct. There was no need to do all of this beforehand. Picking my utensil back up, I take another bite of their delicious cooking to lift my mood.
"You are not wrong. What I am about to tell you must stay between us. It would not be too great a problem if word got out, but it could cause trouble that I do not need." I explain, pausing to let my words sink in. "Is that understood?"
"Yes, Mom." Sophie nods. Robin does the same.
"Very well. Recently, there have been meetings to discuss a request that Jeannine made of me. A request so ridiculous that I could hardly believe it came from her. In order to make it happen, we would need the cooperation of many talented citizens, most notably the ones you mentioned." As I speak, the two of them become increasingly interested. It seems they have forgotten all about the food at this point. I, however, continue to eat while it is hot. "In the coming weeks, we are going to launch an operation that will result in several trafficked Remnants to become free. There is little else I can share, unfortunately."
"That's great!" Robin exclaims. "But why would that need to be kept secret? Doesn't she regulary rescue Remnants from all around?"
"It's because she is going to steal them from someone. Isn't it?" Sophie answers, her excitement all but gone.
"Once again, I cannot divulge the details." I tell her, though it is obvious that she knows the truth by now.
"All I can say is that in the best case scenario, many people will be saved. In the worst case, she is risking arrest, if not losing her life." I explain, taking the final bite of my food and wiping my mouth with a napkin. "She is a hopelessly good girl. I only hope that will not come back to bite her."
The two of them go silent, slowly returning to their food. It seems they received the answers they expected, but not the ones they wanted. After a time, Sophie decides to speak.
"If Jeannine dies... What will happen to us?" Her gaze remains low, on her plate, and her tone is quite anxious.
"As your mother, I would rather not think about that. But as Mayor, I can assure you nothing good. However, I do not believe that will happen. Not if those involved in this have anything to say about it. That includes myself. I swear that I will not allow anything to happen to that girl."
My words are met with shock from the two of them.
"Ma, I thought you never swore?" Robin asks. I realize that this may be the first time I have done so in front of him. It might even be the second time in my entire life.
"It means we have absolutely nothing to worry about." Sophie smiles, tenderly stroking his hand. Her mood has flipped in an instant. It is touching just how much faith she has in me. And for good reason. I never swear unless there is zero doubt in my mind. "Thank you for telling us. I hope that once it's over, you can tell us all about what happened."
"Absolutely." I smile. "It will be a celebration like no other."
The mood at the table seems to have improved significantly. The two of them change the topic to more mundane things such as work and friends. I remain relatively quiet, answering the occassional question and nodding along. However, my mind is elsewhere. I swore that no harm would come to Jeannine, and I meant that, but she is not the only one at risk if we go through with out plan. Nick, Orina, Daedalus, Icarus, and even Sara stand to lose a great deal. In Nick's case, it would likely be his life.
So long as that risk remains, I cannot relax. Initially, I fought Jeannine on this, but she is a stubborn girl. The only reason I agreed was because I knew she would go ahead anyway. In that case, it is better I provide my support however I can. Anything to improve the chances of success. We are both cautious people. I have always trusted her judgement. Perhaps there is something she knows that I do not? I hope that is the case.
Having hope is not the same as having a plan.
Comments
G
Once again great chapter and don’t scare me with the words “Jeannine could die” damn my heart literally stopped when I read the consequences of her upcoming rescue mission
