《The Daily Life of a Foodie in the Office》 1 CH1: The Shameless Message "Good food is the basis of true happiness!" - Auguste Escoffier ========================= *Bing!* The sound of an email notification coming in made Delilah jumped in surprise. In one of the offices at the Kang Company, sounds of typing and little chatters of people talking in soft and small voices could be heard throughout the area. People could be seen coming in and out of the room, handing out and gathering files of reports. A couple of young office ladies could also be seen near the vending machine at the corner of the room, laughing and talking as they gossiped about the recent daily news. Delilah sighed in frustration as she glanced up at the wall clock in front of her. Her cubicle was one of the ten cubicles aligned along the centre of the rear wall that were aligned into two groups of five facing each other. They were located on the second floor of the office building where the Human Resource Department was located, and she was one of the employees in that department. Delilah had been engrossed in trying to finish up her reports while/as numerous emails kept coming in. It was already 11 o''clock in the morning, but she was still only on her third report. Stacks of folders were piled up on her left. She grabbed her cup and sipped her coffee. ''Ugh,'' she thought with a grimace. The coffee had already gone cold. She hated drinking coffee that had gone cold. She put her cup down and continued on with her work. As she was working, she sneaked a peek at the cubicle next to her. Her colleague, Firah, was fiddling with her mobile phone, a chocolate stick between her lips. Firah, feeling that someone was looking at her, turned around to face Delilah and raised an eyebrow in question. Delilah shook her head. She slowly placed her chin on the palm of her hand, with her elbow on her table, and then asked Firah, "Why do you seem so free?" Firah shrugged, turning back to her phone. Glancing over at the screen, Delilah noticed that she was playing a puzzle game. "I''m just waiting for lunch." Delilah narrowed her dark brown eyes at her and asked again, "Have you finished your work?" Firah finished off her chocolate stick and said, "Nope!" making a popping sound on the ''p''. She then added, "Besides, I''m also waiting for your work. Didn''t you hear an email coming in? That''s from me." Delilah groaned inwardly as she ruffled her hair in frustration. She had woken up late this morning, so she did not have the chance to make or eat breakfast. She had to wait a few minutes for her car to start up before she could even drive. Not to mention, she had to spend 40 minutes in a traffic jam near her home before she could finally get onto a lane that could bring her to her office building. ''Speaking of breakfast, that reminds me¡­'', she thought with a goofy smile on her face. Luckily, she did manage to reheat the sandwich that she had bought last night after work. It was a double decker sandwich, stuffed with olives, little cherry tomatoes, succulent beef slices, crunchy lettuce, melted cheese and the store''s own secret sauce. It was the secret sauce that made her drool. It was spicy yet sweet, with the tangy kind of taste that always gave you a kick in the taste-buds. She giggled softly at herself, getting all excited at the thought of finally taking a bite of her sandwich. She had been visiting this sandwich shop, which was almost a half-hour drive away from her home, for several weeks now, all in the hopes of buying this specific sandwich. But every time she had reached/gone there, the sandwich was either sold out or the shop was closed for a private event. And unfortunately, the shop did not allow advanced booking, and were very strict about their ''First Come, First Served'' policy. As part of her strategy to tackle this problem, she decided to follow the social media page and even turned on the notifications for that page, just in case there were any news or updates about it. Yesterday, an hour before her time to go home, there was finally a notification on her phone informing that they had extra sandwiches up for grabs. She ended up begging one of her colleagues to help check out for her by making up a white lie that she had an emergency to go to. Well, to be honest, it really was an emergency. A sandwich was at stake! So, after agreeing to do some of her colleague''s work, she quickly went to the shop and managed to grab one of the sandwiches. She was so happy that she literally skipped to her car with the sandwich in her hand. When she arrived home, she remembered that she already had a ''Nasi Lemak'' for dinner. The ''Nasi Lemak'' was given by one of her supervisors who had asked her to give it a try, since everyone knew that she loved spicy foods as well. Worried that the ''Nasi Lemak'' might go bad due to the coconut milk in the rice, Delilah decided to eat that instead of the sandwich. The ''Nasi Lemak'' was really delicious. The rice was cooked to perfection with the coconut milk. The ''sambal'' was blended superbly, with chili, shrimp paste, onions and a whole host of other condiments. Blending all of those ingredients, it gives out a very flavoursome and spicy smell that tickles the nose-buds. Yes, she had a nice dinner last night. Returning back to the present time, Delilah licked her lips in anticipation as she glanced up at the wall clock again. The clock read 15 minutes to 12 o''clock. ''Oh yay!'' she thought, rubbing both of her hands in glee. ''A few more minutes and I am freeeeee!'' She laughed evilly in her mind, not noticing Firah giving her a weird look. Delilah rubbed her stomach, which was grumbling in protest at that moment and whispered softly, "Soon..." Just a couple of minutes before the clock struck 12, there was a loud commotion at the entrance of the office. Delilah and Firah looked up to see one of their supervisors, Howard, greeting everyone loudly. Delilah watched with dread as she saw him trying to look for someone. He then saw Delilah, and she could see the ''Ah-ha!'' look on his face. He walked towards her cubicle and gestured at Firah to move out of her chair. "You can go for your lunch now. I need to talk with Delilah here." "Sure thing, sir!" said Firah with a smile. Delilah''s eyes widened and with a ''Don''t leave me alone!'' look on her face, she reached out her hand to Firah for help. A hand which Firah ignored as she just left the room. Howard smacked her hand down and asked with a laugh, "Hahaha! What''s with you?" Delilah sighed sadly. "Nothing. So, what''s up, Howard?" Howard quickly shushed her. "Shhhh... Keep your voice down! I don''t want Matt to know that I''m here!! He has been bugging me, trying to discuss some projects. I''m not in the mood to entertain him," he said, as he leaned back against Firah''s chair in a languid manner. Delilah rolled her eyes inwardly. Who was the one who greeted everyone in a loud voice at the entrance? She then forced a smile on her face and said, "Then, what are you doing here?" "Ah... nothing, I just wanted to hang out here," he said, brushing his nails on his loud shirt. He was wearing a bright pink shirt with black pants. Sometimes, Delilah had to wonder. ''Not to be mean but really? Where does he get his fashion sense? I''m not saying that I have the best fashion sense myself, but a bright pink shirt, black pants, white shoes and yellow socks? Please. Topped with that bleached blonde hair, he looks like someone who walks the streets at night, with his bright colours serving as a set of neon lights.'' "Well, someone is getting ready for lunch, you know..." Delilah said slowly, hinting at him that she was about to go for her lunch. Howard scoffed in disdain. "Lunch? Who has time for lunch, anyway? Anyone can eat at any time here. Who cares about the timing?" he said. Delilah seethed angrily in the inside. ''Well, not everyone is like you...'' she thought, getting peeved at his attitude. He then leaned towards her and asked, "Hey, hey. Did you hear about this guy who got lost in this one country? Apparently, they said that he did not want to go home to his wife and wanted to stay there with a fairy or something. But no one knows the whole story..." Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. He continued on, "And then this guy.... After that.... It''s funny how..." He droned on and on. Delilah sighed inwardly. ''I don''t even know these people! Why are you even telling me this?!?'' she thought angrily as she played with her phone in her hand. Delilah looked up at the clock and groaned inwardly. The clock now read half past one. She sneaked a look at the entrance, and it seemed like Firah had not come back from her lunch break yet, obviously trying to avoid the talkative Howard in front of her. A few minutes later, a hand dropped on Howard''s shoulder, making him jump up in surprise. He turned around and his eyes widened. Matt''s eyes crinkled at the corner as he smiled. "Hello there, Howard. Finally found you." He nodded his hello at Delilah, who nodded back. Howard laughed awkwardly and said, "Yeah, ha-ha-ha... Been busy lately. Didn''t check my phone nowadays. You know how it is, right, Matt?" Matt laughed, putting his hands on his hips. "I sure do!" He then walked towards one of the private offices at the back of the room and said to Howard, "Now that you are here, come and let''s have a discussion!" With Howard slowly following behind him, slouching, Matt suddenly stopped in his path and turned to Delilah. "Ah, Delilah. You can have the rest of the day off, just leave your work for tomorrow and I''ll check up on those tasks tomorrow as well. Thanks!" Delilah jumped up from her seat, grinning. "Thank you, sir!" She immediately packed her things up. Luckily, she had already taken the initiative to finish off her colleague''s work first, so the work would not be delayed. So, it was only her work that was left for the next day. Delilah hummed happily to herself as she carried her work bag and her lunch bag out of the office. She decided to eat at the office cafeteria, since she still had a lot of time to spare before the start of the after-work traffic. She sat down at one of the empty tables, placing her lunch bag and mobile phone on the table and her work bag on a chair next to her. She then unwrapped her sandwich with a satisfied smile on her face. The waft of the secret sauce reached her nose. She licked her lips and bit down on her sandwich. As she chowed down on her sandwich, she thought to herself, ''Good food is the basis of true happiness, inDEEd''. If one could sneak a peek at the message on her phone, it read, ''Hello Matt! Just a heads up! I''m currently meeting with Howard at my cubicle here, and I was wondering whether you are free today so that I can give you the reports of the employees'' appraisals. Thank you!'' 2 CH2: Box of Surprise "Food is a great way of communicating!" - Jan Karon =========================== The warm Friday sun from the sunny sky beat down on the pavement. There were few clouds in the sky, and there was a little wind blowing through the trees that lined the pavement. ''The weather is just nice'', Delilah thought to herself as she parked her car in the parking lot at the supermarket 15 minutes from her house. It was finally her day off from work, after weeks of mentoring a new employee in her department. One of the seniors in her department had suddenly decided to retire early, so it was a bit hectic at the office. Delilah and her colleagues had spent months selecting and interviewing candidates until they finally found someone who fit their criteria. The new employee, named Shazzy, was a pretty girl with a bobbed hairstyle and big, bright eyes. She was a cheerful girl who was always smiling, which was why Delilah had chosen her for the job. Though, she also loved to daydream on the job. Hence, another reason why Delilah didn''t have the heart to take a day off. Over these past few days, Delilah had been under a lot of stress after dealing with the new employee and other matters. Howard, her supervisor, had to push her to take a day off. So, here she was, in the parking lot of the supermarket. Although, she was on her day off, she could not help feeling somewhat guilty. This was her first time not being there to supervise her new junior, so she was a bit worried that soon, chaos would occur at the office. It was not that she did not trust her new junior, but she could see that Shazzy was not ready yet. It was evident just by how Shazzy still kept asking questions on how to do this and how to handle that, even if Delilah had already told her numerous times before. Delilah walked briskly towards the entrance of the supermarket after she locked her car. She slung her handbag over one shoulder, keeping her mobile phone in one hand. Today, she was in such a good mood that she decided to cook dinner for her family. She tapped her index finger on her chin as she headed towards the trolley cart area, thinking about what to cook. She grabbed a cart and went inside the supermarket. She was about to go to the fresh meat aisle when her phone rang. Delilah looked down at her phone and found that it was her junior who was calling her. "Hello?" she answered, cautiously. A loud wail screamed in her ear. Delilah winced, pulling the phone away from her ear. "Senior Delilah! Help me!" Shazzy cried out. "I... I... the report... I mean, the document... I... I..." she stammered out in a rush, gasping. Delilah quickly pushed the cart aside and went to look for a bench to sit down. "Wait, wait...! Calm down first!" She found one, just near the entrance, and waited for Shazzy to calm down. When she finally quieted down, Delilah asked, "Okay, tell me slowly... What''s happening?" Shazzy let out a long breath. "Well, Matt came by earlier today, asking for the vendor''s purchase order. At first, I didn''t know which purchase order he meant by. Apparently, it was the purchase order from Armadia Enterprise." "Ah, I see," Delilah said. "What about it?" Shazzy sniffed. "I accidentally placed it on the pile that was ready to be shred. Before I could take the paper back, the pile was already taken away and was shredded. What am I going to do?" Shazzy wailed in tears. "Matt is going to be so mad at me! I can''t afford to lose this job!" Delilah rubbed her forehead with her other hand in dismay, trying to understand the situation. She sighed out loud. "Okay, just calm down for a moment and let me think." Delilah could still hear Shazzy''s sniffing on the other end of the phone. After a few minutes, Delilah then recalled something. She quickly said on the phone, "Shazzy, listen to me. Go to my cubicle and switch on the computer." Then there were sounds of shuffling on the other end, followed by the sound of the computer being switched on. And then Shazzy returned back on the call and asked, "Senior, there''s a password restriction here. What should I do?" Delilah quickly recited the password, while making a mental reminder to change the password tomorrow. Once Shazzy had successfully logged on to the computer, Delilah quickly told her what to do. Luckily, Delilah just recalled that this exact purchase order from Armadia Enterprise was also sent to her email. So Shazzy was able to quickly find the document and print another copy of it. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. Shazzy then wailed in happiness. "Oh god! Thank you, Senior! If it wasn''t for you, I think I would not have been able to meet you again tomorrow!" she cried, implying that she could have gotten fired for this mistake. Delilah sighed in relief and replied, "Aiya you! Don''t exaggerate so much! Now, go on and continue your work. Just text me or call me again if you need any help!" "I will! I will! Thank you again!" Delilah hung up the call and retrieved the abandoned cart. She continued on to the Fresh Meat aisle, placing her phone inside her handbag. After getting all the ingredients for grilled chicken, a potato salad, and fried rice, she went home with a satisfied smile on her face. Back home, she removed her groceries from the recyclable bag in the kitchen and rearranged them on the table. She then placed bowls, utensils and plates for her to use. First, she washed the rice and placed it inside the rice cooker. She switched it on and left it aside to cook. Grabbing the whole chicken from the bag, she began marinating it. She spread lemon juice all over the chicken, adding some unsalted butter and balsamic vinegar into the mix. She then poured in brown sugar, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, crushed garlic, salt and pepper. And as a final touch, she added in some of her favourite herbs such as parsley, oregano and rosemary. She loved the smell of aromatic herbs. The chicken was then placed inside a sealed bag and into the fridge. Next, she began peeling the potatoes, cutting them into smaller pieces and placing them into a pot filled with boiling water. She then reduced the heat and covered the pot with a lid. While she was waiting for the potatoes to boil and the rice to be cooked, she spent some time looking through her social media and watching some cooking videos. She loved these kinds of videos. She loved how the chef could always make the cooking seem so easy and how animated they became because of their love for cooking. A few minutes later, the rice cooker gave out a ''ping'' sound, indicating that the rice was done. Ignoring that for a moment, Delilah went to the fridge and took out the marinated chicken. She placed the marinated chicken onto a baking tray and set it inside the pre-heated oven. She then continued on to the potatoes. Testing the potatoes with a fork, she felt that they were tender enough. She drained the pot and set it aside to cool. In another bowl, she poured in some mayonnaise, salt and pepper, onions, cut pickles and boiled cut eggs. She finally added the cooled potatoes and slowly stirred the mixture. She then placed the salad into the fridge to let it chill. To be honest, it would have been better if she could chill it for more than 6 hours, but hopefully, 2 hours would be alright too. Next was the fried rice. She grabbed a wok and placed it on the stove. She then poured a bit of cooking oil into the wok and added in crushed garlic and sliced onions. She stir-fried the garlic and onions, before adding in the beaten eggs. The aroma of the stir-fried garlic and onions filled the air. She then quickly added in the cooked rice and some fried rice seasoning. After stirring the rice, she covered the wok with a lid. She breathed in the smell and sighed in satisfaction. ''I can''t wait to dig in!'' she thought. She could smell the "smoky" smell of the rice being cooked over a wok and its savoury aroma. An hour and a half later, the chicken was done, ''grilled to perfection'' Delilah thought proudly as she took her beautiful dish out of the oven. The skin was crispy all over, with a tangy yet zestful smell emanating from the chicken. When she cut some parts of the chicken, the tender and lush meat juices flowed down to the tray. Not wanting to waste any of it, she quickly placed the chicken onto a serving plate and poured the remaining juice all over the chicken. Delilah was setting up the table, placing all the plates and the utensils, when the doorbell rang. She looked up with a frown. ''Now, who could that be at this hour?'' She went out of the kitchen and headed towards the front door. She stood up on her tip-toes, peeking through the peep-hole. Her eyes widened when she saw who her visitor was. She swung open the door. "Shazzy?!? What are you doing here??" With a sheepish smile on her face, Shazzy said, "Hello, Senior Delilah. Hope you don''t mind me dropping in," with both of her hands behind her back. It seemed like she was holding something behind her. "I asked for your address from Senior Firah. Again, I hope you don''t mind." Delilah tilted her head, with a confused look on her face. "What is this about?" she asked again. "Is there something wrong?" Suddenly, a box appeared in front of her face. She blinked her eyes in surprise. She peered from behind the box at Shazzy. "What''s this?" "It''s my thank you gift for earlier today. Senior Firah told me about your love for red velvet cupcakes. So, I bought them for you as my thanks. Well, not just for today but also for the past few weeks that you have guided me. I know you hadn''t had a chance to take any leave ever since I came so... yeah..." Delilah was left speechless and moved by her kind gesture. She really did not expect this at all. "Um... I don''t know what to say but thank you." Shazzy grinned, showing her bright teeth, obviously pleased by Delilah''s response. "It''s not a problem!" She then waved goodbye to her. "Goodnight and enjoy!" Delilah waved back, wishing her safe travels. She closed the door, then leaned against it, opening the lid of the box. Beautiful moist red velvet cupcakes with their light and rich cream cheese frosting greeted her. She picked one from the box and took a bite. She could taste a slight mix of vanilla and chocolate from the cake exploding wonderfully in her mouth, as well as the hint of lemon from the rich cream cheese frosting. It tasted incredibly soft when she bit into it, stimulating her taste buds. "Food is DEE-finitely a great way of communicating," she said softly to herself as she walked back to the kitchen, carrying her box of goodies. 3 CH3: Food for the soul "Food for the body is not enough. There must be food for the soul." - Dorothy Day ============================ Payday has finally arrived for the employees of the Kang Company. Employees came striding into work, with wide and excited smiles on their faces, as they talked among themselves. Excited chatter could be heard throughout every floor in the building. Some employees had already began planning their next day off, talking about places they want to visit and foods they want to eat. The atmosphere in the floors were very lively in a very positive vibe. Even the weather seems to be agreeing with the ambiance in the office where there is sounds of birds chirping outside. However, inside a small office on the second floor, the atmosphere was thick. Its air could be cut with a knife. Two women sat on opposite sides of a table where two sheets of paper were laid down. If anyone looked closer at the papers, they would be able to identify them as an attendance sheet report and an employee''s individual appraisal report. The feeling of tension and anxiety that emitted from the two women could make one uncomfortable. And the tension was palpable. Delilah sat on one chair with her arms crossed across her chest, her head tilted with a ''I''m-waiting'' kind of look on her face. She was leaning back against her chair, as she waited for the other woman to speak. The other woman, named Myra, sat across her. She was one of the employees at the Kang Company, working in the Logistics department. Her posture was stiff as she sat straight in her seat. She frowned back at Delilah, with an unsatisfied look on her face. She looked confident on the outside but her clenched fists told a different story. Few minutes later, Myra finally lost the staring contest between the two of them and said coldly, "I would like to know why my pay was cut this month. Yes, I admit that there are times that I was late to the office. But cutting a quarter of my salary is too much." Delilah cocked an eyebrow. Too much? Really? She let out a breath and asked slowly, "Can you tell me what you mean by too much? How much is too much?" Myra leaned forward on her seat and pointed at one of the papers on the table. "I mean, I understand if my attendance was the cause of my cut. But cutting off my salary just because I did not attend any of the meetings? I did inform beforehand that I would not be coming." Delilah crossed one leg over the other and said with a hint of sarcasm, "Ahhh... so you did. And did you inform it to me? Because I am quite sure I did not receive that notice. I did specifically sent a memo, telling every employee to personally email me of their absence. And again, I''m pretty sure I did not receive any emails from you." Myra''s face blanched with discomfort and guilt. "Um... No, not really... I only informed Miss Peggy..." she stammered out. "Miss Peggy? Is her name, ''Delilah''? Does she works in the HR department?" Delilah cut in, putting her chin on the palm of her hand and her elbow on her raised knee. Myra bit her lower lip nervously, her cheeks flushed red with embarrassment. "No... but..." Delilah waved one hand in the air, cutting her off. "Alright. Let me explain this to you. So, you say that you''re not satisfied with the cut in your salary. You admit to being late and also to not attending the meetings. You said that you informed Miss Peggy, which implies that you actually did receive my memo in the emails where I specifically stated that every employee should inform me whether or not they are attending the meeting. In bold. And I do that for every meeting. And here we are being lenient. We do not mind you not attending the meetings. Because, yes, maybe you have to pick up your children after their school activities. Or maybe because you have an interview across town. Yes, we actually do not mind that. What are we to stop you from trying to find another job?" Delilah then leaned forward in her seat, a frown on her face. "But what we do not tolerate are inconsiderate and inefficient people in OUR family. Is it really that hard to reply back to my email and say that you cannot attend the meeting because of this and that? And this is not the first time!" She then crossed her arms across her chest and leaned back again. "We have nine departments in this company. Your department is one of them. In one department, there are at least 10 or 15 people in it. And you expect me to concentrate on each individual? Chasing after them whether they are going to attend the meeting or not? I do not have time for that, Miss Myra." "So, I suggest you better think of what you say first, before coming to me to complain. I am not trying to dissuade you but please understand that I do not play favouritism and bias here. In fact, I do not tolerate favouritism and bias here. Yes, we might have a drink outside working hours. But I like to keep my work and personal life separate. Though, I thank you for at least, voicing out your opinions and complaints," Delilah said with a ''customer/employee-smile''. Myra winced at the smile given by Delilah and nodded. She quickly said her thanks and left the room. After Myra, there were other employees who wanted to meet with Delilah to discuss about their payment and other matters. It was really a busy day for Delilah and her colleagues. She only had time to take a lunch break and a coffee break. Other than that, she was cooped up inside the room, talking with the employees. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. It had taken her nearly the whole day to meet up with the employees and that had taken a toll on Delilah''s mental state. She was finally inside her cubicle after meeting with the last employee. Some of the employees were fine and just would like her opinion on what to improve and whatnot. But there are also some who were like Myra, who were dissatisfied with their paycheck. It was exhausting, having to meet them one by one that she felt a headache coming in. She rubbed both sides of her temples with her fingers, trying to soothe her mind. Instead of doing any strenuous work, Delilah decided to read some reports while checking her emails. The working hours will be over in few minutes, anyway. Few minutes later, she was all packed up and ready to go. She waved goodbye to her colleagues and went down to her car. After that eventful day at work, she thought that it would be better if she went to grab some food, before heading home. And before she realised it, she was already parked in front of a Korean Dessert Shop. She grabbed her handbag and got out of the car, locking it behind her. Sweet and warm fragrances with a hint of vanilla, chocolate and tea hit her nose as she stepped inside the shop. She smiled, looking around the shop. ''This is just what I need, she thought to herself. She went to the counter and placed her order. After placing her order, she went to find a seat. She then looked around her. The shop is quite cute when it comes to appearance. It has soft pastel pink walls with white and blue dots in some areas, resembling sprinkles. There are also pictures of the Bingsu in most of the picture frames, as well as a cute map of South Korea. The chairs and tables are all made of wood, with little cushion on the seats and white table mat on the table. Few minutes later, her ''Bingsu'' finally arrived. ''Bingsu'' is a Korean shaved ice dessert served with toppings such as red beans and mangoes. It is then covered with sweetened condensed milk and flavoured powder. For Delilah, she had ordered the ''Ttalgi-bingsu'', which is the strawberry shaved iced dessert. The dessert looked beautiful as it was topped with several small strawberries and mochi on the side, vanilla ice-cream on top and strawberry syrup dripped all over it. The whole bowl of dessert formed a picturesque look that she could not resist taking a photo of it. Delilah then upload the picture to her social media. She took a spoon and carefully dig in, not wanting the ice to fall onto the table. The soft shaved ice slowly dripped onto her spoon as she scooped some ice-cream into it. The combined taste of the sweet milk ice and ice-cream melted in her mouth, sparking chills into her taste buds. The ice felt so refreshing and soft like pure snowfall. She then mixed the milky ice together with the syrup again before digging in once more. She sighed in blissful contentment. ''Food for the body is not enough,'' she mused to herself. ''There should inDEEd have some food for the soul too.'' 4 CH4: Holiday "Sometimes the greatest meals on vacation are the ones you find when Plan A falls through." - Anthony Bourdain Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. ============================ Delilah stared off into space, with her chin on the palm of her hand and elbow on the table, looking very lost in her thoughts. She was inside her cubicle, oblivious to the excited chatters around her. The atmosphere was very lively around her; her colleagues were all talking in animated tones, as they are very excited for the upcoming public holiday. Some of her colleagues even had a half day off today, just to get their holiday started early. Tomorrow will be a public holiday and she had applied for another day off for the day after the public holiday so that she can have two days off. Smart, huh? Nah, just brilliant. She had planned to travel to a neighbouring country with her cousins, to relax and of course, enjoy the local cuisines. It had been so long since she last went to the country and she had heard so many new restaurants and caf¨¦ opening up there. So, this will be her third time travelling into the country. Old Mirree* is a bustling city, with lots of things to do and see. The people there speak the same language and dialect as Delilah''s, so it pose no problem when it comes to language barrier (Makes it easier as well to order what she wants). And the travel time between her home country and Old Mirree would be about 2-3 hours travel distance. As Delilah thought of foods that she wanted to eat in Old Mirree, one of her colleagues came up to her. The woman dragged a nearby chair and sat next to Delilah and asked, "So, where are you going for your holiday?" Delilah jumped in surprise at the sudden question. She turned to find Aubree, an attractive blond girl with round big eyes sitting next to her, smiling as she waited for Delilah to answer her. "Deng! You surprised me!" exclaimed Delilah. "So? So?" Aubree repeated, leaning forward in her seat. Delilah hold up her hands and said, "Okay, okay! Personal space, please!" She then leaned back on her seat and said, "Well, we''re planning to go to Old Mirree. We already booked our hotel and all. Just thinking about restaurants that I want to try out." Aubree''s eyes widened. "Oh, I''ve been there!" She paused for a second and snapped her fingers as she recalled something. "Oh yeah, have you tried out some of the seafood restaurants? They''re famous for their shellouts! Its pretty awesome! The prices aren''t bad, either!" So, the two of them began to talk about the restaurant, where it can be found and etc. The two of them were too engrossed in their discussion, they did not even notice that the working hours were about to end. Delilah noted down everything Aubree had said in her little planner, concentrating on the every details and descriptions, as well as asking questions about the place. This is because she hasn''t been to the area that Aubree had mentioned. Yes, she has been to the country, but not that particular town. The next morning, there were little clouds fanned across the sky, with the sun peeking through the gap of the clouds and wind blowing smoothly in the air. Living in a tropical climate kind of a country, Delilah was bound to experience either hot sunny weather or wet rainy weather. It was a good thing that today was just right. Delilah was waiting outside her house, waiting for her cousins, with her backpack on the floor beside her feet. Her outfit for today was simple. She was wearing a dark blue jeans and a light red T-shirt which reads "Whatever Frosts Your Cupcakes" with a picture of a cupcake in the middle and a spatula and spoon making a cross. Her black hair was tied up in a messy ponytail, making her look younger than she is, like a teenager on her first road trip. She was looking down at her wristwatch to check the time when she heard a honk. She glanced up to find her three cousins waving at her from a grey-coloured 6-seater van. They were going to use the van as their transportation to Old Mirree. She narrowed her eyes suspiciously at the van. Surely, they don''t need a van for their trip, do they? There are only four of them. She inwardly shrugged to herself. Well, whatever. It was quite a long journey with the women switching places as the drivers. The journey was filled with them talking about topics ranging from the current celebrity gossips to the office ''drama'' at their workplace. After three hours of going through the immigration, they finally arrived at Old Mirree. The four women looked around the town with awe in their faces as they drive into the country. The country sure has changed since the last time Delilah was here. Seems to be the same for the other three women. After navigating around in the town, they drive their way to hotel, with the help of the WAVE, a GPS navigation system that they had installed earlier in their phones. It was a bit hectic since there was too many turns in the road, which made them confused. And the road signs weren''t helping at all since some of the signs have faded. Few minutes later, they finally arrived at the hotel. The hotel was a simple breakfast and bed type of hotel, with a small parking space in front for motorcycles and a little garden placed near the entrance. The atmosphere it gave was very cosy, making one feel at home. The women parked the van at its designated area and went in to checked into their rooms. They quickly settled down, placing all their bags inside and had a rest. A couple of hours later, the women had finally freshened up, putting on light makeup and are preparing to head to the restaurant that Delilah had suggested. One of her cousins, Tiana offered to drive and suggested for Delilah to sit up front with her to be the guide, since she ''technically'' knew about the place. Driving through the town, passing by lots of small shops and stalls that were set up beside the road, they finally reached the restaurant. However, when they parked at the parking lot of the restaurant, Delilah thought that it was weird that the restaurant seemed so quiet. There was no sign of lively people around the area. Lights were turned off, except for the streetlights along the road nearby. As they got closer to the restaurant, they finally saw a notice pasted on the door, which stated that the restaurant was closed for renovations. Delilah''s eyes widened in surprise as she reads the notice. She did not expect the restaurant would be closed. Aubree didn''t mention anything about it. She assumed that Aubree wasn''t aware of it, as well. She sighed in disappointment as she turned around to face her cousins. "Where are we going to eat now?" She asked gloomily. Shay, one of her cousins, tapped her finger on her chin as she asked thoughtfully, "Did you have a backup plan?" Delilah bit her lower lips in frustration, her cheeks tinged red in contrite. "I didn''t think of one. I didn''t expect this to be closed." Farah, her other cousin, also sighed in frustration. "Eeeehhhhh...." she wailed. "After what Delilah had said about the foods here, I was also excited about coming to this place! Where are we going to go next? I''m hungry!" she continue complained. Tania, who had been quiet all this while, then said, "I actually know a place. Its not a shellout kind of place but close enough, I guess. I mean, they do serve some great seafood. Just ¨¤la carte." Shay stretched her arms up and groaned. "Well, whatever. I''m hungry too so I don''t care what food we''re eating as long as I eat." Farah turned to Delilah and asked in concern, "Are you okay with this?" Delilah just shrugged. What else can she say? She''s also hungry. They went back inside the van and drove off to the restaurant that Tania had suggested. After few minutes of driving, they finally arrived at an open-space restaurant. The restaurant was a quaint looking place with tables and chairs being placed outside the restaurant. Although, its not a 5-star restaurant, but the atmosphere it gives out was kind of pleasant and made one comfortable to sit and hangout. They parked the van a couple of blocks away since there weren''t any parking spots nearby. They each grabbed a seat and called for the waitress. The waitress arrived at their table and gave them a menu each. Delilah''s eyes widened in pleasant surprise when she saw the menu. She turned to the waitress, while pointing at one of the items in the menu. "Is this your new menu?? Is it available??" she asked, looking so animated. Her eyes gleamed with excitement and her smile so big, showing her pearly whites. The waitress looked over at her and nodded. "Yep! We have it now." Delilah quickly turned to her three cousins and asked excitedly, "Can we? Can we??" Tania laughed at Delilah''s reaction and said, "Why not? Sure." Shay and Farah nodded. They then ordered the Shellout and chose their sauces for the food. The four women began to talk, continuing what they talked about in the van. They mostly talked about their work and what''s happening in their life. Due to the fact that seafood takes a long time to cook as it needs to be steamed and the sauces also needed to be stir-fried, they understood why their food had taken so long to arrive. Minutes before it reached an hour, their food arrived. However, before the waitress poured the foods out, she quickly placed banana leaves in front of them and in the middle of the table. She also placed a big bowl of rice on the table. After that, she placed some crab mallets next to the bowl of rice. Once the settings were done, she poured out the seafood onto the banana leaves. Delilah licked her lips in anticipation. The aroma of the sweet and sour sauce of the seafood hits her nose-bud first, as she looked down on the dish. She swiped a finger onto the sauce and put it inside her mouth. She closed her eyes in delight. The tangy sour palate of tomatoes mixed with the sugary sauce, harmonized with the other ingredients, making her taste buds tingle in delight. She grabbed a mallet and smashed open one of the crab legs. She fished out the flesh and swipe it together with the sauce. As she ate the flesh, its soft and sweet texture combined with the sauce made one drool and the flavour was simply flavoursome. Delilah noticed the silence around her and opened her eyes to see her three cousins smiling at her. "What?" she asked, confused. Tania laughed merrily, shaking her head. "Haha haha. Nothing. It''s just so funny to see how you really enjoy your food!" Delilah shrugged as she continued eating. "Well, all''s well that ends well." Farah nodded in agreement. "I guess even if your Plan A doesn''t work out. There''s always Plan B to save the day, making it much better than expected!" 5 CH5: The appraisal "Life is uncertain. Eat dessert first." - Ernestine Ulmer ============================ It was that time of the year. The morning started off windy. The sun hid behind a wall of clouds, letting a few rays of sun to cast a faint light onto the street. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. It should have made one felt relaxed as they enjoyed the weather. However, this could not be said for the people in the Kang Company. The people in the office felt restless and nervous, as they sought to impress their supervisors and colleagues with their hard work. The feeling of anxiety and tension filled the air. People came rushing in and out of the offices, trying to finish their work before deadlines. The sound of feet shuffling can be heard all over the room, with people chattering, a tone of strained apprehension in their voices. The people began to chew on their pens and tapping their shoes, making the pressure to become slightly unbearable. However, this did not apply to Delilah, who was languidly sitting in her cubicle, playing with her phone and scrolling through her social media. Her cheek on top of one arm as she lazily laid on the table. Firah, who was in the cubicle next to her, peered around to look at her and asked, "Whatcha doing?" Delilah looked up and back down again at her phone. "Nothing much. Am going to play my games after this." Firah narrowed her eyes at Delilah and asked in confusion, "Aren''t you worried about the appraisal?" Delilah shrugged. Just then, the phone on her table rang. Delilah quickly picked it up, with her head still on the table and answered, "Delilah here." "Hello Delilah. There''s a group from BXDC Internationals, who said that they have a meeting with you in around 15 minutes time?" the receptionist asked on the phone. Delilah quickly straightened up in her seat, fumbling to rearrange her clothing and said, "Oh shoot! I mean, yes, yes! Please bring them in to the meeting room. I will be there shortly!" After hanging up the phone, she stood up, running a hand through her hair in frustration. "Ugh, how could I forget about this meeting?" she muttered to herself as she grabbed her phone, notebook and a pen. Firah turned around on her seat, asking, "What about your appraisal?" Delilah sighed as she hugged her notebook and pen to her chest. "Um, can you inform them that I''ll be late or like, do someone else first before me?" She scratched her cheek in thought. "Though, I''m pretty sure that Howard knows about my meeting so it should be fine." Firah groaned. "Then they definitely appraise me first!" she whined. Delilah mouthed ''sorry'' as she rushed over to the lift that will bring her to the floor where the meeting room is. Before entering the room, Delilah knocked on the door and nodded her thank you to the receptionist who brought her guests in. She shook hands with the members of the BXDC Internationals and proceed with the meeting. After a couple of hours of discussing about a possible training plan with the BXDC Internationals, they finally reached a decision. Instead of returning back to the office, Delilah went straight out of the building for lunch. Lunch time was over when the meeting finally ended. The employees of the BXDC Internationals apologized for holding her up, and wanted to invite her for lunch. However, Delilah rejected their kind offer as she already had plans. Yes, she has been eyeing that slice of chocolate cr¨ºpe cake from Sweet Delights caf¨¦, a few blocks away from her office building. Luckily, her supervisor gave her permission to have a late lunch. So, she had taken the opportunity to use the time to go over to the caf¨¦ and dine in. The bell above the door rang as she opened the door. She immediately went to the counter and ordered her slice of cake, without looking over at the other pastries displayed in the display counters. Delilah sat at one of the tables nearby as she waited for her cake to come. Other than the cr¨ºpe cake, she also ordered a hot chocolate and two chicken curry puff. After few minutes, the waitress came over with Delilah''s order and placed them in front of her. Delilah''s smile widened as she looked down at the dishes. The chocolate cr¨ºpe cake, also known as the mille cr¨ºpe, is a cake that is made of layers of cr¨ºpe, stacked together and layered with frosting or other fillings. Delilah had ordered the chocolate cr¨ºpe cake, which is obviously made from chocolate batter and was layered with whipped chocolate mousse. The cr¨ºpe cake looked gorgeous, drizzled with chocolate sauce and frosted with icing sugar. As Delilah sliced into the slice of cake, the soft thin and flat cr¨ºpe fell apart in her fork, with whipped chocolate mousse smeared all over the pastry. The mousse felt so smooth as Delilah spear the layers of the cr¨ºpe and slathered it with more mousse. The cr¨ºpe didn''t taste sweet when she ate it but rather, it has that more subtle egg flavor and has that lightness. With the whipped chocolate mousse on the cr¨ºpe, it made the cr¨ºpe taste fluffier and chocolate-y. Delilah loved how the cr¨ºpe melted in her mouth; the sweet chocolate burst into flavours as she munched on it. The taste of the fluffy yet rich milk chocolate exploded wonderfully in her mouth, stimulating her taste buds more. The smoothness and the coolness of the cake sent a light tingle down her spine. Once she was done with the cr¨ºpe cake, she picked one of the curry puffs. The flaky yet thin crust broken into smaller pieces after she took a bite, filling her mouth with flavors of curry and spices. The flaky crust melt in her mouth as she savoured the taste of the delicious piquant fillings. Delilah put her hand over her mouth, closing her eyes in bliss. ''Everything here is so DEE-licious! So glad that I came by before my appraisal,'' she thought to herself, as she finished off her curry puff. A few minutes after she finished her hot chocolate, cr¨ºpe cake and curry puffs, Delilah paid her bill and went out of the caf¨¦. She immediately went straight to the office where Firah caught her at the entrance. Firah quickly told Delilah that their supervisors would like to meet with her after she had finished her lunch. Delilah nodded and went to one of the offices, where the appraisal meeting was held. It was nearly the end of their working hours when Delilah finally got out of the room. She thanked her supervisors for their time and comments. She immediately packed her things and was about to leave the office when Firah caught her again. "So, how was it?" Firah asked. Delilah smiled. "It was fine. Luckily, my performance had been so good, they might be giving me an opportunity to be promoted." Firah gushed. "That''s great, Delilah!" Delilah tilted her head in question. "What about you?" Firah shrugged. "Well, other than I need to take more initiative, all is good." She then chuckled. "Seems like you got this covered up, Delilah! Seeing you can even eat dessert before the appraisal!" Delilah giggled. "Sometimes, it is best to eat DEE-ssert first, because you can never know what will happen soon!" she said, smiling. 6 CH6: Not a glutton "I am not a glutton. I am an explorer of food." - Emma Bombeck ============================ It was a typical day at the Kang Company, where people were busy at work inside their cubicle. They were trying to get emails done and finish off reports before the work day ends. It was just after lunch, when Delilah finished off her last report to be given to Howard, before tackling other tasks. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. Delilah immediately saved another copy of the report, before sending it to the printer to be printed. However, before she could get up from her seat, someone blocked her path. "Here!" Delilah looked up to see Firah holding up a bag filled with snacks. She then looked at the bag with a puzzled look on her face and asked, "What''s this?" Firah placed the bag on Delilah''s table and said, "Ahhh... just some leftover snacks that I had at home. I forgot to give it to you." Delilah frowned. "What''s the occasion?" she asked suspiciously. Firah shrugged as she sat down on her seat, turning away from Delilah. She then started on her work that she had left behind before going off for lunch. "I''d figured you would want something to munch on while working." Before Delilah could say a word, someone piped in from behind and said, "Ha! You''re such a glutton, Delilah. I''m not surprised if your clothes doesn''t fit you anymore." Both Delilah and Firah turned around to see who was making the rude comment, and found Travis standing before them, smirking. Travis was a tall, lanky guy with glasses. He had chin-length hair parted in the middle, beady brown eyes and long thin lips. He always had a smirk on his face, similar to the Joker''s smile, which sometimes creeped Delilah out. Travis and Delilah were not in each other''s good books. It all started when they first joined the company together a couple of years ago. Both of them had just graduated from the same university, but with different majors. Delilah majored in Human Resource Management, whereas Travis majored in Professional Communication. So, when they first joined the company, they were already in a competition with each other. Even though, Delilah did not know that since she couldn''t be bothered. But Travis was a competitive person. Even if they were in different department right now, he would look for Delilah''s faults. This was all because Delilah had taken the title of Best New Employee of the Year - twice in a row. After the third year, they couldn''t be considered as a new employee, which made Travis frustrated. Delilah never thought of reporting him, because she always see him as a harmless little bug. Yes, a bug. Something you can just swat and walk away, without looking back. Because he was all bark and no bite. So, all Delilah needed to do was to his words sweep past her, without bothering to listen at all. Travis knew that Delilah would never cared about him. She was always in a daze whenever he hurled jibe at her, but it just made him more irritated. Even now, she was making him feel irritated, as she just turned back around in her seat after he insulted her. Firah frowned at him, displeasure on her face. "What are you doing here, Travis? This isn''t your floor to roam around." The floor for the Marketing department was on the third floor, which was where his department was. Travis sniffed disdainfully. "Well, I have a meeting with your supervisor," he said smugly. Then he put on a feigned shocked face, his hand on his chest as he looked down at Delilah. "Ehhhhh... Don''t tell me you didn''t know??" he asked sarcastically. Delilah ignored him as she tore open one of the snacks and ate them. Travis frowned when he saw Delilah looked uninterested. Firah poked him on the hip with her long ruler. "Eh, eh! So, what''s the meeting about? Hmm?" Travis swatted her hand away and glared. "Stop that!" Firah avoided his hand and continue poking. "So, what is it? Hmm?" Travis rolled his eyes. "I was tasked as one of the members to join in the Robotic exhibit in Malacauchia. I will head the group into the exhibit, showcasing our products," he said smugly, puffing out his chest. Firah rolled her eyes and said sarcastically, "I see..." Delilah abruptly stood up from her seat and walked over to the printer area. Firah and Travis looked over at her as Travis smirked, thinking, ''Hmph! Can''t stand to listen to more of my success, eh?'' Delilah was looking over the papers that she had just printed. She was still standing in front of the printer when Travis stood beside her. He peeked over her shoulder and asked, "What''s that?" Delilah looked up at him and instead answered, "Alright, let''s go." Travis looked confused as he watched her walk away, before chasing after her. "What do you mean, lets go?" Delilah just kept quiet, as she led the way to the meeting room where Howard and the others were waiting. Travis still looked confused when he walked inside and sat at one of the chairs. Inside the meeting room, Howard was sitting on the right side of the table, together with some of Delilah''s other supervisors and senior colleagues. On the left side, Travis sat together with his supervisor and colleagues, who were from the Marketing department. At the head of the table, sat Matt, with his fingers intertwined together on the table, waiting for Delilah to pass the report to Howard. Delilah quietly handed the report to Howard, with her head slightly bowed in respect. Howard thanked her with a nod and smile. Matt gave Delilah a small smile and said, "Thank you, Delilah, for the great job you''ve done these days." Delilah gave another head bow to Matt and said softly, "You''re welcome, Matt. I''ll be taking my leave now." She quietly leave the room, closing the door softly behind her. The meeting lasted for a couple of hours. Apparently, the teams of Human Resource and Marketing Departments were gathered that afternoon by Matt to discuss on their next project. They will be exhibiting their products and services at Malacauchia. Travis will be one of the people to join the trip to Malacauchia but was actually assigned to be the assistant of his supervisor. Seems like someone exaggerated to make someone jealous. But failed. The report that Delilah had passed to Howard was the complete list of itinerary for the whole trip, made solely by herself. She had even included suggestions of restaurants to dine in and for those who would like to buy snacks too. Other than that, she helpfully put the price range for all the restaurants listed in the report, together with the types and reviews. The report was useful, especially for those who would like to visit these places during their free time. They do not have to search and research about the places online. When Travis heard the compliments given by Matt at one point during their meeting, his eyes blazed with jealousy as he swallowed his biting retorts. During the time that meeting has ended, Delilah was in the pantry room for a little break from work. It was a small room, designed in ''L'' shape, where there are a couple of chairs, a long counter and a table inside. There was also a coffee maker inside the room. Delilah pulled out a packet of ''onde-onde'' out of her lunch bag and sat down. ''Onde-onde'' was one of the traditional kueh made from sweet potato or glutinous rice flour, soaked with pandan juice and filled with ''gula melaka'' or palm sugar. It was then rolled around the grated coconut. It was a marble-sized snack with a soft texture. Delilah took one piece and popped it into her mouth. As she bit into the kueh, it exploded inside her mouth with lava of sweetness. The sweet flow of the ''gula melaka'' felt like a sugary heaven as it pricked her taste buds alive. The soft and chewy dough of the onde-onde gave out a rich and organic flavour, enhancing the taste of the pandan juices. With the grated coconut mixed with the sweet and chewy texture of the onde-onde, it balance the flavours of it all. Delilah closed her eyes in pure bliss as she ate her onde-onde. "DEE-licious!" she exclaimed. She was still in her own world when Matt and Howard were passing by the pantry room. Matt smiled, as he saw the expression on her face as she enjoyed her food. "She really does enjoy her food, huh?" Matt mused. Howard chuckled. "Yes, she does. But don''t call her a glutton. She finds that a wee bit offensive. She likes to see herself as an explorer of food, instead." Matt laughed out loud as they walked out of the office. 