Chapter 4 Chef Amos

While on the phone with Lester, Zein constantly tapped the table with her fingers. She was bored because they didn't have a gig that day, but she wasn't in the mood to leave the house.

"Come on, Zein. Come with me. I am going to Bicol." Lester convinced her.

Lester's perseverance caused Zein to mess up her hair. He's been her friend for a long time. They met while still in high school. Lester was the closest to him of all her bandmates because he was also their bassist.

"Then what? Will you introduce me as your girlfriend? No way!"

"Please, they want me to marry the daughter of my godmother. That girl is cursed. I can't imagine myself building a family with her." Zein could hear the despair in the man's voice.

"Consider this, okay? If you introduce me as your girlfriend to your parents, they will not like me for you. I swear, I am not the type of girl that they will like."

"They will like you," he insisted. "You're beautiful inside and out, Zein."

Zein shook her head and took a sip of coffee. "Is that why I don't have a boyfriend until now?" she asked her friend sarcastically. "They will not like me. I never even had a boyfriend before."

He let out a deep breath and was silent for a moment but spoke again. "Because I told you. Believe me, you are girlfriend material."

Zein walked to the fridge to get something to eat, but there was nothing left. Zelda, her sister, used to shop for her. Meanwhile, she didn't have a hard time in Japan because she had one of her dearest friends, Agnes, with her at home. She had lost a limb now that she was alone in that big mansion. She had to get used to not having Zelda by her side.

'I really need to go grocery shopping.'

"Zein? Are you still there?" asked Lester.

Her attention returned to the man who was still speaking on the other line. "Yes, I'm still here. Sorry, I just thought I had to go grocery shopping."

"I'll come with you."

"Then you're going to be persistent about what you want me to do for you? I don't want to," she replied firmly.

Zein heard his grumbling on the other line. If the man wasn't really her longtime friend, she wouldn't put up with his rudeness.

"Just make me your boyfriend so I can stop myself nagging you. Do you think that will be a great idea? You and me... in a relationship is not bad. Why don't you just make me... your boyfriend?"

"You are out of your mind. Indeed!"

Zein's yell made the man giggle. She wasn't desperate for a boyfriend. She wants experience, but not in that setting. Lester had taunted her like that for a long time, and she couldn't help but cringe.

There was nothing wrong with Zein. She didn't know what was wrong with her. She's still young and unhurried, so it's not unexpected that she doesn't even have a lover. Maybe nothing will change in her life since she is so complacent. She, like everyone else, hopes to start a family at the perfect time.

"Just think about my favor. I am willing to be your boyfriend-"

Zein ended the call. The man must be blushing with annoyance. She just laughed at the thought. Zein found cup noodles. That's the only thing that she can eat. She was about to open it when she heard the gate open. She frowned and she immediately walked out.

'I will definitely call the police if it's Mang Tasyo again. I don't want him to tease me again.'

The man told her that his secretary would handle the accident, but she was talking to Amos. She paid in full, but he refused. She was busy with her gig, just like the day before, but the man kept phoning. Zein abruptly interrupted his conversation, and she was surprised when a police officer arrived at the club where she was playing and asked her to the precinct because Amos had filed a case.

When she opened the door, Zelda came in front of her carrying grocery bags. Her previously unpaintable face had suddenly cleaned up. She swiftly attended to her and gathered her other belongings.

"Zelda, why didn't you enter your car in the garage?" Zein asked after they placed her sister's purchases on the table.

"I'm just a moment. I just dropped by because you might not have food in stock at home."

Zein smiled at what Zelda said. Even though she is married, she still worries about her. She really didn't know what to do without her sister to guide her.

Zein reached for the bag of her favorite bakeshop. She even drew a wider smile. "You still know my favorite."

"Zein, I just got married. I have not forgotten you." Laughing, she took the groceries and cleaned up the kitchen.

"Of course, I have to get used to it on my own. You are now with Race. Soon, you will be a mother of your own children. I will no longer be your priority," she explained.

Zein took another seat and sipped her coffee. She bit into Reo's pandesal. She simply closed her eyes with delight and nodded repeatedly. She was never bored with their stuff. Everything is delectable. It was just pandesal, but it was unlike pandesals in that if the surface was not charred, it was just air. The taste was already on the tongue, so it didn't need to be crammed.

"Zein, even though I have a family, it doesn't mean that you're not my priority. You're always my priority."

"Am I going to be happy, Zelda?" she asked with a laugh. "Don't worry. I can take care of myself. Besides, I am an adult now."

