NOVEL NEXT Chapter 37 The warm Orphanage. [OLD]
[Gundam Nova]
March 7th, I.J.C 200, Metalica’s restricted zone.
“Alright, Children! Gather round. It's time to make some supper.” The cheerful voice of Ms. Clair attracted the attention of the children away from me, the word supper probably why they were so excited. It's food after all.
“May I help, I’m very confident in my cooking skills.” Cooking with Sylvy was very calming, so it was one of the hobbies I picked up. Though, it was never as good as Mama’s cooking.
“My my, let’s put those hands to work then, can you peel the Carrots and Potatoes?’ I nod and follow after him in the kitchen. Children were surrounding us. Which made it a bit hard to walk but it was c-
‘Cute right? Why not take the moment and relax? Don’t worry too much about-’
‘Shut…up…’
“Ms. Ottoman? Are you ok?”
“Yes, I was just thinking about how lovely this palace is,” I replied naturally to Ms. Clair's question, she didn’t pursue me further which I’m grateful for.
“Nene! What are we making today? Do you want my help?” Ollie, the energetic child clings to Ms.Clair.
“We are making Potato and Carrots soup today, there are also eggs and bacon, with bread. I got us soft bread today.” The children cheer at merely soft bread, a rare treat that comes once in a while here.
Once we are in the kitchen, I put my sleeve up, take a knife in my hand, and start peeling the Potatoes. Irly was watching me with curiosity while Ollie tried to grab the Potatoes from the table and try to peel herself.
Klara quickly came in and took Ollie away while she was kicking at Klara’s face, trying to get back down on the ground. I laugh at their antics. Then I felt a tug at my skirt again, looking down I saw Irly, looking at the carrot curiously.
“Do you want to try and peel it?” I ask her, and she nods, so I kneel down with the Potatoes and the peeler knife, but she looks at the knife on the table. “Sorry, it's dangerous, so use this, ok?”
Irly seemed to be disappointed with my words but she took the peeler and started peeling the potatoes anyway. I got back to peeling the vegetables and once I finished I set them aside for Ms.Claire.
I look over to Irly's side and she finishes too, the end product looks like it got taken out in large chunks. A bit of…a rectangle. “Good job, but next time, try going slower, ok?” She nods at my words and I smile at her. “Ms.Claire, the vegetables are done peeling. What is the next step?”
I asked Ms.Claire, right now she is sauteing the onion in butter with garlic. “Ah, you get it done on time. Can you cut them up and put them in here?” I did as she asked, cutting the carrot and Potatoes in a small chunk so that it would fit right in the children's small mouth.
Once I finished, I handed them to Ms.Claire and she put them in with the onion and sauteed them together. “There should be leftover stock in the fridge, could you boil it? Add more water too.” I did as she asked, while the children were watching Ms.Claire with bright eyes. I set the heat on low and struggled a bit to get the gas going but it worked out.
I put the pot down to the stove, added more water into them along with the leftover stock, and waited for them to boil over, once it was boiled, Ms.Claire put in the rest of the ingredients she had been sauteeing inside the pot, stirring them slowly on the low heated.
“Yoha dear, do you mind if I ask you to cook the bacon and eggs?”
“I don’t mind at all, I’m ready to help,” I said while smiling. I get the gas on another stove and add bacon on slow heat. Slow cooking them will make more of the grease come out and when I put the egg in, it will be cooked in the bacon grease.
I need to make around…32 eggs and 32 bacon. 2 for each with 12 including Kalra, Ms. Claire’s potion, mine, Odis, and Hanya. So with a bit of time, I finished cooking all the eggs and bacon as the soup was ready.
“Here, dear. Taste it.” She handed me a tasting plate with a little bit of soup inside it. The taste was…very delicious, and very warming.
“It’s delicious…” It reminds me…of Mama…
“Is that so? I’m glad my skills haven’t rusted yet.” Ms.Claire said in a soft tone as she clapped her hand. “Alright, everyone! Start plating, we will serve supper soon.” The children quickly did the plating, on the large table, I saw all the children and even Odis and Hanya who were reluctant to join in at first, sit down amidst the children's questioning.
I slowly fill each plate with 2 pieces of bread, 2 slices of bacon, and 2 eggs, while Ms.Claire fills the children's bowl with soup. Once everyone got their portion, we all sat down together with Ms.Claire at the end of the table.
“Now then, let’s sing our prayer to the gods.” Ms.Claire said, and then all the children including Klara entered the prayer gesture, closing their eyes. I was…never really believed in religion but I did so anyway, when in Rome.
The prayer starts, and finishes in just 1 minute. Then suddenly, all the children gobble down their meal. I was surprised. So I began eating mine, and it was…delicious, tasted like hom-
‘This place is really warming up to you, huh? Why not settle down? Take a break and enjoy-’
‘Shut up’ I told the man in front of me, he was smiling, standing against the wall in a relaxing way. ‘You’ve been appearing more often…’
‘What can I say? You finally start to relax and stop suppressing a lot of things. I thought it would be good to appear once in a while,y’know? By the way, That machine was freaking amazing! What is that name again? Meteor! Just like the meteor units in Seed!’