7 CH7: Food is the best medicine "Let food be thy medicine and medicine by thy food." - Hippocrates ============================ "Ugh!" Delilah groaned in pain, clutching her stomach. She was sitting inside her cubicle, doing some reports when her stomach suddenly felt painful. She slowly got up from her seat and dragged herself to the restroom. Few minutes later, she painfully went back to her cubicle. She grimaced as she sat back down on her seat. Firah, who was in the cubicle next to her, looked over. "What''s up with you?" she asked in concern. "Are you alright?" Delilah closed her eyes and slowly opened them again, a pained look on her face. "The usual female pains," she groggily said. It was the middle of the month and it was also the time when her menstrual cycle starts. Last month, she had been stressed that it had messed up her hormones. Well, at least, that''s what people said when you missed a month. So, now that her hormones have become ''stable'', her cycle is back on. Yet, on her first day, it had been so painful where it felt like her stomach was clutching her insides, twisting and curling. There were mornings when Delilah could not even get up from her bed because it was too painful. "Do you have a heat pack?" Firah asked again. Delilah shook her head, as she laid her head down on the table, facing Firah''s direction. Just as she was about to open her mouth to say something, the phone on her table rang. Delilah slowly sat up straight and answered the phone, "Hello. Delilah speaking." "Hello Delilah. Just to inform you that the catering for the talk have just arrived. Shall I deal with them or shall I wait for you to come downstairs to talk with them?" the receptionist asked on the phone. "Ah, no, I''ll come downstairs." Delilah then grabbed her phone and went out of the office, inwardly grimacing. Few minutes later, Delilah was downstairs at the office lobby, together with the receptionist who was standing beside her. Delilah was talking to the head caterer, looking over the invoice and discussing what time they should be able to collect the dirty dishes. While Delilah was talking, she also instructed the receptionist to lead the catering assistants to the meeting room, where they will set up the buffet table at the back of the room. Once she was done talking with the head caterer, she led the way to the floor where the talk will be held. That day, Delilah was assigned to be in-charge of the new employees in the Kang Company. She will be giving an orientation talk to the newcomers, talking about the rules and regulations of the company, the mission and vision of the company and so forth. The talk will take place in two hours time so they had plenty of time to prepare for the talk. While the receptionist helped set up the buffet table, instructing the caterers on where to put the table, the refreshments and so forth, Delilah was at the other side of the room, together with Zaza. Zaza was one of the IT employees in the company. She was a small woman, her height only reaching Delilah''s shoulder. She has a bubbly personality, despite her sharp tongue. Her slitted amber eyes filled with knowledge and curiosity behind her glasses as she talked with Delilah about the computer set up. The two of them were discussing on where to set up the computer, with both of them suggesting certain areas. They finally agreed on setting the computer near the wall, where the electric socket can be easily used. Delilah then requested for more extension cables. Zaza nodded as she mentally take note of the request. Zaza was instructing one of the janitors, who was cleaning the room to help lift the CPU and the monitor onto the table, when one of Zaza''s IT juniors came with some extension cables. The four of them worked hard to set up the computer, testing the projector and microphone as well as the presentation slides that Delilah was going to use for her talk. An hour before the presentation starts, everything was ready. Delilah thanked Zaza and the others for their hard work and left the room to grab her things. Firah and Aubree joined Delilah soon after. Firah was sitting on the table that was placed outside the meeting room, where she will be in-charge of the attendance. Aubree was testing the company camera, taking pictures of the room and the buffet table. She will be in-charge of taking pictures of the talk. Finally, the time for the talk has started. People began to queue in front of Firah, signing their attendance, with Aubree taking pictures continuously. Delilah was at the entrance, welcoming the new employees into the room, pointing out their seats. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. Zaza was also there in the room, where the computer setup is. Delilah had decided to ask for Zaza''s supervisor''s permission to ''borrow'' Zaza for the talk. This is to ensure that Zaza will be around, should there be any problems with the computer and so forth. It was fortunate that Zaza did not have much work to do so her supervisor had given her permission to go. It was a mistake on Delilah''s part for not thinking far ahead. She had forgotten to ask Zaza''s supervisor for permission a couple of weeks ago, to let some of the IT employees to help them out. Luckily, her supervisor was lenient. Once everyone had settled down in their seats, with Firah sitting up front, together with Zaza, and Aubree still taking pictures. Delilah stood to face everyone in the room. She began her talk by welcoming everyone to the company and thanking them for their time to attend the talk. She continued on, with the help of the presentation slides, talking about the vision and mission of the company. She emphasised the importance of teamwork and learning-oriented environment. She talked about how teams were built in the company, how the company survived, even during the year that they had experienced a loss and so forth. The talk lasted for two hours, with breaks in-between where some of the new employees raised their hands for questions. Delilah did not intend to have a Question-&-Answer session for the talk but she also did not mind answering their questions. When the talk finally ends, Delilah invited them to some refreshments at the back. Delilah was chatting with one of the new employees when one of them asked her whether she had tried the cheesecake. Delilah tilted her head, thinking, ''Did I order cheesecake?'' The woman who had asked her earlier seems to know the question in Delilah''s mind as she answered, "I bought it at an online bakery this morning. A friend of mine recommended me this. You should give it a try." Delilah was in a quandary. She wanted to try the cheesecake but she was worried that her menstrual pain will get worse. She remembered reading an article that says dairy products are one of the foods that she should avoid eating when you''re on your period. This is because it may increase inflammation and cause cramping. But when she saw the anticipated look on the woman''s face, Delilah knew she doesn''t have the heart to reject and said, "I''ll give it a try." The woman happily handed Delilah a small plate with a small slice of cheesecake on it. Delilah forced a smile and took a bite. The texture of the cheesecake was creamy, with soft cream cheese and grated cheddar cheese spread on top. The sweet but tangy and cheesy flavour melted wonderfully in her mouth. Delilah licked the spoon clean as she tasted more of the fluffiness and softness of the cheesecake. It wasn''t that sweet but some parts of the cheesecake kind of sticks in the inside of her mouth. The sharp cheddar cheese slide down her throat as it mixed together with soft creamy sponge of the cake. She smiled again at the woman and said, "Wow, this is really good. Where did you buy it again?" The woman began to talk about where she brought it and how much it was. After nearly an hour later, everyone have left the room, except for Delilah, Firah, Aubree, Zaza and a couple of company janitors. Delilah and Zaza made themselves busy by unplugging the computer and carrying them over to the heavy duty trolley. Firah, Aubree and the others helped by rearranging back the tables and chairs and sweeping the floor. It was nearly evening when they were all done, cleaning the meeting room, as well as waiting for the caterers to retrieve their items. Delilah waved her colleagues goodbye as she made her way to her car. She arrived home just as the clock strikes 7 o''clock in the evening. Delilah went to put her bags in her room before heading off to the kitchen. In the kitchen, she saw her sister cooking by the stove. Delilah sat on the kitchen table and asked, "What are you cooking?" Her sister, Miya, looked up and answered, "I''m cooking some salmons for dinner." Delilah immediately drooled at the image that popped inside her head. "Salmon?" she asked, excitement in her voice. Miya nodded. "Yeah, your friend at work just called me, saying that your stomach hurts. First day, is it?" she inquired curiously. Delilah shook her head. "Third day," she said. Miya raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Third day and its still hurting?" Delilah sighed. "Yeah... But then again, I did missed last month so..." Miya nodded. "I see. Luckily, I saw salmons in the freezer. I remember I had this when I had some menstrual pain. Just give me a few minutes. It''s nearly done." Delilah raised her arms in happiness. "Yaaay!" she cheered. Few minutes later, her sister placed a plate of fried salmons in front of her. She then grabbed a half cut lemon and squeezed the juices onto the salmons. Delilah quickly cut some portions of the salmons and took a bite. The exceptional flavour of salmon burst inside her mouth, flooding her senses with joy. The salmon doesn''t have that normal fishy taste. Rather, it has that mildly, juicy and meaty taste that felt fulfilling. As Delilah bit on the salmon, she could taste the crispy skin of the salmon with its subtle flavour. Melted butter mixed with lemon juices literally blended nicely with the fatty juice of the salmon. It made the salmon tasted more citrusy and succulent, awakening all her senses with DEE-light. Delilah grinned at her sister, who was also enjoying her food and said, "Best painkiller ever!" 8 CH8: Love for food "There is no love sincerer than the love of food." - George Bernard Shaw ============================ Yesterday was another hectic day for Delilah, where she had been working from morning until late afternoon. She and her colleagues had spent the day inside an office for interview sessions. The interview sessions were tiring, where they had talked with potential hires; questioning and listening. It had taken a toll in their mental stamina. A couple of weeks ago, the HR office had received an unexpected resignation from one of their senior employees. Apparently, she had just accepted a position in the government office. Delilah had felt happy, but at the same time, sad, for her senior. Happy because, her senior now has a solid position in the government office. Sad because, she might not be able to talk with her as often as before. Ashlynn, the senior employee, was a sweet woman in her mid-thirties. She was a soft spoken woman, despite her energetic and outgoing personality. In appearance, she always wore her dark brown hair in a low neat ponytail. Her huge and expressive doe eyes gave off an attractive yet innocent look. She was a friendly woman, who gets along with most of the employees in the Kang Company. She was also one of the best employees in the General Affairs department. Hence, another reason why Delilah was saddened to see a great employee leave the company. So, because of this, Delilah also thought it was best for her to join their interview sessions. At the very least, Ashlynn can contribute her opinions on whom was best to replace her position. Today was no different from yesterday. Delilah, Firah and Ashlynn had another busy day, conducting interview sessions. One after another, questions were asked and answers were given. But Delilah and Ashlynn still could not find someone who seems to be the ''right'' person for the job. There were those who seems too arrogant, nervous and even those who seems to be froze up when they started asking questions. Another difficult part was when trying to explain to the interviewees what the questions were asking. For example, there was this one interviewee who asked them what ''multi-tasking'' means. Delilah had to explain in a different language and dialect, just so the interviewee understands. And one time, Delilah had to create scenarios so that they know what Delilah was asking. It had been a mentally tiring day for Delilah and the others. It was quite draining that Delilah had to sit out at two of the interviews. She did not think she could handle asking and listening to more of the sessions. It was one hour left before the working hours end. Delilah and the rest of the interviewer panels decided to have a discussion about the interview sessions for that day. Aubree was looking through the notes that Delilah and Firah had taken in from the sessions. There was a frown on her face as she concentrated on trying to read the notes. Firah''s handwriting was nearly unreadable. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. Delilah shook her head at Firah, sighing. Firah gave her a sheepish smile. "What?" she asked innocently. "My handwriting isn''t that bad, is it?" Delilah just rolled her eyes, not bothering to answer her question. "So, I''d like to say that today was okay, compare to yesterday," Ashlynn spoke up. Aubree looked up and asked, "Anyone catches your eye?" Ashlynn put a finger on her chin and said thoughtfully, "Well... There are a few. But I wouldn''t say that they are the best." Delilah crossed her arms over her chest and leaned back against her seat. "What makes you think that they are okay?" she asked, curiousity in her eyes. "Well, there is this one girl. I like how she is good in handling customers. At least, that''s what she says during the interview. I mean, I bet she won''t break if customers suddenly explode on her," Ashlynn said. Delilah narrowed her eyes. "And that''s it?" she asked. "Well, we''ll take note on that. Because there are other aspects that we are looking for, as well. Not just whether she can handle angry customers." Firah nodded in agreement. "Yes. We also have to see whether the new hire is a fast learner. We will be able to save more time on training," she commented. Aubree sighed as she placed the notes back inside the folder, which holds all the notes on the interview sessions. "Alright then. We''ll continue this tomorrow." She then looked around at the three women and asked, "Anyone up for some hotpot?" Delilah immediately stood up, grabbed her bag and was already at the door and declared, "Okay. Lets go. I''m hungry." Aubree, Firah and Ashlynn laughed as they followed Delilah out of the room. An hour later, they were in one of the hotpot restaurants. The restaurant is a quaint little shop, with few large tables and chairs inside. Each large tables held a couple of hot pot cookers in it, installed in the middle. The four of them were reading the menu, thinking of what to order. Firah decided to share the hot pot with Delilah since they both sat across each other, while Aubree shares with Ashlynn. Delilah asked Firah whether she is alright with tom yum soup as their soup base. She has always chosen tom yum soup as her base so she was worried that Firah might not want it. Fortunately, Firah was fine with anything. So, the two of them agreed on tom yum soup as the soup base and added the Chicken Set as their mains. Firah looked at Delilah in confused, when she heard Delilah ordering more side dishes. "Isn''t Chicken Set enough?" she asked. Delilah gave her a ''Are you kidding me?!?'' look and said sarcastically, "Uh, no?" Firah scratched her head. "But there''s a lot of foods in the Chicken Set," she said, still confused. Delilah nodded as she pointed more items on the menu. "Yeah, I know. But since we are sharing, I want more. And there''s a lot of the dishes that I want which are not included in the set." Once Delilah was done ordering her foods, the four women settled down in a comfortable silence. Ashlynn then started to open up a topic, about what her feelings are when it comes to the new job. They also talked about their mutual friends and had a little gossip. A few minutes later, a waiter came and placed their soups on the cookers. Firah and Delilah have chosen the red tom yum soup base, whereas Aubree and Ashlynn have chosen the chicken soup base. There are actually two kinds of soup bases for tom yum, which are the white tom yum and the red tom yum. And since Delilah liked spicy foods, she had opted for the red tom yum. The smell of fresh and fragrant spices and herbs hit her nose when the soup was placed in front of Delilah. Added with the lemongrass, it gave out a distinct citrusy fragrance with touch of botanical fine herbs. It stimulates Delilah''s sense of smell and it felt relaxing. Delilah scooped out some soup onto her bowl and have a sip. The bubbling soup simmers smoothly as it cooked the ingredients inside, enveloping everything inside a reddish orange blanket. The broth tasted earthy and a little bit spicy from the cut chillies that were bursting out flakes inside. The subtle taste of lime and cilantro felt lemony as it engulfed Delilah together with the warm temperature of broth. The strong and sharp tastes of the spices pricked at Delilah''s senses as she scooped more soup with some fish balls and vegetables in her bowl. Delilah ate her foods with relish, her eyes sparkled with happiness. Ashlynn giggled as she watched Delilah eats. "There''s no one who loves food more than Delilah." Delilah shrugged. "There''s no better love than love for food. Especially DEE-licious foods." 9 CH9: Comfort foods "Food, like a loving touch or a glimpse of divine power, has that ability to comfort." - Norman Kolpas ============================ Days of interviewing potential hires were over but it still did not stop other people from sending over their resumes to the company. Stacks of papers were piled up on Delilah''s table. Just a few minutes ago, the receptionist at the front desk had placed more CVs on Delilah''s table, adding more to the pile. Delilah could only sigh in resignation as she looked at the piles. Firah peeked over her cubicle and asked, "Need some help?" Delilah looked at Firah as if she has just descended from the Heaven. "Yes please!" she pleaded, widening her eyes, similar to puppy sad eyes. Firah took half of the piles and placed it on her table. "I''ll help you out. I don''t have any work, anyway." Delilah narrowed her eyes in suspicion. "Wait, what about the reports that Matt asked you to do, the other day?" Firah waved her concerns away. "Aahhh... That one. I''ll do that at the end of the month. I can''t do it right now if the statistics that the admins gave me are still incomplete." Delilah nodded in agreement. "True, true." The two of them worked on the CVs in silence for a couple of hours. Delilah would placed the arranged stack of CVs, which was sorted according to the person''s qualifications and levels of educations, near Firah. Firah would then key-in the details into their shared document in the computer. Just then, Howard came by, strutting into the room. Both Firah and Delilah were too focused on their work that they did not notice Howard standing behind them, watching them work. Howard cleared his throat loudly, trying to get their attention. Firah and Delilah jumped in surprise and turned around in unison. Delilah quickly covered her eyes and cried out, "OH MY GOSH! MY EYES!" Firah coughed and spluttered as she laughed at Howard, with tears sliding down her face. She stared at Howard''s face, or more specifically, his new glasses. Howard frowned at the two women''s antics. "What''s so funny?" he asked in confused. Delilah rubbed her eyes. "No, the question is... What''s up with your glasses??" she exclaimed. Howard smiled smugly as he pushed his glasses up his nose. "Isn''t it gorgeous?" he asked. He was wearing a retro gold glitter semi rimless glasses with diamond studded on the top bar of the glasses. The sparkles of the diamonds shining brightly together with the gold glitter spread all over the rim. Just the combination of the colour and the jewelery had already made Delilah winced. It was so bright that it really stands out. "Uhhh... I guess so," Delilah said slowly. ''I don''t think so!'' she thought, staring at the glasses. Firah laughed out loud. "Are you serious, Howie?" she asked, using her pet name for him. Howard frowned down at her. "Of course! I''ve paid big bucks for this." Firah just shook her head, laughing as she turned back around in her seat. Howard then grabbed Firah''s seat and turned her back around. "Hold on," he said. "I''m not done talking." Firah''s eyes widened as she put her palms together in forgiveness. "Ehhhh...!" she exclaimed. "Sorry, boss!" Delilah smirked at Firah''s antics. She knew that Firah was being sarcastic because she never did liked Howard. It probably started when there was an important talk with one of the government offices. She had high hopes for Howard when she was ''forced'' into doing a presentation, instead of Travis. Firah did not wanted to do the presentation. She had wondered why they did not ask Travis to do it. Firah was happy when Howard said that he will talk to Matt about the exchange of the presenter. However, as days come closer to the talk, there were no news of Travis taking over the presentation. And when the day came, Firah found out that Howard did not really talk to Matt about the exchange. On top of it all, Howard only said, "Good luck" to her when the talk was about to start. Firah was disappointed but she was being professional about it. She did not let her emotions control her. So, she did the presentation and she had done it quite well. It was fortunate that she did practice her speech the night before, just in case. So, now she could only tolerate him in professional terms. Personally, she could not stand him. "As I was saying," Howard began. "Have the two of you done the reports that I asked of you?" Firah shrugged. "I haven''t done mine. I just told Delilah that I still need some statistics from the admins." Howard turned to Delilah, with a look asking ''what about you?''. Delilah bit her lower lip and shook her head. Howard sighed. "Well, I guessed I expected too much of you." Delilah bit back her retort of ''What do you expect when people keep sending CVs?''. She did not want to argue with Howard. She has no energy to argue with someone who always think that they are right. The three of them talked for a few minutes, with Howard giving more tasks to Delilah to complete and Firah to assist her. Moments later, Howard waved goodbye to the two of them as he walked out of the offices. Delilah and Firah groaned, once he was out of sight. "This is why I dread the day when he comes to the office," Firah stated. "It''s either to give more work or show off more of his outrageous fashion." "Or worse, both," Delilah added. The two of them worked all morning, stopping only when it was lunchtime. While Delilah was working, the phone on her table rang. She picked it up and said, "Hello. Delilah speaking." Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. "Hello, Delilah. There''s a parcel here for you at the lobby. We need your signature for the confirmation of delivery," said the receptionist on the phone. "Oh, alright. I''ll be right down." Few minutes later, Delilah returned with a medium-sized parcel. She then placed the parcel inside her bag. Firah peeked over and gestured at the parcel. "What''s that?" she asked, curious. Delilah put her chin on her palm, with her elbow on the table as she surfed the Internet. "Ahh... Just something I ordered online." Firah looked over at the websites that Delilah had opened. ''Recipes for Takoyaki'' the website reads. Firah just laughed in bemusement as she continued doing her work. A couple of hours later, there were more CVs being sent to Delilah, as the piles of CVs were left at their other colleague''s table. He had forgotten to hand over the CVs to Delilah as he was rushing out of the office for his training. Since it was nearly time for the work day to end, Delilah and Firah could only managed to finished whatever they can and leave them for tomorrow. After the tiring day, Delilah went home, feeling mentally exhausted. As she entered her house, she was looking down on the paper in her hand. She managed to written down the recipe for takoyaki. And although, she was mentally tired, she was also hungry. She went to place her bags in her room before going into the kitchen. Luckily, she had brought all the ingredients needed for the takoyaki. All she needs to do is to prepare the batter. She began by taking out all the necessary utensils and placed them on the table. She then grabbed a large bowl and started to put the ingredients inside. Firstly, Delilah poured the dashi stock, eggs, salt and all purpose flour into the bowl. She then whisked them so that its mixed well. Secondly, Delilah set the batter aside and placed the takoyaki pan on the stove. She then dabbed some oil onto a paper towel and coated the pan. Turning the heat to medium, she poured the batter to fill the holes of the pan. She dropped small pieces of octopus in the batter in each hole. The whiff of the batter cooking reached her nose, smelling sweet and aromatic. She continued sprinkled chopped scallions and gingers all over the pan. The addition of scallions and gingers added to the smell, giving it a more peppery sharp and strong onion smell. Delilah then began to turn the takoyaki around. The first few takoyaki was a mess, making Delilah panic for a short while. She quickly added more batter to the hole and tried her luck to slowly turn the takoyaki. After a few turns, the takoyaki was cooked nicely, in an oval shaped. She cooked for a few minutes, constantly turning them around. Delilah then placed the cooked takoyaki in a plate. She arranged them nicely in rows, before pouring takoyaki sauce and Japanese mayonnaise all over them. She then sprinkled some dried bonito flakes. Watching the dried bonito flakes move, Delilah''s eyes widened in amazement. She''s always surprised by how the dried bonito flakes seems to be ''alive'', writhing around, giving a strong fishy smell. The taste itself also tasted fishy, with some saltiness to it and a mild smokiness. Delilah speared one takoyaki, using a fork and blow on the hot food. She bit into the takoyaki cautiously, afraid that she might burned her tongue. As she chewed on the crispy texture of the takoyaki, the strong flavour of the dashi hits her. The inside of the takoyaki felt soft and fluffy as she chewed. The octopus piece felt chewy and does not have that strong seafood smell as it usually does. Added with the takoyaki sauce and the mayonnaise, the taste of the takoyaki combined the complimenting flavours of sweet, salty and flavoursome palate. Pushing aside some failed takoyaki to another plate, she poured takoyaki sauce and mayonnaise on them again. This time, Delilah used a spoon to scoop the takoyaki and blowed on it. She had to use a spoon because they break apart when Delilah tried to poked on them. Just as she finished eating the takoyaki, her brother, Munier, walked in, carrying a couple of plastic bags in his hands. Munier was Delilah''s younger brother by 3 years. He was a tall and large man with a round face, wearing a light blue shirt with black chinos. His hair was as dark as midnight and was cut short. His hooded eyes looking down at Delilah, who clearly enjoyed eating her takoyaki, from the look of enjoyment on her face. "Ehhhh...!" he said, accusingly. "You ate without me!" Delilah, with her mouth full, just gestured at the now half empty plate of takoyaki. Munier quickly placed the plastic bags on the table and grabbed the plate of takoyaki before Delilah finishes them all. The two of them quietly ate takoyaki in silence. A few minutes later, Delilah asked, pointing at the plastic bags he carried earlier, "What''s that in your bag?" Munier slapped his forehead as he just remembered something. He quickly grabbed the plastic bags and took some food containers from inside. He then placed them in front of Delilah and said, "I just remembered that I bought some teppanyaki and sushi earlier." Delilah smacked him on the shoulder. "Why didn''t you take it out earlier?" she scolded. "It might not taste as nice if you leave it alone for a long time." Munier rubbed his shoulder, with a pained look on his face. "I forgot, okay??" he exclaimed. He then opened the container and took a piece of cut teppanyaki. He turned to Delilah, "What''s with the sudden craving for Japanese?" Delilah shrugged. "I just need some comfort foods after work," she replied. Munier chewed on the teppanyaki and said, "Well, food itself is a comfort, anyway." Delilah laughed softly as she ate one of the sushis. "DEE-finitely so true!" 10 CH10: Safety is important in the company "It''s difficult to think about anything but, pleasant thoughts while eating a homegrown tomato." - Lewis Grizzard ============================ It was a quiet Tuesday morning. The sun has just risen up, painting the sky from dark to bright blue with a few clouds scattering along the sky. Few cars lined up on the road, slowly making their way to their respective locations. Inside the Kang Company, people were already busy working, immediately after arriving to the office. Sounds of tapping on the keyboards resounded around the office. Delilah has just arrived at her cubicle, placing her bag on her table when the receptionist came to her. The receptionist''s name was Bella. She was a beautiful brunette, with long wavy hair. Today, she wore her hair in a high ponytail, emphasizing her big round eyes and heart-shaped face. She was wearing a bright red lipstick, giving her full lips a more sensual look. She looked quite bubbly yet alluring with her prim blouse and a-lined skirt. Looking at Bella, Delilah thought, ''She''s really the visual front for the company.'' She had no bad remarks about Bella. Bella was a friendly and cheerful woman who can calm anyone''s anger with her sweet and wide smile. Delilah had never seen Bella got angry in any situations. She was very good in handling angry customers. "Hello, Delilah," Bella greeted happily, holding a bag on one hand. Delilah looked down at the bag Bella was holding and asked, pointing, "What''s that?" Bella held the bag with both of her dainty hands and said, "Ah, this is the coverall that you''ll be wearing for today''s Fire Marshal Demonstration with Sam." Sam was one of the HSE Safety officer in the company. He was a tall and thin man in his mid-forties with a lanky pale-skinned body. He has raven dark hair, with a glint of silver at the side, adding the look of a sophisticated maturity in his persona. He always has a big and goofy smile on his face and was very friendly. He was the type of person anyone could get along too, if they could handle his jokes, which he loved to throw all around. That morning, Sam had invited Delilah to join him to a Fire Marshall Demonstration where the firefighters and marshals will demonstrate on cases of what-to-do when there is fire. Sam had wanted Delilah to join because he had thought that Delilah might be interested to become one of the fire marshals at the office. Also, he thought, perhaps Delilah could encourage more employees in the Kang Company to attend the Safety briefing that he will conduct in the future. At first, he wanted to bring along his intern to the demonstration, however, his supervisor had given the intern some tasks that are needed to be done that morning. Hence, only Sam and Delilah will be going to the demonstration. Delilah took the bag from Bella and placed it inside her big duffel bag. "What about my safety shoes?" she asked again. "Yes, about that..." Bella said slowly as she looked down on her mobile phone. "Can I get your size?" Delilah told her her size. Bella nodded. "I''ll prepare the shoes at the lobby. You can wear it there." Delilah nodded in thanks. A few minutes later, Delilah had just arrived at the lobby, in her coverall. The coverall was an orange loose-fitting safety clothing. It was not thick and not thin either. It felt kind of stiff and scratchy on her bare arms, where she only wore a t-shirt and a pants inside the coverall. Luckily, it doesn''t felt hot and stuffy inside too. Minutes later, Sam arrived at the lobby, together with Aubree. Both of them wearing a coverall too. Sam scratched the back of his head, laughing. "Hey Delilah. Sorry to keep you waiting." Delilah waved his concerns away. "Ah, it''s alright." Sam waved a hand towards Aubree and said, "Aubree will be joining us for today. I persuaded your boss to let me bring her along," he snickered. "Alrighty then," Sam continued, with a clap. "Let''s head off to the fire station headquarters now." The three of them head off to the car park, where the company car was waiting. They then set off to the fire station. It was a short thirty minutes drive from the office. Inside the car, the three of them were talking avidly about what they were expecting from the presentation and demonstration. Sam was excited to see the equipment and uniform that the firefighters use and wore during their duty. Aubree, on the other hand, was excited to watch the demonstration that the firefighters would do when there was a burning house.Delilah, though, was more excited at the thought that she might be able to go play with the flying fox. Previously, one of her colleagues had attended the Fire Marshall where they, too, played the flying fox and it was fun Half an hour later, they finally arrived at the fire station. One of the firefighters came out of the building to greet the three of them. He was the Fire Chief. He looked like he was in this fifties. A big burly man with an oval face and thin lips. He has amber eyes, sharp like lightning. The glint in his eyes does not seem to miss a thing as he shook hands with Sam, a grin on his face. His name was Mr. Rose, which does not seems to match his description if one would compare to the namesake of the flower. Especially when there are wrinkles around his face, representing his age. Mr. Rose invited the three of them inside the station, guiding them to a room that was on the left. He invited them to have a seat, while he and his subordinates prepared with their speech and presentation. Mr. Rose was the speaker for the presentation, where he talked about the importance of the firefighters, their roles in the country and what they do. He also pointed out several fire stations shown in the presentation. He continued on by giving out the important phone numbers that Sam and the other two should take note. He also made a joke as well about how they do not earned much, compare to the military. The first few hours in the morning were mostly about the presentation talk and the tour around the fire station. Both Aubree and Delilah looked around with excitement and amazement in their eyes. Sam, who had toured around the fire station numerous times, just talked with Mr. Rose. Delilah noticed how humid and hot it is inside the station, where there are only overhead fans. She commented it at Aubree, who nodded in agreement. Mr. Rose, who overheard her comment, turned around and said, "Yes, we did it in purpose. Imagine if there is a fire emergency and with air-conditioner, the fire fighters might had a good nap and wouldn''t wake up. So, with the heat, we can still be aware of the emergency sirens." Both Aubree and Delilah''s mouths opened in an ''O'' shaped as they understood his explanation. They continued the tour until Mr. Rose guided them into a room. Inside, some of the female officers have prepared some light lunch for the three of them. Aubree and Delilah both grabbed their plates and stood beside the buffet table, helping themselves to the foods. The two of them sat down on a table with their food. Delilah turned to Sam, who was still talking with Mr. Rose. "Aren''t you going to take some foods?" she asked. Sam laughed lightly. "Yes, I''ll get some later." One of the female officers sat at their table. She then pointed at one of the tarts on Aubree''s plate. "Oh, you two have got to try this. It''s really good." Delilah raised her eyebrows. "Really? What is it?" she asked, curious as she picked hers. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. The female officer answered, "It''s a blueberry cheesecake tart. It''s always sold out. But we managed to get some this morning." "Wow..." Delilah said softly. "It must be really good." She took a bite of the tart. The tangy taste of the cheesecake mixed with the sour sweetness of the blueberry blended really well. It sent shivers of tingles up her spine as she enjoyed the taste. The flaky pastry of the tart crumbled beautifully in her mouth, giving a sticky sensation on her tongue. Delilah licked her lips in appreciation. "It''s really good," she said. They continued to talk as they enjoyed their light lunch. After they were done with their lunch, Mr. Rose suggested for them to go back home for a quick rest before continuing the presentation and talk in the afternoon. An hour of resting in their perspective homes, the three of them returned back to the fire station. This time, they have used their own transportation. Because it will be faster for them to return home straight away after the afternoon session. Sam had arrived first. When Delilah and Aubree arrived, almost at the same time, they saw Sam already waiting outside with them, together with Mr. Rose. Rather than going inside, Mr. Rose guided them to the back of the fire station where there was a tall tower, just by the side of the buildings, few meters away. Going past the tower, Mr. Rose led the way towards a lone trailer. The lone trailer was used as their fire rescue practice, where there will be smoke inside. The mission was that fire fighters have to fight their way towards the smoke-filled trailer and rescue the ''unconscious'' victims. Mr. Rose further explained that usually unconscious victims were heavier than normal weight. And he explained the usage of the oxygen tank, what''s the limit and so forth. He instructed his subordinates to help Sam and the other two put on the fire fighters uniform, together with the oxygen tank. He then told them that their mission was to save the family of three. Few minutes later, the three of them walked in, cautiously. Delilah was the back, while Sam led the way with Aubree in the middle of them. Sam first found a ''child victim'', which was a mannequin weighted about 5kg. He quickly carried it on his shoulder as he turned back to where they entered earlier. While Sam carried the ''victim'' out, Delilah and Aubree continued with the mission. They had crawled at some areas, bent down to continue the path and finally saw a mannequin underneath a bed. Both Aubree and Delilah walked closer to the mannequin and saw that its a male mannequin. Delilah assumed that this must be the ''father victim''. Aubree and Delilah tried to carried the mannequin but it was too heavy. It weighted almost 90kgs. Delilah then remembered what Mr. Rose had said earlier. ''If you can''t carry it, you can drag it since the victim was unconscious and could not feel any pain''. Delilah tried to drag it out from underneath the bed. Aubree helped by dragging with the other leg. However, the oxygen in their tank was decreasing fast. In the end, both Delilah and Aubree had to abandoned the victim and quickly went out. Mr. Rose laughed at their disheveled appearance. "How was it?" he asked, laughing. Delilah took off her mask with a sigh and said, "That was really heavy! I definitely can''t save people. They all will die if I''m the firefighter!" The others laughed at Delilah''s dejected look. Seems like Delilah was disappointed at herself for failing the task. They continued on the next activity, which was the flying fox. Delilah looked at the tower, where they had set up the flying fox. Her eyes sparkled with enthusiasm as she could not wait to ride it. Few minutes later, Delilah was up at the top floor of the tower, all suited up for the flying fox. She looked down where the others gathered at the side of the landing area. Her heart beat fast at the exhilaration of the thoughts. With a deep breath, she jumped down. She slid smoothly along the cables, screaming and laughing all the way down. She landed fluidly on the landing mat with a happy grin on her face. Delilah looked at Sam with an excited look. ''I want to go again!'' look was written all over her face. Mr. Rose saw her excited face and laughed out loud. "Alright. You can go again!" Delilah cheered and walked quickly towards the tower. After the three of them had their rounds, Mr. Rose ended the activity by inviting them back to the room, where they first had their presentation. Mr. Rose then awarded the three of them with a certificate of a Fire Marshal. Delilah looked down at the paper and smiled. "This is so worth it," she exclaimed. Few minutes later, they went back to their homes. Just as Delilah arrived at her house, she saw her family looking ready to go out. "Where are you all going?" she asked in confused. "Didn''t you read my message in the family group chat?" Miya, her sister, asked as she straightened her son''s outfit. Delilah scratched the back of her head, looking sheepishly. "I guessed I was driving. Didn''t hear any notification," she said. "Where are we going?" Miya stood up and said, "To the chicken rice shop." Delilah nodded. "I''ll join you guys. I''m too lazy to drive," she said. Few minutes later, the family gathered around at a large round table. Delilah quickly ordered her food. She decided on having Chicken Rice for her meal. As her other family members ordered theirs, she took out her phone and began playing with the game inside. While they were talking among themselves, Delilah''s order came. Delilah made the right choice choosing the food. This was because it was much faster to cook and tasted delicious as well. The rice of the chicken rice was usually cooked earlier and kept warmth in a large rice cooker. Delilah speared a piece of the chicken and took a bite. The sweet and savoury tenderness of the chicken meat filled her mouth as she sank her teeth into the meat. The slippery succulent of the chicken skin slid down her throat as she chewed. Delilah poured the ginger, sour chili sauce and thick soy sauce all over her chicken, which was on top of slices of cool cucumbers. Together with the rice, she ate them together. The rice was indistinctly flavoured with some taste of chicken essence in every bite. The sourness and a hint of spiciness from the chili sauce, together with the succulent chicken meat and the flavoured rice really hit the right spot. The smooth tender chicken meat felt flavoursome as it was mixed with the sauces, making it more appetizing. Her nephew, Kael, who sat next to Delilah, smiled at her. He was also eating chicken rice too. "Yummy?" he asked, smiling. Delilah smiled back, giving a pat on his head. "Yummy, inDEEd," she replied. 11 CH11: A personal touch to the gathering "Pull up a chair. Take a taste. Come join us Life is so endlessly delicious." Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. - Ruth Reichl ============================ It was the festive month for the people in the country. The town where Delilah lived in was covered with festive lights and colourful canopy of lanterns. Every buildings in town were also decorated at its fullest, making the town looked more joyful and vibrant. The Kang Company was no exception. In the lobby itself, festive banners, wall decorations and ceiling decorations filled the room. Paper lanterns and ornamental papers decorated the ceilings, giving the image of light-filled Arabic night. Then, on the second floor where the HR department was located, the door was decorated with green packets in different design covers. Streamers were placed at the top of the door with paper flowers all over. Moon crescent and star papers decorated all over the wall, in different colours. It gave the room a picturesque vibe. At the cubicle area, one could see a dark-haired woman hard at work, oblivious to the bustling group of people behind her. Her eyebrows furrowed in concentration as she listed out her to-do list for the next HR get together, in conjunction of the festive month. Aubree, who just arrived at Delilah''s cubicle, leaned closer, trying to take a glimpse of what Delilah was writing. "Need any help?" she asked. Delilah looked up at the friendly face of Aubree and shook her head. "I''m good." Aubree grabbed an empty seat beside Delilah and sat down. The empty seat that she took was Firah''s, who hasn''t arrived at the office yet. "So, everything is okay? Food? Deco?" she asked. Delilah nodded. "Yeah, I already emailed everyone the survey, whether they prefer catering or pot luck," she said. "Most of them voted for potluck. So, seems to be alright. All that''s left is to call the receptionist to book a room for our gathering and decorate the place." Aubree''s eyes widened in surprise. "Ehhhh...!" she exclaimed. "Potluck?? Aren''t we going to have a catering??" Delilah spun around in her seat, facing Aubree, her eyes flashing. "Wait, what? Who said that??" she asked in a low tone. Aubree scratched her right temple and replied, looking confused, "I remember Howard telling me that he had ordered catering for the gathering." Delilah facepalmed. "DEE-mmit," she cursed in a soft voice. "So, this is where the budget went. I was wondering how come our budget for the gathering was so low." Aubree bit her lip, feeling guilty. She really have thought that Delilah knew about Howard''s plan. Aubree did not expect that Howard would left Delilah out of his plans. If she had known this would happened, she would have told Delilah about it. Delilah gritted her teeth in anger. "What''s the point of asking me to do all this when he is going to do it behind my back?" she retorted. Aubree patted Delilah''s back. "Just calm down. It will be alright. You just continue what you can do, for now." Delilah frowned at Aubree. "Of course, I will. I''m not going to abandon my duties halfway. The others are also looking forward to potluck. If there''s too much food, it will be alright. It''s better than no food at all. Or not enough food!" She exclaimed, turning back to her list. Aubree sighed. She stood up and went to her cubicle, leaving Delilah to her work. ------ The day of the gathering. Delilah was standing outside the room, where the gathering was about to held. She was waiting for the rest of the staff to invite them in. Everything inside the room has been decorated with streamers, balloons and wall decorations, making the room look more festive. At the middle of the room, several tables were arranged in rows, where foods will be placed. Delilah had pretended to not know about the catering, since Howard did not even inform her. Apparently, he had decided to make it as a surprise. He only informed Delilah to leave some space for him, which Delilah had left some tables at the side. Though, it did appeared that some employees knew about the catering and had asked Delilah whether the potluck is still on. Delilah told them that it is up to them whether or not they want to have a potluck or not. They could still bring their dishes to the gathering. However, most of them still prefer to have potluck, because having potluck seems more personal and they too wanted to try each others'' dishes. So, in the end, most of the HR employees brought their own dishes. Delilah had brought her homemade spaghetti, while Firah had brought her mom''s bean soup and Aubree had brought her favourite fish curry. Firah and Aubree helped to arranged the foods on the table, while Delilah stood outside, inviting the rest of the employees in. Just then, Aubree''s phone was ringing. She took it out of her pocket and saw Howard calling her. She walked out of the room to answer the call. As she walked out, going past Delilah, who gave her a questioning look, asking silently, if there was something wrong. Aubree shook her head, mouthing, "It''s Howard." Delilah rolled her eyes and gave a thumbs up in question. Asking whether everything is alright. Aubree nodded, giving a thumbs up in return. After she ended the call, Aubree walked towards Delilah, who was still standing, waiting for the other employees. "Howard just called to tell me to wait for the catering." Delilah frowned. "What about him? Where is he?" she asked. Aubree sighed. "He said he''s going to be late so we can start without him. He also asked me to tell you to give a speech for the gathering." Delilah gave her a ''are you kidding me?'' look. Aubree nodded. Delilah cursed him under her breath. "Fine," she said, huffing. Aubree patted her on the arm and said, "It will be alright." Delilah just nodded and walked in the room, to help with Firah, who was still arranging the foods. Inside the room, people were talking amongst themselves, laughing and chatting. There were happy smiles on their faces as they enjoyed the atmosphere in the room, relieved and relaxed after a day''s work. Some were at the corner, having a private conversation and some were standing near the table at the centre, talking about who brings what to the gathering. Some of them also asked what are the empty tables on the side are for. Firah just shrugged and told them to ask Delilah or Aubree. So, one of them did asked Delilah, who had just walked in the room. Delilah shrugged, since she wanted to pretend that she did not know about the catering. Though, they did asked whether it is for the catering. Delilah just shrugged again and said, "Probably." One of the women tapped a finger on her chin and said, "Hmmm... Isn''t it a waste if its really for catering? I mean, we brought lots of foods already." The other woman who stood beside her elbowed on the sides and chuckled. "Well, knowing Howard. He just want his to be special, doesn''t he?" The two of them giggled. Delilah sighed and said, "Well, even if its Howard''s doing, lets just enjoy the gathering. Extra foods mean more fun, right?" The two women nodded. A few minutes later, there were still no sign of Aubree, Howard and the catering. Worried, Delilah texted Aubree, asking where she is. Aubree''s text came in. "Still waiting for the catering. Seems like they did not know the place and got lost." Delilah gave a facepalm emoji and texted again. "So, what shall we do? Continue on." Aubree''s reply came in. "Yes. Sorry, Delilah." Delilah replied back with a ''No problem. Its alright.'' She then clapped her hands together, trying to get everyone''s attention. She started off by thanking everyone for coming to the gathering. And she continued on by giving her appreciation for the help of everyone to make the gathering possible and how she was grateful with the positive responses from everyone. She ended her short speech by inviting them to enjoy the foods. Just as Delilah had finished her speech, a group of people came in, carrying some foods, with Howard and Aubree leading the way in. These group of people quickly gathered around the empty tables on the side and started to arranged the foods one by one. Once they were done, the people who were carrying the foods earlier quickly went out and disappear, leaving Howard and Aubree. Howard, with his big smile, said, "Hahaha! Good evening, everyone! Sorry that I was late. Had some problem with the catering. Come, come and enjoy the foods!" He then swept his hand towards the foods behind him. Aubree just stood awkwardly beside him, forcing a smile on her face. She knew that people were baffled to see the catering foods are here. And that it was unprofessional of them where the manager themselves were late to the meeting and had someone else takeover their speech at the last minute. One of the male employees slapped Howard at the back in a friendly way. "Hey hey, Howard!" he greeted. "I''ll check your foods later. I want to take a look at what the others had brought first. I might not get a second chance later." He then gave a wave and walked over to where the potluck foods were arranged. The look on Howard''s face was of disbelief and awkwardness. He did not expect that his idea would failed. He had thought that most of them would prefer catering over homemade dishes. Aubree just sighed in bemusement as she, too, walked over to the potluck area. At that time, Delilah was enjoying her foods, where she was eating a bite-sized pizza, brought by one of the employees. Fawkes, one of the employees in the HR departments, was standing beside her, putting more foods on her plate. Delilah gave him a small kick on his leg, glaring at him. "Stop putting foods on my plate!" she scolded. Fawkes pouted. "But it has meat on it," he said, pointing at the pizza. "Did you forget that I''m a vegetarian?" Delilah rolled her eyes. "Then don''t eat it!" "But I want to eat some pizza!" "Eat it or don''t eat it, I don''t care!" Firah, who was standing near to them, watching the two of them interact, laughed. "You two are like cat and dog, everytime you two meet." Delilah scoffed. "He is just being too clingy." Fawkes frowned at Delilah. "Hey, I am still new here. I don''t know anyone here yet. So, I''m sticking with you!" he said. "Again, the purpose of this gathering is for everyone to make friends with everyone so go and make friends!" Delilah said, pushing him. Fawkes stood still, not budging an inch. "No, I will stay here. I will make friends later." Firah just laughed while Delilah just rolled her eyes. Fawkes was a tall and lean guy, with a chiselled face and hooded eyes. He has a sharp jawline and a defined chin. In short, he has a strong feature that makes people take a second look. Although, it can also be said that he has a pretty face because of his clean and smooth looks. He was also a smart dresser, looking sharp in his clothes. It was a good thing that he dressed smart as he was one of the faces of the company. In the Human Resource Department, he was actually in the training department, where they will help to conduct or find training classes for every employees in the company. In the Human Resource department, there are four sub-departments in it. First, there is the employee relations department, where they are in-charge of the well-being and welfare of the current employees in the company. Second, there is the training department, where they are in-charge of sending the current employees for training. Third, there is the payroll administration department, where they are in-charge of salary, taxes, vacation time and so forth. And fourth, there is the HR management department, where they are in-charge of the recruiting, hiring and firing. As well as background reviews and exit interviews. For Delilah, she is in two of the departments, which are the employee relations and HR management departments, together with Firah. Sometimes, Delilah also dealt with the training department. Hence, that is why Fawkes is also close colleagues with her. Ignoring the man beside her, who still kept trying to put more meat onto her plate, Delilah put the whole bite-sized pizza into her mouth. The bite-sized pizza was a meat lover pizza. With its warm pizza base topped generously with melted cheddar and mozzarella cheese and slices of pepperoni and beef sausages, the combination of it all stimulated Delilah''s taste buds. Added with little bits of mushrooms in the toppings, it enhanced the flavor of the rich tomato paste and Italian herbs. Every chew she had made, the mixture of all the flavours of the pizza only made it more flavourful and fulfilling. Covering her plate with one of her hand, avoiding Fawkes'' attempt to put more meats, Delilah closed her eyes in bliss. "This is so good," she exclaimed happily. A couple of hours later, the gathering had ended with everyone feeling full. It seemed like everyone had enjoyed the foods that were brought to the gathering. Some even requested to Delilah to make another gathering in the future, similar to this. However, not all of the foods were finished. There were some foods left from the catering. To not waste any foods, Aubree had invited some of the employees who were still in the room to bring some home. Firah and Delilah helped in wrapping some foods for them. Knowing how hard they have been working since this morning, once all the foods were all wrapped and all that was left was to wait for the caterers to come and retrieve their dirty utensils, Howard offered to stay and wait. Thanking Howard for his time and offer, Delilah, Firah and Aubree went home, feeling happy and satisfied. 12 CH12: Cooking class "No one is born a great cook, one learns by doing." - Julia Child ============================ It was a tiring day for Delilah. She had worked nearly 12 hours in a day, just so she can get half-day off this Friday. She had worked extra hours until late evening. The reason as to why she had asked for a half-day off was because the cooking class that she would like to attend was on a Friday afternoon. It was a mistake on her part. She did not read the message her cousin sent to her carefully. Her cousin, Shay, had asked her whether she wanted to join a cooking class. Though, it was more of a burger making class. Without thinking twice, Delilah immediately agreed. She had been wanting to join a class but she either had no time or she had no one to go with. And since Shay will be joining in, Delilah wanted to go as well. After confirming their booking, Shay had sent Delilah the details of the cooking class. Delilah read the full message and just realized the date. It was on her working day. She had messed up this time. Delilah did not want to use her off day just for the class but then again, how can she go to the class when it is during her working hours? And she would feel guilty if she cancel the booking when Shay had been looking forward to the class. Shay wanted to join the class, only because she also thought Delilah would join in. And if Delilah back out now, Shay would back out as well. So, one time, she had met up with Aubree to discuss on what to do. Aubree was now her official supervisor, instead of Howard. Although, Howard was still her supervisor, he will only supervise Delilah whenever there is a big event or project which involved the HR department. Hence why Howard had appointed Aubree to be Delilah''s supervisor. Aubree spent more time with Delilah, anyway. And also, this is because Aubree knows more about the ongoing of the company and had worked longer in the company than Delilah. Although, Aubree has been promoted to Operations Supervisor position, she still worked in a cubicle, rather than having an office for herself. This is because she requested to stay in her cubicle. She probably felt that it would be lonely working inside a room, rather than outside with Delilah and the rest. The two of them were having a drink at the pantry at that time. Because Delilah had a lot of pending work to do, she did not want to use her day off to attend the class. She talked to Aubree about her situation while Aubree listened. After Delilah had done talking, Aubree suggested, "Why don''t you work overtime for a day to compensate the Friday afternoon off?" Delilah put a finger to her chin, thinking. "I thought of that but I''m not so sure whether that is acceptable. I mean, I don''t want to take an advantage of the situation, just because I''m an HR." Aubree waved her concern away. "Nah, it should be fine. Let me text Howard about this and then we can inform the payroll department about this as well." Aubree took her mobile phone out of her pocket and began texting Howard. Few seconds later after she had texted Howard, there was a ping notification on Aubree''s phone. She looked at it and read. She then smiled at Delilah, who looked anxious, wanting to know his reply. Aubree passed her phone to Delilah for her to read. ''Ahhh... Alright. Then, it should be okay. Just let Delilah work overtime to compensate the hours. She should complete 5 hours of working time to pay off the half day off. No need to inform the payroll department about it, Aubree. Oh, and tell Delilah that I said hi and to not worry about it,'' the text from Howard reads. Delilah clapped her hands in glee. Howard can be thoughtful, sometimes. She then said to Aubree, "Thank you too, Aubree!" Aubree laughed. "Hahaha! Don''t worry. Just don''t forget to bring the goodies to the office!" Delilah nodded. "Sure!" ---- The afternoon of the cooking class. Delilah was outside of a building, where the class will take place, waiting for Shay to come. There were a lot of people coming into the building and when they walked past Delilah, they shot her a questioning gaze. Delilah just smiled and said, "I''m waiting for my cousin." One of the women nodded with a soft smile. Few minutes later, Shay finally arrived, carrying a large tote bag on her shoulder. Her hair flying behind her as she ran towards Delilah, looking a bit panic. Delilah laughed, watching Shay run. "What''s the rush?" she asked. Shay let out a long breath as she stood next to Delilah. "I''m sorry to have kept you waiting," she apologized, wiping the sweat off her forehead. "Deng! The weather is quite hot today!" Delilah laughed softly. "Yes, it is," she agreed, as the two of them walked inside. They followed the signs that led to the room, where the class is being held. Delilah knocked softly on the door before entering in. Inside, there were a few middle-aged ladies and a couple of young men standing behind some cooking tables. Each tables were arranged in rows and columns. Two tables in the front row, another two at the second, another two at the third row until fifth row. At the front of the room, there was a large table, with a man standing behind it, whom Delilah presumed was the host chef. On each table, there was a portable stove to cook, with cooking utensils on the middle of the table, just beside the stove. Each table, there are three people. Seems like Shay and Delilah will be sharing a table with another person. Delilah and Shay greeted everyone with a hello and an apology for coming in late. They walked to the back of the room and slipped behind one of the tables at the back. There was a woman who was standing alone earlier at the table that Delilah and Shay just joined. She was a sweet-looking middle-aged woman, who looks to be in her late forties. She has few laugh wrinkles at the corner of her eyes, indicating that she loves to laugh. Her hair was tied up in a tight bun, not a strand of hair out of the it. She was smiling at both Delilah and Shay who had just joined her table. "Hello," she greeted them. Delilah smiled back. "Hello." "I am so excited! I joined this class so that I can make these for my children." Shay grinned. "Awww. That''s so sweet!" The three of them had a small talk, introducing themselves. Few minutes later, the host chef cleared his throat loudly, getting everyone''s attention. He welcomed everyone politely and at the same time, thanking them for joining in his class. He introduced himself as ''Mr. Jay''. He was a lanky and tall young man in his mid-twenties. He wore a spectacles and had a smooth crew cut. Apparently, this was his first class, teaching how to make burgers. Mr. Jay then began to talk about himself, how he began his burger business and how he enjoyed making burgers. Mr. Jay had made a name for himself a couple of years ago. Only twenty years old at the time and just graduated from a technical school, he decided to open up a small stall, selling homemade burgers. He had tested making burgers a lot of time, making use of different ingredients. He now finally created his own recipe. Mr. Jay then continued on explaining about the ingredients that were placed on each of their tables. He explained that these are the basic ingredients that he had used to make a burger; eggs, breadcrumbs, salt, pepper, fresh minced beef, minced garlic, minced onions and Worcestershire sauce. He then demonstrated by showing how to make the patties. He first grabbed a bowl of minced beef. Then he poured in some breadcrumbs, egg, Worcestershire sauce, minced onions, minced garlic, salt and pepper. He mixed them thoroughly with his gloved hands. One of the participants had asked him during his demonstration as to why they need to add the sauce, eggs and breadcrumbs. He answered that eggs were added to the meat mixture so that the meat would not crumble and break apart, maintaining its shape. Breadcrumbs, on the other hand, was added so that it helps to absorb the juices of the meat and keep it inside. It also helps to make the burger more juicier. As for the sauce, it will help to add more flavour and moisture to the burger. He then molded the beef mixture into patties, thumbing in the middle, making a small dent. Delilah raised up her hand to ask why the burgers need to have a small dent. Mr. Jay explained that it helps the patty to hold its shape as it will shrink when cooking. Then, the fun time began. Everyone in the room began to turn on the stove, heating the oil in the frying pan. Delilah slowly placed the uncooked patty onto the frying pan. The sound of sizzles brought a smile to Delilah''s face as she cooked the patty. She then carefully flipped the patty to the other side, revealing a nicely, dark golden-brown scorch on the undersides. The patty juices dripped out of the meat, mixing with the cooking oil. The smell of the cooked patty hits Delilah''s nose. Looking at the juices oozing out from the meat made Delilah drool. Once the burger was done cooking, Delilah placed it onto the buttered burger buns. Before cooking the patties, Mr. Jay had already told the class to heat the buns with butter onto the pan. However, before Delilah put other toppings onto her patty, she decided to make some caramelised onions. She grabbed an handful of onions and added butter to it. With some leftover meat juices in the frying pan, Delilah began to stir-fry the onions. Adding these on top of the patty, it looked more juicy. Delilah then placed crispy lettuces, fresh tomatoes, mayonnaise and chili sauce on top of the onions. As a final touch, she placed the top bun and smiled at her creation. The burger looked beautiful in Delilah''s eyes. Taking a bite out of it, the combination of all the sauces and ingredients of the burger created the perfect taste. The addition of the caramelised onions only added more flavour to it, making it more DEE-lectable. The juices of the patty dripped down her fingers as she chewed. The patty did not break apart that easily and it wasn''t dry or soggy at all. In fact, Delilah was proud to say that this is DEE-finitely one good burger! It does not even taste too "meat-y" as she had expected. Shay, who was sitting beside her, eating her own burger, looked at Delilah. "Yours looked good," she commented. Delilah grinned. "Tasted good too." The two of them cut a piece of their burger to give each other to try. Shay''s eyes widened as she tasted Delilah''s burger. "Wow, it really is!" Delilah smiled smugly. "I know, right? Praise me more!" Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. Shay just rolled her eyes. Sometimes her cousin can be too shameless. Delilah was happier when she heard Mr. Jay said that they could make more burgers with the extra leftovers to bring home. Delilah immediately made more patties and wrapped it to bring back home. After the class was over, Delilah went straight home where she gave her siblings her burgers. She wanted to get their feedbacks. Miya tasted one and said, "Oh, this is really good. So, this is what you learn from the class?" Delilah nodded. "Yup. It was really fun!" she said. "And I have to say that this class is really rewarDEE-ng." She sighed happily to herself. She was glad that everything has worked out well for her. Working extra hours to attend this class was worth it. Not everyone start off the best and this is just something she can ticked off as one of the fun new things she had learnt. 13 CH13: Talks make me hungry "Good food ends with good talk" - Geoffrey Neighor ============================ Delilah was munching on a choco stick, while working on her report. The choco stick was dangling from her lips as she scrolled down lines of words, reading them quietly. The September morning breeze felt cool with a light rain drizzling outside the office. Delilah had wore a light wool jacket over her pastel pink peter pan blouse, trying to keep warm in this air conditioned office. As she scrolled down the page, there was a commotion at the entrance to the office. Despite the frantic murmurs around the office, Delilah was oblivious to it, her eyes on her computer screen. A couple of minutes later, she heard something behind her. Delilah turned around in her seat and saw Matt, who had just placed a potted plant on the corner of her cubicle table. It looked like any normal plant, except it has a braided trunk. It was quite small, but a perfect size for a table decoration. Delilah narrowed her eyes at the plant then looked up at Matt, who was grinning from ear to ear. "What''s this, sir?" she asked slowly, pointing at the plant as she hurriedly stood up. She placed her wool jacket over the back of her chair. Matt rested his hands on his waist and began to laugh heartily. "This is a money tree plant!" he answered. He then patted Delilah on the shoulder and continued, "And I''m leaving this baby in your hands." Delilah''s eyes widened in disbelief. "W--what?" she stuttered. She then pointed a finger to herself and then to the plant. "You want me to take care of that plant?" Matt nodded as he crossed his arms over his chest. "I''m counting on you." "B--but... I don''t know how to take care of the plant, sir! All plants will either die or don''t even grow!" she exclaimed with disbelief. Matt waved away her concern with a hand and a loud laugh. "Hahaha! You''re a funny young lady, Delilah. I''m sure she will be in good hands. Taking care of it is quite easy. It doesn''t need a lot of caring. Just some water and sunlight and you''re good to go." He then looked at his watch and said, "Oh right. I''d better get going. Take care of the little one." He then waved goodbye at Delilah and left the office, leaving her looking after him, mouth agape in shock. A few minutes later, Delilah was still standing still, with her mouth opened. Aubree and Firah had just walked into the office. They had just came up from the ground floor, after buying some drinks from the vending machine. Firah frowned, her brows furrowed in concern as she saw Delilah just standing outside her cubicle. She waved a hand in front of the dazed Delilah and said, "Yoohooo! Anyone there?" Delilah blinked her eyes, going back to reality and turned to find Firah and Aubree looking at her in concern. Delilah then grabbed both of Aubree''s arms and began shaking her. "Aubreeeeee! You got to help meeee!" Aubree got dizzy from the shaking and grabbed both of Delilah''s wrists to stop her. "Wait, stop. You''re making me dizzy. What happened?" She asked, putting her hand on her temple, trying to steadied herself. Delilah dragged Aubree to her cubicle and pointed at the potted plant on her table, as if it would jumped up on her. "That... that... Just look at that! See that thing??" she asked loudly. Aubree squinted her eyes and said, "Uhh... That''s a plant." "Exactly!" Delilah exclaimed. She hold up both of her hands and said, "And look at this! See this??" Aubree stared at Delilah''s hands and became even more confused. "Umm... OK? What''s wrong with your hands?" she asked, looking confused. Delilah waved her hands in front of Aubree and said, "This is not a green hand! This is a death hand! I do not have a green hand!" Firah, who was standing beside Aubree, suddenly burst out in laughter, pointing at Delilah''s hand. "Don''t you mean green thumb?" Delilah glared at Firah and said, "Close enough!" She turned back around to Aubree and said, "I can''t take care of the plant!" She grabbed the potted plant and tried to push it to Aubree. Aubree immediately backed away, holding up both of her hands, indicating that she does not want to touch them. "No. Matt told you to take care of it and so, you should do it." "B-b-but..." Delilah stammered. Aubree patted Delilah on the shoulder and said, "Him giving you this plant to take care of it means he trust you with this." "You can Google on how to take care of it," Firah piped in. "It should be okay." Delilah sighed in defeat. "Ah... Alright," she said sadly, her shoulders dropped in a slump. Just then, Howard came in, looking all smiles. He went straight towards them, pushing back his glasses up his nose. "Hellooooo ladies!" he greeted. The three women turned at his voice. Delilah inwardly cringed at look of his clothes. Aubree, who had worked with him for so long, was able to put on her poker face. Firah, this time, could only cocked an eyebrow at his clothes. Howard brushed off some imaginary dust off his clothes and asked smugly, "What? Mesmerised by my clothes?" The three women immediately said in unison, "Uh, yeah. Of course." He was wearing a mustard yellow batik shirt with huge golden swirls all over the shirt. The golden thread of the swirls have some glitter on it, hence, making the golden swirl standout in the shirt. Howard was also wearing his golden rimmed glasses with diamond studs, making it sparkles in the light. So, from waist up, he looked really shiny. He only wore a brown pants for this fashion. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. Howard then turned to Aubree and Delilah. "Alright. Lets start with our little discussion. Come with me to the office." He turned to Firah and said, "I''ll get the reports from you later. The one that I asked of you via email." Firah nodded and went to her cubicle. Both Aubree and Delilah followed him from behind, towards the private office. Inside the room, Aubree and Howard began to make themselves comfortable while Delilah get herself ready to present her findings. A couple of weeks ago, Howard had given Delilah a task where she needs to collect every reviews made by the employees and write up a solution for their enquiries and problems. Hence, for an hour, Delilah had presented her findings to Howard and Aubree. She also made her own suggestions for the improvements on the HR management system. They had a very nice and calming discussion. The three of them exchanged useful suggestions and constructive opinions. There were a few laughs and jokes in-between. Overall, it was a nice meeting. Then there was a knock on the door, just as Delilah was still presenting. The three of them fell silent, turning to look at the door. Howard said to come in. The door revealed Firah peeking her head in. She said, "Hey Howie. Someone is here with the delivery." Howard stood up and nodded. "Oh, I''ve just remembered. Yes, yes. I''ve ordered some foods. Bring the foods in, Firah. And come join us." He turned to Delilah and said, "let''s have a break for now. We can continue after we finish eating." Delilah cheered, pumping both her fists in the air. "Yay, foods!" she shouted happily. Howard laughed at Delilah''s antics. "Now, hush you." Firah walked in with a couple of plastic bags from a local fried chicken shop. The smell of the fried chicken can be smelled from Delilah, which made her drool. Firah placed the plastic bags on the table and began to take the takeout from inside. She passed each of them a paper plate and some plastic dining utensils. Delilah quickly grabbed one of the plates and help herself to one of the fried chickens. She loved drumsticks and thigh parts. Once everyone had settled in with their foods, Delilah was happily biting in on one of the chickens. As she bit, the juices of the chicken meat dripped down her fingers. The meat tasted tender and juicy in her mouth. The chicken also had that crunchy and cripsy texture to it, which actually added more to the flavour of the chicken. Delilah loved how the crispy exterior of the fried chicken blended well with the juicy and well-seasoned interior. While eating, the four of them continued to have small talk, laughing and joking. Delilah finished off her chicken and took another piece. Aubree laughed softly, looking at Delilah. "Are you that hungry?" Delilah nodded, biting into her chicken. "All those talks make me hungry." She then turned to Howard and said, "Thanks boss for the chickens!" Howard laughed. "No problem. This fried chicken is one of the best foods to end this little talk of ours." "DEE-finitely true!" 14 CH14: Recipe with a soul "A recipe has no soul, You, as the cook, must bring soul to the recipe." - Thomas Keller ============================ It was 5 minutes past 10 o''clock in the morning. The office was quiet at this time, where most of the employees had work outside the office. There was a huge job fair happening in town, so most of the employees in the HR department were involved. Delilah was not one of them. This was because Delilah was given another different tasks that she had to be written off in the list of those involved in the job fair. But she was still involved in screening any CVs that were sent to the office and during the job fair. After hours of doing the work that had been given by Howard, Delilah decided to have a quick rest in the pantry room. She brought her food container which was filled with peanut butter stuffed pancake pockets. This morning, she managed to cook a little snack for herself as she craved for some sweet treats. She had used her takoyaki pan to make these pancake pockets. The recipe was quite simple. She only used baking powder, eggs, all-purpose flour, full cream milk and a drop of vanilla essence. She had swiftly whipped these ingredients together and poured them into the takoyaki pan. Before turning the pancake round in the pan, she had filled some peanut butter in the middle of the pancake. It was such a sweet pleasure. Biting into the soft pancake pockets, the taste of the puffy pastry with the addition of the peanut butter felt like heaven. The peanut butter tasted smooth and creamy with that nutty flavour. As Delilah chewed on the bite-sized pancake pocket, the peanut butter tasted sticky too in her mouth yet delightful. Delilah was eating her sixth piece of the pancake pockets when someone barged into the pantry room. Delilah accidentally dropped the pocket on the floor, startled by the loud noise. She quickly bent down to grabbed the pocket and blew on it. She popped it inside her mouth and chewed in relief. ''3 seconds rule,'' she thought to herself. That someone suddenly grabbed a chair beside Delilah and sat down. Delilah looked up to find one of the admins, looking so frantic. Delilah was surprised to see this admin, looking so flustered and nervous. Her name was Yvonne. She was a small Chinese lady with long black hair, tied up in a ponytail. Her eyes, unlike most Chinese, were big and round. It was said that she was half-Chinese and half-Swedish. She must have gotten her eyes from her Swedish father. Delilah has always pegged her as a quiet and no-nonsense kind of a lady. Hence why Delilah was surprised to see her looking like this. "Ms. Delilah, is the opening for the DCC still open??" Yvonne asked, hurriedly. (DCC stands for Document Control Clerk). Delilah nodded as she took another piece of pancake pocket. "Yes, it is still open for internal recruitment until today at 4pm," she said, looking calm. "Is it alright if I give you my CV?" Delilah frowned at her in confusion. "How come you don''t ask your supervisor? You can just pass your CV to your supervisor, without having to pass directly to me." Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. Yvonne bit her lower lip nervously, looking down on her clenched hands. "I did. But Ms. Kayla had been so busy. I think she forgot about my request and I thought perhaps I will just do it myself." She then looked up at Delilah with a pleading look on her face. "But I assure you that she did gave me a green light to apply. She is fine with it!" "Well, it does not matter if she allows you or not. But at least, have the courtesy to tell her beforehand on your next actions. But then again, since you''ve said that she knew about this, it should be OK. Did you bring your CV along with you now?" Yvonne immediately passed Delilah a thick brown envelope. Delilah took the envelope and opened it. She looked at the CV and skimmed through it. She maintained a poker face, not showing any expressions on her face. Though, she was quite surprised and impressed with Yvonne. Apparently, she has done lots of things while she was working here. She had attended lots of professional classes such as NEBOSH and even attended night classes to get her bachelor degree. Yvonne had done well. Delilah placed the documents back inside the envelope and put it on the table. "Alright, I''ll pass this to the other HR officers and we will review your CV again. We will inform you of the interview date via email." Yvonne broke into a huge smile as she stood up. "Oh my gosh! Thank you so much for this opportunity, Ms. Delilah." Delilah shook her head. "Don''t thank me yet. We shall see your performance during the interview." Yvonne nodded, still smiling. "Yes yes. Goodbye, Ms. Delilah," she said as she walked out of the room, leaving Delilah with her thoughts. ==== The day of the interview. Delilah was inside the interview room, together with Aubree and the two employees from the Project department. One of them was the Head of the department. He was a nice middle-aged man named Jafar. He was a Malaysian, who had been in the company since the start-up, even before Delilah worked here. Jafar was a thin man with bushy eyebrows and thin lips. Despite his looks, he has a good personality that invite people to befriends him. Together with him was his subordinate, with the name, Rachel. Unlike Jafar, she was a plump lady with full lips and thin eyebrows. Rachel has blonde highlights in her hair and wore blue contact lenses. She also has a sweet personality, who always smile, even in difficult times. The four of them were the interview panels, who will be interviewing people for the DCC position. They were making themselves comfortable, having a chitchat, with Aubree and Jafar in the middle, sandwiched by Delilah and Rachel. Minutes later, Bella, the receptionist peeked in and said, "The next interviewee is here. Shall I invite her in?" Jafar nodded as he looked down on the paper, which contained list of interviewees'' names. Bella opened the door wide and gestured for the interviewee to go in. Apparently, it was Yvonne. And this time, she exuded confidence and determination in her posture. She bowed her head a little and greeted them all a good morning. They returned back her greeting and invited Yvonne to have a seat. Aubree started off the interview with the usual opening and then started to shoot off some questions. Aubree and Jafar did most of the asking, with Rachel joining in with some of her questions, as well. Delilah just kept quiet since she was the one who recommended Yvonne to be interviewed. After half an hour, the interview ended with both sides feeling satisfied. Jafar and Rachel felt even more satisfied. They felt Yvonne was perfect for the job, despite the fact that the position was not her field in the first place. Together with Kayla''s recommendation, as well, they unanimously agreed on choosing Yvonne for the position. Delilah leaned back against her chair, with a smug look on her face and arms crossed across her chest. "See? I told you so." Jafar laughed. "Yes, yes. You were right, Delilah." Delilah shrugged. "Sorry, I just can''t resist saying I told you so." She looked down at Yvonne''s CV, which was in front of her and continued, "Sometimes, even if they have a different beginning. We need to add something to that beginning and bring them over to a better path. And that''s like the saying where recipe has no soul but it''s our job to bring the soul into that recipe. Yvonne is the recipe. Her determination and desire are that soul." Aubree''s eyes widened." DEE-ng. That''s kind of DEE-p for you, Delilah." Delilah giggled. "I know, right? I surprised myself too." All of them laughed. 15 CH15: Festival in town "You don''t need a silver fork to eat good foods" - Paul Prudhomme ============================ It was a busy Monday morning. Stacks of files were piled up on Delilah''s desk as she worked hard on her computer. She had spent the morning, meeting up with potential trainers and doing some reports. While in the early afternoon, she had spent doing the filing and updating the databases in the system. There were a lot of deadlines coming up next week but Delilah decided to finish at least a few of her tasks so that she could enjoy her weekend. This weekend, her family excluding her father, who only wanted to stay at home, decided to go to a festival in town. It was to commemorate the birthday of the King here in the country. So, there were many food stalls set up at the festival, which starts from 5 o''clock in the afternoon and ends at 10 o''clock in the evening. The festival will end at the end of the month. Delilah had been so excited to go there ever since she had found out that some of her favourite food vendors were opening up their stalls there. She also wanted to try as many foods as she can. A couple of hours later, Delilah had just finished up the last of her work, just as the clock strikes four-thirty in the afternoon. She quickly shut down her computer, packed her things and went out of the office, waving goodbye to her colleagues. Driving back home, she finally arrived there thirty minutes later. Delilah quickly ran up to her room, and took a quick shower. She grabbed her clean clothes and wore it. Delilah wore a light blue t-shirt with ripped jeans. She opted for a comfortable and casual outfit because she knows that it would get crowded and hot at the festival. Standing in front of her round vanity mirror, she dabbed on some lip-balm and combed her hair. She tied up her hair in a medium ponytail and went out of her room Delilah briskly walked into the kitchen to grab a glass of water while waiting for her other siblings. As she sat at the kitchen table, scrolling down the pages on her social media in her phone, her brother, Munier walked into the kitchen. He looked fresh out of the shower, his cheeks still red from the warm bathe. He grabbed a glass of water for himself and sat across Delilah. He gulped down his drink and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. He leaned back against his chair and laid his arm across the back of the other chair next to him. "Where''s Miya? Is she coming?" he asked. Delilah nodded as she munched on some peanuts that were inside a food container in front of her. "What about Bryson?" he asked. Bryson was another one of their siblings. He was the older brother of both Delilah and Munier. But he was also one of the younger brothers of Miya. So, basically, Miya was the firstborn in the family, followed by Bryson, Delilah and Munier, as the youngest. Bryson was two years older than Delilah and five years older than Munier. He was a slightly tall man, but a few centimetres shorter than Munier. And unlike Munier, he has a big round eyes and was a lanky guy. Bryson also has a sun-kissed skin, less fairer skin than Munier since he always jogged outside nearly everyday after work. Among the siblings, Bryson was the only one who lived in another town, about thirty minutes from where the other siblings lived. This was because he had chosen to stay with their aunts at their late grandparents'' house, as it was more closer to his workplace, compare to here. Munching on the peanuts, Delilah just shrugged as she continued reading off the social media posts in her phone. Munier, annoyed at Delilah''s lack of communication, grabbed the food container and put it further away from her reach. Delilah, without looking up, reached out for the food container, her eyes still glued on her phone. When her hand touched nothing but air, she looked up and frowned when she saw it being placed far from her. "WOI!" she cried out, frowning at her brother. Munier just shrugged. Just then, Bryson came in, a small towel in one hand, drying his hair while another holding his pants up, still unfastened. He was also topless, hair still dripping of water. "What''s up?" Delilah and Munier looked up and both groaned in unison. Delilah covered her eyes. "God-DEE-mmit," she cursed softly. Munier threw a cushion at Bryson. Bryson quickly ducked before the cushion hits him. He then went to the laundry room, which was next to the kitchen and grabbed a clean shirt from the laundry basket. He swiftly put it on and sat down next to Munier. Bryson reached out and grabbed the food container and opened it. He took a handful of peanuts and tossed each of them into his mouth. "Where''s Miya?" Munier slapped him on the back and said, "Good question. I asked that earlier too." Bryson gave a little frown and looked up at the stairs. He then yelled, "MIYAAAA! ARE YOU FECKING DONE? WE''RE GOING TO LEAVE WITHOUT YOU!" Suddenly, rushed footsteps can be heard from upstairs. Miya, looking like she had just woken up from her sleep, her hair dishevelled and her clothes unkempt, pointed at each of her siblings." YOU. DO. NOT. LEAVE. WITHOUT. ME!" Delilah rolled her eyes and said, "Then, let''s go!" Miya glared at Delilah. "I''m not going out in this. Give me a few minutes to get ready." The three siblings groaned in unison. Half an hour later, Miya walked down the stairs, looking all pretty in her soft yellow turtleneck blouse and a soft brown palazzo pants. She had fixed her shoulder-length hair with a swept side bangs. Delilah narrowed her eyes at her and asked, "Why are you dressing up so pretty? We''re only going to a festival in town." Miya rolled her eyes and drawled out, "I''m always dressed pretty." Delilah shrugged, giving her a look that says, suit yourself. The four of them then went out of the house and got into Miya''s four-wheel drive with Bryson as the driver. Miya, Delilah and Munier chatted with one another while Bryson concentrated on his driving, listening in their conversation. He also added in his two cents, voicing out his comments. It took them nearly an hour to go to the festival and another thirty minutes to look for a parking spot that was near to the area. When they finally found one, they took another couple of minutes to walk to the festival. The bright lights from the street lamps and fairy lights on the tents greeted them as they entered the area. There were four tents arranged in rows, with stalls setting up inside the tents. Around the area, there were also medic station, police stand, firefighter stand and a few portable toilets. The festival looked lively with fairy lights decked on top of the tents. It was also packed with people going here and there, chattering and laughing. The atmosphere seemed fun with children holding up balloons with a big smile on their faces. However, because it was too crowded, the four siblings had to walk in line, to avoid bumping into other people. There was not much wind in the air so it got a bit humid. Delilah and the others had gotten a bit sweaty by the time they finally reached an open area. Miya wiped her forehead with her handkerchief. "Ugh. I think I need another shower after this." Just then, Delilah saw a sign which says "Live Cook!" She walked up to the stall and read the menu. She then looked at the cook and watched him cooking. He was cooking ''char kway teow'' and it smelled delicious. Delilah decided that she wanted to order one. She turned around to her siblings and told them to wait while she ordered. They nodded and waited a few steps away, away from the heat of the stove. Delilah turned to the cook and told him her order. The cook nodded, giving her a big smile and a thumbs up before turning back to the stove. Delilah had ordered a chicken fried char kway teow. She then watched the man preparing to cook her order. Beside the stove, at another table, the man grabbed an uncooked chicken from one of the big bowls. He tore the chicken leg from its thigh, peeling the skin apart from the meat. The juices leaked out from between the tender meat and skin, dripping onto a plate, making a small pool. The man ripped the meat into smaller pieces, falling apart in his hands. The flesh of the chicken glistened from the juices. He cleaved the chicken thigh into two, slicing them into smaller portions. He then set it aside and turn on his stove. He poured a bit of cooking oil and some garlic and onions into a large wok. He stir-fried them for a couple of minutes before putting the noodles in. The man then began to cook, stirring them every now and then before addingsome sauces in. Next, he added the chickens and continue cooking. Once done, he laid down a brown paper, specific for food wrapping and pour the contents of the wok on top of it. He diligently wrapped the hot food and placed it inside a plastic bag. Delilah gave him her payment and received the plastic bag with a thank you. She then walked over to her siblings and they continued looking around, searching for foods to buy. Delilah had some money left so she was able to buy more foods. She had decided, earlier on, that she would only spend $10 for this festival. She does not want to go overboard with her spending. Even though, it had gotten quite late, the festival was still going strong. There was also a live performance at the middle of the festival area. It was inDEEd, a fun night. As they continued walking, Munier called out to them to stop as he pointed at one of the food stalls. The stall was selling some homemade burgers, as well as ''roti john''. Munier had always loved to eat ''roti john'' so he decided to buy one. He stepped up near the stall and ordered one with additional cheese. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. After it was done cooking and Munier had already paid for his food, they continue walking again. An hour later, the four siblings'' hands were full of plastic bags with foods inside. They had bought one of the local delicacy, which was ''tongkeng'' as in chicken tail, steamed chickpeas, fish balls and crabs balls, banana fritters, grilled chicken wings and more. They decided to eat at the eating area in the festival. They quickly looked for an empty table and sat down. As they sat down, they enjoyed a nice meal between themselves, sharing their foods. They used their hands to eat the foods. Luckily, Miya had brought her wet wipes so it was easier to clean their hands after eating. While they were eating, they also met up with some friends who bumped into them at the eating area. Once they were done, they quickly cleaned the table and threw their rubbish at the nearby dumpster. They then made their way out of the festival, a happy smile on their faces and a happy tummy. Yes, inDEEd, even at a festival, you can still enjoy some good foods. You don''t have to be born with a silver spoon. But rather, blessed with a good tolerance for any foods. 16 CH16: FooDEE Trip 1 "Count the memories, not the calories" - Anonymous ============================ It was very cold inside the departure area of the airport. It was 10 o''clock in the evening and Delilah sat alone on an airport bench, with her purple suitcase on the floor beside her feet, her bright pink backpack beside her and her jacket on her lap. On her hand was her mobile phone, where she was typing a short message to her friend, Trixxie. She was asking where Trixxie was, at the moment, since Delilah wanted to check-in. ''Will be there in a few mins. Otw now,'' came the reply from Trixxie. Delilah sighed as she leaned back against the bench, swinging her legs. She pulled her jacket closer to her as it was getting colder. At that time, Delilah was wearing a long and bright blue cowl neck sweater with a hem that reached her mid-thigh. She was also wearing a thin undershirt inside and a warm fleece lined thermal leggings. To complete the look, she wore her hair in a high ponytail and on her feet, she was wearing a brown mid calf boots. That night, Delilah was flying off to South Korea, together with Trixxie. They had booked the midnight flight to go to the country with the travel time of 6 hours. Delilah had been planning for the trip for months now. It was her first time going to South Korea and Trixxie''s third time. Because Trixxie had once stayed in South Korea for a year during her student exchange programme, Delilah thought she would be the best travel partner to go with. It was also because Trixxie loved foods as much as she does. Trixxie probably knows where to eat many delicious foods there, as well. Delilah was excited about this trip. She had spent months saving her money, just for this trip. She had seen the pictures of the country and the one place that she wanted to go to would be Jinhae. Apparently, that was the best place for Cherry Blossom viewing during the spring. And it was not a coincidence that the two women had chosen the spring month to go to South Korea. Shortly after Delilah was daydreaming about the places she wanted to go in South Korea, she saw Trixxie coming in from the airport entrance, wheeling in a large black suitcase. Trixxie was also carrying a large black backpack on her back. For clothes, Trixxie was wearing a dark thick brown sweater with a black jeans and black sneakers. She was also wearing a cotton scarf around her neck, all prepared for the South Korea cool weather. Trixxie was waving at Delilah as she rushed towards her. "Hey, sorry, I''m late! Ready to check-in?" Delilah nodded. The two of them went straight to the check-in counter, gave the immigration officers their suitcases to be placed in the cargo and grabbed their tickets. Since the two women had nothing to do at the departure area, they decided to go straight to the terminal area to wait for boarding. The two of them had a nice and long conversation. Its been awhile since they had met each other. So, there were a lot of things to catch up. When the call for boarding was announced over the PA system, Delilah quickly sent a message to her family chat group to say that she was now boarding the plane. Reading her family''s replies of ''Take care'', ''Have a safe flight'' and ''Be sure to recite some prayers'', brought a smile to her face. It was a long journey to South Korea. Hence, Delilah decided to get some sleep on the plane. ------ South Korea. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. It was a few minutes after 6 o''clock in the morning when the plane finally landed on South Korea soils. After the pilot had announced that it was now safe to take off their safety belts as they have now landed, Delilah sleepily grabbed her backpack. She took out her small bag from inside, which has her small vanity mirror, lip gloss, blusher and a comb. She held up her mirror and quickly freshen up. Seeing the long queue to get out of the plane, Delilah and Trixxie quietly agreed that they will just wait for the queue to lessen. After a short while, they finally got up from their seats and headed towards the plane exit. As Delilah first step outside the plane, the cool air hits her face, startling her wide-awake. It felt cool and refreshing. Outside, the morning sun has just settled in, bringing a cool breeze with it. The sun just started to paint the dark sky into a bright blue sky, together with few clouds blanketing some areas of the sky. Delilah''s eyes widened in amazement as she took in the sights that welcomes her as she stepped inside Incheon Airport. Everything looked so pretty and clean. There were a couple of potted plants by the side of the hallway, making the area more colourful. There were people rushing here and there, all speaking in Korean language. There are also some cleaners who were driving a floor cleaning machine, marking the start of the day. Delilah was still awe-struck as they wait in line to have their passports checked. There were a long queue for the foreign passports and it had taken them more than an hour to wait until their turn. After the two women had done with the immigration and gotten their suitcases, they went in search for a telecommunications stands for a portable Wi-Fi. Apparently, they had to use a credit card for this. And luckily, Delilah had managed to sign up for a credit card before the trip. Once they had settled with the portable Wi-Fi, Trixxie told Delilah to wait at the waiting area while she go look for the T-Kard store for their transportation card. After awhile, they have finally done everything that they needed at the airport. It was kind of hectic but Delilah felt her adventure has just begin. She felt even more excited, thinking of what''s ahead. With their suitcases in one hand and a mobile phone in the other hand, they went down to the subway lines. Delilah was grinning ear-to-ear as her eyes took everything in sight with amazement. She loved that feeling of being in a new place in a country that she has never been. Trixxie lead the way to the train, where the journey took an hour and a half to the station that they were headed to. Again, the two women took the chance to have a short nap. When the train finally stopped at their station, the two women dragged their belongings out of the train. After minutes of walking and looking at the guide map of their hostel, they reached the exit of the station. With a groan at the sight of the stairs, they grudgingly carried their suitcases up the stairs. It was tiring and Delilah was glad that she did not used her other large suitcase. Once they were out of the station, the cool morning air hits them, making them feel colder than they were used to. Trixxie quickly grabbed her scarf and covered her lower face while Delilah pulled on her sweater higher up. With the help of the portable Wi-Fi, it made things easier for Delilah and Trixxie to access the Internet and used the GPS. They clicked on the Google map and followed the directions to their hostel. It was a long walk from the station and the two women had become more tired after walking for too long. After a few misdirections, they finally found their hostel, hidden back in a small alley. There was a small sign that reads "Peanut House", which was the name of their hostel. They tiredly walked towards the hostel, dragging their suitcases behind them. The hostel was quite quaint, with a small wooden gate in front and plastic flowers that decorated neatly, framing the entrance doorframe. On the door itself, there was a mechanism that was actually a mechanical password door lock that prompted user to enter a password to get in. Delilah quickly login to her email and searched for the password that had been sent to her a few hours ago. She quickly punched in the numbers and a sound of ''click'' can be heard, indicating that the door was unlocked. Delilah slowly opened the door, with Trixxie behind her. Opening the door revealed a homey hallway with doors aligned on the left and right. There were numbers plated on the doors, indicating their room numbers. The place felt warm, where the heat probably came from the heater at the side of the hallway. The floor was covered with an artificial grass carpet and the walls were decorated with pictures of birds and flowers. There were also flowers painted on the wall and green vines painted on the ceiling, giving the appearance of being inside a forest. It was really beautiful. Looking down at her phone, Delilah continued reading her email to find that the host of the hostel has also included their room number. Walking past a couple of doors, they finally found their room and again, there was a mechanical password door lock on the door. Punching a different password code from the email, a ''click'' sound can be heard again. Reading the sign that says to remove their shoes outside the room, the two women removed their shoes before pushing their suitcases in. The room was quite small, with twin beds and a large television in front of the beds. The television more or less covered one wall. Next to the bed was a small dresser table with a bedside lamp. Just next to the door, there were another two doors, which leads to a small kitchen and the bathroom. Peeking inside the kitchen, they saw a kitchen sink, a small fridge, a kettle, a small rubbish bin and also cupboards which held cooking and eating utensils. Inside the bathroom, on the other hand, they saw a small washing machine, a small rubbish bin, a toilet, a shower and a sink. There was also a bath curtain that separates the shower and the sink from the others. After touring the small room, the two women began to freshen up. Delilah sent a quick message to the family chat group, saying that she has arrived in South Korea and was now going to go out to sightsee. Few minutes later, with a purple sling bag over one shoulder, Delilah was ready to go. Delilah and Trixxie quickly double check their belongings, in case that they did not missed anything out. Once they were done, they went out of the hostel and headed towards the station. "So, where are we headed to, first?" Delilah asked, her hands inside the front pockets of her jacket that she was wearing over her sweater. Trixxie took out her mobile phone from her small sling bag and looked for her itinerary, which she had saved inside her phone. "Umm.. We will be going to Buchon Hanbok Village. But before that, are you hungry?" Trixxie asked, looking at Delilah. Delilah frowned, giving her a look that says, ''Like, duh?'' Trixxie laughed and grabbed Delilah''s hand. She pulled her towards the station and began to walk faster. "Then, lets go. I know this one place at the village. We will have such great breakfast there, you''d die!" They quickly walked to the station, both women excited at the thought of foods. Finally, they get to eat something, other than plane foods. Delilah followed Trixxie from behind, mimicking her moves of using the card and swiping here and there. With a mobile app that shows all the train routes in South Korea, it was convenient for Trixxie to know which trains to use and so forth. Especially when she was also fluent in Korean language. Delilah? The only few Korean words that she knows were ''Annyonghaesayo'', ''Saranghaeyo'' and ''Meoggo Sippeo'' [1] Inside the train, it was not so crowded with few people inside. They seems to be minding their own businesses as every one of them were either on their phones, reading with their earpiece on or sleeping or playing games and so forth. Apparently, it was not a busy morning or perhaps, the rush hour has ended earlier. Delilah smiled. ''So, this is probably how everyday is like, in South Korea,'' she thought to herself. It was different from her own country. Not only that most people in her country have their own transportation, it was also doubtful that they would have rode a public transportation like here. Seeing this with her own eyes, it was refreshing and Delilah savored this kind of experience. After a couple of stops, they finally reached their designated station. They quickly got off the train and went out of the station. Looking down at the map, they searched for the restaurant that Trixxie suggested earlier. After a few minutes of walking straight, Trixxie felt that they might be lost again. Delilah then suggested, "Why don''t we ask them where it is?" pointing at a Korean man, wearing a tourist guide uniform. Delilah and Trixxie walked towards the man and asked for help. The man then said, with a smile, "You only have to walk straight ahead for another 15 minutes and then you will reached the village." The two women said their thanks and followed his directions. Once they were out of guide''s earshot, they both laughed out loud. "Only 15 minutes, he said," Delilah said, rolling her eyes with a smirk. "It felt like an hour walk, though." Trixxie laughed, nodding in agreement. Minutes later after passing many buildings, they finally saw a group of people wearing Korean traditional dresses, walking around. Seeing them, Delilah and Trixxie were confident that they definitely have arrived at the right place. However, instead of going to the dress rental shop, Delilah and Trixxie decided to look for the restaurant. Another few minutes of walking, they saw a white little shop with a green and yellow canopy. A cute but huge sign above the shop reads, "Egg Drops". There was also a small chalkboard stand outside the shop, showing the menu. Delilah and Trixxie immediately went up and check out the menu. Thank god for pictures and English words. Because if the menu was in Korean, Delilah would have trouble ordering what she wants. It does not help if the employees themselves do not speak English too. Trixxie would have no problem but then again, there were times Trixxie was even confused with the language. Before Delilah, there was another customer in front of her. Delilah watched as the customer was reading the menu off a machine. It was a ticket machine for ordering food. Customer would choose what they want to order and insert their money in the machine. Once they were done, a ticket will be printed. And all the customer has to do was to pass the ticket to the vendor and they will process the orders. Delilah''s eyes widened at this contraption. It seems complicated but interesting, at the same time. It made her more eager to try. Once it was Delilah''s turn, she followed what the previous customer had done, except she had chosen a different food and drink. She then passed her ticket to the vendor and waited inside the restaurant. She found an empty table and sat down. As she sat down, she also removed her jacket and placed it on her lap, while waiting for her order. Shortly after, Trixxie joined her, taking a seat next to her. The two women fell into a comfortable silence, each waiting for their orders to be called. Just then, a beeping sound can be heard. Apparently, both of their orders were ready to pick up. Delilah offered to get Trixxie''s order as well and then placed the tray, which carries their foods and drinks on the table. Both Delilah and Trixxie had ordered omelette sandwich with hot chocolates. Delilah picked up her sandwich and took a bite. The buttery brioche toast was soft and warm, which melts easily in her mouth. The egg itself was creamy, succulent and slightly fluffy as well. When Delilah took another bite with the egg, she felt like she was in Heaven. The egg sauce dripped down the sandwich and onto the white packaging. The egg sauce was mixed beautifully with the cream sauce, making it thicker and smoother. The parsley on top added more kick to the taste of the sandwich. Delilah wolfed down her food, licking her lips in bliss as she savoured the taste in her mouth. This was the best Egg sandwich she had ever had! DEE-licious! Delilah grinned at Trixxie, who was also enjoying her sandwich. "This is really good! The best, even!" she exclaimed. Trixxie nodded in agreement. "It sure is!" Just then, something caught her eye on a paper that was placed on the tray. Evidently, it was a list of foods that were in the menu with their calories count. Trixxie tapped Delilah on the shoulder and then pointed at the paper. "Hey, hey. Look. How nice. It shows the calories count of what we are eating here." Delilah rolled her eyes as she took a sip of her hot chocolate. "Calories. Malories. Who cares? After all the walking we have done this morning, who cares about calories. All I care is about enjoying the food here and making great memories." Trixxie laughed. "So true!" 17 CH17: FooDEE Trip 2 "Food is our common ground, our universal experience" - James Beard ============================ It was day three of Delilah''s foodie adventure in South Korea. The past two days had been fun and exciting. Exploring the places were such an experience. Delilah had worn a hanbok, took pictures at most of the iconic tourist sites and of course, got to taste the local street foods. It was still 6 o''clock in the morning. The sky was still a bit dark, from what Delilah can see from their window. Light began to seep through the blinds at their window into their room. Though, the distant sky showed signs of growing lighter as the sun began to slowly rose up. But when Delilah and Trixxie walked out of their hostel, they were greeted by the morning, misty air. The weather was still cold with cool breeze blowing through the air, touching their soft cheeks. The breeze caress their cheeks, making it flushed pink from the cold. The two women shivered, clutching their jackets closer to their bodies, trying to keep warmth. Apparently, wearing two layers of clothes were not enough to fight off the cool breeze. There were not many people yet on the street. The street stalls were still covered with blankets. Some of the shops were still closed. It was a quiet morning. Seeing a nearby vending machine, the two women headed there first before going to the station. Delilah was amazed to see that the vending machine also offer hot drinks. She immediately insert her coins into the machine and press the button for hot Americano. A couple of minutes later, the warmed can came out of the vending machine. Delilah bent down to grabbed it and opened it. Delilah took a deep breath to inhale the smell of the coffee. It smells good and fresh, despite being from a canned drink. As she took a sip of the drink, the rich and creamy texture of the americano hits her tongue, sending warmth all over her body. "Ahhh..." Delilah moaned. "That felt good!" Trixxie, who bought the same one as Delilah, nodded. The two of them stood beside the vending machine, trying to finish off their drinks before going off again. Delilah remembered that when she was in Japan, someone once told her to not walk and eat at the same time, as it was considered to be rude. Delilah then thought, perhaps, it was the same thing here. So, the two women fell into a comfortable silence as they try to quickly finish off their drinks. They did not want to miss their train. Shortly after, they dumped the empty cans at a nearby rubbish bin and walked faster to the station. Going down to the subway station, Delilah and Trixxie quickly looked for which train that they had to use and went over to the line. A few minutes later, the two women were in the subway. Delilah quickly sent a message to her family chat group to tell them that she was off to Jinhae, a town that was a couple of hours from Seoul. Jinhae was a small town, located in Changwon City, South Korea. It was also a town that was famous for its annual Cherry Blossom festival every spring. Every year, more than 100,000 visitors from all over the world came to Jinhae to witness the beautiful Cherry Blossom festival. It was a magnificent sight to see and take pictures for beautiful memories. To get there, Delilah and Trixxie had to changed more than 4 lines. After arriving at their designated station, Trixxie went to call for a taxi. They then headed towards Gyeonghwa Station. On their way to the station, the two of them could already see the blooming cherry blossoms on the streets. The flowers were beautiful, with its soft pink petals fluttering in the air, blanketing the streets and roads in pink snowflake-like. The streets were filled with many cherry blossom trees, where people can be seen standing around, taking pictures. Delilah and Trixxie took out their phones and took pictures of the flowers, as the taxi drove on. Not wanting to drain her phone''s battery, Delilah only took a couple of pictures and just gazed out the window, watching as they passed by the beautiful cherry blossoms. Shortly after, the two women arrived at Gyeonghwa Station. They paid their taxi fare using their T-Kard and went to the entrance. There were many groups of people at the entrance whom Delilah assumed were tour groups. Because in front of a group, there would be a man or a woman, holding up a flag with a symbol. The person was probably the tour guide, carrying the flag with the logo of their company. The people there were talking animatedly, looking very excited about seeing the Cherry Blossom. Going past them, Delilah and Trixxie were greeted with many cherry blossoms decorations and a few stalls that were selling cherry blossom merchandise. Merchandise such as a cherry blossom crown, postcards, hand fan with a picture of a cherry blossom and so forth. Delilah and Trixxie then walked further in, walking past a cherry blossom archway with a bench in the middle. Apparently, that was a photo booth. Further in on their left was the Gweonghwa train. It was currently out of service and it was also one of the most beautiful cherry blossom viewing. It seems that there were many people taking a picture with the train. Delilah swiftly walked over to it and asked Trixxie to take a photo of her with the train. She wanted to show it to her nephew who loves trains. Then there were more cherry blossom on the right, where there were also people doing some performances. It was a lively atmosphere, where families and friends gathered around, having fun, watching the performance. With the petals of the cherry blossom dancing in the air and the looks of the people having fun, it was a picturesque image. Delilah managed to stand amidst the crowd, standing in tiptoes, trying to catch a glimpse of the performance. A Korean man stood in the middle, wearing sweater and jeans. He was performing some magic tricks, while dancing to a song called, ''Gangnam Style''. His performance was hilarious as there were loud laughters ringing along the crowd. Once Delilah and Trixxie were satisfied with the pictures that they have taken, they moved on to the next site, Yeojwacheon Romance Bridge or also known as Yeojwacheon stream. The Yeojwacheon stream was a few minutes away from the Gweonghwa Station, with the use of taxi. It was such a short drive and when they finally arrived, there were lots of people at the entrance. At the entrance, there were a few stalls selling foods and drinks. There were also many young army men amongst the crowds. This was probably because the army base was nearby the area and they had the day off today to view the sights. The iconic site of Yeojwacheon stream was made famous when most Korean romance drama were filmed here. It was obvious as to why most romance dramas were filmed here since the place itself gave out a romantic vibe. Especially when there were series of heart archways placed at either side of the stream. And between the stream and the archways, there stood the vibrant and bountiful cherry blossom trees. There were more trees at the other side of the archways. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. Delilah and Trixxie bought some hot hotteok before going under the bridge that will lead them to the stream. Hotteok is a one of the most popular street foods from South Korea. It is a Korean sweet pancake, made from wheat flour. It was typically stuffed with dark brown sugar, cinnamon powder and black sesame seeds. After Delilah had paid for her hotteok, she blew on the hot food before taking a bite. It was crispy on the outside but sweet and gooey in the inside. The thin and crispy dough tasted plain, without any flavour. But the moment Delilah bit into the pancake, the hot cinnamony syrup oozed into her mouth, sending tingles all over her body. The sweet drizzle of the sugar and powder felt silky and smooth in her mouth. The hotteok was such a sweet indulgence meant to be eaten on any day; be it cold or hot. Once the two women were done with their pancakes, they made their way to the stream. When they reached there, there were more people near the stream, taking pictures and selfies. There were also some tour groups, where the tour guide can be seen carrying a flag. It was crowded near the stream but the two women managed to get lot of pictures until they were satisfied. They had taken lot of pictures with the beautiful cherry blossom as their backdrop. Delilah also managed to try out a strawberry homemade ice-cream from the vendor there. At first, the stall was crowded where people were queueing up to buy the ice-cream. Apparently, they wanted to buy the ice-cream, not just for the taste but also for the artistic image it gave. Delilah waited patiently for her turn and ordered one. The strawberries were beautifully decorated on the ice-cream, where it was cut into halves and arranged all around the ice-cream. After Delilah got her ice-cream, she walked over to the bridge, overlooking the stream and the cherry blossom and took a picture of the ice-cream. It looked quite lovely with the beautiful trees. An hour later, the two women were done taking pictures at the area and decided to go back to their hostel. But before they went back, Trixxie suggested to stop by at Busan since it was on their way. So, they had spent a couple of hours at Busan, taking in the sights and eating their late lunch there. Busan was known for its beaches, mountains and temples. And it was also one of the largest port city in South Korea. Hence, the town was also lively where there were people everywhere, rushing here and there, trying to get to their destination. Walking around Busan, Delilah also took pictures of herself and uploaded it in her Instagram. Seconds after she uploaded her picture and story, one of her cousins replied to her story: Shay: ''Hahaha! So, did you run into any of the zombies?'' She was referring to the blockbuster movie, ''Train to Busan''. Delilah replied back. ''Hahaha! Not yet. Probably later!'' with a laughing emoji. The two women were finally at Seoul station when the clock reads 11 o''clock in the evening. And because there were no trains working at the late evening, Delilah and Trixxie had to queue for a taxi to get to their hostel. Knowing that it was difficult for any cars to get near to their hostel since it was located near the alley, they had the driver dropped them at a station that was near to their hostel. However, before Delilah and Trixxie continued on to their hostel, Delilah had tugged on Trixxie''s sleeve. Trixxie stopped and asked, "What''s up?" Delilah pointed at a nearby food stall where there was a middle-aged woman, who looked like she was in her mid-forties, selling some street foods. The woman was stirring the tteokbokki sauce, pouring more gochujang into the brewing large pan. The woman was wearing a jacket with a thick sweater underneath it. She was also wearing black fingerless gloves with a checkered pattern scarf around her neck. Looking closer at her stall, she was selling foods such as fish cakes, sausages and tteokbokki. "I want to give that tteokbokki a try," Delilah said, her eyes gleaming in excitement. Trixxie just laughed softly and nodded, letting Delilah pulled her towards the stall. Since Delilah does not know how to speak Korean, she just pointed at the tteokbokki and said to the woman, "One please!" The middle-aged woman grinned and gave her an okay sign. She then began to grab an empty paper cup and poured some tteokbokki into the cup. She handed the cup to Delilah and gestured to a plastic box, which was filled with money. Apparently, she was implying that once Delilah was done with her meal, she should place her money into the box. Delilah nodded and began to eat. The rice cake has a chewy texture which seems addictive as Delilah continues to chew. Added with the tteokbokki sauce, the rice cake has more flavour into it as it tasted sweet and spicy. Eating the tteokbokki in front of the steaming hot pan felt good with the cool air around them. It really made the food tasted better. As Delilah sips the tteokbokki sauce, the mixture of both sweet and spicy was heavenly. Delilah felt like her mouth was giving off a hot steam yet there was a taste of sugar. The feeling was exhilarating. As Delilah ate more of the tteokbokki, the sauce further created a burning feeling in her mouth, making her flushed from the spiciness of the food. The spiciness and the sweetness of the tteokbokki were unlike those she had eaten before because it has this two favourite flavours of hers; spicy and sweet. Trixxie laughed as she watched Delilah ate, her eyes forming a beautiful crescent shape, happiness etched on her face. "You seem very happy," Trixxie teased. Delilah licked her lips. "Yes, I am!" she agreed. "This stuff here is increDEEble!" 18 CH18: Réunion at a wedding "Laughter is brightest in the place where the food is" - Irish Proverb ============================ It was that season again. The season of weddings. One of the dreadful seasons for Delilah. Why? Because she has to dress up and attend a wedding, forcing a smile while feeling uncomfortable in her formal dress. Although, she can just not attend the wedding but it would be rude to her friends. Especially when they had spent time and the courtesy to invite her to their wedding, personally giving Delilah the invitation. Hence, all Delilah could do was to endure a couple of hours to attend the wedding, make small talks with those sitting next to her, take pictures with the newlyweds or just show her face to them and waved. And after all that was done, she has to further endure a few minutes, stuck in a traffic jam, trying to exit the parking lot to go back home. Sounds fun, huh? So, yes. That was what Delilah had been telling to herself. Endure, she said to herself, as she looked down at a pretty printed envelope in her hand. It looked like an invitation to a wedding. As Delilah opened the envelope, she was right. It was an invitation from her college friend, who was getting married in a couple of weeks. And what made Delilah sighed more was what written in the envelope. There, it was written, ''To Delilah and plus one.'' Delilah scratched her head. "What plus one?" she mumbled to herself. Firah, who was in the cubicle next to her, peered over and asked, "Who is getting married?" Delilah turned to Firah. "An old friend from college." Firah sighed. "The dreaded season is coming!" she said grumpily, as she scratched the back of her head. "Bet mom is going to drag me to every wedding she got invited to." She then groaned as she slumped over her table. "I don''t wanna go!" Delilah rolled her eyes at Firah''s antics. "Say that when you receive an invitation." Firah frowned at Delilah. "I''m just getting ready." Delilah just laugh, shaking her head in bemusement. Seeing that Firah has gone back to working, Delilah grabbed her mobile phone and began to scroll down on her contacts. She then began to text some of her friends from college, whom she was still in contact with. Delilah: Hey, did you received an invitation to Fayfay''s wedding?? Friend 1: Nope. Haha. She''s getting married? Friend 2: Uh, I don''t think so. Friend 3: Hmmm... Nope. Friend 4: No. Friend 5: Who is Fayfay again? Hahaha. Delilah sighed in frustration. She replied back to Friend 5. ''Fayfay who was always with Kathy, sitting at the back. The quiet one.'' Friend 5: Oooohhh! That one! Nope. I don''t think I received any since I''m not that close with her in college. Delilah sighed again. She then texted Kathy, who was a close friend of Fayfay. ''Woiii bruh! Lets go with each other to the wedding! I have no plus one!'' Kathy replied back, ''Sure, sure! I have no plus one, either! You can be my plus one! Hahahahaha!'' Delilah texted her reply with a ''Hahaha. Text you again later!'' ''Okie-dokie! I''ll text the others and we can all go together!'' Once that was settled, Delilah went back to her work. ---- Fayfay''s wedding day. It was half past five o''clock in the afternoon when Delilah was still getting ready for the wedding. She was already wearing her dress. It was a two-piece dress with soft pastel pink and blue flowers printed all over the silk. On her sleeves, there were beads and little diamonds embroidered on the cuff. There were more embroideries along the hem on her top. She was leaning towards the mirror, about to apply her mascara, when her dad walked past her room, carrying a basket filled with dirty laundry. The door to her bedroom was opened and he peeked in. "Where are you going, looking all nice?" Delilah stopped, a mascara brush in one hand an its small tube in another hand. "Ahhh! I''m going to a friend''s wedding." "Which friend?" "Friend from college." "What''s her or his name?" "Fayfay." "Is that the daughter of the ex-principal of your sister''s school?" "Yup, yup. This is his third child." "I see. Who are you going with?" "I''m going to meet up with my friends at the wedding venue." "Alright then. Drive safe and be careful. Recite a small prayer for safe journey, DeeDee," her dad said tenderly, using her nickname, ''DeeDee''. Delilah nodded, smiling widely at her dad. "Okay, Papa!" After her dad continued walking, Delilah continued applying makeup to her face. She was never good in wearing makeup so she only wore blusher, eyeshadow, mascara and lipstick. She looked at herself in the mirror once she was done, checking whether her makeup was okay. Delilah sighed, feeling tired already. She never did liked wearing makeup. At the office, she only wore a lip balm and a blusher. After all that, she quickly dumped whatever she can fit inside her small clutch such as keys, lipstick, small tissue pack, house keys and mobile phone. Delilah then went out of her room and peeked in at the laundry room, where her dad was doing the laundry. "Papa! I''m going now!" "Alright, DeeDee. Remember what I''ve said earlier." "Okieeee~!" Half an hour later, Delilah was standing in front of the wedding venue. Beautiful streaks of colours flew past her as men and women walked into the venue, in their vibrant formal clothes. Inside the venue, there were people standing in straight line as they welcomed wedding guests inside, smiling as they passed the door gifts. Delilah was patiently waiting, while looking down on her phone, trying to not feel awkward when she was hugged from the side. She jumped, startled. She turned around to see Kathy grinning at her. "Deeeeeeeeelilaaaaahhh!" she shrieked in happiness. Kathy was petite young lady with round cheeks. Her skin was a bit darker than Delilah''s. She was wearing a light green dress with lace sleeves. There were small diamonds pasted along the hem of the dress, making it sparkle when Kathy moves. Her hair was styled in medium and lengthy curly hairstyle. Delilah cringed at her shriek. "Ooof, Kat! Stop shrieking!" Kathy giggled. "I was trying to scare you!" Delilah rolled her eyes. "Good. Congratulations, you scare me," she said sarcastically. Kathy pouted. She then pulled Delilah in. "Come on. Lets get some seats and booked for the others." As they walked further inside the venue, they were greeted with beautiful decorations in the hall. There was a red carpet with pillars by the side. The pillars were decorated with flowers and leafy vines. At the end of the red carpet, it leads to the stage where there was the bridal dais on a raised platform. This was known as ''pelamin'' in Malay language. The concept of the raised platform was associated with ''royalty''. Meaning that the newly wedded couple were dubbed as the ''Royal for the day'', hence raised platform, showing that their status on that day was higher than the ''subjects''. The bridal dais was adorned with more beautiful flowers around it. There were silk white curtains behind the seats which are made for two. More flowers on a tall vase were placed on the sides of the dais. It was truly a beautiful stage. Once they were inside, a relative of the bride guided them to their seats, where there were still a few more empty seats. The chairs were arranged in a square-shaped arrangement, facing the round buffet table. In the middle of the buffet table, there was a small sign that reads, ''Friends''. Kathy quickly used the door gifts that they had received earlier to placed them at some of the empty seats. She grabbed her purse and placed it on another empty seat. She then gestured at Delilah to do the same. This was to book some seats for their other friends, who haven''t arrived yet. A few minutes later, while Kathy and Delilah were talking, Delilah had looked up and saw some familiar faces heading their way. She quickly waved at them, trying to get their attention. One of them who saw Delilah''s wave, broke into a huge grin and pulled her friend, standing next to her. She dragged her over to Delilah and squealed. "Oh mi gosh! Hey, you guys! Long time no see!" "Hey Lina! Mandy, Suzie and Qistina!" Delilah and Kathy greeted. Lina, who squealed earlier, quickly sat next to Delilah. "Here, your stuff," she said, returning back Delilah''s clutch and door gift, which were placed on the empty seats earlier. Lina was another one of Delilah''s good friends in college. They had worked with each other many times in a school project. Lina was one of the bubbly girls that Delilah has known. Cute, friendly and loud were how Delilah would describe her. All of them began to talk with each other, getting updates on how they have been doing. Mandy, who was seating two seats away from Delilah, began to ask her how she has been doing. Delilah smiled. "Nothing much has changed," she replied. "When are you going to invite us to your wedding?" Mandy joked. "On a Sunday." All of her friends gasped. "Really?" they asked in surprised. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. Delilah nodded. "On a Sunday. But I''m not sure about the date and year. Let me find the groom first." They all burst into laughter. "Haha! You got me, Dee!" Mandy laughed. Delilah just shrugged and smiled. While they were talking, Delilah managed to peek at the buffet table, to see the name of the catering. Her smile widened at the familiar name. Nastain Restaurant and Catering. It was one of her favourite Indian restaurants. She remembers how much she loved to eat curry over there, especially fish curry. An hour or so has passed. The recital of duas were done. The thank you greeting from both sides of the bride and groom was done. The ''ziarah'' or passing the blessing to the parents of the bride was done. Then it was finally time to eat. Delilah quickly stood up and walked over to the buffet table. She tore open the plastic that was covering the plates and passed them to her friends. She then went over to see what''s the food. Her smile got even wider when she saw fish curry as one of the foods being served. Delilah was so happy that she swiftly grabbed the serving spoon for the white rice and scooped a huge amount of it onto her plate. She then quickly went to the fish curry plate and began to spooned out the curry. She poured lots of the curry sauce all over her rice that it looked like orange porridge, rather than rice and sauce. Delilah sat down on her seat and began to eat. She brought her spoon filled with rice and curry sauce into her mouth. A scrumptious and thick curry sauce hits her tastebuds. The curry tasted rich, nutritious and heavy with coconut milk. The creamy curry sauce saturated with the rice, making it more hearty and buttery. Especially with its magical aroma, which made it more delicious. It was like porridge with an exotic flavour and a spicy kick. And the fish itself was beautifully steamed. It tasted fresh where its meat was tender and juicy. With thick skin, Delilah had another helping to the rice and fish curry, earning a laugh from her friends. Delilah was still enjoying her food when Kathy, who was beside her, asked, "You really love fish curry, huh?" Delilah nodded. "Especially from this restaurant," she answered. Lina nodded as well in agreement. "True. Nastain has the best curry!" After the delicious meal, all of them queued up for a photo with the newlyweds. They had great fun, taking pictures with the newlyweds, making several poses. Delilah even managed to sneak-in a selfie with the newlyweds. It was inDEEd a fun night to remember. 19 CH19: Return of Lady Boss "Hard work should be rewarded by good food" - Ken Follett ============================ Delilah looked down at her phone with a frown on her face. She felt that the beginning of her stressful week was about to begin. There, on the HR group chat, Howard had forwarded a message from one of their bosses, Sheila. Sheila was Matt''s wife. She used to managed the company before she moved back to her home country. She was a Singaporean, who had married a local man, Matt. Currently, she was busy managing one of the sister companies, SinMedic Enterprise. Well, please do not think that Sheila was a bad person. She was actually one of the nicest person Delilah had met. But unfortunately, she was also one of the most stubborn person Delilah had met, as well. With high expectations for success and raise in profits, she expected this from everyone. Especially those who worked under her supervision. She does not accept ''No, I can''t do it'' for an answer. She used to text Delilah at 3am and 5am in the morning, just to ask about the work that Delilah had done for her. Howard once warned Delilah about Sheila''s work ethics when Delilah first worked in the company. But she did not expect that it would be this bad. Sheila was the type who would pester you for more great output once she loved your work. She would be very demanding on what she wants and expect her employees to get it done by the next day. Apparently, Howard had forwarded a message from Sheila where she was telling him that she would be arriving at the country in a couple of days. And that, she would like to have a quick meeting with the HR, IT and Marketing departments. Delilah doubted her definition of ''quick'' was the same as Sheila''s. Delilah groaned as she slumped over her table in her cubicle. She peeked over at her table calendar and saw that there will be 3 more days until Sheila will be arriving to the country. She sighed as she blindly looked for her snacks, which she always kept nearby. Her hand touched something and she sat up as she tore open a packet of peanuts. She leaned her head back and poured the peanuts down her mouth. She munched on the peanuts, her mouth full as she dazed off, daydreaming. The crunchy and salty taste of the peanuts tasted satisfying as she continued to munched. Knowing that she could not do anything about the upcoming meeting, she decided to continue working. ''If something happens, it happens'', Delilah thought to herself as she typed on her computer. ---- Sheila''s arrival at the company. There was a small commotion in front of the door leading to the HR department office. Loud and happy voices echoed from the area, making both Firah and Delilah looked up from their computer. That morning, the two of them were working on the reports that they wanted to present to Sheila when she comes in. When suddenly, their concentration was broken by the noise. They looked up to find a tall woman with shoulder-length brown hair came in with Howard and Matt. She walked between the two men, her smile wide, showing white pearls teeth. She was wearing a blue blouse and a brown slacks, with a flipflop to complete the look. Rather than saying she looked too simple, she looked more comfy in her clothes. As if she did not care that she was not wearing formal clothes to the office. She reached Firah and Delilah''s cubicles and smiled down at them. "Good morning, girls. Long time no see. Did Howard told you about our meeting?" Delilah just nodded while Firah greeted her, "Hello, Sheila." "Great, great!" she grinned. "Come, let''s go to the meeting room and wait for the others to join us." With that, she swept past them and headed straight to the meeting room, with Matt and Howard following behind her. They looked and acted like they were Sheila''s attendants and Sheila was their queen. Firah and Delilah looked at each other, a worried look on their faces. "Well, that felt like a wind just flew past us," Delilah commented. Firah sighed as she slowly stood up. "Well, lets get going before she comes out and tell us to go there." Delilah nodded in agreement. She quickly saved her report and send the document to the printer to be printed. The sound of a printer printing could be heard and Delilah walked over to retrieve the documents. She then joined Firah, walking towards the meeting room. Inside the meeting room, Sheila was talking with Howard, where she sat at head of the table. Matt sat on her left while Howard sat on her right. A laptop was placed in front of her with several papers beside it. Sheila looked up when she saw Firah and Delilah walked in. She then gestured them to join them, with a smile on her face. Delilah sat a seat away from Howard, while Firah sat next to her. She purposely left the seat empty between her and Howard for Aubree. Aubree had texted earlier that she will be joining in late as she had some meeting at the other branch. A couple of minutes later, more people from the IT department and the Marketing department joined in. Delilah saw Travis among the employees who just joined in. Feeling as if someone was watching him, Travis looked up. He saw Delilah staring at him. He then returned her stare with a smug smirk. Delilah frowned and looked back down as she prepared her report. Once everything had settled in, there was a short silence as Sheila looked around the table with a smile on her face. "Good morning, everyone. I see there are new faces here. My name is Sheila. I''m one of the founders of this company. But I have been staying in Singapore to manage one of our sister company. I am here today to introduce a new plan for our company. I have been testing out several systems and attended many meetings to see how this will work out. I would like the cooperation of the three departments here. The IT department to learn and train. The Marketing department to spread the word around and learn from the IT department. The Human Resource department to ensure that everyone in this company will use and support of this new plan." She further talked about how she had created a standalone online payment system for the company. And how she had met up with the local bank CEO and managers to discuss on the cooperation. As she was talking, Aubree had knocked softly on the door before peeking her head in. Watching the meeting was still ongoing, she quietly went into the room and closed the door softly behind her. She quietly moved to where the HR employees were sitting and sat next to Howard and Delilah. She leaned towards Delilah and whispered, "What did I miss?" Delilah shook her head. "Nothing much. I will send the MOM to everyone later." Earlier, Howard had whispered to Delilah that he wanted Delilah to write the minutes of meeting for today. Aubree nodded and whispered thanks to her, before leaning back on her seat, listening to Sheila. While Sheila was talking, Howard was also smiling and laughing to the small jokes that Sheila was saying. Delilah inwardly rolled her eyes. Sheila continued on about how product and services were needed to be improvised and added to the website. She also appointed people to be in charge of certain tasks and Aubree and Delilah were two of the people she had appointed. Though, it was more like Delilah was appointed to assist Aubree. The meeting had taken two hours with no breaks. And by the time the meeting had ended, Delilah and Firah walked out of the room, feeling drained and their behind sore from hours of sitting. At that moment, only the heads of the departments, Aubree, Matt and Sheila were left at the meeting room. And with the big bosses away, Delilah and Firah decided to go out and get some early lunch. Delilah immediately texted Aubree. "Hey, we''re going out for an early lunch! We''re sooo hungry!" Aubree replied back, "T_T demyuh bishes! I''m stuck here!" "Hahaha! Will it be long?" "I don''t know. Lady Boss just want to have a quick talk. And you know how long is her quick!" "Want us to wait for you?" "Nah! I''ll join immediately once I''m done. Just text me the place." "Okie-dokie!" Delilah and Firah walked to Delilah''s car and got in. In the car, with their seat-belts fastened, Firah scrolled down on her social media pages. Her eyes widened when she saw a sponsored advert on her Instagram. "Oh look. Want to try this?" Delilah looked over and saw a picture of a KFC advert where there were two patties with a cheese and some sauce and lettuce in-between. "Is that KFC Doubledown? They''re back?" Firah nodded. Delilah then leaned back against her seat and said, "Alrighty then! Can you text Aubree that we''ll be eating at KFC?" Firah nodded again. "Sure, sure." Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. A few minutes later, they finally arrived at KFC restaurant. Delilah quickly parked her car nearby and got off the car. The two women went into the restaurant and waited in queue. After they had placed their orders, they carried their meals to an empty table. The two women made themselves comfortable and began to grab their respective meals. Both Delilah and Firah had ordered a doubledown set meals, which was the Zinger burger with no bun, together with drinks and fries. Firah got up to take some ketchup for the both of them and they began to unwrap their doubledown wrapping. As Delilah unwrapped the wrapping, she could feel the oil from patties, sticking to her fingers. She immediately grabbed some more tissues and wrapped them around the patties. Because the doubledown does not have any bun, which helps to absorb the fattening oil from the patties, the burger was more oily. But when Delilah bit down on the burger, the myriad spices and herbs of the patties exploded in her mouth. The burger patties were more juicy and the classic breading of the patties were more crunchy. It has that slight tangy taste that has a slow burns that lingered in your mouth like flames of passion. Together with the sauce, it added more ''zing'' and ''kick'' to the taste. Delilah licked her lips as she chewed. Shortly after, Aubree walked in the restaurant, her eyes darting left and right, as if she was looking for someone. Then her eyes dropped at the two women, who were clearly enjoying their meal. She walked over to them and dropped her handbag on the empty seat beside Delilah. "I''m going to order my food." Both Delilah and Firah nodded as they continued eating. Minutes later, Aubree sat down, carrying her meal. She had ordered a doubledown set meal, as well. "How''s the doubledown?" Aubree asked, as she unwrapped her wrapped burger. "Finger Lickin'' Good!" Delilah said, giving a thumbs-up, echoing KFC slogan. As she continued to eat, she also said, "I DEE-finitely need this before tackling what Lady Boss had ordered us!" Aubree and Firah both nodded. "DEE-m true!" 20 CH20: The new intern "The only thing I like better than talking about food is eating!" - John Walters ============================ The sky was dark with large clouds moving forward, blotting out the soft orange colour of the sun. There were soft tapping sounds against the windows of the Kang Company, where it then became a soft platter on the ground. Outside on the streets, many people ran for cover with umbrellas opened wide for protection. Puddles began to formed around on the ground as the rainfall became heavier. Delilah had just arrived at the office, her clothes and hair wet from the rain. Luckily, she was wearing a dark blue sweater and a black bootcut pants. She was shaking off the excess water from her umbrella, outside the office building, before going in. However, she stopped just in front of the lobby again, this time, shaking her pants to get rid of more excess water. She smiled in apology at the custodian, who was rushing over with a pail of water and a mop. "I''m sorry for making such a mess, Mr. Cameron," Delilah apologised with a sheepish smile. Mr. Cameron waved her apology away with a hand and said, "No worries there, Ms. Delilah. It sure is raining cats and dogs out there, huh?" Delilah nodded. "Sure is. Got to go now. Sorry again, Mr. Cameron." Mr. Cameron began to mop at the puddle left by Delilah and then he waved goodbye at her. "Alright now. Have a nice day!" Delilah rushed over to the elevator and said loudly over her shoulder at Mr. Cameron, "You too!" A few minutes later, she finally arrived at her cubicle. She quickly opened her desk drawer to grab her small towel. The cubicle on her left was still empty, meaning that Firah has not arrived yet. On her right, the cubicle was also empty. It has been empty for a couple of months since the last intern had left. The cubicle was usually reserved for an intern that they had selected from a pool of would-be graduates at a local university. Every six months, the local university would send over their students from their Business and Finance faculty to intern at their company. This was to prepare the students before they enter the working environment. Once they have done with their 6 months internship, they would graduate. Usually, Aubree was chosen as the head supervisor for the interns. However, Aubree had been busy for the past few weeks so Delilah had been chosen as the head supervisor. Hence, Delilah will have an intern who will follow her around for a month before Delilah sent them to another department. Most interns will undergo a job rotation at the Kang Company where they will experienced working in five departments of the company. After Delilah had done settling in, she was just about to start on her work when the phone beside her rang. "Hello, Delilah speaking." "Good morning, D! Your intern has arrived. Shall I bring him up?" Delilah''s eyebrows raised up in surprise. Him? So, the intern this time is a guy, huh? "Wait a minute. Tell him to wait for awhile. I''ll be right down in a few minutes," Delilah said, her hand already reaching for a file on her desk. "Okie!" They both hung up. Delilah quickly browsed through her files on her table, looking for the intern''s CV. Delilah had completely forgotten that an intern will be starting work today. She found his CV and quickly skimmed through it. She then placed the file back and stood up. On her way down, she met up with Firah, who had just arrived. She was holding an umbrella, as well as wearing a raincoat. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. Firah stifled a laugh when she saw Delilah''s appearance. "All wet, aren''t you?" Delilah stopped and looked down at her clothes. "Do I look like a drowned rat?" Firah laughed. "Nah! Still acceptable." "Seriously?" Delilah asked, grabbing Firah''s arm. "Yeah, yeah! What''s wrong?" "Well, the intern had just arrived. I''m worried that I would be giving him a bad first impression, looking like a mess," Delilah frowned. Firah patted her on the shoulder. "Nah, you still look okay." Then she swept an arm over her body. "But I''m still better than you. Thanks to this jacket," she said smugly. Firah was wearing a light grey rain jacket with a detachable hood over her black jumpsuit. She had tied her dark brown hair in a messy chignon, making her look sleek and classy. Delilah narrowed her eyes at her in suspicion. "Why are you dressing up so nicely today?" Firah just smiled smugly at Delilah and walked away. "I''m still going to nag at you until you give me an answer, woman!" Delilah shouted. Delilah harrumphed as she continued walking to the elevator. When Delilah arrived at the lobby, she saw a tall and young man standing nearby the receptionist desk. He was wearing a light blue striped button-ups shirt with a red tie. His hands tucked in the pockets of his dressy slacks as he looked around the lobby with great curiosity. He was also carrying a backpack on his back. His hair styled in an Ivy League hairstyle, making him looked classy and elegant. Looking closer at his face, he looked a bit mature than what Delilah had expected. He had a square face with a prominent chin and strong jawline. He also has a beauty mark, just at the corner of his lips, similar to Cindy Crawford''s. Delilah walked over to him. Bella, who was typing on her computer, looked up and saw Delilah approaching. She immediately stopped what she was doing and called the young man over. The young man stopped his curiosity and saw Delilah walking over, as well. He followed behind Bella, who was walking towards Delilah. Bella stopped in front of Delilah and turned to wait for the young man to stand beside her. Once he had stood beside her, Bella immediately turned back to Delilah and began her introductions. "Delilah, this is Deegan. An intern from the Sultanate University." Delilah nodded and hold out her hand towards Deegan. "Hello, Deegan. Welcome to Kang Company. I''m Delilah and I will be your head supervisor. Let''s go upstairs to the office and make you settle in." She then let out a small laugh. "Deegan. Delilah. We are the Double D''s," she joked. Deegan just smiled and accepted her handshake. Both Delilah and Bella coughed at the awkwardness. Delilah just gave out a sheepish ''heh'' while Bella gave her a facepalm behind Deegan''s back. "So, anyway...." Delilah said slowly, trying to stop the awkwardness. "Let''s go to the office and I''ll show you around after you have settled in." Deegan nodded. Delilah turned to Bella and gave her her thanks. Delilah then led Deegan up to their office where she showed him his cubicle, which was next to her. While Deegan was settling in his cubicle, removing his personal items out of his backpack, Delilah grabbed his CV once more to read it again. She was surprised to see that Deegan was a couple of years younger than her. Apparently, he was a final year student, who will be graduating once he was done with his internship here. He had entered the university late because, although he had studied for his bachelor''s degree before overseas, the university he had attended was not recognized by the Ministry of Education. Hence, he had wasted three years of studying and had to do his bachelor''s degree once more here. Delilah had given him a few minutes to settle in before she brought him around to introduce him to the people in the company. She first introduced him to the HR department, before moving on to the Marketing department and Logistics department, which was on the third floor. She then brought him over to the rest of the departments. Along the way, she had asked him whether his university had given him some work to do during his internship. He had answered yes, they had given him some work. He need to submit a report about what he had done and learned during his internship. Delilah nodded and told him to ask her for help if he needs one. Deegan said thank you to Delilah, appreciating her kindness. After the tour was done, they went back to their floor, where Delilah told him to relax for a couple of days. She did not want to overwhelm him by giving him some work immediately. She wanted him to be comfortable first before giving him his first task. Hence, he began to do his own thing, where he read some articles over the Internet. Delilah was pleased that he did not take the advantage of the free time to watch some YouTube videos or play some games during office hours. Not that Delilah mind, anyway. She did all that too, but let''s not tell Aubree and Howard about it, alright? It was finally time for lunch. Most of the people in the office have left for their lunch. Deegan said his goodbye to Delilah before going out for lunch as well. Delilah was waiting at the lobby, looking at her watch every now and then, when she heard her name being called. She looked up and saw Fawkes waving at her from his car. He was parking in front of the office, apparently waiting for Delilah. Fawkes had been busy recently, with his training in Singapore. He was sent there a few weeks ago, where he was trained under Sheila. He had spent nearly a month in Singapore and had just returned back to the country yesterday. He had been craving for some Japanese ramen so he had invited Delilah for lunch. It was not that Singapore does not have ramen. But the foods there were expensive. Especially Japanese foods. So Fawkes had been enduring his craving for some time now. Delilah quickly walked over to Fawkes'' car and climbed in. He then drove them to his favourite Japanese restaurant. Once they have arrived, Fawkes parked his car at the nearby parking lot and went inside the restaurant. The interior of the restaurant was designed with a Japanese concept, where the walls were filled with Japanese calligraphies and paintings. There were some akach¨­chin, which was the red Japanese paper lanterns, hung at both sides of the entrance door. A tall andon lamp stood on side of the cashier counter in front. A hostess welcomed them inside and led them to their table. Both Delilah and Fawkes settled in their seats comfortably before looking at the menu. Shortly after, a waitress came to their table and asked whether they were ready to order. Delilah answered yes and had ordered ramen for herself and Fawkes. Fawkes added a tuna temaki to his order. Once they were done ordering, Fawkes began to shot her some questions. "Hey, hey! I heard that you have a little intern with you!" Fawkes said, smirking. Delilah nodded as she took a sip of her green tea. Earlier on, the waitress had placed two cups of green tea for them to enjoy, while waiting for their foods. "How was him or her?" he pressed. "It''s a he. And he is fine. At least, for now. It''s still his first day, anyway." Delilah shrugged. The two of them continued to talk, with Fawkes mostly shooting Delilah with more questions. Especially questions of what had been going on while he was gone. A few minutes later, their foods have arrived. Delilah could smell the strong pungent ramen odor from her seat. Once the waitress had placed their ramens in front of them, Delilah took a moment to gaze at her ramen and grabbed some chopsticks and soup spoon. She scooped up the broth of the ramen and took a slurp. The broth tasted rich and thick. Since she had ordered a chicken ramen, the flavour of chicken was very strong and it has a milky consistency, which made it a hearty broth. As she slurped, there was a glistening shine on her lips, making her look as if she had worn a lip gloss. After tasting the broth, she used her chopsticks to eat the noodles. The noodles used were freshly made, which made it more DEE-licious. The noodles clinged to each other as she used her chopsticks to lift them up. As she slurped on the noodles, it brought along the broth with it, delivering an ample chicken flavor with each slurp. The two of them ate their ramen in silence both too engrossed and hungry. It was until Fawkes'' temaki had arrived that Fawkes broke the silence. "Deng! This is so good," he exclaimed. "I totally miss eating this!" Delilah laughed. "Poor you," she teased. Fawkes gave her a mock glare. "Just you wait. Karma will be coming for you in a form of an intern." Delilah scoffed. "Yeah, whatever." Fawkes narrowed his eyes at her, frowning. Delilah frowned back and pointed at his ramen with her finger. "If you''re done talking, go finish your food. It''s better to eat than you yapping about." Fawkes pouted and continued eating. Little did Delilah know that Fawkes'' words will come true sooner or later. 