After her aunt closed the door, Eliana wasted no time.
She buttoned on her bear patterned shirt and pulled her pants on.
She slipped her feet into her bear slippers, then she headed downstairs.
The delicious smell of ground beef sizzling in olive oil wafted in the air and she could hear the chopping sound the knife makes as it hit the cutting board.
Her aunt opened the refrigerator door.
Then she closed it again, a block of cheddar cheese in her hand.
She noticed Eliana peeking her head over the stairway and called out to her.
"Ah, Elie! Here, can you shred a bit of this? This is your dinner, you know." She winked.
Eliana nodded.
"Mmmmkay'..."
Eliana entered the kitchen and grabbed the grater from the drawer.
She put on some disposable gloves and picked up the cheese.
"Hey, um… Auntie Lucy?"
"Mmmhm?"
"Just a sudden thought, why do I take pills anyways?" She proceeded to grate the cheese.
Auntie Lucy stopped sautéing the beef for a moment.
"Why do you ask that, Eliana?"
Now Eliana knew this was a serious matter.
Her aunt never called her by her full name unless it meant that the next words were about to mean something serious.
"I was just wondering..?"
The beef continued to sizzle and her aunt didn't say a word for the next couple of minutes.
'Why do they always change the subject? Why won't they tell me?'
"Did you grate enough cheese yet?" She asked, not turning to face Eliana.
"Ah, yes… I'm quite finished now, auntie." Eliana placed the shredder on the counter and put the cheese back inside the refrigerator. After removing the gloves from her hands, she tossed them in the trash.
After that, her aunt said nothing again.
The awkward silence was starting to become unbearable.
Eliana really wanted to retreat to her bedroom so she slowly backed away.
She was just two feet away from the stairwell when a burning smell suddenly filled her nostrils.
"Uh, auntie? The meat is burning…" Her voice trailed off as she pointed to the contents blackening in the pan.
"Oh! You're right, how silly of me!" Auntie Lucy chuckled and started sautéing again as if the conversation just now never existed.
Eliana sat herself on top of the chair, watching her aunt pour the cooked ground beef onto a plate of rice. She put cabbage leaves onto it and placed tomatoes around it before she sprinkled the shredded cheese. To finish it all, her aunt squeezed ketchup and mayonnaise on top.
"It's done!" Eliana exclaimed.
"Yes, it is." Her aunt slid the plate across the table.
Eliana caught the plate and thanked her aunt.
After scooping a bit of the taco rice onto her spoon, she took a bite of the meal her aunt provided her.
She chewed, tasting every flavor that landed on her taste buds.
Not too long afterwards, her eyes lit up.
"It's just the way I like it!" She beamed as her cheeks puffed out, full of her most favorite food on Earth.
"I'm really glad you like it, Elie. I'll probably make it again next week." Auntie Lucy smiled.
"Can't you make some tomorrow?" Eliana slightly pouted.
Her aunt raised her eyebrows.
"Tomorrow, you say? Won't you get tired of it though?" She tilted her head.
"Uh-uh, I never get tired of taco rice." Eliana's nostrils flared out as she spooned more into her mouth.
"Okay… Whatever you say, you little chipmunk," Auntie Lucy winked while tapping her cheek.
"Whatever you say…"
"What's that?" Eliana looked up from the plate.
Auntie Lucy shook her head.
"Ah, nothing."
Then she walked out of the kitchen and into the living room, sprawling herself all over the couch.
"When you're done, make sure you clean up after yourself. Alright?" She called out from the living room.
"Okay, auntie."
She wasn't in a hurry so she savored every bite of the taco rice in front of her.
When she was done, Eliana rinsed out her plate and loaded it into the dishwasher.
After, she wiped the table with a bleach wipe.
Eliana peeked from the kitchen wall and found her aunt completely knocked out on the couch.
She noticed the television was on but she swiftly shut it off before anything else could happen.
Eliana wasn't that comfortable being in this room at night anymore, especially after what happened earlier, so she quickly made her way to the stairs.
Without missing a beat, she arrived in her room and shut the door.
Leaving whatever out there, out there.