‘Just like the meteor units in Seed…’ I thought at the same time as the man, cutting through the bacon and placing them on the bread. ‘I don’t…need you. I have a goal I must complete.’
‘And being burned out in the process? Honestly, I can’t understand the way you really live right now. It’s honestly a contradiction to my way of living. If you are going to be a company slave anyway then you should have fun.’ He said, going from place to place, looking over at the house.
“Yoha, you good?” Klara who was grubbing down the sandwich she had made, turned around and asked me worriedly.
“Nothing. I just think of how ‘Warm’ This family is.” I smiled at her, and she brought it immediately. I wonder if it is because I talk about her family in a good light or if my acting skills have gotten better. It's not a lie, her family is really warm…and makes me feel out of place.
‘You make her worry, she's a good girl who worries about you, y’know? If I had a girlfriend like her man I wouldn’t have died! I would fight tooth to nail to get back up!’ He said in a joking manner, seemingly trying to make me laugh.
‘Time for you to go now, ghost. Well, I wonder if I will remember you next time.’
I picked up my last bacon and was about to eat it but then, something attracted my attention. Klara was staring at me, no more specifically, she was staring at the bacon. “Do you want to have mine?” I ask her.
“W-what! No! I’m not a glutton…” She quickly denied it and turned her face away. Cute. So I pretended like I was going to eat it, putting the bacon on my lip and opening it, to see her turn around again. I feel my smile deepened.
I turned my bacon toward her, watching as she contemplated whether to eat it or not. Finally, she opened her mouth to eat the bacon and huffed away in embarrassment. It was…really cute.
She is like…a cat. Not the aloof one, but more active, more…affection… I giggle a bit at her antics and my thoughts, to the point that she turns around and stares at me with a bit of anger in her eyes.
So I decided to stop and start cleaning up the plate. I placed them down on the sink and was about to start washing them when I felt a light tug on my skirt again.
It was a different child, around 3 years old, he smiled at me and held his plate up, moving him in a circle.
“Do you want to help?” He nodded at my question, so I picked him up on one of the stools, centering him so that he wouldn’t fall, together, I and the boy washed the dish, slowly, and the other children joined in, I was washing the dish with soap, the boy was washing them again with water while the others take out their dry cloth and dried the plates and bowls.
Once we finish, I pick him down from the stool and pat his head. “Thank you, little guy. It wouldn’t be this fast without your help.” He smiles at me and runs off.
I sighed a bit but I didn’t have time to rest as suddenly I felt a light tug on my skirt again. This time it was Ollie and Irly, with another book. “Let's read together!” She said,
“Ok, Let’s read, alright?” I take them to the living room and a lot of children gather at me, waiting for me to read them a story. So I began, reading them one after another. Some want to hear the same story, some want to hear a history book, so I did and read all of them. I feel…a bit warm, acting like this.
Time passed by fast, and it was already night time, most of the children were already dozing off and some who were still awake were already tired. I close off the book, placing them down on the table. My actions have startled some of them awake.
“No…more story?” The little girl in front of me said she was the youngest here, around 2 years old.
“Yes, it's time for bed now,” I said as I slowly raffled the girl's head. “Excuse me, Ms.Claire…but where do they sleep?” I ask her in a low voice, not wanting to wake her up.
“Ah, go into the hallway, it was the second door on the right side.” She said as she waved her hand to attract the attention of the older children. Together we pick up all the small children and take them to the bedroom, which is filled with bunk beds.
“Her bed is there.” Said Klara as she pointed to the middle one.”
“Thank you.” I thanked her and slowly put the little girl down, careful to not wake her up. “How did you know where her bed was, anyway? I thought you hadn't come here ever since you joined the academy.” I ask.
“We talk duh, Even though I didn’t come home for long I always keep the situation at home updated so I know when I’m needed.”
I see…
“Ah…you don’t have any place to stay right? Why not stay with us during our stay?” Now that Klara mentioned it, I didn’t have any place to stay tonight.
“No, it's ok. I wouldn’t want to trouble you guys.”
“Nonsense, having you here is a blessing, those kids are energetic you know? This old back of mine can’t handle them all.” Ms.Claire suddenly appeared silent like she was in the morning. “You can sleep with us during your stay, I don’t mind at all. Klara’s bunk bed still has room for one more.”
“Then…I will take you up on that offer.” She smiled at me.
“Well, follow me, oh and those two too, you can sleep here. Don’t need to see your way out” Ms.Claire told Odis and Hanya who were about to make their way out of the house.
She guided me toward another room, this one only had 4 bunk beds. “You can put your luggage down there, oh and the water will be turned off at 9 so better quickly shower.”
“I understand, thank you for your consideration.” I thanked her and did as she told me, settled down my luggage, went to find the shower room with my clothes, took a light shower, and headed off to sleep.
That night, I didn’t dream of anything.