21 CH21: Good surprise or not? "Your diet is a bank account. Good food choices are good investments" - Bethenny Frankel ========================== It has been a week since the intern, Deegan had joined the company. It was a good start where Delilah had made him settled in comfortably first before giving him some tasks. It was during his third day of working in the company when Delilah had finally given him some work to be completed, which was to update with the admins on the attendance list and the IT department. It was a simple task to be completed and he had done the work in less than two days. Delilah was impressed by his work and that, she did not foresee any mistakes that he had made. Next, Delilah had given him his second task, which was to cooperate with the safety department on the quarterly team building activities. In every four months, the company usually had a team building activity, an activity that can help to strengthened the bond between colleagues and to improvise the relationship of colleagues. Each departments will choose an activity that they wanted and the HR department will either approve or disapprove, after a quick meeting with the upper management. When Delilah first introduced the activity to the upper management, there were many disagreements whereby they believed that it would be a waste of time and money. Fortunately, Howard was not one of the people who disagreed. In fact, he was one of the great supporters of the proposal. He loved the idea and thought it was very beneficial. He had seen great outcomes from many companies who had introduced a team building activity. He had helped Delilah to smooth-talk with the upper management and a few weeks later after that, Delilah had received a memo that the proposal had been approved. Delilah was grateful to Howard at that time. The first team building activity was a bowling tournament. This was suggested by Delilah because this would be a good activity to break out of one''s stress and take some time away from some high-pressure dilemma that may have taken over their personal and work life. It was a successful event whereby the day after the event, every employees became more motivated to work and they clearly had enjoyed a day to have fun. According to the heads of each departments, they had seen improvements in their subordinates'' productivity, as well as efficiency. Hence, this kind of activity was important. Despite this, Delilah had given Deegan the task to cooperate with the safety department to discuss and organise on the next quarterly team building activities, which will take place in less than two months. Currently, Delilah was reading Deegan''s report, in regards of the attendance. Deegan was sitting next to her, with his hands clenched together in nervous anticipation. Delilah turned her head and saw this. She laughed softly. "Relax. You weren''t this nervous when you first started." Deegan just smiled awkwardly but he did relaxed his hands and placed them on both of his knees. Delilah returned to her reading and then gave him a thumbs-up. She placed the report on her table and gestured him to come closer. She began to point out a few suggestions on what he should have asked. Questions like why there were some employees who does not have a record on a certain day and so forth. Even if he could not get the answers from the admins, he should asked the employees themselves and get their supervisor''s vouch on their excuse. Deegan listened to her talk with bright eyes, looking at her in admiration. After Delilah had left him to continue his work, she went off to meet with Aubree, who was in the meeting room, together with Howard. The two of them had just finished video conferencing with the some partners from other countries. And now, the two of them were just sitting in the room, chatting with each other. Delilah knocked on the door before slipping into the room. Aubree and Howard stopped talking and looked up to see Delilah, taking a seat in front of them. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. "Hey Delilah, how''s the new intern?" Howard asked, grinning. Delilah put her chin on her palm, with her elbow on the desk. "Ah, he''s good at his work. Given him some work to keep him busy." Howard laughed, his eyeglasses sparkled in the light. He was wearing his gold-rimmed glasses with the diamond studded rim again today. And luckily, he was not wearing any eye-catching outfit that can blind one''s eyes. Instead, he was wearing a dark blue batik shirt with a rolled collar. The type of collar was not something you can see on a man''s clothes but rather, on a woman''s clothes. Apparently, for Howard, this posed no problem as he probably regarded the fashion as unisex fashion. It was such a contrast for him and Aubree, who has always wore a collarless utility blouse with soft colours. Her clothes were not too loud but rather, it has that soft appeal that shouts classy and demure. She has always been a modest person. Though, there were times she can be brazen, especially to the ones she was close with. And Delilah was one of them. The three of them began to chat, where Delilah updating the two of them on what has been happening with Deegan and what he has done. They also talked about the video-conferencing where Howard told her about Sheila''s change of heart of changing the dateline from next month to next week. The dateline was about Aubree''s work with Sheila, where she had assigned Aubree to do some "impossible but possible" task to do. It had been a headache for Aubree as it was something she had not done before. But Sheila had believed that Aubree can do it, quoting, "This is easy as pie. Just watch the video tutorials!" After the three of them were done talking, Howard went off and said his goodbyes to the two of them as he was going to do his work, meeting some people. Aubree, on the other hand, gestured Delilah to follow her. Together they walked out of the meeting room. Aubree then turned to Delilah and asked her, where was Deegan. "Probably still doing some work." "Come and invite him for an early lunch with us at the cafeteria. I''d like to get the chance to know him," Aubree said. Delilah nodded and went off to the other direction, where the cubicles are, while Aubree continued her way to the cafeteria. Deegan was hard at work when Delilah stood behind him. He was surfing the internet and taking notes, while listening to music. He had his earpiece on so he did not seems to notice Delilah standing behind him. He jumped in surprise when Delilah tapped him on the shoulder softly. Deegan whirled around, his eyes widened. "Oh, sorry, you''ve startled me!" he said. He turned back around on his seat and quickly switched off his music player on his computer. Delilah sighed. "It''s okay, Deegan. I still allow you to listen to music, as long as you did your work." She then jabbed a thumb over her shoulder and asked, "Why don''t you save your work and join me and the others for lunch?" Deegan looked down at his wristwatch and saw it was only 11:30 in the morning. "But its not time yet for lunch," he said, confused. "No worries. We''ll have an early lunch. Ms. Aubree wants to meet you, anyway." Deegan nodded. "Give me a few minutes," he said, turning back to his computer. He quickly saved his work and put his computer to sleep. He then grabbed his phone and wallet and stood up. The two of them made their way to the cafeteria. And when they have arrived, the cafeteria was already brimming with laughter and chatters. There was only 30 minutes left until lunchtime but the cafeteria was nearly full with people. Apparently, many of the employees had taken their lunch early today. Nearly all the tables were filled with people. Delilah stood on her tip-toe, trying to look for Aubree. She then saw someone waving at the left corner of the cafeteria and looked over. Aubree was sitting with a couple of men on one table. She was standing beside the table, waving at Delilah, gesturing at her to come over. Delilah nodded and turned to Deegan, who was standing still beside her. "Lets go." When the two of them arrived, Delilah took a seat next to Aubree on her left, while Deegan sat next to Delilah. She smiled at the two men sitting across her and greeted hello. The two of them greeted back. Delilah looked over at Aubree and asked, "What are you having?" "Beef tacos." Delilah nodded. She turned to Deegan. "Oh yes, let me introduce you again." Sweeping a hand over at Aubree, "This is Ms. Aubree. She''s the Operations Supervisor and also, my supervisor. She then introduce the two men across them. "I''m sure you know Sam. He''s one of the HSE Safety officers. And also, this is Jafar, from the Project department." Deegan immediately stood up and held out his hand towards the two men. "Pleased to meet you, sir." Sam laughed out loud before shaking Deegan''s hand. "Likewise, brother." Jafar nodded and shook Deegan''s hand, as well. Delilah nodded towards the food vendors and said to Deegan, "Come on and lets order for our lunch." Deegan nodded and began to follow Delilah from behind. Aubree and the two chuckled when they saw this. Minutes later, Delilah and Deegan returned back to their table. Once seated, Aubree began to ask Deegan questions, about his personal life and how he was settling in the office. Deegan answered back with confidence and excitement in his eyes. It seems like he enjoyed working here. Soon after, their foods had arrived. Deegan had ordered a beef spaghetti with a coke. Delilah, on the other hand, had ordered a grilled mushroom salad sandwich with salad, a dark chocolate quiche and baked potatoes. When the waitress placed all of the foods in front of Delilah, Deegan looked over with his eyes widened in shock. He did not expect that this petite young woman can eat so much. The other three people at the table laughed after seeing the shocked look on Deegan''s face. "This is normal, Deegan," Sam laughed. "And she hasn''t tackled her drinks yet," Aubree added, chuckling. Delilah brought her sandwich to her mouth. The mushroom used for the sandwich was the Japanese mushroom called the Hiratake, also commonly known as oyster mushroom. Other than mushroom, there were also some sauce, greens and cherry tomatoes. Delilah was not sure what kind of sauce that they have used because apparently, it was one of their secret sauces. But it was DEE-licious. She loved how it mix beautifully with the mushrooms. As Delilah bit on the sandwich, the taste of the butter on the bread was smooth and velvety, making the bread more soft when eaten. With the sauce, which was tangy and sweet, the mushrooms tasted slightly spongy and silky. It was a mouthful, to say the least. Fulfilling yet satisfying. The juices from the spongy mushroom gave off a subtle seafood-taste, which made it more luscious to eat. Once she was done with the sandwich, she pushed the empty plate aside and pull the dark chocolate quiche closer to her. She took a knife and cut it from the middle. As she dragged the knife slowly from the quiche, a lava of chocolate began to smoothly ooze out of the pastry. Delilah took a dessert spoon and scooped the dark chocolate. After she ate the dark chocolate with its pastry, there was a bitter taste in her mouth yet silky. The pastry was crumbling with a hint of sweet. And the chocolate was so rich and deep that it made Delilah''s mouth feel full of cocoa, coating inside. Minutes later, Delilah was about to tackle her baked potatoes when the others, including Deegan, were done with their lunch. Sam and Jafar stood up, carrying their tray of dirty plates and glasses. "Well, we''d better get going. See you around, ladies and gent." Aubree and Deegan said their goodbyes, while waiting for Delilah to finish her lunch. Once Sam and Jafar were out of sight, Aubree turned to Delilah, with her chin on her palm, watching her eat in bemusement. "You don''t get full that easily, huh?" Delilah licked her lips after biting on the baked potatoes. "I do but the foods here are so good!" Aubree laughed softly. "Makes me wonder how many in a week do you spend on foods." "Well, foods are good investments. So, its worth it." Once Delilah was finally done eating, the three of them went back to their office. An hour later before the office hours end, Delilah had told Deegan to not wait for her. She told him to just go home once the office hours have end. She was planning to meet up with some of the employees at the Safety department and she was not sure how long it would take. Deegan nodded. By the time Delilah had returned back to the cubicle, it was already ten minutes past office hours. And she noticed that Deegan had already left the office, seeing his cubicle was empty. When Delilah was about to switch off her computer, she noticed a small box on her table with a small note on top. She took the box and peeked inside. She was surprised to see six pieces of small doughnuts inside, some with chocolate and caramels and some plain. Remembering that there was a note on top, she read the note. Her face fell after she had finished reading it. 22 CH22: Is this highschool romance? "Never be a food snob. Learn from everyone you meet: the fish guy at your market, the lady at the local diner, farmers, cheese markets, Ask questions, try everything and eat up!" - Racheal Ray =========================== Stretching her arms up, Delilah gave a grunt as she looked around her. It was half past one and Delilah had just finished her lunch early. She was now back in her cubicle, continuing her work, relishing the quiet silence in the office. It was a bit empty in the office, with only a few who worked through lunch. Both Firah and Deegan were still out for lunch, so both cubicles on her sides were empty. She tried to not think too much of the note Deegan had left her, together with the doughnuts. But wow, the doughnuts were good. After she had read the note, she had set it aside and opened the box. She found six little pieces of doughnuts; three of them glazed and the other three were drizzled with chocolate. Delilah had tasted the chocolate coated doughnut first. The doughnut felt soft and sweet in her mouth when she bit into it. The chocolate was also rich and creamy. And when she ate it together with the doughnut, the sweetness of the pastry exploded in her mouth. The chocolate had coated her lips, making a little mess around her mouth. Sort of making it looked like a chocolate lipstick. She then tasted the glazed doughnut, which was basically a doughnut covered with icing sugar. The doughnut was also sweet and soft. As Delilah bit into it, the doughnut felt light and fluffy like air. It felt soft in her mouth, like pillows. It was sinfully addictive. It was a bit chewy but it kind of melt in your mouth. Delilah had peeked at the top cover of the box to looked at the name of the shop. It has quite name; aDoughable shop. Apparently, it was from a local baker, who had sell them in a food cube shop. Delilah always admired those who made baking as part of their hobbies and source of income. At least, they loved what they do. Delilah was still lost in thoughts, drooling over the doughnuts she had ate the day before when Deegan had arrived. Delilah looked over at his cubicle, watching as he took off his light jacket and placed it at the back of his chair. Feeling like someone was watching him, he turned to look at Delilah, catching her watching him. He smiled and nodded hello and sat down. He then began to work. Delilah frowned. Seems like he either pretends nothing had happened or he does not want to talk about it. She inwardly shrugged. Oh well. This was fine with her. She can act oblivious about it, as well. Since she felt too lazy to continue work now, she decided to go on Discordance. Discordance is a digital distribution platform that was designed specifically for gaming. It''s a free software where you can chat with anyone from all over the world. Delilah first download the app when she found out that an author of the book she was reading, had shared her invitation link to her server. Delilah thought it would be interesting to talk and share her thoughts about the novel. So, she had installed the app and joined in. For her first week in Discordance, she had joined several servers. All of them were servers that catered to the novels she had read. Currently, she has joined more than five servers. But she was more active in a couple of them. One of them were a server where the other members of the servers had dubbed her the ''Shameless Queen''. She loved to talk and chat with her friends in the server. Yes, she regarded them as a friends, even if they have not met each other in real life. Delilah usually talked about foods and some girly stuffs. She also loved to tease the younger ones in the server. Hence, that was one of the reason why she was called ''shameless''. Due to the jokes she had always made. Delilah had always felt it was weird that her friends would call her ''shameless'' because she does not believe the things she had done or say were shameless. They were all unDEE-niably true. Moving on, she was currently chatting with her friends, moaning about what to eat for lunch tomorrow. They all laughed because Delilah was thinking too far ahead when she does not have dinner nor breakfast yet. Yet, here she was, already thinking about tomorrow''s lunch. Many suggestions were made and recipes were shared among them. Delilah had read and looked through the recipes one by one, contemplating which one seems the easiest to make. Well, not really easiest. But something that she herself can make, since she was not an expert in cooking. And also, she had to think about the time taken to make the meal because she does not want to spend hours cooking. Then, one of her friends suggested to make one of his country''s local dishes called Ash Reshteh, which was a vegetable and noodle soup from Persia. Looking at the picture of the food and the ingredients needed, Delilah decided. "Yes, I will try to make this." She immediately take note of the ingredients needed and proceed to watch on how to cook ash reshteh. Every now and then, Deegan had secretly peeked in her cubicle but Delilah was too absorbed in watching the video, with her earpiece on. When the clock hits five o''clock on the dot, Delilah swiftly packed her things and switched off her computer. She then quickly went out of the office, without realizing that Deegan was actually waiting to talk to her. He could only watched her ran off, feeling dejected. It was not that Delilah was ignoring him but whenever Delilah was excited about something, she tends to tune off everything else in her mind. And at that moment, she was hurrying to get to the supermarket to buy the ingredients. She drove to the nearest supermarket and bought all the ingredients that were missing in her kitchen pantry. At home, she first started off by soaking the beans overnight. She then checked all her ingredients and placed them on the kitchen table. She continued on by cutting all the herbs and vegetables. She placed them on a plastic container and put it inside the fridge. This was because she would begin her cooking early tomorrow morning. Once all of the ingredients were done prepping, she cleaned up the mess she had made in the kitchen, took a quick shower and went inside her room. (Not to sleep but rather, to wait for dinner, of course!). ---- The next morning. Delilah had woken up, feeling energized and ready to cook. She quickly shot Aubree a message, texting that she might be coming in late. She will make up the time by adding more hours to her time today. Aubree replied with a sticker emoji ''Okay!''. It was nearly half past eight o''clock in the morning when Delilah finally arrived at the office. She was carrying a tureen, with her work bag slung at one shoulder. She placed it in the pantry and called out to anyone who wants to give it a try. Almost everyone at the HR department went to the pantry. Delilah had also brought some plastic bowls and sporks for them to use. She poured each of them a bowl. Once everyone had their share, Delilah poured some for herself. The smell of the strong and aromatic herbs hit her nose. It felt warmth and soothing, it was a nice feeling for a cold morning like this. She then drink some of the soup, which tasted intensely rich and wholesome. Added with the herbs, the soup has that mild woodsy flavour, which was also smoky. She could not help drinking more of it. She then scooped some beans and noodles and ate them. The chickpeas and the lima beans were soft when chewed. It left a grainy texture in her mouth and tasted a bit nutty. But with the noodles, it made the feeling become more smooth. The noodles tasted full, especially when eaten together with the beans. There were sounds of chewing and slurping all around inside the pantry. Some of them opted to return back to their cubicles with their bowls because there were not much space inside the pantry. Delilah opted to stay inside and eat since she does not want to dirtied her cubicle. (She can be a very messy eater). While she was eating, she did not realized that Deegan had moved to stand next to her. Once he saw Delilah was finished with her food, he cleared his throat nervously. Delilah jumped, startled by the sudden noise. She whirled around to see Deegan standing just next to her. "You scared me there!" Deegan laughed awkwardly. "Sorry..." he said nervously. "But is it possible if I can talk with you privately later after work?" Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. Delilah frowned. He could have asked her later at their cubicle. Why does he have to ask her here, in front of so many people? "Sure," she answered, instead. Deegan nodded. He then went off to his cubicle. Aubree and Firah, who were eating near Delilah, also heard the conversation. They both raised their eyebrows and looked at Delilah suspiciously. Their eyes narrowed with suspicion. Delilah ignored them and went to throw her rubbish. Soon after, working hours have ended. Many people at the office have already went back home, leaving Delilah and a few other people who were working overtime. Delilah was rereading her report in the computer when Deegan knocked on the wall of Delilah''s cubicle softly. Delilah turned around on her seat and gestured Deegan to come closer. "Hey, what''s up?" she asked, looking all confused. Deegan immediately passed her a box and said, "Uh, this is for you. As thank you. OK, I''ll leave you to your work. Hope you have a safe journey back home. Don''t forget to eat your dinner!" He said all that very quickly and left the office before Delilah could say a word. She sat there, surprise and confusion written all over her face. She was dumbfounded, her hand still holding the box that he had given her. She looked down at her hand and saw it was a box of perfume. Delilah frowned as she looked closely at the box. She was confused as to why he would give her this. She groaned. What is this? Highschool romance? This was getting out-of-hand. Now, she has a weird intern in her hands and she wonder how she would deal with this. Placing the box on her table, she turned back to her computer and continue working. ''I''ll leave this tomorrow,'' she thought. She just hoped this will not make things awkward or she will have to do something before DEE-saster strikes. 23 CH23: Two is enough "Mindless eating is not mindless when you go to the kitchen to grab some food, That''s when you have the most power to stop yourself." - Laura Houssain =========================== Over the past few days, Deegan had been acting weird. It has become a bit of a bother for Delilah, who kept trying to understand his motives. She did not know why he was being weird. Occasionally, he would leave some candies or even some money with a little note to buy snacks or gas for her car. Ever since he has been busy with the Safety department, he had spent most of his time there, compare with the time he had spent at the HR. (Thankfully!) Hence, why she would find little gifts from him every now and then. One time, she was seriously contemplating whether she should tell him that the money was not enough for her gas but decided to be against it. Or else, he will seriously give more money. Delilah was not that shameless (she thinks). Delilah was not a person who would care or bother too much about this. She was more of a person who would just ignore it but the thing with Deegan was getting weird. Probably because, when they first meet, Delilah had always thought he was a quiet person, who would not look for trouble. But she was oh, so wrong. She really did not expect that Deegan would be this aggressive. Another reason for Delilah''s thought was that she kept thinking whether, had she been flirtatious with him that he got seduced or something? For Delilah, who has not dated for a long time, she felt this has been getting out of hand. And she was worried that it might affect them working together. And another thing was that he was nearly five years younger than her! She does not want to be called ''Sugar Mama'' or ''Cougar''. Currently, she was waiting for Deegan to reply to her text. She had texted him that she wanted to meet up with him in private. When the reply came with an ''Okay'', Delilah stretched her arms up and continued her work. She could not afford to waste any more time when there was work to be done. Messages and emails have poured in. Reports and files have been piling up high on her desk, ever since Firah had taken leave a couple of days ago. Because the work was urgent and important, Delilah had to take over her tasks. She did not mind the work, actually. In fact, Delilah volunteered herself to take over because she understood the urgency of the work. Even though, Firah kept mentioning that she will finish them all once she return to work. While Delilah was working, a bowl of prawn crackers was placed on the table. She had placed it there so that it was easy for her to eat while working. Although, Sheila had once mentioned that she should not eat in her cubicle but Delilah needs that brain power. And so, she needs food. Taking a piece of cracker, she tossed it into her mouth, munching on it. The crackers tasted lightly crispy with a bit of salty and sweet. As she continued to eat more crackers, she decided that this crackers were quite addictive. She could not stop eating them! The crackers also did not taste excessively shrimpy, which was quite nice. While she was munching, a few people looked over at her, due to the noise she was making. Realizing the noise she had made, she looked up and smiled sheepishly at them, a look of apology on her face. But it did not stop her from munching on them, as she ate more. When the bowl was empty, she bent down, reaching for the drawers beside her leg and opened one. She grabbed a bag of prawn crackers from inside and tore it open. Delilah then poured more crackers to her bowl and sealed the remaining crackers in the bag with a stapler. She then continued to munched while working. A couple of hours later, her phone beeped. There was a message from Deegan, saying that he was free at the moment and he asked whether Delilah was free. Delilah replied back, telling him to meet her at the vending machine at the ground floor in a few minutes. Soon after, two figures can be seen, standing near the vending machine. Delilah had chosen this place to have a short talk with Deegan because they can have some privacy to talk, without any prying eyes. And also, she needed a drink. She finally could taste the saltiness effect from the crackers! Standing up, she bent down to grab the drink and took a sip. The two of them were quiet for awhile until Delilah broke the silence. She went for the kill and immediately asked, "Do you have a crush on me or something?" Deegan''s eyes widened, surprised. He did not expect this question. Although, he had a calm look on his face but Delilah could feel the nervous vibes from him. Probably from how he was clenching and unclenching his fists. He cleared his throat nervously and asked, feigning confusion, "No, why do you think so?" Ignoring his question, Delilah shot another question, "Then what''s with the gifts?" Deegan scratched the back of his neck as he looked down. He did not dare to look at Delilah in the eye, scared that she might see through his lies. "It''s because you''re nice to me. And I''d like to repay that kindness." Delilah threw the empty can at the nearby trash bin and turned back to him. She crossed her arms across her chest, frowning. She then sighed. "Deegan. That is not how you should repay someone''s kindness. And whatever I''ve done for you, I don''t expect anything in return. Only for you to learn more from me, when it comes to HR. And also for you to prepare for your future soon. Whatever gifts you have given me... I''m not saying that it''s wrong. I''m thankful and appreciate it. But from other people''s views, this can be seen as a bribe. I know your intentions are good. But what about what other people''s thoughts?" Realization dawned at him. He did not realized that his actions might bring unwelcoming thoughts. He quickly said, worried that she might get into trouble, "I''m sorry. I did not mean for it to happen this way. And I''m sorry if I brought unnecessary trouble for you." Waving his concerns away, she continued, "That''s alright. Next time, no more gifts." Deegan nodded. "But I accept foods." Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. Deegan broke into a smile. "Alright." ---- The next day. Delilah had just arrived at the office. Reaching her cubicle, she saw Deegan already in his cubicle, working, while Firah was still on leave. She opened her light jacket and placed it on the back of her chair. And before she sat down, she noticed something on her desk. She picked it up and saw that it was a packet of rice crackers. Looking over at Deegan, who was working, she cleared her throat loudly, trying to get his attention. Deegan looked up and saw Delilah looking at him, her eyebrows raised in question as she held up the packet of rice crackers. He smiled. "For snacking," he said. Delilah laughed. "Thank you. You''re going to make me fat soon!" He just laughed and returned back to his work. After awhile, Delilah got up and went to the pantry to grab some sweet chili sauce for dips. Inside, she saw a box of chocolate peanut butter bites. She walked over and read the note on top of the box, ''Help yourself''. She peeked inside and saw rows of beautiful round brown balls with shredded coconut. She licked her lips. ''Looks good,'' she thought. She quickly grabbed a tissue and placed a couple of the chocolate peanut butter bites on top of it. Not forgetting the sweet chili sauce bottle, she went out of the pantry, smiling. Returning to her cubicle, she took a bite of the chocolate peanut butter bites. Surprisingly, it did not tasted too sweet as she had expected. In fact, it tasted a bit sweet and salty at the same time. The bites melted into bits in her mouth as she chewed. The combination of shredded coconut and the chocolate felt deliciously flaky. She liked how the chocolate still felt full in her mouth as it gradually lessen into a smooth silky velvet. After she was done eating, she was thinking of getting more. But she shook her head. ''No, two is enough! I must be strong!'' she thought firmly to herself. ''No mindless eating. I will eat when it is time to eat again.'' With that thought, she became DEE-termined to work harder as she thought of what to eat again later. 24 CH24: Chocolate is Love "There is nothing better than a friend, unless it is a friend with chocolate." - Anonymous =========================== It was half-past seven in the morning when Delilah arrived at the office, with her hands full of folders and files that she brought home the day before. On her back, laid a backpack that has her personal stuffs. She did not use her normal sling bag, opting for a backpack, instead. As she walked inside the HR office, the incessant sounds of the tapping on keyboards can be heard. Although, it was still early, but it looked like everyone here has started working. Placing the folders and files on her table and her backpack on the floor, she took off her light jacket. Today, she decided for a more comfortable outfit. She wore a casual loose shirt with a lenox black skirt and white sneakers. As Delilah was arranging the files and folder, she heard a beep sound from her backpack. But she decided to finish arranging her items first before grabbing her backpack from the floor. Rummaging through the other stuffs inside the backpack, she took out her mobile phone. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. Swiping on the screen, she saw a message. It was from Aubree. ''Hey, Delilah. I''m sorry. I got to take an emergency leave for today. I have a diarrhea and I''m on my way to the hospital. I already texted Howard and the peeps at Finance dept. Take care of the office in my stead, okay? And sorry again!'' it reads. ''Ooof. OK! Take care, Aubree. And don''t worry much about the office and take a good rest!'' Delilah replied back. Delilah immediately went to Aubree''s cubicle and checked her little whiteboard that was placed on the wall. Aubree usually wrote her ''Tasks to do'' on the board. Scanning the tasks written on the board, Delilah felt a bit relief to see that there was nothing much she needs to do. Especially when it comes to meeting customers. But there were lists of people that Delilah need to call and arrange meeting times for some of the customers. There were also lists of forms that Delilah need to check, such as the budget and the inventory list. Delilah quickly grabbed a post-it from Aubree''s table and wrote down the names of the customers who would like to meet with Matt. She also switched on Aubree''s computer and shared the documents inside to her emails. Once she was done, she went over to her cubicle and switched on her computer. While waiting for the documents to finish download, Delilah also did her work. Fortunately, her own work for today was not much either. Luckily, she had the initiative to do some of her work back home. She was inputting some data in the computer when her phone beeped. She looked over and saw Aubree''s ''Everything''s alright?'' Aubree can be a worrywart. She tends to worry over things, which sometimes made Delilah and Firah frustrated. Though, sometimes they do joke over it, saying probably Aubree does not trust them much. Which was understandable. Because sometimes, Delilah and Firah would be like, ''Ehhh, were we supposed to do that?'' And then they just laughed it off, much to Aubree''s exasperation. Delilah smirked. And just ignored the message. She will reply to it later, once she was done with inputting the data. As she continued to work, every now and then, there would be a notification beep from her phone. Sighing, she grabbed her phone and saw 8 unread messages from Aubree. Most of the messages read ''Wooi! Is everything alright?'' and ''Delilah, did you mess things up?'' Delilah rolled her eyes. Such a dramatic woman. ''Wow, nice to see your confidence in me is waning. Everything is alright here! Just get off the phone and relax! Take a rest, bish!'' she replied back. ''Sure?'' came the reply from Aubree again. Delilah rolled her eyes again. ''Yes, yes. Now, get some rest before I block you.'' Once Delilah was sure that Aubree was not going to text her again, Delilah continued on with her work. After she was done, she opened up Aubree''s document and skimmed through it. She first checked the budget document and cross-reference it with the document sent over by the Finance department and the heads. While working on the two documents, she was also writing some notes on a piece of paper. She took note of the small mistakes and some inquiries on the phantom digits (Meaning where the money came from or went to). Delilah also sought for Firah''s help, asking her whether she can help contact Matt, in regards to meeting, as well as arranging the meeting rooms with the General Affairs department. At that moment, the two of them were working hard with no disturbances. And Deegan was not at his cubicle as he was still busy working with the Safety department. It was less than a month until the quarterly team building activity. Hence, Deegan had been busy that he hardly worked in his cubicle, opting to work at the office where the Safety department were at. Though, every now and then, he does email Delilah on his updates and what he has done. After hours of working, with Bella constantly coming up to their floor to send over more of Aubree''s work, Delilah realized how big Aubree''s responsibility was to the company. Delilah was amazed at how Aubree can still survive. Delilah was currently looking through the papers that Bella had send over and rearrange them into piles. One pile for Delilah and another pile for Aubree. This was because there were certain documents that Delilah cannot touch and can only leave them to Aubree when she returned to work. Few minutes before, Delilah had received another text from Aubree. She told Delilah that she was given an MC (Medical certificate), where she was excused from work for two days. Delilah replied back, telling her to get plenty of rest and have someone to send over the MC to the office if possible. Working on Aubree''s and her own tasks were going smoothly. At one point, Delilah''s stomach started to grumble, making loud noises. Delilah''s face went beet red when she saw Firah looked over with her hand over her mouth, holding onto her laughter. "Hungry?" she asked. Looking at her wristwatch, Delilah was surprised to see that they had missed lunchtime. "Oof! We missed lunch! No wonder my tummy was making noises." Firah began to rummaged through her handbag and took out a chocolate bar. "Here you go," she said, holding out the bar to Delilah. "I seem to remember that you didn''t eat your breakfast as well." With thanks, Delilah took the chocolate bar from Firah. "Do you want to take a break for lunch or...?" Firah asked. "Let me DEE-vour this chocolate first before we take our late lunch." Firah nodded and turned back to her computer. Crinkling open the chocolate wrappers, Delilah took a huge bite. She closed her eyes in bliss. The sweetness of the chocolate melted fluidly in her mouth. The chocolate tasted thick, milkier and smooth. She waited for the chocolate to melt in her mouth before chewing it. She loved chocolates. She always felt content and warmth whenever she ate chocolates. She was using her fingers to eat the chocolate. Thus, there were some chocolate that sticks to her fingers. It looked like a beautiful mess, with chocolate melting on her fingers. Watching Delilah eat, Firah handed her a wet tissue, shaking her head in bemusement. "I can''t never understand how you could eat chocolates like this." Delilah licked her fingers, not wanting to waste a single drip of it before wiping her fingers with a wet tissue. "That was DEE perfect way to eat, you know." Delilah said, smirking. Throwing away the dirtied wet tissue at her small rubbish bin, she swiftly saved all her documents and put her computer to sleep. She grabbed her purse from her backpack and her mobile phone and stood up." Let''s go for lunch, shall we?" Delilah asked, smiling. 25 CH25: Who has time for fake people? "Life is too short for fake butter, or fake people." - Julia Child ========================= One Tuesday morning, there were two women sitting at the corner of a small room at the lobby area. Both were in deep discussion, with rapid hand gestures and bobbing of heads, as they talked. Sometimes, one would be writing on a notebook while the other kept talking. And sometimes, one would stand up and waved her hands around, as if she was trying to show how big or wide the thing she was trying to describe. The two women were so engrossed in their discussion that they did not realized that there were two men walking towards them. One was walking in a slow and lazy pace while another was walking in an excited and fast pace. The two women looked up at the same time when a shadow fell on their table. "Hey there, Fawkes," Delilah and Firah greeted, waving a hand. Fawkes grabbed another chair from another table and sat down with them. "What are you guys doing?" he asked. "And why here?" Here was a small room, at the lobby area. It was actually a waiting room, with a couple of chairs and tables. There were also a couple of sofas and a flat screen television on the wall. Most employees used this room as a place where they can discuss with their customers or clients. Currently, both Firah and Delilah were in the room, discussing about their next project together. It was more quiet here, compare to the cafeteria. And the cafeteria was still closed, anyway. And also, it was easier to discuss face-to-face, rather than in their cubicle. They could have booked a room with the General Affairs department but they were too lazy. "Nothing. Just doing some work," Firah answered, turning back to the paper on the table. She continued discussing with Delilah about her opinions for the project. The two of them ignored Fawkes who was sitting next to them. Fawkes pouted, sad that he was being ignored. Thus, he kept poking Delilah on the arm with a pencil. "Woi woi. Talk to me. Talk to me, bish!" Delilah turned to look at him, frowning. She then slapped his pencil away. "What''s with you? Go talk with Travis," she said, gesturing at Travis, who was standing behind Fawkes. Travis frowned when he heard her talked about him. Fawkes looked up and saw Travis still standing. He then said to Travis, "What are you doing still standing there? Go and grab a chair!" Travis rolled his eyes but took a chair from another table. He then sat down with them. Delilah looked at Fawkes, who took out a notebook and placed it on his lap. It looked like he will be having a discussion with Travis. What puzzled Delilah was that, why do a discussion at their table? Delilah looked around her and saw there were many empty tables and chairs in the room. Yet, they were here. So Delilah asked him, why. "Nothing. I just want to," Fawkes replied simply. "Are you two working together on a project or something?" Delilah further asked, curious. Before Fawkes could answer, Travis piped in. "Yes, we are. We''re working on a proposal where we have to make a new marketing strategy and whatnot. Its for the next new services that the company will be introducing soon. We''ll be presenting this proposal to every heads of the department who are involved," he said, looking smug. He loved the idea of having some tasks that were more important than Delilah''s. Firah frowned, looking all confused. "But what''s that got to do with Fawkes? He''s from HR department." "I was told to cooperate with Travis here because they also need someone from the HR. I''d help out with the marketing too, helping out with the presentations and so forth if needed," Fawkes replied. The four people continued with their own discussions for a couple of hours. With each of them asking for opinions and feedback from one another. Though, except for Travis, who only kept quiet and asked Fawkes. He does not believe that he would need any opinions from the two women, especially Delilah. He was a bit stubborn but luckily, Fawkes was a patient person. He would not let someone like Travis to ruin his day. While they were working, Travis suddenly looked up and asked Delilah, "Eh, I just remembered. Isn''t there a new intern in the company?" Delilah looked at him with a strange look and nodded. "Yeah, why?" "Who is in-charge of him? I know one of you are in-charge of him," he asked, narrowing his eyes. Travis knew that all interns were usually supervised by the Human Resource department. Despite them going to different departments, their head supervisor will always be from the Human Resource department. "I am," Delilah answered. "Though, it was supposed to be Aubree." "So, will he be working in the marketing department?" Delilah thought for a moment before nodding. "Yes, he will. If I''m not mistaken, he will probably be in the marketing department in the next two months. He will need to finish his work here before moving on to the next department." "Eh, eh! Why not next month? Let him work at the marketing department next month!" Travis pressed on, grinning. Delilah furrowed her eyebrows. "Why next month? Is there something happening next month?" she asked, looking confused. Travis leaned back against his chair, his arms and legs crossed with a smirk on his face. "Well, since Fawkes and I are working on a project, we can also get his help. From this, that intern may be able to learn what it is about and how it is like in the marketing department," he said. His brain was already gearing with thoughts of giving tasks to Deegan. "I''ll need to discuss with the head of HR and also Aubree. I can''t agree on this thing without their approvals," Delilah said, cutting through his thoughts. Travis nodded. Soon after, they continued working again. When it was time for lunch, Delilah began to pack her things, shoving them into her handbag and stood up. "Want to join us for lunch at the cafeteria?" Delilah asked the two men. The two of them nodded. They then walked together to the cafeteria, which was not far from where they were. When they walked in the cafeteria, the place was already noisy with people talking and laughing. More and more people were entering the cafeteria so Delilah told Fawkes and Travis to book them a table while she and Firah ordered their foods. After they were done ordering their foods, the four of them fell into a comfortable conversation. Even Travis joined in, telling them about a joke that he heard a few days ago. When their foods finally arrived, Delilah took a good sniff of her food. She had ordered a laksa. Laksa is a spicy noodle soup, which has thick wheat noodles with chicken or prawns. It is usually served in spicy soup, which was based from coconut milk or sour asam. Delilah had chosen a prawn laksa. She could get a whiff of the rich and briny smell of laksa. It looked delicious, with toppings such as spongy deep-fried tofu, thinly-sliced steamed fish cakes, sliced onions and beansprouts over the rich and creamy spicy coconut milk curry and fresh rice noodles. Delilah scooped some of the broth into her soup spoon and took a sip. The broth has that heavy taste of slightly sweet and strongly spiced coconut gravy. The broth tasted thick and creamy as sweet warmth spread all over her body. She used her chopsticks to eat the noodles. The noodles tasted fresh, less chewy and less starchy. It blended well with the broth as the noodles soaked in more broth. She could also taste the meatier prawn that was in the laksa, as well. Overall, the prawn laksa tasted DEE-licious, perfect for a cold day or any day. While they were eating, they also talked with one another, talking about things that had happened in the office and in personal lives. Soon after, Travis was done with his lunch. And he excused himself from the group and left the cafeteria, dumping his dirty utensils at its respective places. The three of them fell into a complete silence after Travis left. Then Fawkes quickly turned to Delilah, "Woi woi, are you sure that you''re going to let the intern go to the marketing department next month?" Delilah sipped her ice lemon tea drink and said, "Of course not." Fawkes frowned. "B-b-but... you just said..." "I know what I''ve just said," Delilah replied. "But it doesn''t mean I will do it. You think I don''t know what he is up to?" she asked, cocking an eyebrow. "Besides, his monthly schedule is already fixed. I can''t change it, even if I want to," she added. "It will be tedious for me." Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. Fake people with fake intentions? Who has time for them, right? 