I asked my parents about my plan for them after we went back to their house. They are hesitating to come with me. "Well, we don't want to be a burden once we get there. We live in this town our whole life, we don't know anything there," what my Mom said is true, not the fact that they are going to be a burden because I would never see them like that but the fact that they are unfamiliar with the huge city. A city is a dangerous place for those people who are not accustomed to it.
"And you have to find a partner that will stay with you forever. We will just be a hindrance to you at finding your true happiness because you always think about us," after listening to my Dad's lecture, I turned my eyes to the food in front of me wearing the 'I don't need a life partner' expression which my Mom noticed and started to speak again.
"Uh-huh! Stop that," my Mom told me while waving her index finger side by side, saying no. "What? I'm not doing anything," I said to them looking confused. "Yes, you are not doing anything but your face does," my Mom is a kind of facial expression reader so you have no escape when you lie. She's like our family investigator.
My Dad just laughs at our expression. They know I hate being pressured especially in this kind of thing. They also know that I'm not interested in being married, this thought starts after Kyle broke my silent heart little by little. I admit it's my fault for not confessing to him because of this damn ego of mine and my principles in life, but at least he finally found his one and only.
"Anna," Mom called my attention, "don't you want to know what happened to Kyle?" Dad almost spilled his drink when he heard his name.
They saw me inside the cab when he called my name, they saw me break out. I hate it when someone sees me in my weak state, I hate it when everyone looks at me and pitied me, I don't want to look miserable in front of them, in front of anybody. What can I do? I can't take it anymore. The pain I felt back then is different from the wound I got caused by a fall. Thinking back to what happened before, I'm just staring at my food, if staring for so long can vanish the person or things before you, for sure this poor ice cream cake will already be in nowhere.
The sun is almost set, I have to leave now and go back to the city where I live my life separately from my parents.
I convinced them for the last time but they are persistent to stay in the town. They said that visiting is enough for them, rather than leaving the town. Before I left, I hugged them so tightly, it will be a long time before I can go home to my hometown again. They also gave me some local snacks that my mom baked not just for me but for my friends too.
While driving, I thought back on what my mother said earlier, about him, about Kyle. They told me that after I left, Kyle changed a lot which made me confused. They say that Kyle moved out with Stephanie into an apartment where they can live together but there is something odd about him that made them and his parents worried. He stays inside their apartment most of the time, not going out to have fun with his friends, and he becomes distant from others.
Why would he do that if he has Stephanie next to him? Did she do something again that hurt him and made him act like that?
They said that he acts like that because I left. But why? Who am I to him that made him act like that? Stephanie has the most special part of his heart next to his parents. It doesn't make sense for him to change his warm personality to a cold one just because of his friend. I'm nothing compared to Stephanie's relationship with him. Thinking about it makes me frustrated and mad at him.
I texted my parents before I got out of the car to inform them that I went home safe and sound then I entered the apartment, where Elaine is already asleep in her room. The thoughts of Kyle being unreasonable and unfair to Stephanie never let me sleep that night. I ended up with dark circles under my eyes when I went to my clinic the next day.
Good thing there are a few animal accidents in the past few days. Elaine texted me that some documents needed to be signed today, so she asked me to go there. Since the clinic is not that busy, I decided to go to the café in the afternoon and left my assistants to handle everything in the clinic.
"Good afternoon, Ma'am," the security guard greeted me. Everyone in this café knows about my identity, it's not a secret to them. I always treat them like my friends instead of my employees. I always ask them favors or requests rather than giving them commands. Because of that, I can gain their respect and they also respect me in return. I met several crews on my way to our back office, just like the guard, they greeted me and I greeted them back.
"There you are," Elaine greeted me, "how was your trip? I intended to wait for you last night but my eyes didn't let me," she laughs at her joke, I only smile at her as my response, "so?" she asked.
"My parents said that your ice cream cake is the best and they want more in the future. They also said that they want to meet the Chef that fell from the sky and tell my Mom her secrets," I said to her while handing the bag that my Mom gave me before I left.
"What's this?" She peeks inside the bag and is confused about what's inside. It is some snacks I brought from my hometown, those snacks my Mom baked. "My Mom baked those cookies. I'm pretty sure you're gonna love it. Try it, and share it with others too."