"Adult, huh?" Zelda gave her an incredulous question. "I guess you are starving now that you have no food to eat. If I didn't go shopping, you might forget to go grocery shopping."

"I will go shopping. I just forgot it."

Zelda sighed. "Find a person that will take care of you so I don't worry like this," her suggestion.

Zein swallowed what she was eating before she spoke, "Who is it? Why should I hire an assistant? That's expensive."

"So what? I will pay the salary."

"Just nonsense. I'm also always away from home because of practices and gigs."

She approached her when she finished cleaning the kitchen. Her sister sat in the seat across from her. Her expression was concerned, like that of an older sister.

For Zelda, Zein still looks like a child. Zelda gave her money when she ran out of money, but she didn't want to be a burden. She had savings from their contract in Japan, so she didn't want to trouble her with money.

"If you can just have a boyfriend," she suggested as if she would just pick up a boyfriend on the road. "Yeah, you never introduce someone as your boyfriend."

Zein grimaced and ruffled her hair. "No one falls on me."

"You are beautiful, Zein," her sister said, smiling.

Zelda glanced at her. "Just fix yourself. Look, can you at least comb your hair? Also, you have too many earrings in your ears."

Zein held her sister's long hair that she always curled when she's out. Her hair color was natural. She couldn't help but compare her own hair that had changed color.

"Sister, we are different. You are modest. You are kind, caring and loving, so many people like you."

Zein just winced when Zelda hugged her. "So are you."

"I'm not modest. I'm a disaster."

"No, you're not." A smile appeared on her lips. "Even if you wear all black and always use black lipstick, you can't hide from me that you love pink."

"That's just my secret!" she complained while messing with her hair.

Zelda gently stroked her hand and fixed her hair. "Don't be ashamed of that thing. It means that you are also soft even if you always show to everyone that you're strong. I know you. You are my sister."

It was as if her heart was caressed by what her sister said. She was really well known by her. She really had nothing to say about Zelda's love for her.

"That's right, we've had a good time." They both laughed. That's their bonding. That only happened once so she made the most of it.

"By the way, thank you."

"For what?"

"For saving our reception. Thank you for singing. You stopped Amos from making trouble." Zein noticed the sadness in Zelda's eyes.

Zein shook her head. "Why did you invite him, by the way?"

Zelda let out a deep breath. Zein really did not want her sister to get into trouble. They had been through a lot, so Amos added to her anger.

"I thought he had already moved on. I didn't know that he was planning something. I am ashamed of Race's family."

Zein placed the tip of her tongue inside her cheek and closed her eyes tightly. She didn't really know what to do with Amos. She didn't want to see her sister like that just because of that useless man. If only she could have refined it, she would have done it a long time ago.

"I let him bake our wedding cake. Because he volunteered, of course, I agreed. I have a fault with him. Also, he is a good pastry chef," Zelda said regretfully.

Zein laughed at that information. She couldn't believe that the man was a baker. "Mang Tasyo, pastry chef? Not obvious. Wasn't he taking a business administration course when he was just dating you? How come he is a pastry chef now?"

"Don't call him Mang Tasyo. That's rude, Zein. He took culinary first. After he graduated, he took up business administration because he will inherit his parents' businesses."

"He is also rude. I just can't believe that he is rich." Instead of arguing, he just took the pandesal again and ate.

"Do you know who owns Reo's Bakeshops?" her sister suddenly asked.

Zein stopped chewing. She did not know who the founder of her favorite bakeshop was because she didn't care. All she liked were their breads and other pastries. Fortunately, they also have a branch in Japan.

"Nope. Who?"

"From the Reolonda family came their recipes that they have kept until now."

"It's like... I've heard of Reolonda. I just don't know when or where."

That's why their products were delicious because they really haven't lost their quality even with the passage of time. Even if she only eats bread for a year, she will never get bored

"Of course, you know Reolonda. Amos is a Reolonda."

Zein remembered that. The man's name is Amostacio Reolonda. There was something to be said in this life just like what Yvette told him.

Zein just listened to her sister's explanation while sipping coffee. "Amos is their successor. For sure, he baked what you are eating today because I bought it in Pasay."

She was about to place the cup on the table but suddenly her hand trembled when she heard what her sister said. Zelda immediately panicked and checked to see if she had any burns.

"What? How? Cannot!"

"What can't be done?" the sister frowned when asked. She stood up and took a rag. "That's why I'm not surprised that you liked our wedding cake even though it was ampalaya flavored."

Zein looked at the pandesal she was holding. She felt that she could not understand what she found out. She didn't want to accept that her favorite pastries were from that annoying man.

'That man is just tainting my favorite food!'