26 CH26: Sisterly love "Friends can tell when friends are sad, so they say all you need is a friend and food." - Brittany Leigh Foreman ========================= *Thud* There was a sound of a cup being placed on Delilah''s desk as she was typing. Delilah looked up to find Aubree holding a cup of coffee with both of her hands, smiling. "Here you go, my treat," she said. Delilah breathed in the smell of fresh coffee and took a sip. "Thanks, I needed that." "How did it go?" Aubree asked. A couple of days before, Delilah had met up with some of the officers at the Ministry of Home Affairs (MOHA). They were meeting to discuss about potential sponsors for the Kang Company''s big event, which was proposed to be at the end of the year. Delilah was one of the representatives for the Kang Company to help discuss about the proposal. Other than the MOHA, Delilah would also need to meet up with the Ministry of Finance (MOF), since they need sponsors. This was to ensure that it was a legit request for sponsorship of event, not personal. After Delilah had met up with the MOHA officers, it drained her mentally. There were so many official documents and tasks that she needed to do. Other than writing a letter and so forth, she would also need to meet with other government bodies. Currently, Delilah was writing a report to be submitted to the government offices. And it was kind of tiring, especially when the people there were too rigid and strict in the format. And this was the third time she had changed the report. All because they were not satisfied with how Delilah wrote it. Informing her via the email that there were something missing and whatnot. It was making her stress more, thinking about the reports. Other than that, there were more changes and feedbacks from both Howard and Matt. Whenever Delilah made changes, instructed by Matt, Howard would find fault in it and tell her to change it. And whenever Delilah made changes, instructed by Howard, Matt would find it unsatisfactory and tell her to change it once again. It was making her frustrated. It was hard when you have two bosses who have different opinions. Yet, whenever they meet up with each other, they would say to each other, ''Good job''. When in fact, they were not satisfied with each other''s opinions. Delilah sighed to herself. ''Men, I can never understand them.'' To Aubree, she said, "Still hanging there." Aubree patted her on the shoulder and said, "Hang in there more." Minutes later, Delilah received a text message from one of her friends from high school. She was still in contact with Meena. It was just that they hardly meet each other, ever since Delilah had been busy with work and Meena was busy with her outside work activities. She was an active kick-boxer, who goes off to the gym nearly everyday after work. She tapped on the message on her phone and read the message. Her eyes widened in shock after reading the texts, her eyes brimmed with tears. She wiped away the tears with the back of her hand, while holding her phone with another. Meena just texted her that one of their friends from high school, Brianna, just passed away. It was really shocking and sad. Delilah thought of the day when she last saw her with Meena. They had coincidentally met during the travel fair two years ago. Brianna was the same bubbly friend, who greeted them with big smiles and hugs. It was a shock to find out that she already had cancer when they last met. She looked healthy, back then. There were no signs of her being sick. She was too young to die. In fact, she was actually too young, back then to have a child. Before Brianna died, she was already a divorcee with two little children. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. This so disheartened Delilah that she could not find words to reply back to Meena. And unfortunately, Delilah could not go to the burial nor to Brianna''s house for the prayers because she had to work overtime. She had to stay-back because she has so many things to do that was due tomorrow. Soon after, Delilah sent a quick reply to Meena, telling her that she could not go with her that night but instead, will join her at other nights. Delilah felt guilty about missing the prayers for her late friend. But there was nothing else she could do but mourned quietly. After she had sent the message, she tried to continue working on her tasks but it proved to be quite difficult. She could not help but reminisce about the fun times she had with Brianna. Although, Brianna was not a close friend as Meena was to her but she was a good friend. She always had fun with her; studying, playing and joking around. Delilah clenched her fists determinedly as she stared down at the reports that she was working on. ''No, I must concentrate on my work'', she thought firmly to herself. There was no use mourning over regrets and sadness. All I can do is pray for her life and finish this. She then continued her work until an hour later. She quickly packed her things and switched off her computer. Delilah was on her way to her car when her phone rings. She was surprised to see it was her sister who was calling her. Thinking that something must have happened or something, she answered the call. "Hello?" Delilah answered. "Hey, Meena just texted me. Are you okay?" Delilah frowned as she unlocked her car. "Yeah..." she said slowly, confused. "Why wouldn''t I be?" "Heard about Brianna''s." Delilah let out a soft laugh. "Ah, I see," she said. "I''m okay. No worries about it. I can just go to her house some other nights," she continued, as she got inside her car. She then leaned back against the driver''s seat, not in a rush to go home. "Want to go out and grab some ice-cream?" Delilah quickly sat straight and frowned. "What''s this about? What about Kael? Who is taking care of him now?" Miya laughed. "Don''t worry about Kael. His dad is taking care of him now." Delilah rolled her eyes. "Come on! I''ll treat you to some honey toast!" Miya pleaded, when there was no answer from Delilah''s. "Why are you being so nice to me?" Delilah frowned. Suspicion leaked in her voice. Doubt can be heard from her tone when Delilah heard her sister treating her to a dessert. "I''ve always been nice!" Miya protested. "You need a sister night out and I''m treating you to a honey toast!" Delilah rolled her eyes again. "Fine fine. Where shall we meet?" she asked, as she switched on the ignition. "Ahhh... about that..." Miya said slowly. Delilah stopped, waiting for Miya to continue. "Can you pick me up at home? I''m too lazy to drive. Hehe," Miya giggled. Delilah groaned. "Fine, fine. Give me a few minutes." After Delilah had picked up Miya from home, she then drive them to a dessert shop that specialized in desserts. One of their bestsellers were the honey toasts. Luckily, when the two women had arrived at the shop, it was still open and there wasn''t many people inside the shop. The shop was quite quaint with the walls painted light cream and vintage caf¨¦ string lights all over the ceilings. There were soft faint music playing in the background, with sounds of light chatters and laughter inside, giving the place a homey kind of atmosphere. When Delilah and Miya walked inside the caf¨¦, they were greeted with cheery hellos from the baristas. They chose a table, which was not far from the entrance and sat down. A waitress then came up to them, handing a menu to each of them. Both women skimmed through the menu, all the while, keep asking each other, "What will you have?" Once the waitress had taken their orders, Miya began to coax Delilah to start talking. She said that she should not keep it all to herself. So, Delilah did. She talked about work and about her time with Brianna. She did not expect that Brianna would die so young. She did have some regrets of not meeting up with Brianna often. Miya stood up and gave her a hug, patting her on the back. A tear drop from a corner of Delilah''s eyes. She took a deep breath as she did not want to weep in public. Just then, their dessert came. The two of them had ordered a honey toast with two ice lemon teas. They decided to share the honey toast since it was a large one. The two women decided to take a break from their conversation and just enjoy their food. Delilah picked up a small bowl filled with honey from the tray and poured it all over the honey toast, The honey dripped onto the vanilla ice-cream which was on top of the warm buttery bread cubes. There were also slices of strawberries by the side of the honey toast, sprinkled with icing sugar. Both Delilah and Miya took a small fork and stab through one of the bread cubes. Delilah brought the cube to her mouth and ate it. The bread cube felt soft and fluffy in her mouth. The sweetness from the honey and icing sugar combined with the buttery toast, it felt like heaven had just descended inside her mouth. Delilah scooped some of the ice-cream, together with the bread cube and eat it. The smooth ice-cream melted into the bread cube, making it more softer and spongey. It tasted so delicious that the two of them concentrated on eating the toast, rather than talking. They even ate the loaf shell of the toast, which was crunchy and sweet. Just as Delilah was about to take the last piece of the bread cube, Miya had pushed Delilah''s fork away with her own fork. "This is mine!" she said, stabbing on the last piece. Delilah rolled her eyes and let her sister take the last piece. She smiled, watching her sister eats. It was good to know that a sister can be your best friend too. They DEE-finitely know when you need someone to cheer you up. 27 CH27: CV clinic "The only time to eat diet food, is while you''re waiting for the steak to cook." - Julia Child ========================= It has been a busy week for Delilah and Firah. For weeks, they have been going back and forth between the office and the local university, where Deegan studied. A couple of months ago, the university has sent an invitation letter to conduct a talk. Graduation day will be coming up soon in a couple of weeks and the university had planned to hold up a job fair for the fresh graduates and the unemployed people. They had invited the Kang Company to give a talk on how to write CVs and how to improve their writing. At the same time, to showcase their company and introduce themselves to the public. Initially, it was supposed to be Howard''s job to give the talk and do the CV clinics, however, it clashed with his time in Malaysia. He was assigned to go with Travis to Malaysia to watch the robotic competition. Hence, he had to pass the task to Delilah and Firah. And that was why Delilah and Firah had been busy the past few weeks. They had to meet up with several people, as well as contractors for their booth. Aubree had suggested to bring Deegan along during the talk since it will be held at his university. Other than Deegan, Howard had also discussed with several heads of the department on whom in their team will join the talk. These employees would not be giving a talk on how to write and improve their CV writing but rather, to manned the booth. At that moment, Delilah and Firah were sitting at the visitor''s room, the same place where Fawkes and Travis met them the other day. The two had just finished with their discussion and had decided to call it a day. The talk will be tomorrow and the two women were satisfied with what they have done. Delilah collected all the papers that were on the table and arranged them in order, before placing them inside a folder. She then handed the folder to Firah and asked, "Do you want to bring this for tomorrow?" The two had decided that they will go straight to the university since the event will start at 8am in the morning. Firah shook her head, rejecting the folder. "No, no. You carry it. It will only messed up in my backpack," she said, pointing at her backpack. Delilah peered inside Firah''s backpack and grimaced. There were a lot of crumpled sheets of paper inside. "What the heck do you put inside?" Firah took some of the sheets out and scrutinized each paper one by one. "Uh¡­ This is my car''s insurance paper¡­ Oh, some certificates that I got from previous events¡­ Probably, from last year," she mumbled, as she reads them aloud. Delilah facepalmed. "Never mind. I''ll bring it myself, then." Firah grinned. "Okay!" she then shoved the papers back into her backpack and zipped it close. "Makes me wonder how you got to be an HR," Delilah commented. Firah frowned. "Hey, that''s just rude," she pouted. Delilah giggled. "I''m just kidding," she teased, patting Firah on the shoulder. "Come on and let''s go. We got to prepare for tomorrow!" Firah nodded as the two of them walked out of the office, signing out for the day. ---- The day of Job Fair Delilah was arranging the flyers at their booth when Firah arrived, carrying a small box. Inside the box, there were several pens, which were for the people who have come to their booth. The pen will be given to them as a free door gift, each time anyone hand in their CVs. Minutes later, more of the Kang company''s employees came and Delilah briefly gave them instructions on what to do and what to expect. She handed each of them a couple of flyers to pass to the people. Then Delilah had a quick talk with Firah for their talk which will be happening in an hour. While waiting for the talk to start, Delilah went to double check her script and notes, making sure that she has memorized the important points that she wanted to present during the talk. When the talk finally started, Delilah had walked up to the front, facing the audience, with Firah standing by her side as support. She first congratulate the fresh graduates on their graduation, she then talked about the importance of CVs and how to write a good CVs may attract potential and interested employers. She also talked about how to find jobs, especially in small country as theirs. Once she was done with the talks, she invited the audience to ask her any questions. She calmly answer them one by one. Firah joined in, helping Delilah with the answering of the questions, as well. And after she was done with the question and answer sessions, Delilah invited the audience to attend her CV writing clinic if they need further help. It took them more than two hours to wrap things up. It took longer than their allocated time but the organizer had given Delilah and Firah some extra time. Deegan were also there, where he helped with welcoming those who needed help with their CVs. After they were done, Aubree had come over to help with the cleaning up. Since it was a one-day event, it had been a hectic and tiring day. Aubree did not joined the event because she had to stay in the office, since Howard was not in the country. She can only join them after office hours. Once they had finished with the clean up, Aubree invited Delilah, Firah and Deegan out for an early dinner. Deegan, who felt awkward being the only male in the group, tried to decline. But Aubree and Delilah kept persuading him, which in the end, he accepted. Delilah discreetly texted Fawkes as well, inviting him to dinner, which he replied ''Sure, just text me the location.'' Firah was craving for some chicken and beef satay so they decided to go to a popular Indonesian restaurant nearby. Delilah suggested to carpool since it would be convenient. The three of them agreed. Deegan volunteered to be the driver so they went to his car, which was a Toyota Corolla. Few minutes later, they arrived at the restaurant. The place was not as packed as it usually was, which was good for them. They do not have to look for an empty table. Delilah had already texted Fawkes where the place was, which he promptly replied back with a ''I''ll be there in a few minutes. Otw now.'' [Otw = On the way]. They had just placed their orders, when Fawkes arrived a few minutes after. Luckily, he had already texted Delilah earlier on what he wanted to eat. So, they do not have to order again. The five of them began to talk with one another, with Delilah and Firah munching on the free peanuts, served on the table. Shortly after, their foods have arrived. They had ordered satays and chicken penyet with rice. They decided to share the satays among them, where they had chosen beef and chicken. Delilah took a quick picture of her chicken penyet with rice before cutting the chicken into small pieces. Most chicken penyet were served, using chicken thigh, where it was deep-fried to give a crunchy texture. It was usually eaten with its sambal, which was spicy and sometimes sweet. Delilah loved how she would bite into the luscious and juicy chicken, which also has that extra crunch from the deep fry. When she ate the chicken together with the sambal and the rice, it was fulfilling and satisfying because her tastebud was bombarded with many tastes in one time; savoury, filling, spicy, sweet and a bit sour. It was so satisfying that it made her feel content. And apparently, the event had really worn Delilah out that she ordered another chicken penyet, without the rice. ---- Weeks later after the job fair event. "Hey, Delilah," Bella greeted as she walked over to Delilah. Delilah was in her cubicle, chatting on discordance when Bella walked up to her. She quickly minimized the discordance window and turned around to face Bella. "Heyo, what''s up?" Bella handed her a couple of papers and said, "I received this from the mail. Seems like its a letter from the university where you all did the CV talk." Delilah frowned. "Oh, I wonder how come they don''t just email?" she asked, confused. Bella shrugged. "Don''t know. Probably they want it to be more official and still in old-school?" Bella assumed. Delilah gave a soft laugh. "Ah, ok, I guess so. Thanks." Bella nodded and waved goodbye as she walked out of the office. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. Delilah turned back around and read the document. The university had sent a letter of appreciation and had written lots of feedback. But most of all, they loved how the company was really helpful and all. She smiled. Thinking how glad she was that the talk had gone so well. Delilah set the papers aside. She will give it to Howard once he returns. For now, lets just savour the fact that they all did a great job, even if Howard was not around! 28 CH28: The beautiful Somtam "Fill your plate with the colour of the rainbow, what pleases the eyes, pleases the body as a whole." - Deepak Chopra ========================= It was a bright Sunday morning, with the curtains opened up wide, inviting the sunlight to light up the dining room at Delilah''s home. The day was hot, where there was little wind in the air. Delilah had to switch on the ceiling fan to keep herself cool. She was having her breakfast, a simple meal of boiled eggs and peanut butter toast. She was about to pour some soy sauce on her eggs when her nephew came running in, screaming. His eyes were still brimming in tears as he ran towards Delilah, crying. Delilah cringed at the sudden scream and asked softly, "Kael, what''s wrong?" Kael sniffed loudly, rubbing his eyes. "Ma¡­ mama¡­ I don''t want¡­ Mama angry¡­ Don''t want¡­ shower¡­ Want play¡­." he sobbed. Delilah stroked his head and lifted him onto her lap, hugging him. "Awww¡­ Don''t be sad. It''s ok. Hug me!" Kael returned her hug, still crying. Shortly after, Miya came in, with an angry scowl on her face. When she saw Delilah babying Kael on her lap, her scowl deepened and she stomped towards them. Miya grabbed Kael and scolded, "Stop crying and get back upstairs for a shower!" Kael began to scream. "No! No! I don''t want!" he screamed, while shaking his head. He tried to grab Delilah but Miya had already lifted him into her arms. She then lifted Kael onto her shoulder, ignoring his squirming around. Miya smacked him on the butt, not too rough. "Stop it. You''ll fall down and hurt yourself!" Delilah watched the whole scene in front of her, while eating her eggs. "So, why is he crying?" "I told him to go and take a bath. Because his grandparents will be picking him up for an outing," her sister explained, still holding tight to the wriggling child. The grandparents Miya was referring to were her in-laws. "I see," Delilah nodded in understanding. Her sister and her family stayed in their house. They do not have a home of their own, even though, Miya wanted one. Before Delilah and Miya''s mother passed away a year ago, Miya actually had looked around for a new house to stay in, with her husband and son. But then their mother unexpectedly died so they had to postponed their plans because they would not want their father to stay alone in their current house. Even if Delilah and her other brother were still staying there. Miya did discussed with Delilah before on how she would like to look for a much bigger house where they could all live together. Delilah turned back to her meal, while fiddling with her phone. "Oh yeah, you better go take a shower too," Miya said to Delilah, as she was about to climb up the stairs. Delilah turned back to Miya and whined, "Ehhhhh! But why??" "I want to go to this convention and I need you to accompany me." "Ehhhhhhh¡­. But I don''t wanna go," Delilah groaned. "I want to stay at home and do nothing!" "It''s a food expo," Miya said calmly. Delilah stuffed her peanut butter toast into her mouth and quickly chewed. She pushed Miya out of the way as she ran up the stairs. "Okay, lets go. Can''t be late!" ---- Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. Every six months, the tourism board of the country would hold a food convention, where they will invite many food vendors with different cuisines to showcase their country''s specialty and local dishes. Most of the countries were from South East Asia, where one might see local dishes from Thailand, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore and more. The convention usually held at the international convention center, where there will be a huge wide hall, perfect for booths to be set up. There were more space to set up a dining area. The food convention normally lasted for three days, which was during the weekend. And also nearer to the end of the month. This was because it was convenient, especially when payday was nearer to the end of the month, as well. When Delilah and Miya arrived at the international convention center, the place was packed with people. There were people queuing at certain stalls and people sitting at the dining area, clearly enjoying their food. It was as if nearly everyone in town were here. Luckily, the place was air conditioned, so it was not too hot. Delilah had been craving for some somtam, which was Thailand''s delicacy, also known as papaya salad. It can also be mango salad, as well. She loved the taste of both spicy and sour at the same time. She immediately went straight for the stall that sells it and ordered one. She waited patiently as she watched the vendor prepare her somtam. Her sister, Miya, was at the other stall to buy some drinks for them. The vendor first grabbed two cloves of peeled garlic and chilies and put it in a large mortar. She then began to pound them into smaller bits. Then she poured in a bit of palm sugar, fish sauce and lime juice. The vendor then swiftly mixed the ingredients together while pounding at the same time. Then she added some crushed peanuts, dried shrimps and some tomatoes and pound them altogether softly. She then tossed handfuls of shredded green papaya into the mixture and mixed them thoroughly. Delilah watched as the food vendor scooped the somtam into an empty takeout container and handed it to her. She then paid for her food and went to look for her sister. She found Miya sitting alone at one of the tables in the dining area, eating some noodles. She was eating some fried noodles with chicken. Miya looked up when she saw Delilah approached. Delilah grabbed a seat and sat down, placing the somtam takeout on the table, between them. She then opened the takeout and grabbed a spork. She scooped some somtam and eat. She loved how the colours of the somtam blended gorgeously together. It was like a rainbow! The beautiful range of flavours hit her tongue as she chewed on the wet and sour shredded green papaya. But as she ate more, the lingering spicy taste finally strike her taste buds. Though, it was a satisfying feeling as she loved the combination of spicy, sweet and sour at the same time. Although, the shredded green papaya tasted tangy but with the sauce, it tastes less crunchy and more zesty. Miya also sneaked in a bite and closed her eyes in bliss. The two sisters continued to enjoy their food, while talking about what has been going on at home and at work and also laughed over Kael''s antics. He has become mischievous lately, sometimes whenever Miya wanted to scold him, she had to control her facial expression. He really knows how to make use of his tears as well as giving reasons to not do his homework. There were times that Miya had given up and passed the baton to Delilah, much to Delilah''s annoyance. One time, Delilah tried to help Kael with his homework. But he was too easily distracted, playing with his toys and scribbling doodles in his homework, instead. Delilah got so frustrated that she picked up his homework and the child himself. She carried the child and the homework in her arms to Miya''s room. She then dumped Kael onto the bed, making him giggle. Her sister, who was lying on her stomach on her bed, looked up in surprise. "I give up," Delilah said simply and left the room. Before they left the convention center, Delilah and Miya stopped at several more stalls to buy some food. By the time that they had finished, their hands were filled with takeouts and plastic bags. It appears that they have become richer in food and poorer in money. As they were about to leave the center, Delilah had run into one of her colleagues from work. Her colleague greeted her with a wave and a huge smile. She then laughed when she saw the many bags in Delilah''s hands. "Wow, you''ve been shopping, haven''t you?" Delilah grinned. "Yup! The type of shopping that I love!" 29 CH29: Blessed to have friends like them "The people who gave you their food, gave you their heart." - Cesar Chavez Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. ========================= "Beep! Beep!" Delilah groggily woke up from her sleep, rubbing her eyes as she yawned. She peered at her phone, which was on her bedside table, blinking to keep awake. When she read ''6:45AM'', her eyes widened in shock. She jumped out of her bed, grabbed her bath towel, which was lying on top of her chair and ran into the bathroom. Few minutes later, she went out of the bathroom with her bath towel wrapped around her. She quickly grabbed some clean clothes and put it on. As always, she cursed herself every time she woke up late. She had spent the night before, reading novels and chatting in discordance. Despite the numerous times her friends in discordance keep nagging her to sleep, she only pretends to be offline. Instead, she went to read her novel (Yup, got busted here!). One time, she had already told her friends that she was off to sleep but went to read, instead. Unfortunately, the novel that she was reading made her annoyed and want to throw a tantrum so she went back to discordance to rant. Instead of sympathizing with her, her friends scolded her for not sleeping. So, after much nagging from them, Delilah finally fell asleep at 2 AM in the morning. Unfortunately, she went into a deep sleep, not realizing her mobile phone had been beeping non-stop. She usually used the alarm clock app from her phone. Ignoring the rumbling noises from her stomach, she jumped into her car and drive off to the office. She was too sleepy to make breakfast, what more lunch. It was a sacrifice she has to make that day. She does not want to be late anymore. After she parked her car, Delilah dragged herself into the office. Mumbling a greeting to Bella who was at the front desk counter, she yawned all the way to her cubicle. It took a lot of her remaining energy to even walk to her cubicle. She was already thinking to sneak some sleep during lunch hour. Once she was in her cubicle, the people around her were already hard at work. Murmurs of discussion swept through the air, making the office a bit lively. She already noticed that Deegan''s stuff was in his cubicle but the person himself was not around. Delilah assumed that he must already went up to the Safety department floor. Looking over at the cubicle on her other side, she also noticed that Firah was not around, as well. Then she saw a note sticking on her monitor, that reads ''For Delilah''. She went over and read the note. Apparently, Firah was at the other branch, meeting with Howard. She would not be back at the office until after lunch. Delilah sighed. Guess she will be alone this morning. She went back to her cubicle and started to do some work, continuing from yesterday''s work. She swiftly worked through lunch, not realising the time. An hour after lunch has passed, Delilah felt her stomach grumbling. It began to growled so loud that there were some people at the office looked at her direction. Delilah was so embarrassed that she ducked her head to hide, rubbing her stomach. Glancing at the table clock on her desk, it was then she realised the time. No wonder her stomach was rumbling. She opened her drawer where her stash of snacks were and was sadly disappointed to see it was empty. She forgot to stock up her snacks, it seems. She then checked her handbag to grab her purse. But after rummaging through for some time, even taking her things out one by one, she could not find her purse. She groaned. Where could it be? She wondered. It was then she remembered that she was using a different handbag yesterday. She had grabbed the wrong bag after changing it. She holds her head in despair. How could she be careless? She slumped over her table, feeling sorry for herself. ''What am I going to do?'' She thought to herself. Just then, Aubree was passing by Delilah''s cubicle when she saw Delilah lying on her table, looking depressed. "What''s wrong?" she asked in concern. "I forgot my money and my lunch. I''m so hungry. How can I buy food when I have no money with me?" Delilah cried. Aubree blinked in surprise. "How did you forget your money? Isn''t that your bag?" she asked, pointing at the bag which was on Delilah''s table. "Yeah, but my purse is in another bag," Delilah wailed. "And I was late today so I didn''t have the time to cook." Aubree patted Delilah on the shoulder, trying to console her. Delilah slumped over her table, feeling too hungry to say a single word. Aubree then went off to her table, leaving Delilah alone. Few minutes later, Aubree returned, carrying a food container. She placed it in front of Delilah, who was still slumping over her table, her cheek resting on the table. "What''s this?" Delilah asked. "You can have this," Aubree offered her food. "I actually went out for lunch earlier with my boyfriend. And I didn''t get to eat the foods I brought from home." Delilah immediately rejected her offer as she sat up straight, facing Aubree. "No, no. I couldn''t take your food, Aubree. What if you suddenly get hungry again?" she asked. Sometimes Delilah would still get hungry before going back home. So, she usually eat some leftovers from her lunch if she could not finish it or some snacks. Thus, she was worried that Aubree would be the same. Aubree tsked. "Ugh, just take it," she pressed, shoving the food container into Delilah''s hands. Delilah opened the cover of the container and saw spaghetti carbonara inside. Her eyes widened and her mouth was already drooling. Delilah looked up at Aubree, her lips twitching, as if she was trying to hold back her tears. "Bless you, Aubree!" she cried out. "And bless me!" Aubree rolled her eyes at her antics and pulled Delilah off her seat. She then pushed her towards the pantry room and said, "Go and have your lunch now." Delilah nodded and went to the pantry. Inside the pantry, there were two chairs and a small round table. Earlier before, when Delilah had brought her ash reshteh, there were actually no table and chairs. Apparently, someone had requested to the general affairs to add these furniture. Which Delilah thought was a convenient idea. At least, she does not have to eat in her cubicle or go down to the cafeteria. Delilah walked over to the pantry country to grab some plastic cutlery and went to the microwave to reheat the food. Once done, she sat down and began to eat. The pasta was cooked to perfection; soft and smooth. The carbonara sauce tasted creamy, milky and savoury with a bit of a pinch of herbs. It was a simple dish but the flavour was thick and rich. Together with bits of beef mixed in it, it has that little taste of meat. It was so delicious that she nearly licked the whole container. Or probably, she was just hungry. Delilah loved the smooth thickness of the rich creamy carbonara. Once she was done eating, she went to wash the food container and threw the plastic cutlery in the recycle bin. Delilah immediately went to Aubree''s cubicle and thanked her for the food, handing her her food container. A few minutes later, Delilah was in the middle of writing a report, which was needed to be sent to Matt when Deegan arrived at his cubicle. Delilah looked up, surprised and quickly looked over at Firah''s. Apparently, she has not arrived yet. Just then, Deegan reached over the top of Delilah''s cubicle and placed a bag of potato chips on her desk. Delilah was startled at the sudden intrusion. A nice intrusion, of course. Who would want to reject free potato chips? She held up the bag of potato chips and looked up at Deegan, who was resting both of his arms on top of the cubicle wall, with his chin on top of his arms. She looked at him with a questioning look on her face, gesturing at the bag of potato chips. Deegan grinned. "Heard you were hungry so I bought you some potato chips." "For me?" she asked. Deegan nodded. "Sure, if you''d like. I already bought one for myself too," he said, stepping back. Delilah stood up and peeked over at Deegan''s table. Sure enough, there were more bags of potato chips on his table. She grinned at him and thanked him. Deegan gave her a mock salute and said, "No problem!" He then sat down and began to work. Delilah, too, sat back down and continue to work, her hands working to open the bag of potato chips. She felt blessed to have such caring colleagues. Now, she became more motivated to work harder. 30 CH30: Making it pretty does not mean its the bes "People want honest, flavourful food, not some show-off meal that takes days to prepare." - Ted Allen ========================= It was a less than a month before the quarterly team building event will be held, hosted by the Safety department. It was less chaotic in the office and it was rather quiet. The weather was not that hot either, with some cool breeze blowing in the air. However, in the Safety department floor, people were walking briskly here and there and in and out of the office. Now that Deegan was no longer working with the Safety department, the office was back to its chaotic environment. Sam, who had assigned Sofia, a bubbly and petite young woman to work together with Deegan, had been in discussion with her for the final touch-up of the planning. So, now that Deegan was back in the Human Resource department, he only contact Sofia now and then since Delilah had already given him a task to work. Delilah had decided that Deegan should be doing two presentations, one presentation on his working with the Human Resource department and another about the quarterly team building event. He will be presenting the second presentation a week after the quarterly team building event. Basically, presenting on what his role was, what he had done and so forth. Currently, Delilah was in the room at the lobby, where she and Firah used to do their discussion. That day, she brought Deegan with her to discuss. She started to like doing her discussion there because there was a vending machine nearby and it was spacious and quiet. Easier and convenient for Delilah to do her discussion with her colleagues. Deegan was fidgeting in his seat while Delilah was reading his report quietly, taking notes on her mind. She was mumbling to herself as she reads. It was as if Deegan was in a principal''s office, waiting to be reprimanded. Minutes later, though, what felt like a decade after, for Deegan, Delilah placed the report on the table, which was between the two of them. Delilah looked at him from across the table and asked, "So, anything you would like to say?" Deegan shook his head. "No, ma''am." Delilah rolled her eyes. "Why the sudden formality? I told you before, you can call me ''Delilah''." She then leaned over and tapped a finger on the report. "This report that you''ve just did? I can tell that it''s a last minute work. When did you start working on it? Did you know that you''ll be giving a presentation in the next two days?" she asked, looking stern. Deegan started to feel cold sweat, trying hard to look at Delilah in the eye. "Uh, yes," he stammered. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. "And why does it look like a last minute work? Don''t tell me that it isn''t. I know the differences between last minute work and weeks of preparation. And I''ve also seen your previous works. There were much better than this ''thing''," Delilah said, visibly cringing when she said ''thing''. Deegan winced. He did not expect this ''harsh'' statement from her. "I forgot about it. I have been working with the safety department and did not remember that I have this work and also¡­ I only did it last night," he admitted, feeling ashamed. Delilah shook her head in disappointment. "Last night or early this morning at 3AM?" Deegan''s eyes widened in surprise. How did she know? Delilah rolled her eyes as she leaned back against her seat, her arms crossed across her chest. "Oh please. I was a student, once. I know," she scoffed. She did not say out loud that she could see the visible eye bags beneath his eyes. Deegan scratched the back of his neck awkwardly and kept quiet. "So, I want to see changes to this report," Delilah stated, tapping on the report. "Make sure that you are prepared for the presentation in the next two days. Don''t give me any excuses if you''re not done. Be aware that this is actually for YOU. This presentation is not to torture or embarrass you but for you to practice your public speaking." Deegan nodded, looking down at his clenched fists. "I will be inviting other people to the presentation. It won''t only be from the HR office but others. This will be a surprise for you," Delilah added. Deegan nodded. A few minutes later, after Delilah had pointed out to him on what needed to be changed in his report, she had dismissed him for the day. After Deegan had left the room, Delilah stayed behind as she gazed off, looking out at the streets. She watched as people walked by, there were some walking in haste, with their phone to their ear. And there were some walking leisurely with their hands holding their child''s hand, as they talked and laughed. It seems peaceful and nice, especially when there was a swift breeze in the air. Delilah''s smile widened as she watched the child giggling as she seems to be laughing at what her mother was telling her. It was a lovely sight to see. And this was when Firah walked in and saw Delilah watching them. "Hey, what''s up?" Firah asked. She then looked over at what Delilah was watching and cooed, "Awww¡­ Isn''t that cute?" Delilah nodded. "Looks delicious too." Firah frowned, confused. "Delicious?" she asked. "What''s so delicious about a mother and her kid? Isn''t it suppose to be cute?" Delilah turned to Firah, frowning back at her. "What mother and kid?" she asked, also confused. She felt like the two of them were having two different conversations. Delilah then pointed at the child. "I''m talking about that!" Firah turned and looked closely at the child. It was then she noticed that she was holding a transparent cake box with a slice of red velvet cake inside. It was tied with a red ribbon and covered with a white cover. But the box itself was transparent, enabling anyone to see what was inside. Firah face palmed. ''Why am I not surprised to know that she was actually talking about the cake?'' Firah thought to herself. ----- Deegan''s presentation day. Yesterday, Deegan had come up to Delilah, asking whether he can ask for an extension to his presentation. Delilah frowned when he requested that. She had asked him his reason for an extension. Apparently, he was not ready and his presentation was not what he had expected. Hence, he wanted to redo the whole presentation. The excuse that he had given to Delilah made her frowned more. It was an utter ridicule. Delilah kept asking him what was his expectation and what made him not ready? He had days of preparation. In fact, Delilah had already told him about the presentation two weeks ago. He should already be prepared. And it was a simple task, compared to writing a 8,000 word report. When it was time for the presentation, Delilah led Deegan to one of the meeting rooms on the Human Resource department floor. She gave Deegan time to set up his laptop and presentation while she sat on one of the chairs. She placed her notebook on the conference table, writing some notes while waiting for the other officers to join. Few minutes later, Aubree walked into the room, followed by Sam and Jafar. The three of them quietly take their seats; Aubree beside Delilah and Sam and Jafar on the other side of the conference table. Delilah nodded hello at the three of them and turned to Deegan. "We''re ready whenever you are, Deegan," she said. Deegan nodded and began his presentation. All throughout his talk, Delilah maintained her poker-face, not revealing her thoughts on her face as she scribbled on her notebook. Truthfully, she was a bit disappointed with his presentation. Oh, she could not find faults in the way he present. A bit of a mistake here and there but it was still alright. She liked that he has a good voice projection and was confident. However, it was the presentation slides itself that made Delilah disappointed. The design was too much; there were more unnecessary designs, than points. It was all a mess, with words scattering all over the slides. Deegan did not even talk about his purpose but straight away talked about what he has been doing and so forth. Once he was done with his presentation, Delilah then turned to the others and invited them to ask questions. Jafar only gave comment about his presentation whereas Sam and Aubree had asked him a couple of questions. After they were done with their own questions, it was Delilah''s turn. She immediately shot questions after questions. "Why does your presentation looks like its meant for a marketing presentation? I believe this is not a marketing presentation for you to sell your products and services. And have you mentioned about your purpose of this presentation? This presentation is too colourful that it is too blinding. For a professional presentation, making the presentation is not necessary. Unless, as I mentioned earlier, if you want to sell your products and services." Deegan was silent for a moment before voicing out his answer. Once the presentation has ended, Delilah left him with another task, which was to improvise himself and make amends to his presentation slides. He will be having another presentation a week after the quarterly team building event. She then went to her cubicle and decided to pack her things up before leaving the office. It was then she decided that she would like to treat herself for a meal. So, instead of driving straight home, she went to a western restaurant. She parked her car and went inside the restaurant. There, she had ordered a chicken steak with mushroom sauce. Delilah was scrolling through her social media, smiling at the memes being posted there, when her food finally arrived. The smell of freshly fried chicken steak with crunchy breadcrumbs made her mouth drooled. And the creamy yet rich mushroom sauce looked thick as it slid down the steak, making a small but chunky pool on the plate. She sliced the chicken steak and little puff of steam can be seen from the flesh of the chicken meat. It looked tender and juicy when cut. She scooped some of the sauce onto the steak and ate it. The chicken felt succulent to her taste buds, and together with the sauce, it added in the taste of earthy herbs and creamy thick flavour. It was very fulfilling and satisfying. Delilah was surprised to find the dish being cooked in a short time. Delilah nodded to herself, feeling satisfied. ''See? Even yummy food like this does not need to take too long to prepare and cook!'' she thought. 31 CH31: Blackout 1 "If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world." - J. R. R. Tolkien ========================= The office was buzzing with keyboard tappings and small chatters when suddenly, the whole office went dark. A sudden shriek of fright and surprise soon came after with a bit of panicked questions of ''What''s happening?'' echoed around the office. Then thunder came in, followed by a huge sound of lightning. It sounded so near that nearly everyone panicked in the room. Delilah had just saved her work at that time when her computer suddenly shuts down, enclosing her into darkness. She blinked her eyes in surprise at the sudden absence of lightness. She rubbed her eyes, trying to adjust to the dark. She bit her lower lip, trying not to panic. ''Shoot. I hope I managed to save it in time,'' she thought to herself. She looked up and heard many people were talking, still in a state of confusion. She stood up and looked over at Firah, who was sitting leisurely inside her cubicle, her phone in her hands. "Eh, eh!" Delilah asked softly. "What happened?" "As you can see," Firah said slowly, her eyes still on her phone and her hands pressing on it furiously, "We have no electricity and there''s a blackout." "How can that be? The management did not pay the electric bill, is it?" Delilah asked, confused. Firah rolled her eyes. "Woi woi, how can that be ah?" she asked in disbelief. "The company is just stingy, not broke." Behind Delilah, Deegan also stood up and walked over to them. "I just saw on Instagram. There seems to be some viral video about one of the power plants being hit by lightning. That''s probably one of the reasons why there''s a blackout." Delilah cautiously walked to the windows of the office and looked out. Sure enough, the streets and the buildings nearby were also shrouded in darkness. There were no longer sounds of thunder but there was still little pitter-patter of rain. People were running on the streets, trying to find shelter from the rain. There were also traffic jams on the road where the cars do not seem to be moving. Firah stood beside her, her phone still in her hands, pressing the buttons. "Whoa," she said, pausing her game. "Its really dark out there!" Delilah nodded. Firah stretched her arms above her head and said, "So, what are we going to do next? I doubt we can do some work if the electricity is not on." Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. Delilah shrugged. "Lets ask Aubree." The two of them walked over to Aubree''s cubicle. Inside, Aubree was texting on her phone, so engrossed in it that she did not realize the two of them were standing behind her. Delilah knocked softly on the wall of Aubree''s cubicle. "Hey, Aubree. What''s going to happen?" she asked, in concern. Aubree looked up and gave a small smile. "Oh hey you two," she greeted. She then waved her phone at them and said, "I''m currently texting Howard and Matt about this. Just give me a few minutes." The two of them nodded and went back to their own cubicles. Once they were inside their own cubicles, Deegan got up from his and looked over at Delilah. He stood up and rested his forearms on top of the cubicle wall. "I heard from Sofia that Sam told them to work from home instead." Delilah cocked an eyebrow. "From home? You sure they will work from home?" she scoffed. Deegan shrugged. "I''m not sure how they work. But she said that they will still need to submit their work. Regardless of where they are, I guess." Delilah nodded as she leaned back against her seat. "Well, makes sense, though. No use hanging around here when we can''t even do our work. There hasn''t been any update on when the electricity will be back on." Firah turned to Delilah. "Lets head near the window and have our hot chocolate and snacks." Delilah grinned. "Best idea ever!" Earlier this morning, Delilah and Firah managed to stop by at a small shop to buy some snacks and hot drinks. The shop was a mini mart that also provides hot drinks. It was rather convenient for Delilah and Firah since it was on their way to the office. The two of them grabbed a chair each and a small round table, placing them in front of the window. They both sipped their hot chocolate, while enjoying the raining scene in front of them. The hot chocolate tasted thick, rich and creamy. It really soothe Delilah as the feeling of the warm and sweet chocolate liquid filled her. She loved how the chocolate felt like ambrosia to the soul, making one more energized and cosy. Firah also brought some chocolate chip cookies, which she bought at the mini mart. She shared it with Delilah, who quickly snatched one before Firah could say, ''Help yourself''. Both of them were used to stealing each others'' snacks, hence why Firah couldn''t care less about Delilah doing it. She also does that to her. Delilah took a bite out of the cookie, ignoring the crumbs that fell onto her lap. The cookies that Firah had brought was chewy and nutty. It was not that sweet, which was perfect for her since the hot chocolate was already sweet. But as Delilah chewed, she could taste a hint of cinnamon in the cookie. It was no wonder that the cookie was aromatic, as well, with an inkling of woodsy scent. And it was kind of addicting, because the two of them could not stop eating as their hands keep wandering inside the cookie bag. Minutes later, Aubree walked over, with her phone in her hand. "Howard just texted me. He said that since we still got the afternoon work, those who lived near the second branch, can go there. But the others, you all can go home. Make sure to submit your reports today to the other branch before 5PM." Delilah slumped over the round table. "Oh shoot. Do I need to go to the other branch?" she asked. Her house was actually fifteen minutes away from the second branch, compared to the office where she was currently working in. Firah grinned as she began to stand up to pack her things. "Haha, good luck, Delilah." "Demmit," Delilah cursed softly. She then stood up and walked over at Deegan, who was playing with his phone inside his cubicle. "Deegan, you can go home now. Just send your report to me via email, okay?" Deegan looked up, surprised and then nodded. "Sure." He began to pack his things and went home. Delilah turned to Aubree, who was standing behind her. "What about you?" she asked. Aubree revealed a cheeky smile and said, "Me? I''m going home." Delilah cursed under her breath again. Aubree laughed at Delilah''s unfortunate luck. ---- An hour later. Delilah had just parked her car at the employee parking lot. She sighed in resignation as she grabbed her bags from her car and dragged herself to the office. The other branch was in another central business district. Compare to the headquarters, the office at the other branch was quite small as it was located on the first floor of a building. The branch itself occupies the first and second floor of the building. On the first floor, it has five rooms and a reception desk. And the second floor only has six rooms with a pantry room. Both floors have their own restrooms. What Delilah dislike about the office was that it has no sun. Meaning that the office was surrounded by buildings, hence, sunlight hardly grace their building. Sometimes, Delilah can feel suffocated in the office. Delilah climbed the stairs with heavy steps. As she opened the heavy wooden door with a soft, "Good morning!" Suddenly, there was an excited squeal from the reception desk. "Delilahhhh!!!" Delilah looked up and saw Amy standing up, behind the reception desk, all smiles. She was a beautiful dark hair young woman with a fair skin and rosy cheeks. She always wore makeup that was not too heavy but soft on her face. Not sexy as Bella but she was quite a good dresser as well. She worked as an admin in the other branch. The other branch does not have a receptionist, instead, it was usually the admin who worked in the front desk. Amy was also a friendly woman who smiles a lot and she loves batman¡­ a lot! In fact, her phone''s casing was a batman cover. And she likes to leave messages, ending with ''From Batman <3''. Delilah gave her a small smile. "Hey, Amy." Amy pouted. "Awww¡­ What''s with the small smile? Give me a huge smile!" she said out loud, spreading her arms wide. Delilah rolled her eyes and ignored her. She immediately went to Howard''s office, still ignoring Amy''s cries of ''Delilah, don''t ignore meeee!''