She stood in front of the building. She felt the cool morning breeze on her skin. It felt quite good and she decided to inhale some.
"Phhhh.. Rejuvenating!"
She straightened her skirt. They told her it was an interview, one was supposed to dress corporately right? But, God! She felt uncomfortable in this damn costume. She hated office wears. It made her so uncomfortable.
"Calm down Roxie, it's just for a while and you would burn this weapon on you!"
She said to herself and walked into the building. Seeing the way she was dressed, the weird receptionist at the counter pointed her to the left. She didn't seem to want to talk with anyone.
When Desi got there, she saw close to twenty-eight people who had come for the interview. She wasn't even nervous or scared a bit.
When she was younger. As of the time she was still living with her parents. She had led the life of a princess. Everything was provided for her. Starting from expensive clothes, shoes and toys. But, Roxanne wasn't just any ordinary little girl. She didn't like singing, nor dancing, nor playing with toys. She didn't like dressing up for galas. But, she loved one thing...Cooking!
Their family chef was always scolded every time because of her. She always snuck out of her room just to go to the kitchen. She skipped her piano classes whenever her parents weren't home. The poor piano instructor often pleaded with her to come out, but, she would always lie on the bed feigning illness.
As soon as the instructor leaves, she would jump out of the bed and find her way to the kitchen.
Owing to the fact that she spent most of her time in the kitchen, she became a very good cook. The very first time her parents ate her steak, they had rewarded her with a new apron, a cooker and a small sized pot that would suit her figure.
After that time, all of her classes, both the piano, the dance and the etiquette classes were all replaced with her cooking class. Because of this, she learnt how to prepare a variety of foods.
In her Uncle's home, when they found out that she was a great cook. They gave her the task of cooking. That was why she could bring food for that person. Her mood took a turn immediately she thought of him. She was brought back to reality when they were all given tags. They were also given some kitchen wears to change into.
She quickly changed into hers. She was glad to have finally left those uncomfortable clothes. They were all led into an extremely white kitchen. Each one of them were to find the stand that had the same number in the tags that were given to them earlier. Everyone was assigned to cook the meal written on that stand. The ingredients were already displayed on the table.
All the examinees were all arranged in two rows. They were directly opposite each other. But the distance between the two tables were much.
Even without looking at the name of the food she was asked to prepare. Just a glance on the ingredients displayed had already told her that she was going to prepare Lobster mac and cheese.
They were told to start and were given an hour and thirty minutes to finish up.
Lobster Mac and cheese was one of the first dishes she had learnt how to prepare. She remembered their family chefs idea as she prepared it. The chefs voice often echoed in her mind.
"Roxie, go and preheat the oven." Her chef had often told her. She would scramble towards the oven, always forgetting to ask at which temperature. Before she could raise the question the Chef often shouted to her.
"Three hundred and seventy five degrees Fahrenheit."
Roxie smiled as she quickly went to preheat her oven. Under the knowledge she had grown up with.
She boiled her salted water, after a while she drizzled oil on it before adding her pasta (Mac).
As she had boiled her lobster too. She remembered that she had made it for that person. In fact they made it together. All the processes all flashed through her mind. She quickly jerked. She didn't want to admit it but, majority of her past life, revolved around that person.
She was so engrossed in the cooking that she didn't notice that she was faster than others. The man standing next to her on the table gawked at how fast she was. At this rate she might even finish an hour before the others. Wasn't she scared of making mistakes?
Soon, the sweet aroma of Lobster Mac and Cheese wafted in the air. Some of the competitors swallowed hard. If this continued this way, they would have to leave their own meal and devour that young lady's meal.
She waited for the others to get done, before she displayed hers along with theirs. They were all told to stand out from the table.
They took turns to taste the food. Each of the examiners always had something to say about Roxie's dish.
Every compliment she received from them always ended with a thank you. After the inspection, they were all told to go home. They said that they would contact the people they needed. Roxie was sure that she was going to get a job. But, she had a hunch that it wasn't going to be easy. She had a hunch that something bad was going to happen.
She couldn't just place her finger on it. She went straight to her son's school with a long face. What the competitors didn't know was that, some of their dishes were shipped away for further inspection and selection.
As she passed by a store, she saw a canned smoothie, it was one of Draco's favorite drinks. She bought it and hastened her journey to the school by entering a cab. She was already back in her very tight clothes again.
Draco was on his usual spot already when his mom came. He had wanted to smile and go hug her until he saw what she was wearing.
"Mom, what are you wearing? Can you even breathe in that?" He had asked.
He knew his mother hated this kind of outfits, so why force herself to wear it.
"I went for the interview." She stated.
"Oh, that's true, so did you do well." Roxie carried him up and said.
"Don't you trust your mother's culinary skills again?"
"Mother is the best cook in the whole world. Now can you let me down? I'm no longer a child."
Roxie laughed at her son's words. She let him down.
"Mother you'll get the job, and when you do so, bribe my teachers to promote me to a higher class. Every thing they teach here is just too elementary."
She laughed, she knew her son was a genius, but no. She was going to allow him school accordingly.
"According to your age, this is supposed to be your class."
"But, they are all children. I hate kids you know. They always cry and it irritates me." He said with a frown.
He hated kids? That was exactly the same thing his father had said to her. He had said to her.
"Anne, let's not have kids in the future okay? They are nothing but a nuisance."
She had laughed over it, thinking he was merely joking. But when she had told him that she was pregnant. He had spat out the two words that broke her heart.
"Abort it."
He had sent her the money for the abortion. She in return, sent him a fake report of the abortion. After that, he never spoke to her again. They turned to strangers. While she was in asylum, he was leading a luxurious life.
"Draco, you can't hate kids okay, they are gifts from God."
"I don't believe in God mom."
"With time, you will. Now here's what I bought for you."
"Thanks mom."
He said immediately as he grabbed it in excitement. Looking at him Roxie thought. No matter how tough he acted, he was still a kid. Her son, her husband and her pride.