The familiar scent of a homemade dish cooking in the kitchen wafted in the air.
Holden felt transported back in time as he took a deep inhale of chicken stewing in tomato, plantains, potatoes, carrots, and corncobs.
"Excuse me?" Holden spoke, startling the lady whose back was facing him as she stirred the pot on the stove. "Oh, Manang Juliet. It's you."
The voice was familiar, but it still spooked Manang Juliet. She dropped the ladle in the pot of stew that she was preparing.
"Oh, look at you. It's Young Master Holden. Grab a seat. The stew is almost ready."
Holden responded with a small smile. He grew up under the care and guidance of Manang Juliet.
The lady could retire if she wanted to, but it seemed as if she made a pledge to herself to render her service to the Knight family until her death.
It's not that Holden was against it, but the old lady looked as if she had been denying herself a vacation.