. She knocked on the door and only came in when she heard Howard''s ''Come in''. She opened the door and peeked her head in. "Hey Howard, just want to inform you that I''m here." Howard looked up from his laptop and nodded. He was wearing a long red harem pants with a red plain t-shirt. For once, he was wearing something that was less loud but he looked too casual. "Ah, alright. Have you scan your fingerprint, just in case?" Delilah slapped on her forehead softly. "Ooof! I forgot. I will do it straight away." But she still peeked in, looking at his clothes. Howard, noticing that Delilah was staring at his clothes, laughed. "Haha, yeah. I was in a rush this morning." Delilah nodded as she squinted her eyes at him. "I see¡­" she said slowly. "I''m watching you¡­" Howard just laughed, thinking she was only joking. But then, Delilah was serious since it was her job to take note on the dress code, even if he was her supervisor. She walked to the fingerprint machine and scan her finger. Once done, she decided to join Amy at the receptionist area. Since she does not have an office there, she usually worked at the receptionist area. Delilah would only request for a room if she was working on confidential works. Claiming the extra computer at the receptionist area, she switched it on and began to sign in on her folders on the cloud. Luckily, she managed to save some of her files on the cloud, which made it easier for Delilah to work anywhere. Amy sighed loudly. Delilah turned to Amy, who was sitting beside her, just two seats away. "What''s wrong with you?" she asked. Amy looked up and shook her head. "I''ve been receiving weird messages from Isaac." Delilah raised an eyebrow. "Oh? What kind of messages?" Delilah was kind of surprised. Because from what she knows about Isaac, he was a quiet person, who worked in the Finance department. He does not interact much with the people in the office. He sometimes joined the event held by the office. And when you talked with him, he has this awkward and stiff way of talking, that made you want to scream at him to just relax. Sometimes Delilah even wonder whether he does it on purpose. She once asked Meena, who coincidentally used to study with him. And she said that he was like that too. He was quite good looking too. Lean and tall. But not Delilah''s type. And from what Delilah could remember, he was born from a rich family too. "Uhhh¡­ Like invitations to dinner and what not¡­" Amy said slowly, as she looked down on her phone. Delilah suddenly smiled, a cheeky smile on her face. "I see¡­ This seems interesting¡­ Tell me more¡­" she coaxed. 32 CH32: Blackout 2 "All the unhealthy food has been removed from the house, it was delicious." - Anonymous ========================= Delilah turned to Amy, who was sitting beside her, just two seats away. "What''s wrong with you?" she asked. Amy looked up and shook her head. "I''ve been receiving weird messages from Isaac." Delilah raised an eyebrow. "Oh? What kind of messages?" "Uhhh¡­ Like invitations to dinner and what not¡­" Amy said slowly, uncertainty in her tone. A small frown creased on her forehead. She looked troubled, staring down on her phone. Delilah suddenly smiled, a cheeky smile on her face. "I see¡­ This seems interesting¡­ Tell me more¡­" she coaxed. She leaned closer to Amy, trying to catch a glimpse of the text on Amy''s phone. Amy frowned suspiciously at Delilah. "Why do I get the feeling that you''re enjoying this?" she asked, her eyes narrowing. She doesn''t like the look on Delilah''s face, as if she was up to something that Amy knew she wouldn''t like. Delilah shrugged, pretending to be innocent. "Well, I''m curious." She then dragged her seat closer to Amy and whispered, "To be honest, I actually suspected that Isaac was into you. Now that I think about it." She leaned back against her seat, nodding as she talks, closing her eyes. "Why do you think so?" Amy asked, confused and curious to know Delilah''s answer. She really did not have a clue about Isaac''s crush. Delilah crossed her arms across her chest, still leaning against her seat. "Well, there was one time when he actually waited for you to go home and accompany you here late at night when he could have gone home." Amy frowned. "Doesn''t he do that to you all?" Delilah scoffed. "Please, girl. No," she disagreed, shaking her head. Why would a guy want to wait for someone unless it was a person that they like? Amy''s mouth dropped open in surprise in an ''o''. Realization suddenly dawned on her. "I mean, he even gave me this," Amy said, holding up a cute purple keychain. "At least, I would love it more if its batman!" Amy giggled. Delilah rolled her eyes. "I really don''t understand what''s going on in their mind. Do they think we women will return their feelings if they give us things?" she sneered at the guy''s ignorant actions. Amy''s eyebrows raised in surprise. "Oh? Someone gifted you something?" she asked, curious. Delilah nodded and proceeded to tell her all about Deegan and his gifts and also, how she rejected him. By the time Delilah had finished with her story, Amy laughed so loud that even Howard came out of his room to shush her. Amy closed her mouth with both of her hands, looking apologetic. She mouthed a soft sorry at Howard, who nodded and went back in his office. "Not only that¡­" Delilah continued. "Didn''t Isaac requested a lot of time to work in this branch, rather than in the HQ?" Amy frowned, suddenly in thoughts. "Isn''t that because he lives nearby?" Delilah rolled her eyes. "Girl! He lived 5 minutes away from the HQ! Why would he be willing to commute to an office that is like, nearly an hour journey??" she exclaimed, pointing out the flaws in Amy''s reasoning. Amy pursed her lips in consternation. This whole thing was still surreal for her. She still did not expect that this would happened to her. If Delilah had heard her thoughts, she would probably smacked Amy. She was actually really pretty! Delilah shrugged. "Oh well, believe it or not. I mean, I have their CVs so I know." Changing the topic, Amy talked about what was happening at the office. Also talking in small voices as they talked about Howard. About what he has been doing and how he was always skipping work. Delilah could only listen and take notes. Delilah actually knew about Howard''s skipping work but she can''t do anything about it. The last time she reported this to Aubree and Aubree, in return, reported to Matt. There were still no action against Howard until now. The two of them were pretty sure that Matt did not do anything because he really depend on Howard. Since Delilah had missed lunch as she came here straight from the HQ, she decided to have her late lunch now. She went over to Howard''s office, asking whether she could bring Amy along to accompany her. Howard nodded, saying that he will be in the office anyway. So, the two of them went out, not before placing a signboard on the receptionist table that reads, ''On the break''. Delilah asked Amy what was she craving. Amy tapped her chin as they walked to Delilah''s car. "What about some D''Tacos?" Delilah nodded. "Sure, lets go." The two of them got into the car and drive off to D''Tacos. D''Tacos was a restaurant that only served French Tacos. It was a bit like burrito or wrap but it has everything sealed inside, including french fries. Minutes later, they arrived at the restaurant. Delilah swiftly parked her car and the two of them walked in the restaurant. The restaurant itself was not that big with a huge counter for ordering. It has an open kitchen as well, where patrons were able to see how they made the french tacos. The chairs and tables were all made of light metal. It was a quaint and quiet restaurant. The two of them placed their order and waited for the bell to ring, to inform them that their food was ready to pickup. Shortly after, their food arrived. The french taco was wrapped in grease paper and it felt heavy. It was a bit difficult for Delilah to unwrap the paper, scared that everything might break apart. She had ordered beef sausages, chicken tenders, cheese and french fries with spicy mayonnaise as her sauce. The french taco felt thick in her hands as she brought it up to her mouth to have a bite. The juices from the beef sausages and chicken tenders slide down her fingers as she munched. The melted cheese mixed with the spicy mayonnaise beautifully, giving a creamy and tangy taste. The french fries were thick but it soften when mixed with the sauce. It felt satisfying and fulfilling. The french tacos was huge but the two of them managed to finish it. Though, they had to rest for awhile because they were too full to move from their seat. Once they were done resting, they went back to the office where they continued their work. At the office, Delilah was surfing the internet since she was done with her work. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. Howard walked in from the front door, making them looked up in surprise. They did not notice that he was out all this while, even if there were some people still in the office. Apparently, Howard went out to his car to grab some things and he had used the back exit to go out. Howard walked over to Delilah and told her to come up to the second floor to the pantry room with him. She nodded and followed him upstairs. Inside the pantry room, the cupboards were all open. There were a lot of potato chips and crackers inside the cupboards. Delilah looked around in surprise. ''Where did all these come from?'' she wondered. Howard swiftly grabbed all the chips and crackers and stuffed them in a huge plastic bag. He then handed them over to Delilah. "Here you go," he said. Delilah frowned. "What''s this?" she asked, confused. "The other day we bought too much snacks and we could not finish them all. And I think Amy got tired of it so I''m giving them to you to bring it to the office. I bet Aubree and Firah would love them." Delilah peeked inside the bag and smiled. "They DEE-finitely would love this!" 33 CH33: Cooked with care "Cooking is at once child''s play and adult joy. And cooking done with care is an act of love." - Craig Claiborne ========================= After the blackout that happened in the office a few days ago, things were slowly becoming normal. It was no longer hectic as people began to get back to their normal routine. Most employees, especially in the Safety department, were now busy reviewing back on what had happened. They had to ensure that there was no security leakages and so forth. So, they were busy checking all the computers and the servers. Luckily, Delilah had continued her work in the other branch and had saved her documents in her pendrive. So, all she needed to do was to transfer her documents from her pendrive to her computer. And since she had already done most of the work, all she needed to do next was to wait for Firah. Because she needs to coordinate with Firah, in regards to the documentation work. While waiting for Firah to send her parts to her, Delilah decided to login to discordance. She typed in a peeking emoji into the chat and within seconds, lines of ''Hello D'' flooded the channel. Apparently, some of the people in the chat were in the voice channel. They were having a ''karoake'' session. Some urged Delilah to join them but unfortunately, Delilah was at work. Even if she can get away by going into discordance, she should not overstep her boundaries by joining in the voice channel and have fun. They were in one of the servers where the owner was an author in an online reading platform. Delilah joined the server a year ago and had gotten close with most of the members there. They were close enough to know each other''s habits. Hence, they understood when Delilah had told them that she could not join. But instead, she can just put on her headphones and listen to them singing. After awhile, they suddenly stopped singing, probably because they do not know what to sing anymore. In the end, it became a chatting session. Delilah joined in by chatting through texts. At one point, while they were chatting, the chat suddenly reverted to discussion on food. One of Delilah''s favourite topics to talk about. They mostly talked about Indian and Chinese food. As most of the people in the chat channel were from Asia, they kind of bonded together, especially when it comes to food. Even those who were not from Asia, as well. One of Delilah''s friends were nicknamed as ''Stitch'' since she loved Stitch. But she was also a foodie as well, like Delilah. She got on well with Stitch because they have so much in common, especially when it comes to food. Delilah also liked to hear about what Stitch has eaten because it seems fascinating to her. Some people may get weirded out but not Delilah. She was always in awe of how people eat, especially food that she herself cannot eat. And she respected them. Even if she herself cannot eat, she would not hurt another for being able to eat them. Even if it was something that might repulsed them. One should understand and respect one another''s taste and culture. At that moment, they were talking about chocolates. Stitch had piped in, saying that she does not like sweet that very much. Some agreed with her and some don''t. Then all fell silent when she added that it was because she was already sweet. Hence, why she doesn''t like sweet very much. Sometimes, Delilah wondered who was more shameless. Was it her or Stitch? After laughing and joking around, the two of them began to tease another one of their friends in the chat. Her nickname was ''CheeChi''. She was another shameless friend in the server. Although, not as shameless as Stitch and Delilah but she can be cheeky and cute. Thus, why it was fun to tease her. Especially when she self-proclaimed as the ''Protector of Chicks''. Whenever she was on her so-called rage mode after people keep saying that they will eat chickens, Delilah and Stitch usually posted gif of eating chicken. Skyra, who was the owner of the server, usually comes and just laughed at the three''s antics. Though, there were times that she also joined in the fun. She was also another sweet friend, who likes to talk but would ''threaten'' to mute anyone who would post pictures or emotes of frogs (which Delilah likes to do discreetly). They then began to talk about noodles; about how each country have their own types of noodles. Some said they preferred the thin ones while others like the thick noodles such as udon. Delilah then talked about her preferences when it comes to eating noodles. She then typed in a drooling emoticon of how she missed eating claypot noodles. They urged her to cook one but it seems tedious for Delilah. She knew it would take awhile to cook one so she rejected the suggestion. She probably would eat it somewhere. Just then, a notification pinged in one of her tabs. Delilah looked over and saw that Firah had finally sent her her part of the work. Delilah quickly said her goodbyes in the chat channel, took off her headphones and log out of discordance. Delilah quickly skimmed through Firah''s work. Every now and then, she rolled out of her cubicle, using her chair and peek over at Firah''s to ask her some questions. After she was satisfied with the document and also got the green light from Firah, she sent the document to Matt, via email. Once she was done sending the document, she continued on with her other work until working hours were over. Packing up her things and switching off her computer, she said her goodbyes to her colleagues and went down to her car. Few minutes later, she opened the front door to her house and heard some noises coming from the kitchen. She placed her bag on a nearby chair and her keys on a small shell bowl where they usually put their keys there. She went into the kitchen and saw her father busy in front of the stove, cooking. Her sister, Miya, was at the dining table, feeding Kael his dinner. Miya looked up and saw Delilah standing at the entrance to the kitchen. She gestured to her to come closer to her. Delilah complied and went to stand beside Miya. She bends down, trying to hear her sister speaking. "He''s been busy ever since he got back from work," Miya said softly, referring to their father. "He was excited to try out some recipes he found from the internet." Delilah looked over and saw their late mother''s clay pot on the kitchen counter beside him. "Oh, I see," Delilah nodded. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. An hour later, Delilah came down to the kitchen again, after having a shower and laying down on her bed, reading. Her father had just finished cooking his food. He looked up when he saw Delilah sitting at the kitchen table, munching on peanuts. "Delilah, want to try my claypot noodles?" he asked, an excited gleam in his eyes. Delilah turned and nodded. "Sure." Her father switched on the stove and the noodles began to sizzle inside the clay pot. He then added some ''bok choy'' and broke an egg on top of the noodles. He waited for a couple of seconds before switching off the stove. He wore his cooking gloves and carefully carried the clay pot, placing it in front of Delilah. "Be careful, it''s still hot," he cautioned. Delilah nodded. She grabbed a fork and forked out some noodles. She blew on the noodles before taking a bite. The broth of the claypot noodles were thick and rich with a bit of sweet and sour taste. The noodles that her father used was wheat thick noodles. So, it added some sweetness to the broth. The ''bok choy'', another name for Chinese cabbage, tasted crunchy and a bit bitter. But after being immersed with the broth, it had added flavor to the vegetables, which tasted quite nice. There were other ingredients inside the claypot, such as small shrimps, eggs and enoki mushrooms. Her father sat across Delilah, watching her eat. Delilah had just scooped some broth into her spoon and brought it to her mouth. Taking a sip, it tasted sweet and sour, making her drink more broth. "How was it?" her father asked. Delilah licked her lips as she ate the noodles. "Really good," she said honestly. Her father smiled, a proud look on his face. And then he went to check on the pot, which holds the broth. "There''s more here. Finish it off when you can. There''s also some noodles leftovers if you want more." Delilah winced. "Uh, ok." She could never refused any food from her father, especially ones that he had cooked. Fortunately, her father was a good cook, as he had learnt them from her mother. She had watched him cook her clay pot with care. InDEEd, when food was cooked with care, it was the most delicious one. Especially when it was cooked from your loved ones. 34 CH34: Poster presentation "Mama says the word cake like it''s just an ordinary food which is strange since everyone knows that cakes are made of magic." - Jasmine Warga ========================= "Ring! Ring!" Delilah looked up from her computer and saw her phone beside her vibrating with notifications. She peered at the screen and saw it was Aubree calling her. She looked around at the office and just realized that there were fewer people inside. Apparently, not many people had returned from their lunch break and Aubree was one of them. She picked up the phone and said, "Hello?" ''Hello, D! It''s Aubree. Sorry that I couldn''t text you. But just want to pass a message that Sheila has been looking for you. I already gave her your number, though. Has she contacted you yet?'' Aubree asked. Delilah frowned. "I don''t think so," she answered. "My phone has been with me since morning and I haven''t received any texts at all." "Though, just wondering. Why would she be looking for me? Is there something wrong?" Delilah was confused. Because she hardly talks to Sheila. The only time she talked with Sheila was during the meeting a couple of months ago. And Sheila usually deals with the Marketing and IT departments, compare with HR department. Even if she wanted to talk about the happenings in HR departments, she usually talked with Howard or Aubree. Not with Delilah. ''I''m not too sure,'' Aubree replied. ''Try sending her a text. Do you have her number?'' "Yes, I do. I''ll text her after this then," Delilah said. The two of them had a quick chat over the phone for a few minutes. Aubree hasn''t arrived at the office yet. Instead, she was still out having her lunch with her fianc¨¦. Yes, she''s a woman who has been engaged for three years. She will marry her fianc¨¦ next year in February. Although, Delilah had never met him officially but she had seen photos of him from Aubree''s profile picture on her phone. She also likes to talk about him. Though, not to the extent like other lovesick couples. After the call, Delilah quickly sent a message to Sheila, asking whether she needs Delilah''s help or something. She''s already back in Singapore, for the last few weeks. Although, she has been busy with the other company, she has been observing the Kang Company as well. Just seconds after sending the message, there was a beep notification on Delilah''s phone. She looked down at her phone in surprise. ''That was quick,'' she thought. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. Based on Sheila''s text, she was asking to confirm whether it was Delilah who had designed the posters for the Human Resource activities, that was spread throughout the office. Delilah had replied yes. She really did design the posters. Aubree once told her about this app in the internet. And Delilah liked how easy it was to use and how it made her designs look so pretty yet simple. It''s a matter of drag and drop kind of concept. Hence why it was easy. Sheila began to praise Delilah on her designs and how she would like Delilah to make a poster for them. She began to drone on about her ideas and what she wanted before Delilah could say a word. Once she was done talking, Delilah immediately cut in and put on a feigned sad tone. She started off by saying thank you to Sheila for the praise. It was a simple task, after all. Then, she tried to reject the work softly, without Sheila being angry. She reasoned out that she actually has a lot of work to do in her hand. Especially works from Howard. Truthfully, another reason as to why Delilah did not want to do Sheila''s work was because she knows how hard it was when it comes to dealing with Sheila. She could remember how tiring it was, especially one who was a perfectionist and one who has high expectations like her. Of course, one might say, this was a typical boss'' characteristics. Which boss has demand low expectations, anyway? It was just that Delilah had too much to handle at the moment. She could not afford to multi-task. After she stopped texting with Sheila, she felt a slight relief that she managed to back out of it. Just then, she received a text message from Howard. At that time, Delilah was editing some documents, which were needed to be submitted to the Ministry of Education, as they were collaborating with the government, in regards of training workshops. She stopped typing and went to check her phone. Her face fell as she reads the text message from Howard. She slowly felt frustration and annoyance building up inside her. Howard had just texted her to say that she can put her current tasks on hold and concentrate on the work that Sheila has given her. She sighed in exasperation. She then quickly saved her documents and check out the email that Howard had forwarded to her from Sheila. She skimmed through the email and take note on what Sheila needed for the work she had asked for. Delilah began working on the task for almost a week now. It was then, she realized that she was actually working with the Marketing department. Apparently, Sheila had also texted those from the Marketing department about the work. Once done, she wanted Delilah and those who were working on the posters to do a presentation about theirs. Delilah was getting tired of designing the poster. Not because it was hard but because of so many changes. It was hard when some people wanted this and another wanted something else. A week later, Sheila had texted her, saying that there will be a video conferencing meeting the next day. And she hoped that Delilah had prepared with her poster presentation. Delilah inwardly rolled her eyes. Why does it feels like she has returned back to her university days where she has to present her poster? Nevertheless, all she could do was to reply ''Yes, looking forward to it.''. When the day of the presentation has arrived, every one of them had gathered around at the meeting room, which was on the same floor as the Marketing department. Delilah went there, together with her pendrive, which contained her files. Aubree was with her. She had thought that she could help Delilah, even if she keeps insisting that she was alright. Inside, Delilah was saving her files in the laptop, which will be used for the presentation. She looked up and was surprised to see Travis walking into the room. She watched as he walked towards her, coming to stand beside her. He peered down at her poster which was previewed in the monitor screen. He scoffed as he studied Delilah''s design. He began mocking her designs, commenting at how she messed up with the colours and the imageries used. He also commented on the font and the size, saying how it looked unprofessional and so forth. Delilah had kept quiet throughout his "talk". She knew that he knew she could not talk back. Because it was obvious that he knew more about the marketing strategy designs, compared to her. So, she began to tuned off, absent-mindedly listening to his words. Once everything was done setting up for the video conferencing, Howard, who was the chairperson for the meeting, started to call Sheila to begin. Up first was Travis, who had presented his poster. The theme for the poster was ''Digital Marketing Course''. For Travis, he had decided to make his design looked more computerized, whereby he had used robotic fonts and dark background. He explained that he had used the dark background to make it more futuristic and to emphasize how the colours make it more brighter. Unfortunately for him, Sheila, who was in Singapore and could only communicate through the video call, looked dissatisfied. She wore a frown on her face as she quietly studied his design. After a couple of minutes, she bluntly said, "No, this is not what I had in mind. It''s too dark. And the font is a bit unreadable. I don''t want it to be so confusing." Her words left him flabbergasted. He did not expect this harsh criticism from Sheila. He was proud of his design. He always thought it was better than the previous ones he had done before. He clenched his fists as he nodded, reluctantly accepting Sheila''s feedback. He then went back to his seat. Then Sheila invited Delilah to the front. Delilah got up and began her presentation. Unlike Travis'', hers was more bright. She had used the colour of soft green and yellow for the background. And also, used clipart computer designs. She explained that although the theme was digital marketing course, the market was for students. Not just adult students, but as well as young students. She further explained that her poster was more ''fun'' to attract these students. After she was done, Sheila was quiet. She let the other people in the room to give comments and feedback to Delilah. Some commented that it doesn''t look professional but it was alright. Some praised her choice of colours. Minutes later, Sheila voiced out her opinions. To Delilah''s surprise, she praised her for the beautiful poster. She liked how Delilah had incorporate the usage of feng shui [1] colours. Delilah went blank for a second. What feng shui? She doesn''t even know much about feng shui, much less its colours. She only thought that the colour was perfect. Coincidentally, Delilah had chosen the year''s good feng shui color, which Matt also applauded. Sheila then asked her what app has she been using. Delilah answered her. Travis frowned. "How come I did not know of this?" he muttered. Delilah shrugged. She could hear his loud mutter. "If you had asked earlier, you would have known about it," she said. The meeting went on until the working hours had ended. After that long meeting, Delilah decided to stop by and treat herself to some cake. She stopped by at a cake shop, which was on her way back home. Inside, she looked around at the beautiful cake shop. If one was to walk inside, they believed that the desserts inside were expensive. Instead of a normal lighting, they used chandeliers. The walls were painted in soft teal with beautiful contemporary painting hung onto it. The chairs used there were wingback type of chairs, making the place looked more sophisticated with low coffee tables. She went to the counter and decided to choose a chocolate brownie cake. She needed some sweet to get some energy boost after that meeting. It has taken a toll on her mind. She sat down at one of the chairs and settled herself comfortably. When her dessert finally arrived, she took a fork and cut a piece from the slice. She inwardly moaned in delight as she licked her fork. The brownie cake tasted fudgy inside her mouth, slightly dense yet moist. Although, it wasn''t gooey but the sweetness of the chocolate sends tingles in her. Even though, it was a cake, but it has that fudgy, chewy and somewhat crunchy texture. Especially the top cake. She sighed happily. ''Now, this is what I call, ''Magic'','' she thought to herself. ---- [1] Feng shui (Chinese: ïLË®, pronounced [f???.?w¨¨i] ( listen)), also known as Chinese geomancy, is a pseudoscience originating from ancient China, which claims to use energy forces to harmonize individuals with their surrounding environment. The term feng shui literally translates as "wind-water" in English. [Taken from Wiki] 35 CH35: Travel fair "Seize the moment. Remember all those women on the ''Titanic'' who waved off the dessert cart." - Erma Bombeck ========================= That morning, Delilah was having her lunch at the office cafeteria when her phone rang. She glanced at her phone, which on the table, beside her plate and saw it was Ai Meili. Ai Meili was her ex-colleague from when she had her internship before working at Kang Company. They were still close as they still keep in touch with each other. Although, Ai Meili got the job at the company where they interned at, while Delilah didn''t. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. Ai Meili was the type who does not like to send messages, rather, she prefers to send voice messages or calling. Not wanting Ai Meili to wait long, Delilah picked up the phone. "Hello?" ''Hey there, bish! Whatcha up to?'' Delilah frowned. "I''m having my lunch. What about you?" she asked politely. ''Ehhh¡­ Whatever. Let''s skip all these niceties and get on to what I want. Lets go to the travel fair! There''s one happening at Swanties Mall!" responded Ai Meili. Delilah rolled her eyes. This was so typical of Ai Meili. It''s not that she was selfish but she likes to get to the point and get what she wants. "Ahhh¡­ Okay...." Delilah replied slowly. "And what will we do?" She could have sworn that she could feel Ai Meili rolling her eyes at that moment. ''Like, duh! Buy plane tickets!'' she exclaimed. "Didn''t you just got back from your Euro trip?" Delilah asked, confused. ''I did,'' her friend agreed. ''But this is a travel fair! You don''t get to see these kind of cheap tickets!'' she reasoned out. Ai Meili loves to travel, as much as Delilah loves to eat. Delilah sighed. "Any place you''re thinking of going to?" she asked. "But please, if you want me to join, make sure the place is not that expensive and is within my budget." She doesn''t have a high salary, compared to Ai Meili. Ai Meili had already been promoted twice in the last three years that she''s been working. Whereas Delilah hasn''t. Hence, it was no surprise as to why Ai Meili''s salary was higher than Delilah. ''Sure, sure. No worries,'' Ai Meili reassured. The two of them decided on the date. Since the travel fair will be happening for two days, which was at the weekend, they decided to go on a Saturday. Delilah will be working half-day on Saturday as usual, whereas Ai Meili doesn''t work on Saturday. Hence, it was also decided that Ai Meili will be picking Delilah up from her office and they will go together to the place. The travel fair will be at Swanties Mall, which was one of the malls that were newly-opened a couple of months ago. Knowing how the traffic was in that area, they agreed that it was better to carpool. At first, Delilah was worried about leaving her car at the office while she''s not there. But Ai Meili just pooh-poohed at her concerns, saying that it should be fine since the security was tight. She was confident that there wouldn''t be any problem when it comes to leaving her car there. And if she was really that concerned and worried, it would be better if Delilah just informed the security at her office to look after her car. Delilah agreed and they settled on the time and rang off. ---- The day of the travel fair, Swanties Mall. Delilah and Ai Meili was inside the Swanties Mall. The place was packed with people, that one had to squeeze through to get to another place. The travel fair was held on the first floor, where many booths were set up for each travel agencies in town. And each booth had chairs lined up in front of them for the customers to wait in line. Hence why the place was really crowded. It had already taken them an hour to look for a parking space. And now, they spent another hour looking around, accepting all the brochures that had been given by the standing travel agents. Delilah was never good with crowds, especially when she felt like she was being squeezed by people from all sides. She nearly fainted from dizziness until they finally found empty seats for two at one of the booths. They quickly grabbed the seats and sat down. Once seated, the two of them looked at the brochures which were given to them earlier. They then began to compare prices, as well as checking online on which country was the best place to visit. While they were looking through the brochures, Delilah also got the chance to see some of her university friends at the fair. She greeted them ''hello'' and some would walked over to her and had a little chat. They promised each other to meet up sometime and catch up with each other. After they looked through the brochures, they finally decided on one place; which was a small state of a country. Since the two of them had never been there before, they decided to go to the state. At least, they can explore the place together. And also, another reason as to why Delilah had agreed on the place was because she had heard it was a perfect place for a fooDEE. Although they had already picked a place to go, they still need to wait in line for their turn to buy the tickets. It took them another two hours to buy the tickets. They could not even go anywhere or else their spot will be taken by other people. So, they could only chat with each other and also surveying hotel prices and places to go. Once it was their turn, they immediately told the travel agent the country that they wanted to go to. Earlier, Delilah had told Ai Meili of the dates that she was able to go. Because she did not want to use up most of her annual leave, she could only picked dates with weekends. So, they picked dates that the both of them agreed upon. According to the travel agent, to get to the state that they wanted to go, they would need to transfer at the capital city. Since the plane ticket prices were already included as overall, the two of them did not mind. In fact, they asked whether they could stay over a day or two at the capital city. The travel agent assured them that it was no problem. After settling the plane tickets, they decided to get out of the mall and go to another place to have their dinner. They agreed on a light dinner because even though, Delilah was hungry, she was not in the mood for a heavy dinner. Ai Meili drove them to a small restaurant, which was famous for their banana fritters. Arrived, they settled on a table not too far from the door, at the corner. Ai Meili doesn''t like sitting in the middle, as she doesn''t like being bombarded with noise from all sides. She prefers the quiet place for her to talk. The two women settled in their seats, catching up with their lives and having a laugh over past memories. Few minutes later, their food came. The two of them agreed in sharing the banana fritters and vegetable spring rolls. The foods were still piping hot so they wait for a couple of minutes for it to cool off. Then Delilah picked one of the banana fritters from the plate. It was actually a small banana that was covered with batter and fried cooked. The chef had drizzled some caramel sauce over the fritters, which made it a bit sticky. Delilah warily took a bite of the hot fritter. The outside of the fritter was crunchy yet soft. As she munched on the fritter, the sweet, fattening and savoury taste of the banana hits her tongue. Together with the caramel sauce, it made the fritter more sweet. The banana used wasn''t ripe so it was less firm. The two women continued their talk while eating. It was when Ai Meili asked for the tickets, which was kept by Delilah. Delilah passed her the envelope which contained the tickets. When Ai Meili looked at the tickets, she gasped, her fritter dropped from her fingers onto her plate. Delilah frowned, surprised. Why did she suddenly gasped? Ai Meili looked at Delilah, her eyes wide. "Oh my gosh, D!" she exclaimed. "What are we going to do? Are you okay??" Delilah frowned even more. "What happened?" she asked, puzzled with her reactions and questions. Ai Meili slapped the tickets on the table, between them. "Look at the dates!" Delilah looked down at the tickets. Apparently, the travel agent had booked them for six nights, rather than five nights. And instead of spending a day or two at the capital city, they only have less than a day at the capital city since they will be arriving at the capital city in late afternoon and back home the next morning at 8AM. She sighed. "Oh well, we can''t do anything about it," she said. "We already bought the tickets. I bet if we changed the dates, it will cost us more." "But what about your leave?" Delilah shrugged and let out a soft laugh. "It''s alright. It''s just a day. Let''s just hope for the best. And seize the moment that were given to us." 36 CH36: Planning a trip "?"Don''t wreck a sublime chocolate experience by feeling guilty. Chocolate isn''t like premarital sex. It will not make you pregnant. And it always feels good."."? ? ? ?-? ? ??Lora Brody =========================? A week before their trip, Delilah and Ai Meili decided to meet up to discuss more about their trip itinerary. Ai Meili had already booked their hotel, which was in the city centre. Delilah does not mind where, as long as it was within her budget and has a bidet in the bathroom. After all, she does not plan to stay in the hotel for too long. She only needs a place to sleep and place their luggage. For most of the days there, she planned to get out more and explore the state. At that moment, Delilah was working, skimming through the reports that Aubree had given her. She decided to finish all of her work before she flies off. This was so that she wouldn''t have much work when she gets back. She wanted to relax a bit after returning from the holiday. Fortunately for Delilah, most of the work that Aubree had given her were mostly reports for their new services as well as Deegan''s report. All Delilah needs to do was to skimmed through and check whether anything was missing and so forth. It was already a new month for them. And when new month arrives, it was usually the time when Deegan would be rotated to another department. That month, he was placed under the General Affairs, where he will be working with the admins. Delilah had already introduced him to the head of General Affairs, named Ben. He was a Chinese man, in his late forties. He was a tall man, with a lean body. His hair already has that streak of white hair on the side of his head, making him look more mature. He was also strict when it comes to work and dislike noises. He would reprimand anyone who talked loudly in the office or has their phone still ringing. Delilah was glad that she was not on the same floor as him. This was because she tends to make noises herself when she eats her snacks in her cubicle. Amy was one of the admins but she usually worked at the other branch. Hence, for now, Deegan would be working at the HQ where he will work together with Ben and the other admins. Delilah thought she would probably send Deegan over at the other branch to make him familiarize with both branches. It was nearly time for working hours to end. Deegan and Firah had already packed their things and were preparing to leave the office. Before leaving the office, Deegan had quickly placed a chocolate bar on Delilah''s desk before Delilah could say thank you. She sighed in resignation. Well, she already said her piece. She can''t exactly reject his good intentions now. He probably thought that he was being a kind friend. She inwardly shrugged as she dutifully switched off her computer and placed her piles of reports in her drawer. She locked the drawer before packing her things and leave the office. She and Ai Meili had agreed to meet up after work. They decided to meet up at a kopitiam in the business centre, which was popular for their hi-tea meals. Less than an hour later, they arrived at the kopitiam in seperate cars. The restaurant was a small shop, located in the middle of the business centre. There were more people walking on the streets, compared to people driving on the roads. Hence, the parking there was hard to find. It took Delilah another twenty minutes to look for one, until she opted to park at the other side of the road. There was a huge sign that reads ''FunTime Kopitiam'' on the storefront of the restaurant and a black and white awning above the entrance. Inside, the interior design looked attractively charming with rustic metal chairs and tables. There was also a small flower vase with a daisy that decorated the table. Looking closely at the flower, one could tell it was plastic but looked real. It made the place looked more homey with photo frames with motivational quotes in it decorating the walls. Ai Meili was already inside, sitting at one of the tables when Delilah walked in. She waved her over and invited her to sit down. Delilah placed her handbag on another empty seat and settled in comfortably. She picked up the menu and asked Ai Meili, without looking up, "Have you order yet?" Ai Meili nodded. "Yeah, I ordered us some Roti Kawin and a drink." Delilah frowned. "You mean, your drink," she said, narrowing her eyes. Ai Meili shrugged. "I don''t know what you want for your drink," she replied carelessly. Delilah just rolled her eyes and called for a waiter to take her order. Once that was done, Ai Meili immediately took out her iPad from her handbag. She has the latest iPad, which comes with a stylus pen. It was her favourite gadget at the moment since she liked to doodle, using it. And she claimed that it made her handwriting looked prettier. Even though, Delilah could find no difference when it comes to her writing on a notebook and on the tablet. But she did not dare to say it out loud because she knew Ai Meili would argued non-stop. Ai Meili started off by writing a huge title on the notepad app, ''Places to go!''. She put down her stylus pen and looked at Delilah in the eye. "Alright. One task done. Where do you want to go?" Delilah had been on her phone, scrolling and searching for places to eat in the state. Every time she found a place that she liked, her eyes lit up and her fingers automatically saved the page. She continued doing this until Ai Meili called out to her. She gestured at Ai Meili to give her the pen and began to pull the tablet closer to her. Delilah then began to write the places that she wanted to go. To be precise, restaurants that she wanted to go. She even wrote the address, opening hours and types of restaurants. While she was writing, Ai Meili looked over in amazement. She then said, "You are definitely the first person who would write places to eat, instead of places to go." Delilah ignored her and continued writing. As she was writing, their food has arrived. The waiter placed their food and drinks between them, on the table. Thanking the waiter, the two women reached for their drink and took a sip. "While I''m writing my places, you go ahead and search for places you want to go," Delilah instructed. "I want to go sightseeing, as well," Ai Meili said. "Oh, me too. I''ll write them down later after I''m done with this." So, the places that they wanted to visit were the Snake temple, Floating mosque, the Skywalk, Teddy Museum and so much more. Since they have five days in the state, why not make the most of it, right? After she was done, she passed the tablet back to Ai Meili. She then took a piece of the toasted roti kawin. Roti kawin is basically toasted bread which was smeared with kaya and butter. Delilah loves roti kawin. It was simple but satisfying. She loved the crunchy taste of the toast after biting into it. Especially when it toasted perfectly, not too burnt and not too soft. And with the combination of kaya and butter, it added an extra taste of sweetness to the toast. Crumbs coated Delilah''s mouth as she bit into the toast. She licked them away and finished the toast in one bite. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. While they were talking and deciding on the places that they would like to visit, Delilah suddenly received an email notification in her phone. She picked up her phone and saw it was an email from work. She frowned. It''s already past office hours but sometimes she would receive work messages, especially from Sheila. When Howard first mentioned Sheila to her, he used to tell her to ignore Sheila''s message if she texted after office hours or during day off. This was because she never did notice the time when she texted or the day. She would even texted anyone about work during weekend, which annoyed Delilah sometimes. But then again, the good thing about Sheila was that, even though, she would not scold one for not replying to her texts straight away. She would just non-stop sending messages until she''s done. Ironically, looking down at the email, even if Howard warned her about Sheila''s after-hours work messages, it seems like he did not look in the mirror. Why? Because the email was from Howard. Delilah sighed and decided to ignore the email. She will just check it out tomorrow at work. She placed her phone back on the table and continued to talk with Ai Meili about the places that they would visit in the state. 37 CH37: Whats for lunch? "Ask not what you can do for your country, Ask what''s for lunch." - Orson Welles ========================= It was another day at work and Delilah had just arrived at the office. It was raining outside with the sky turning dark and gloomy. It was inDEEd a wet morning with a slight breeze sweeping the rain across the area. It was the raining season in the country so there has been an increase of rainfall during the month. Delilah was grateful that the rain wasn''t so bad. At least, her house didn''t get flooded in, like it used to, a couple of years ago. She was shaking her umbrella dry and wiping her wet shoes on the carpet, outside the entrance before coming in the building. She cringed at the feeling of using the wet shoes. Not liking the feeling, she took off her shoes and socks and walked barefoot into the building. She greeted hello at Bella, who was giggling at the sight of a barefooted Delilah. Delilah sometimes can be a bit eccentric, Bella mused. She doesn''t really care about how people sees her. She doesn''t mind if she was called weird or strange. She probably thought that being weird was great while being normal was boring. She arrived at her cubicle and looked over at Firah''s cubicle. It was then she remembered that Firah has a day off that day. Looking at her right, she also noticed that Deegan has already arrived, since his bottled water and backpack were already inside his cubicle. She assumed that he was probably at the General Affairs department floor, which was on the ground floor. She shrugged to herself and began to get ready for work. She switched on her computer, took her phone from her handbag and whatnot. She sighed as she sat down. Looking out at the window far ahead, she saw that it was still raining. She shivered and grabbed her jacket which she placed in her drawer. It was getting chilly. She wished she could switch off the air conditioning but since it was an internal air conditioning, it would be impossible for her. She can only use her jacket to keep warm. After putting on her jacket, she went to the pantry to make herself a cup of hot chocolate. She grabbed her cup from one of the cupboards and poured chocolate malt powder in. She held the boiling kettle and poured hot water over the powder. She stirred the drink and carried it to her mouth, blowing on it. She cautiously took a sip and winced when hot liquid touched her lips. Deng. She nearly burned her tongue. Delilah sighed and carried her cup to her cubicle. ''I''ll wait for the hot chocolate to cool a bit before drinking it,'' she thought. She wouldn''t want to burn her tongue. At her cubicle, she was checking her reports, taking notes on the applications that she had received for new employees. She also took note on those who had worked in the company for more than a year and studied the appraisals that were given by their supervisors. While she was working, Aubree had just walked in, with a pale face. Delilah looked up and watched her walking slowly to her own cubicle. She looked rather weak and frail like a newborn baby. Concerned, Delilah stood up, clutching her jacket closer to her body and walked over to Aubree. "Hey, are you alright?" she asked, tilting her head. It was only for a few moments when Aubree finally managed to look up at Delilah with hollowed eyes. Her face was still pale and her lips were cracked as if she hasn''t had a drink since yesterday. Delilah blinked her eyes in surprise at Aubree''s appearance. "Oof, Bree. You look awful," she commented. Aubree sighed. "Thanks for the compliment," she said sarcastically. "As if I didn''t know that." "If you knew that, why did you still come to the office?" Delilah scolded. "You should have gone to the doctor or rest at home." It was not as if the company would force her to work. Aubree sighed again. "I planned to. But no one is at home. And I just called my aunt if I could stay and rest at her place but she''s also not at home," she explained. Her aunt''s place was nearby. Just ten minutes drive from the office. Before Delilah worked at the Kang Company, she usually has her lunch at her aunt''s place. Delilah sighed too. "Do you want me to accompany you to the nearest clinic?" she offered. She felt really concerned about Aubree''s health. She does not seem to be able to work that day but she still goes to the office. And its really not a good thing for the company to allow an obviously sick employee to work. Aubree shook her head, rejecting Delilah''s offer. "It''s okay. I think I''ll just rest at the medic bay," she said. Then realization dawned on her. She whirled around to look at Delilah. "Awww¡­ I nearly forgot, D. I did promised that we would have lunch together, didn''t I?" she said, feeling guilty. Delilah waved her concern away. "It''s alright. I can ask one of my cousins if they want to accompany me to lunch. Or just get a delivery." Aubree nodded. She staggeringly stood up and said, "Alright then. I''m sorry. I''ll go to the medic bay and take a rest there. I probably feel better after a good rest." Delilah helped support Aubree to the medic bay, which was on the ground floor. She made Aubree leaned on her while walking slowly towards the bay. Inside the medic bay, Delilah gently pushed Aubree onto the sofa bed. She then went to grab some medicine and hot oil lotion for Aubree. She watched her supervisor rubbed some oil on her temples. "Will you be alright here alone?" Delilah asked in concern. Although, they have a medic bay, they don''t actually have a nurse or a doctor on duty. The bay was usually served for someone who needs a place to rest before going home. Aubree weakly nodded. "Yes," she said softly. "Shall I get your phone as well?" Aubree nodded again. "Yes, please." Delilah quickly went back to the Human Resource floor and walked over to Aubree''s cubicle. She then rummaged through her handbag and grabbed her phone. She quickly returned to the medic bay and saw Aubree closing her eyes. But she was not asleep. Not wanting to disturb her, Delilah quietly placed the phone on the small table beside the sofa bed and went back again. In her cubicle, Delilah sat down and instead of doing her work, she gazed off-space. She sighed to herself. ''I wonder what should I eat for lunch,'' she thought. She swiftly shot text messages to some of her cousins, asking whether they are free for lunch. Unfortunately, most of them were either busy or already had plans. She texted her sister too since she knows her sister was on school holiday. Yes, her sister was actually a school teacher. To be precise, she taught primary students. She was reading the news online when she received a reply from her sister. Again, she got rejected. Her sister also had plans for lunch. Delilah sighed again. ''Guess I''ll be eating alone,'' she thought sadly. ''I''ll just grab some pastries from a nearby bakery.'' She was working on the appraisals when the clock nearly hit 12 PM on the dot. Time flies by so fast when she was too concentrated in her work. But it doesn''t bode well when her work doesn''t seem to lessen. She has a lot of appraisals to review before going off for her trip. As she was about to go halfway through the piles when she saw Aubree walking through the door of the office. Peering closely at Aubree, she felt relieved to see her no longer looking pale. In fact, there were more color on her face, leaving a rosy hue on her cheeks. Aubree walked towards Delilah''s cubicle and grabbed a chair from Firah''s. She sat down with a sigh and stared at Delilah. "I''m hungry," she announced loudly. "Are you sure you''re alright right now?" Delilah asked, still concerned. Aubree nodded. "Yes," she assured. "Seems like my stomach is now empty and I need food. I probably puke them all out," she joked. Delilah cringed visibly. "Uh, OK. So, you''re still on for lunch?" she asked. Aubree nodded again. "Where will we be having lunch at?" "You''re up for some grilled chicken?" Aubree''s eyes brightened. "Yes!" she answered excitedly. She has been craving for chicken. Actually, before she fell sick, she wanted to tell Delilah that she wanted to eat chicken. Thinking that she was probably too weak to eat, she had kept quiet. But now, she can eat chicken for lunch! Yay! Delilah stood up. "Great, let''s go then." A few minutes later, the two of them were inside a restaurant, ordering their food. Delilah looked at Aubree in surprise as she listened to her shooting off her order. "Hi, I''d like to order Value Meal Set C, Belgian Waffle, Sour and Cream Dips and another set of quarter sized chicken," Aubree said with a sweet smile. ''Dem, she must be really hungry,'' Delilah thought. Once Aubree was done with hers. Delilah ordered hers. She only order Value Meal Set E and an extra order of Onion Rings. