"Wow, everything looks so good. Ballsie Flores, you deserve a pat on the back!" Ballsie smiled as she looked at the dining table.
When Manang Susan led her to the kitchen earlier, she did not realize that she would be in charge with cooking the main course. She already felt nervous as is, but having to cook for a man she just met was nerve wracking on a whole other level.
She asked Manang if she can cook some other day, but her elder only replied, "Well, he better get used to your cooking now. I am leaving in a few days. When's the best time to start than now?!"
So that settled their little debate. Ballsie ended up cooking the pasta that Dylan requested and now she felt glad that she did. She beamed with pride as her fettucine alfredo with shrimp was the "star of the show." She really made sure her presentation was on point because she knew that first impressions last; she wanted to make sure that her food was not only edible, but more importantly, that it was delicious. She took the time to devein all the shrimp and cooked the fettucine pasta al dente. She also made the alfredo sauce from scratch with lots of butter, heavy cream, and heaps of Romano and Parmesan cheese. She put in a little bit of salt and pepper as well at the end and garnished the finished product with chopped parsley for an added splash of color.
"Hmm, smells so good Nay Sue, thank you as always for cooking." Dylan blurted out.
"Yeah, well Ballsie here is a great cook. Thank her, not me." Manang exclaimed with so much pride.
Ballsie looked down with her hands crossed, she did not know what to feel; she felt Dylan's gaze on her just like she felt he was looking at her when they were going down the staircase.
"Well, I stand corrected. Thank you, Ballsie for cooking. It looks and smells great!" Dylan uttered sincerely.
It was just then that Ballsie realized that Dylan had not moved away from her side since they got to the dining area. She suddenly felt conscious and hyper aware that he was just within an arm's length from her.
She feigned confidence and looked up to her side to acknowledge Dylan with a quick nod.
"Hey, are we going to eat or what?" Tori suddenly exclaimed out of nowhere.
Ballsie looked at the dining table and did not realize that Tori was already there.
"Hey Ate Tori, I mean, Kuya Victor, what are you doing? Don't we sit at the back? In the back auxiliary kitchen? Get up from there, you don't have no shame!" Ballsie glared wide-eyed.
"Um, no Ballsie. We all eat together. Don't you see, there are four plates on the table!" Tori snapped back at her.
"Yup Victor is right, we all eat together. I do not like to eat alone and plus I am not the type that would eat something different from my staff or household help. Whatever I eat, you eat, is the rule here, Ballsie." Dylan agreed with Tori's statement.
"I'm sorry Sir Dylan, I did not mean to offend you."
"No need to say sorry. I know you meant well, and I know that's typical for other households. They have their household help eat at a different time and eat different food. I don't believe in that so that's not the norm in MY household."
"See, I told you! Hashtag, seated," Tori smiled broadly at her and did the hashtag sign with his fingers. "Come, Ballsie. Take a seat here, beside me," he patted the seat cushion.
Ballsie took the seat Tori offered and Dylan followed suit. He sat at the head of the rectangular dining table.
"Hey, where's Manang?" Tori asked.
"I am here!" Manang appeared out of nowhere. "Sorry, I got a phone call from your dad, Ballsie. He asked if you got here safely. He has been trying to call you, but you weren't picking up."
"Oh no, Manang! I left my phone in my bag. I'll make sure to call him later, after dinner."
"Ok, well. Were you guys just waiting for me? Let's eat!"
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Dylan inhaled the big plate of pasta that Nanay Sue served him.
"Damn, that's the best fettucine alfredo I've ever had!" He thought to himself.
"The shrimp was perfectly cooked too! Not rubbery like Nanay Sue's shrimps tend to be when she would cook."
"Sir Dylan, did you like it?" Ballsie asked sweetly.
"Mmmmmm, you're really a good cook, Ballsie." Dylan said in return.
"I'm so glad you liked it, Sir!"
"Ballsie! You are a revelation!" Tori interjected with a clap. "Well, since this day seems to be a day of introductions and revelations, I have something to announce to everyone."
"You're quitting?!" Both Dylan and Ballsie exclaimed in unison.
"You're dying?!" Manang Susan joined in.
"No and no!" Tori answered back. "I am here to say, loud and proud, that I AM GAY!"
"Um, Victor tell us something we don't know." Dylan said matter-of-factly. He looked at Ballsie who was holding her belly dying of laughter. He looked at Nanay Sue and she too was in tears laughing hysterically.
"Sir, you knew this whole time?! I was so scared to come out of my pink closet because I thought you did not know. How did you know?"
"Uh, well for one, you would always blow me kisses when you drop me off at work. Two, wearing hot pink lipstick is a dead giveaway!"
"Aaaah, that lipstick is not hot pink! That's supposed to be dusky rose!"
"Ooook, that's my cue, well thank you everyone for the dinner. I'm going to head to my room." Dylan shook his head with a contented smile on his face.
"Ballsie, thank you again. Your pasta was very delicious," Dylan said as he stood up from his seat.
"Oooh, Ballsie got a special shoutout from the boss! Woot, woot!" Tori teased.
Dylan felt his face turn bright red.
"I'm not done yet, Victor!"
"Sir, from now on please call me Tori."
"Tori. Congratulations on coming out of the closet! Please tell whoever made that closet that you want a refund because it was not good in hiding you."
"And of course, Nanay Sue. Thank you for being you," Dylan said as he kissed Manang Susan's cheek.
Dylan went to his room with the biggest smile on his face.
This is the family that chose me. He realized. Who would've thought that a flamboyant, gay driver, injured mother figure, and a gutsy, beautiful girl would complete his home.