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. The cashier took their orders and quickly began to prepare their food within minutes. Moments later, the two of them sat at one of the table and began to eat. "Didn''t expect you to be so hungry," Delilah commented, cutting a piece of the waffle that Aubree shared. She smeared the waffle with some of the ice-cream on the waffle. She brought it to her mouth and ate it. The chilly sensation from the ice-cream sent a delightful shiver up her spine. The softness and thickness of the waffles felt like happiness being covered with airy clouds. The batter was light and fluffy, making it more moist. The difference between the belgian waffle and other waffles was that this one has a deeper pocket. The rich thick waffle, laced with strings of melted chocolate and topped with three flavors of ice-cream were like heaven for Delilah. The texture of the waffle stood out on its own as it has its own unique sweetness to it, other than from the ice-cream and chocolate. Aubree gave a small and soft smile. "Yeah, well. I guess I''m just that hungry," she replied. Delilah closed her eyes in delight as she savours the DEE-licious waffle. "You and I are the same!" she agreed. 38 CH38: Chapter title is a spoiler. "It''s fun to get together and have something good to eat at least once a day. That''s what human life is all about - enjoying things." - Julia Child ========================= The day of the trip. Delilah was waiting at the departure hall, waiting for Ai Meili to come so that they can check in their bags together and get their plane tickets. Her sister had dropped her earlier, opting to drop her at the entrance, instead of going down to wave her goodbye. Miya did not dare to go down because Kael was with her. And she was worried that Kael might not want to go home and instead, keep crying out, wanting to go up the airplane. So, Delilah was inside the airport. It was crowded inside with many people walking here and there. There were groups of families and friends, who either will be travelling together or just came to the airport to send the others off. Noises of people talking and laughing resonated around the airport. Delilah had already texted Ai Meili, saying that she''s already at the airport. Ai Meili had replied that she was on her way. Shortly after, Delilah saw a petite Chinese woman with short black hair, wearing soft makeup and huge hoop earrings. Her smile seems bright as her black eyes landed on Delilah. The woman was wearing a light grey lace blouse with black pants. She was also wearing a black slip-on sneakers with no shoelaces. She was dragging a large grey metallic luggage and on her back laid a small black backpack. She stopped in front of Delilah and said, "Shall we?" Delilah nodded. "Let''s go." For Delilah, she was wearing a red t-shirt underneath a long purple cardigan with a fish-tail. Unlike Ai Meili, she wore black jeans, instead and a colorful sneakers. In short, to describe Delilah''s outfit, it would be colourful. Of course, not as loud as Howard''s taste. She could never wore something loud as him. And beside Delilah, stood her ''loyal'' companions, her purple luggage, which her father had gifted to her for her graduation and her colorful backpack, which she bought when she was in Thailand, a couple of years ago. The two women began to queue for the check-in area. While waiting, they were talking and at some point, began to play their mobile games. Delilah had once looked over to see what Ai Meili had been playing. Looking closer, she saw that she was playing some sort of puzzle game, similar to ''rumahscape'' [1]. "Didn''t know you were into that kind of games," Delilah commented. "I''m not, actually," Ai Meili answered, her eyes still on her phone with her thumbs constantly moving across the screen. "This is just something I download to pass the time." "Still, do you like it?" Ai Meili shrugged. "Probably. I guess so¡­ Its fun," she replied carelessly. Delilah rolled her eyes as she turned around and looked at the check-in counter. She then looked around her. There were more people behind them, queueing to get their luggage checked in. Even with so many counters open to accommodate the many people, it seems like it was not enough. It took them nearly an hour until it was finally their turn. Both Delilah and Ai Meili handed over their passport and double check their luggage to make sure that it was properly secured and locked. Once they were done and had received their ticket, they went in to get the passport chopped. Inside the inner departure hall where they were waiting near their gate, Delilah grabbed her headset and was prepared to listen to music after taking off. It was another hour until they were called for boarding. Delilah sent a quick message to her family group chat to tell them that she was boarding the plane. She also took a quick selfie with the airplane as her background to send it to Kael. He loves airplanes. Delilah giggled to herself as she imagined Kael crying out of jealousy. She just loved to tease her nephew, even if she would demand him to say ''I love you'' to her. He was just so adorable. Inside the airplane, the two women kept to themselves; Delilah was listening to her music with her music player while Ai Meili was watching a movie from the personalised television of the airplane. The trip took two and a half hours. After arriving at the international airport, fortunately, their luggage would go straight to the cargo, which made it easier. They decided that they don''t want to take their luggage and just wait for their connecting flights. They didn''t even go out of the airport and just hang out at the airport. The airport itself was large, unlike their airport back at home. Hence, it was worth a while to spend their time, walking around there. While waiting, they went window-shopping for bags, merchandise and clothes. They take note of the prices since they know that usually items sold inside the airport are usually expensive than outside. After a couple of hours walking around, they decided to stop at one of the restaurants to fill their stomachs. Delilah''s stomach was starting to grumble, anyway. They agreed on a Malay restaurant. Delilah was craving for fried rice, even though Ai Meili had said that there will be food inside the airplane. Delilah had rolled her eyes at her naivety. "Oh please, do you think a bag of peanuts and bottled water are enough for me?" she had scoffed. So, they went inside and ordered their meals. Delilah had ordered ''Nasi Goreng Kampung'' while Ai Meili had ordered ''Nasi Lemak'' [2]. Their food arrived while they were talking about what to do next once they arrived at the state. The ''Nasi Goreng Kampung'' that Delilah was having was actually fried rice, cooked with dried anchovies, chili and other ingredients. The name ''Nasi Goreng Kampung'' means ''Village-style Fried Rice''. As she ate fried rice, she could already smell the spiciness of the rice from the chili mixed into it. There was a bit of a burnt taste to the rice but it was still good. The rice smell fragrant from the mixes of spices stir fried in it. The dried anchovies was still a bit crunchy but it was soft after being stir fried. It added the crunch and the saltiness to the fried rice. While they were eating, Ai Meili began to review back the itinerary that she had kept in her mobile phone. Watching her read through the itinerary, instead of eating her ''Nasi Lemak'', Delilah began to scold her for ignoring her food. "Woi, go eat. We can recheck it again later. For now, let''s just concentrate on eating. We should make the best of enjoying what we have right now," she reprimanded. Ai Meili laughed softly. "You''re right," she said as she picked up her dining utensils. "I''m just so excited!" "I know, right?" Delilah grinned. "Penang, here we come!" they both said in unison. Chapter title: Penang, here we come! [1] A puzzle game in a different wording. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. [2] Nasi lemak is a Malay fragrant rice dish cooked in coconut milk and pandan leaf. 40 CH40: Another FooDEE trip 2 "I am not a great cook, I am not a great artist, but I love art, and I love food, so I am the perfect traveller." - Michael Palin ========================= It was day three of their trip to the Penang state. The two women had woken up early that day to go to Penang Hill. Earlier before the trip, they had looked up on articles about the Penang Hill and some have said that the morning was one of the best time to go there. However, before they would go to Penang Hill, they decided to get some breakfast. Ai Meili was craving for a cup of coffee. She wanted the simple cup of coffee, not the type in a cafe. So, the two of them went to search online to look for any restaurant that opens up early in the morning. After a few scrolls, they finally found one nearby. It was a 15-20 minutes walk from their hotel so they decided to just walk, rather to call for a taxi. And besides, that morning, it has such a nice weather so they do not want to miss the chance to enjoy the weather. Along the way, the two of them chatted as they walked, heading towards the restaurant. Delilah also took the opportunity to take some pictures, especially the street arts. The Penang state was also known for their beautiful street arts. On the building, there were many drawings and even a comic strip, which the two of them appreciate. Delilah was not an art-lover but like anyone else, she does enjoy looking at beautiful drawings. It was simply IG-worthy [1]. After a few minutes, the two finally arrived at the restaurant. It was located at the alley. It''s not one of those 5-star or Michelin types of restaurants but it was one of the most popular ones. Why? because , just in front of them, there were already people queueing for a table. It was only a simple restaurant, which doesn''t have a proper roof. In fact, the restaurant itself was outside at the alley, with the kitchen made up of one open room with no stove. In fact, the kitchen inside only has a huge hot water dispenser, several toasters, two kitchen sinks and so forth. The tables and chairs itself were plastic. Shortly after, one of the waitresses called for Delilah and Ai Meili. Since they were only two of them, they were told to just share a table with a couple. Both parties didn''t mind as both wanted to eat, anyway. Delilah and Ai Meili ordered the same meal; kaya toast [2] and a cup of coffee. The couple, however, ordered two boiled eggs, a nasi lemak, a cup of coffee and a cup of tea with milk. It took them another several minutes for their food to arrive. The couple shared the nasi lemak and had one boiled egg each. Delilah and Ai Meili had theirs, as well. The kaya toast was toasted perfectly, giving out a brown colour. When Delilah bite onto the toast, the toast tasted crunchy yet soft. Other than kaya, they also added a slab of butter on the toast, which made the taste having a more buttery texture. The kaya itself was sweet and when eaten with toast, it melts superbly in her mouth. It was a perfect combination with the bitter coffee she was drinking. After they were done with their breakfast, they paid for their meal and went out of the alley. They decided not to waste time and also to give their table to other waiting customers. The couple who had sat with them had already left once they have eaten, as well. Waiting at a nearby building, underneath the shade, the two women decided to call for a taxi to take them to Penang Hill. Moments later, their taxi had arrived and they were surprised to find a young female taxi driver. It was not that the women were being stereotyped but because most of the taxi that they ride on were mostly male drivers. Looking at her face, it seems like the driver was quite young, probably earning extra money. And unlike the other male drivers, the female driver was quiet. She did not start any conversation with Delilah and Ai Meili, which they did not mind at all. And apparently, she loves to listen to K-Pop as most of the songs in her playlists were K-Pop. Arriving at the Penang Hill, they paid the taxi driver with a thank you. Before going in to buy the tickets, Delilah looked around her. The entrance was huge with a large open dome as its roof. On the right side of the building, there were several shops and restaurants and on the left side were the ticket booths. The two walked over to the booth and decided to buy the express ticket, instead of the normal ticket. They felt like they had enough money to splurge on the express ticket. And at least, they do not have to wait in the long queue, which may take hours. They took a cable car going up the Penang Hill. It was steep and the feeling of riding the car was exhilarating. It only took them a couple of minutes to arrive at the top. Once they were at the top, the two women got out of the cable car and began to follow the crowds outside. They stopped by several areas to take a selfie and picture. It was a sunny morning, so some of the pictures taken weren''t as good due to the lighting. One of the areas that they went to was the Monkey Cups. As an environmentalist officer, Ai Meili was interested on how the monkey cups work. The guide told them about how the monkey uses the plant as a cup to drink and hence, the name monkey cups. The guide offered them a tour to view the monkey cups in its habitat for a price. The two of them agreed and they followed the guide to the monkey cups area with a golf cart. The monkey cups area was deep in the forest at the Penang Hill. The two women took more photos while listening to the guide talk about the monkey cups and the different types. It was fascinating to Ai Meili but to Delilah, she was only interested in drinking the hot chocolate that she saw someone drank on the way in. Once the short tour was over, they were guided in a small cafe where they ordered hot chocolate and tea. Apparently, the refreshments were free as it was included in the price. And after they were done, they told their guide that they were ready to leave. So, they had to wait several more minutes for another golf cart to pick them up. Fifteen minutes later, the two women found themselves at the entrance to the Penang Hill. They decided to immediately go back after leaving the monkey cups. As a holder of an express ticket, they, again, do not have to queue in line and went straight to the cable car which brought them back down to the lower station. Before completely leaving the area, Delilah decided to buy some souvenirs for her nephews [3] and colleagues. Just as she was choosing and contemplating what to buy, there was a message notification on her phone. She took out her phone from her pocket and coincidentally, it was a message from Aubree. ''Hey D, sorry to disturb you during your holiday but I need to ask you urgently. Where did you put the documents for Matt?'' came the message. Delilah quickly sent a message. ''I forgot to tell you that I have kept the documents in my drawer, which is the second from the bottom. But it''s locked. You can ask for the key at Firah since she''s holding on to my office keys, just in case.'' ''Thanks! Now, go shoo! Enjoy your holiday!'' came in the swift reply. Delilah let out a soft chuckle before placing her phone back inside her pocket. She continued her shopping and went out of the store, after paying for her items. She met up with Ai Meili, who was waiting for her at the waiting area and they quickly called for a taxi to bring them to a shopping mall. They spent a couple of hours inside the shopping mall, buying clothes and shoes before they headed to the hawkers'' stalls. The hawkers'' stalls will only open after 5PM so when they arrived at the area, the vendors were still opening up their stalls. The place was one of the most popular areas to get cheap but delicious food. There are more than 30 stalls in the area, with chairs and tables being placed in the middle for eating. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. The two women got out of the taxi and paid for their fare. They then went to look around the stalls. In the end, they settled on a stall that sells kway teaw noodles [1] and fruit rojak [2]. After they placed their order, they sat at one of the tables and waited. They chatted with each other while waiting. When their order number was called out, they went to grab their food and sat back down again. The fruit rojak looked like a heap of cut fruits that had been poured with some sticky black sauce, which was actually the rojak sweet sauce. Delilah took one of the toothpicks, which was used to eat the rojak and stabbed one of the fruits. The fruits being used in rojak were mostly pineapple, green apple and cucumber. She wiped the fruit with the sauce and the crushed peanuts and ate it. She slowly chewed as the juices of the fruit flows inside her mouth, mixed with the sweetness of the rojak sauce. The crushed peanuts added the saltiness and the crunchy taste of the rojak making Delilah quiver with relish. She loved how the sweet and sour mixed together in the rojak. The sauce itself was sweet yet sticky and thick. It was dark in colour but when it mixed with the juices of the fruits, it began to lighten, which shows how the flavour of both had mixed well. Delilah decided to eat the rojak before ''attacking'' the kuey teaw noodles. The rojak seems like a perfect appetiser before the main meal. Ai Meili watched Delilah as she enjoyed the rojak. She wasn''t a fan of rojak but looking at Delilah at that moment, she felt that it probably was good. She took another toothpick and stabbed one cucumber. She took a bite and found the sauce to be quite delicious. It was sweet yet tangy and sour. With cucumber, which was watery and cool, it felt really nice. She liked how the sauce sticks on the cucumber, covering the green fruit in its sweetness. "Two off your list?" she asked. Delilah nodded. "Yup! So glad that we went here!" ==== [1] Kway teaw, literally "stir-fried rice cake strips", is a popular noodle dish from Southeast Asia, notably in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Brunei. The dish is considered a national favourite in Malaysia and Singapore. (Taken from Wikipedia) [2] A popular mixed fruit salad in a sweet sauce, it is a traditional Malay family favourite and one of Singapore and Malaysia''s most famous hawker dishes. (Taken from women weekly) [3] Nephews include not just Kael but also Delilah''s cousins'' children 41 CH41: Not in the job description but... "What''s the good of resisting temptation? There''ll always be more." Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. - Mae West ========================= A couple of days after her trip to Penang, Delilah finally felt that she can work dutily. Previously, she has been slacking off as she felt like she was still on a holiday. Luckily for her, Aubree did not scold her for being lazy. This was because she knew how much Delilah had worked before her holiday. She knew that she shouldn''t have taken advantage of Aubree''s goodwill but she really did not have the mood to work after she got back from the holiday. At that moment, she was working on her reports where she had to check on the available trainings that she can schedule for the employees of Kang Company. Other than that, she had been tackling problems on underperforming employees. The New Year will be coming up soon so she thought that she would be better off preparing list of training schedules. And while she was selecting the trainings to be suggested, she thought, perhaps, this may also encourage those underperforming employees. She hasn''t got the chance to meet them to ask what was happening. She could only get feedback from their supervisors. So, with the training, this could probably kill two birds with one stone. Additionally, if she propose the suggested training list earlier, this would give other employees a chance to see what was available and what suited them best. And additionally, they could also research more on what the training entails. As she began to write off the names of the trainings that were either too expensive nor appropriate for the job description, she heard a little commotion at the entrance to the office. She looked up to see Bella standing there, talking and laughing with one of the employees. She was carrying piles of papers in her arms. Thinking that it probably wasn''t for her, Delilah turned back to her reports. Moments later, she heard someone knocking on the wall of her cubicle. Looking up, Delilah watched as Bella dropped the piles on top of Delilah''s table and said, "Hi, D. A courier just came and sent this to us. He said he received this from Howard." She holds up a piece of paper and said, reading off from the note, "According to him, he said he needs you to double check with the documents and pick the suitable place for the get together staff meeting." Delilah frowned. "How come he''s giving the task to me?" she asked, narrowing her eyes in suspicion. "Isn''t this supposed to be the task of the General Affairs department?" Bella shrugged. "I only tell you what I know," she replied, not really helping with the answer. "You should probably asked Aubree about this." She then waved goodbye to Delilah as she walked back down the stairs. "I''d better get back to my post. See you later, D." Delilah sighed as she leaned against her chair. She took one of the papers from the pile and skimmed through it. It was a list of restaurants and dining halls in town, with its prices and pictures. Some have their own catering and some do not, which probably was Delilah''s task to find one. She placed the paper back on the piles and placed the reports that she had done earlier on top of it. She then got up from her seat and walked over to Aubree''s cubicle. Delilah saw Aubree busy at work, as she typed non-stop on her computer. Delilah knocked lightly on the wall of Aubree''s cubicle, trying to get her attention. Aubree looked up and gave her a smile. "Hey, D. What can I do for you?" she asked pleasantly. She stopped what she was doing and turned around to face Delilah. "I''m a bit confused. So, Howard sent me some papers, which was some list of restaurants and dining halls¡­ The thing is¡­ isn''t that the task of an admin?" Delilah asked slowly. She quickly shake her hands and said, "It''s not that I don''t want to do them. But I was just wondering." In all honesty, Delilah actually felt reluctant to do them. She was the type that sticks to her job responsibilities. Yes, she used to help out with Matt and Howard with choosing a restaurant before. But she does not want to make that as a regular occurence. She was already tied up with assigning on the training schedules. Because she was not just doing it for one department but every department. Aubree blinked her eyes in surprise. Papers? What papers? She did not remember Howard telling her about giving a task to Delilah. "Can you show me the papers?" she asked nicely. Delilah nodded and went off to grab the papers. Moments later, she handed the papers to Aubree, who received them with a nod. Aubree began to read with a thoughtful look on her face. She placed the papers on her tables and said, "Yes, you''re right. This shouldn''t be your task. I''ll speak to Howard about this and you go on continue with your work. I''ll talk to the admins about this," she continued. Delilah nodded, grateful for Aubree''s help. She thanked her for the help and went back to her cubicle to continue doing on her work. Delilah had her lunch with Firah at the office cafeteria. They did not have the mood to go out to have their lunch so they opted to stay in the office, instead. Fortunately for them, the food being served there was not that bad. But sometimes, when you always eat there, you would tend to get sick of it. So, both Delilah and Firah loved to eat out sometimes. Just to get away from the office. It was an hour after lunch when Delilah was back in her cubicle. She was sorting out her documents when Aubree came knocking on the wall of her cubicle. Delilah looked up. She seems a bit surprised to see Aubree in her cubicle, wondering whether she has left something out in her report. "Is there something wrong, Bree?" Delilah asked, tilting her head in question. She could see Aubree was a bit nervous which made Delilah feel more suspicious. Why would she be nervous coming here? She wondered. Aubree exhaled a long breath and bit her lower lip. "I texted Howard about the task that he had given you. He said that Matt actually requested you to do the job. He was pleased with the work that you have done before and thought, perhaps you can be in charge of this too." It was then Delilah just noticed Aubree was holding the pile of papers in her hands. She handed Delilah them back with a wry smile. Delilah sighed as she took the papers back. Sometimes it''s really hard when you do too much of a good work that people may take advantage of it, as well. "I see¡­" she said slowly, looking down at the papers with a dejected look on her face. Aubree patted her on the shoulder. "Don''t worry. I''ve already told the admins to give you a hand with this. So, you shouldn''t worry too much." Delilah sighed again. It was not that she was worried to do the work alone. In fact, she could probably do it herself, without the admin''s help. It was just that she did not want to do the work itself because it was not in her job description. But since this was a ''command'' from the higher ups, she definitely could not reject it and should just do it. She should not be surprised by this, actually. Since this was not the first time that it had happened to her. She does the work but it does not mean that she liked it. After Aubree had left, Delilah put aside the documents that she had been working on earlier and began to read the papers that Howard had sent to her. She began to read through the document, writing small notes on the paper, while researching the places online. She also took note on the locations, the prices and what was being offered. She wrote all the details on the papers itself, so that it was easier for her to refer to. Although, it does not seem much but it took her hours to do the research. Because she also has to consider the guests'' taste, as in what they can eat or can''t. And it was not just about the food itself, but also she would need to plan the programme schedule and what kind of entertainment needs to be added. Even when it was time to return back home, she was still not done. She decided to continue her research at home. She doesn''t believe in bringing her work home. Even if she once did it before, she does not want to make it a regular activity. One must practice work-life balance [1]. She switched off her computer, rearrange her things and placed all her important documents in her drawer before leaving the office. Before Delilah started her car engine, she heard a notification from her handbag. She grabbed her phone from inside and saw it was a message from her sister. She quickly read the message, which reads, ''Are you done with work? Go straight to ''Small Hotpot'' for an early dinner. We''re on the way there. Dad, too.'' Delilah sent a quick ''Ok'' and started her engine. She then drive straight to the restaurant. It only took her 15 minutes to arrive at the restaurant. After she parked her car just near the restaurant, she got out of the car and headed towards the restaurant. Inside, her father and other siblings were already at one of the tables, including Bryson. Apparently, Bryson was coincidentally at home, visiting their father when Miya told him that they will be going out for dinner. So, he immediately joined them, with Miya and Kael joining him in his car. Munier and their father were in a separate car. Delilah took a seat beside Bryson, who sat across their father. Munier was sitting on Bryson''s right with Miya sitting across him. Kael was sitting between his grandfather and mother. Miya''s husband, Mellan, hasn''t arrived yet from work. Delilah placed her handbag on her seat before getting up to get the food. The raw food for grilling were served in a buffet style, where patrons can get the food themselves, self-service. She grabbed an empty plate and began to fill the plate with the marinated food. She had taken raw chicken and beef. She then took her dipping sauce and carried her plates to the table. Bryson had left her some space on the grill so she could cook hers. In the middle of the grilling pan, there was a small pot, boiling with chicken soup. It was used for the hotpot, which Delilah decided not to eat. She felt like eating grilled food. Bryson was the same. Both Delilah and Bryson shared the small stove for the hotpot and grilling with their father. Miya, on the other hand, shared the other small stove with Munier and later, Mellan. Kael, who doesn''t like to eat hot pot, was eating his french fries, instead, as he watched his cartoon on Miya''s mobile phone. Delilah began to place the marinated meat on the grill pan and waited for them to cook. Once cooked, she picked them up with a metal tong. She could feel her mouth drooling from the smell of cooked meat. It smells so good. She dipped the meat in her spicy dipping sauce and took a bite. It was a bit chewy but tender. The juices from the meat and the spiciness of the dipping sauce dripped down onto her empty plate. Not wanting to waste the flavour, she took another meat from the grill and wiped the juice and the fallen dipping sauce with it and ate it. The family began to enjoy their grilled food and hotpot, while talking among themselves. It has been awhile since they had eaten out together. It was quite harmonious and such a comfortable feeling to Delilah. Her brother-in-law finally arrived a few minutes later. Miya began to serve him some of the food that she had cooked earlier. Delilah also shared hers. Why would anyone want to stop enjoying food when there will always be food around, especially in an all-you-can-eat hotpot and grill buffet? 43 CH43: Radio Talks "After a full belly, All is poetry." - Frank McCourt ========================= It was a fine Thursday morning as the sunrise slowly spread its pinkish glow across the sky, announcing a brand new day. Delilah was on her way to work, driving her grey silver sedan car. It was like any other day; traffic was everywhere. She only drove out of her residential area and she already caught in a traffic jam. Luckily, it wasn''t as bad as some jams in other countries as she was still be able to drive her car a bit. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. She was listening to the radio and right at that moment, the radio djs were Nathan and Dillon. She loved to hear them on the radio because they usually play nice songs and were kind of funny. They do not play pranks but rather, they usually play games on the radio, which made Delilah laughed. One of the games that they usually do was what they called, ''Thriller Thursday''. The segment was a guessing game, where one of the radio djs would describe a certain movie, giving riddles and the other dj would have to guess it. However, they usually play the game at 8 o''clock in the morning. So before that, they were discussing about Dillon''s holiday. A couple of weeks ago, he went to Portugal for two weeks. Nathan was asking him questions of what Dillon did there and what are the tips he would like to contribute. Then Dillon talked about how he used to dislike egg tarts. But then when he went to Portugal, his wife had persuaded him to try the Portuguese egg tarts. At first, he told Nathan that he was adamant about not wanting to give it a try. But knowing his wife''s persistence of saying how good it was and him not wanting to reject good food, so he tried it. Nathan laughed, as if he knew what was going to happen next. He continued asked Dillon, "How was it?" Dillon was quiet at first and then he reluctantly answered, "I then ate at least two egg tarts everyday when I was there." Nathan had laughed out loud after Dillon had admitted that. Dillon then talked about the differences between the egg tarts made here and the ones in Portugal. He talked about how the pastries were so good; it was crispy yet melt in your mouth. The egg tarts there were a bite-sized so it was easy to get addicted to it. He described how moist the inside of the tarts were and how it was not that sweet. As she listened to the two radio djs talked, Delilah began to burn up with jealousy. How she wished that she was in Portugal right now and eat what Dillon had eaten. But alas, her wallet and bank account does not approve her traveling needs. Not wanting to hear more because she was worried that she might crave for some egg tarts, she switched off the radio. Instead, she switched on her mp3 player. Little did she know, she was already craving for one. Arriving at the office, she quickly parked her car at a nearby parking lot and went into the office building. She had just arrived at her cubicle when she heard a text notification from her phone. She placed her handbag on the table and grabbed her phone from inside. She swiped the screen and saw it was from Howard. Reading through the text, it seems like he wanted Delilah to conduct a class of CV writing for next month. He wrote in the text that he wanted Delilah to set up the registration and get some admins to help out. He also suggested to ask for help from the Marketing department to help promote it. Delilah shot a quick reply of yes and continue to prepare for the day. She decided to create a document where it will be for registration and make it open to the public. It will create more publicity for their company and increase their brand name to be known in the country. After a few minutes, she was done with the document and had reviewed it; testing it out to ensure that there were no mistakes. She also decided to create an online registration form to make it more convenient. Once done, she send the document and the online form link to the admins and the marketing department via email. She added a request to the marketing department, to whomever was in charge of the social media of the company to share it there. At least, it will gain more publicity and popularity. Receiving agreements from both parties, Delilah forwarded the email to Howard, just to update him on what has been done. ---- Few days later, Delilah had just arrived at the office. However, before she went up the stairs to her office, Bella had rushed out of the reception desk and rushed towards her. Confused, Delilah stopped walking and waited for Bella to reach her. "Is there something wrong, Bella?" Delilah asked, tilting her head in question. Bella nodded. "Someone had called in yesterday and they asked about the CV writing class." "And what about it?" Bella bite her lips nervously, as if she was worried about how Delilah might react to her answer. "Well, that person asked whether he can get in for free since they went to the class before." Delilah frowned darkly as she narrowed her eyes. "So? Why does that matter? Do you have his number? Let me give him a call." Shortly after, Delilah was in her cubicle, with the office phone in her hand. Bella had passed her the number of the one who had wanted to get free registration fee. Delilah dialled the number and then a male voice came out. ''Hello?'' he said. "Hello, sir. This is Delilah from the Kang Company. I''m returning your call in regards to the CV writing that you have inquired earlier before. I was told that you would like to get in for free because you went to our previous class before?" Delilah asked politely. ''Ah yes,'' the man answered. ''I have already been to one before and I would like to join again.'' "I see," she said, nodding. "May I know which class you''ve went to?" she asked again, still being polite. ''I went to the one during the job fair, months ago.'' Delilah inwardly face-palmed. Outside, she murmured, "Ah, I see. Actually, we do not give any free class, regardless of whether you have been to one because every class would be different. And during the job fair, that was, of course, free. But that was under the government labour department. And this is a private class. So, you still need to pay for the registration fee." ''Oh, I see,'' the man said. ''Even if I already went to one.'' "Yes, sir." The man went quiet. Delilah then quickly added, "So, if you are still interested to join our class. Please do check out our website to download our registration form or you can come to our office and apply. And yes, we also accept walk-ins. Oh and also, do not forget to follow us on our social media." "Uh, sure," the man stammered. He sounded nervous now. "Thank you again and hope to see you soon!" Not! Delilah hang up the phone and sighed. ''I need a snack!'' she thought. It was still early at the office and she had already eaten her breakfast at home. Yet, she still feels hungry. The feeling of being annoyed at someone but at the same time, trying to hold it in was tiring. She grabbed her purse from her handbag and walked over to Aubree. Aubree was inside her cubicle, typing something in her phone. She looked up when she heard Delilah knocking on her wall. "Hey, Aubree. Good morning!" she greeted. "Do you mind if I go out for a moment?" "Where are you going?" Aubree asked. "I''m going to the nearest bakery. I need some snacks," Delilah answered. Aubree stood up and grabbed her purse and phone. "Okay, can I join?" Delilah raised an eyebrow. "Well, from the way you already brought your purse and phone with you, it seems like you''re DEE-finitely joining me." Aubree just laughed. The two of them then walked down and out of the office building. Delilah was driving so they immediately walked over to her car. It only took them ten minutes to arrive at the bakery. It was a small bakery with a cute red and white striped awning. After parking her car, the two women get down from the car and went inside. They were greeted by the fresh smell of newly baked breads and pastries. It smells heavenly. Delilah quickly walked over to the counter that serves the pastries and puffs, whereas Aubree went to the shelves that holds the bread and savory breads. She then noticed that there was some egg tarts. She quickly grabbed a tray and picked three since the price of three only cost about two dollars. After she was done with hers, apparently, Aubree was done with hers, as well. The two paid for their food and returned back to the car with a happy smile on their faces. Back at the office, instead of going straight to her cubicle, Delilah went to the pantry, together with Aubree. Inside the pantry, she sat down at the table and began to eat her egg tart. Biting into the tart, a moist and sweet taste of the custard explode beautifully in her mouth. The flaky yet soft exterior of the tart melts as she ate it. The sweet custard of the egg tart was still warm. It tasted like perfection in a dessert. The golden yet gooey interior melts together with the flaky exterior, making it more sweet and delicious. As she inhale more of the tarts, she thought that this tarts were probably not as Dillon''s but it was still so good! 44 CH44: Farewell party "We all eat, And it would be a sad waste of opportunity to eat badly." - Anna Thomas ========================= It was Deegan''s last day of work today. It has been six months since he had been working in the company. And he had done both of his presentations to the top management of the company, as well as to his supervisors in his university. Looking at the cubicle on her left, her face looked sad. Delilah missed Firah a lot. It has also been months since she had left the company. Matt decided not to rehire another employee to replace her because the employees from the Finance department had told him that they were losing money. It baffled Delilah on how they could lose so much money. True that they were not making profits as they expected but they still survive. And despite not making profits, they were not actually on the borderline but rather, above the borderline. Hence why Howard had proposed to Aubree that they should hire a part-timer, instead of a full-time staff to replace Firah. Again, it baffles Delilah on why he was making this kind of decision. She doubts that he had told Matt about this decision. But she decided to keep quiet because it was not something that she should be involved in. Delilah sighed. Without Firah, it had been quiet. Although, Deegan was still here as he had spent his last month, working in the HR department, soon, he will be returning back to his university. It will be his final year once he returns back there. And she had wished him good luck. At the moment, Delilah was slacking off, playing her mobile games, instead of working. She doesn''t have the mood to work since she had done so much yesterday. She thought that perhaps she deserves an hour break or so. And of course, lunch time is another break so that doesn''t count. As she was playing some games, Deegan had knocked on her cubicle wall. She looked up and gave him a smile. "Hey, what''s up?" "Hey, D. I was wondering whether I could go out for a while?" he asked, smiling. "Oh, where are you headed off to?" Delilah asked, curious as she paused her game. Deegan scratched the back of his head and said, "Uh, I''m going to pick up something and I needed to pick it up before lunch time." "Oh, I see," she said, nodding. "Sure, go ahead." He nodded with thanks and went off. Delilah turned her gaze back to her mobile phone and continued her game. Soon after, Delilah was in the pantry where many of the HR employees had brought some food. A week before, Delilah had sent a mass email to everyone in the HR department, excluding Deegan. She had proposed a party to celebrate Deegan''s farewell party. She suggested potluck so everyone can bring their foods. Delilah also invited other employees such as those who had worked with Deegan before; Fawkes, Sam, Sofia, Bella and even Travis. And of course, Howard and Matt. Stella could not join because she was still in Singapore. However, she did send her best wishes and hope everything runs smoothly. It was quite cramped inside the pantry so they decided to move the party to the meeting room. At first, Delilah was worried that they would make a mess in the room but Bella had told her that it would be fine. She had already prepared a plastic table cover for the table. Bella also joked about the people at the party should be old enough to not make a mess like little children. And that they should know to clean up after themselves. Delilah prepared a huge plastic bag for the rubbish so that it will be easy for clean up. Bella and the other admin also helped out with the party where they rearranged the tables and chairs. Deegan had not arrived yet but the other people were already in the room with their foods. Some had carried them over from the pantry, placing them on the table. Aubree had brought pizza, whereas Delilah had brought fish curry with garlic naan [1]. There were other foods such as cheesecakes, bean soup, barbeque chicken wings, potato salads, pasta and more. It was inDEEd quite a feast. And Delilah was pleased to see that everyone was joining in the fun. It was not like everyday that they get together as a whole to enjoy the food. Once everyone had settled in, Delilah heard someone walking into the office. She peeked out of the meeting room and saw it was Howard, Matt and the others from the other branch. They, too, were bringing food. It looked like everyone in the office was in the party. Delilah, Bella and the other admins began to worry that some people might not have a seat. So they had to carry more chairs from the office. After everything was done, just at that moment, Deegan walked in, carrying a huge aluminum food tray. He looked surprised at the sight of an empty office. It wasn''t 12 o''clock yet but it was already empty. He doubts that they went for an early lunch. Then he noticed Delilah waving him over. She was peeking out from the meeting room with a huge smile. He walked over and when he walked in, he was greeted with many people congratulating him. He felt touched at their sincere congratulatory messages. He thanked them with a smile. He then turned to Delilah and gestured at her with the food tray. "I actually brought some food as well," he said sheepishly. Delilah peered in at the food tray. "Is this the one that you wanted to pick up earlier?" she asked. He nodded. She laughed. "What a coincidence!" she exclaimed. She then nodded towards the tables which were filled with food. "Go ahead and put it there. We will start our thanksgiving prayers then we can eat." He nodded again. "Alright." Once he had placed the food tray, Matt and Howard beckoned him over to sit between them. It seems like he was the guest of honor for that day. He walked over and sat with them. Matt had said something to him, which he replied. Delilah could not hear what they were talking about because she was sitting on the other side of the meeting room, together with Bella and Aubree. Once the prayers were read, Matt stood up to give his congratulatory message to Deegan, wishing him all the best and hope to see him in the near future. Then finally, it was time to eat. Delilah immediately went over to where Deegan had placed his food tray. She peeled open the aluminium cover and saw beautiful yellow and red rice inside. It was Biryani rice [2]. Sniffing the air, Delilah could smell the strong spices of the rice and it smells really good. She took a paper plate and a serving spoon and scooped some rice onto her plate. It was then she noticed that there were also something added in the rice. Deegan, who stood next to her, saw her confusion and said, "It''s actually Biryani rice with lamb." Her eyes widened. It was one of her favourites! Biryani rice with lamb! She scooped more rice onto her plate and took some pieces of the lamb curry. Placing back the serving spoon, she turned to Deegan and gave him a thumbs-up. ''Good job, my friend,'' she thought happily. She grabbed a plastic fork and spoon before carrying her plate to her previous seat. Seated, she gingerly placed her plate on her lap. Luckily, her chair has that curved bar near the bottom so she was able to rest her feet on it. At least, she doesn''t have to bend to eat her food. So, her back was safe. Some of the other people teased her when they saw that she only eats Biryani rice. She joked back saying, "Relax! This is just an appetizer!" They laughed at her reply. Scooping the rice up to her mouth, she could still smell the herbs and spices used to cook the rice. It has that mild fragrance, not too strong. As she ate, she could taste the tangy and hot taste of the rice, together with the taste of lamb curry mixed with it. The intoxicating aroma, gorgeous colours, fluffy rice and the addictive curry flavours! What more do you need to describe the beautiful dish? She loved how flavoursome Biryani rice could be. And added with the savory and bountiful palate of the juicy lamb curry. It was simply DEE-licious. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. Delilah licked her lips happily, not wanting to waste a single drop of the curry sauce. InDEEd, one should not waste any opportunity to eat good food! ---- [1] Naan - Naan is a leavened, oven-baked flatbread found in the cuisines mainly of Iran, India, Western Asia, South Asia, Central Asia, Myanmar and the Caribbean. (From Wikipedia) [2] Biryani rice - Biryani, also known as biriyani, biriani, birani or briyani, is a mixed rice dish with its origins among the Muslims of the Indian subcontinent. It can be compared to mixing a curry, later combining it with semi-cooked rice separately. (From Wikipedia) 46 CH46: Part-timer "Food is one of the great organizing tools." - Pete Seeger ========================= Just before the clock hits 8 AM in the morning, Delilah had just reached her cubicle. Placing her work bag and lunch bag on the table, she leaned over to switch on her computer. While waiting for her computer to fired up, she grabbed her tumbler from her lunch bag and walked towards the pantry. It was just another day at work. Its been a month since Firah left and a couple of weeks since Deegan left too. It was quite lonely, even though Aubree was there. And that morning was the usual. She had woken up early to prepare her breakfast. She had made a simple egg sandwich to eat. Inside the pantry, she noticed that the kettle was already boiling. She already had her green tea bag inside her tumbler so all she needed to do was to fill it up with hot water. Dunking the bag a couple of times in the bottle, watching as the tea essence fan out, once she was satisfied with the color, she threw the used tea bag in the rubbish bin nearby. Bringing the tumbler back to her cubicle, she placed it on her table and continued to take out her other necessities such as mobile phone, notebooks and so forth. She was reading the task list that she had written on a small whiteboard that was hung on the wall of her cubicle when there was a message notification on her phone. Thinking that it was probably some chats from one of her group chats, she ignored it and continued checking the task list. ''Hmmm¡­'' she thought to herself, tapping a finger against her chin. ''Look for afternoon session tutors¡­ checked. Follow-up with new employees'' schedule¡­ Review the appraisal report again for continuing study¡­'' While she was immersed in her thoughts, the phone on her table rang. Without taking her gaze off the whiteboard, she reached out to grab the wireless headset. "Hello. Delilah speaking." ''I presumed that you haven''t checked your phone yet,'' the person on the other line mused. Delilah let out a grin. "You presumed right, Amy," she said with a chuckle. "So, what''s up? Is it so urgent that you even had to call me?" ''Not really. But just giving you a heads-up.'' "Heads-up?" Delilah repeated in confused. ''Yeah. Didn''t you hear? There''s a new part-timer joining in.'' "Part-timer?" ''I think you''d better lay off the bird seeds next time, D,'' Amy joked, implying that Delilah was acting like a parrot, as she keeps repeating every word Amy had spoken. "No, I didn''t hear about any part-timer!" Delilah frowned. "Why don''t people keep me updated? Am I no longer working here?" she protested with a touch of hurt. ''Uhhh¡­ I''m not sure about that, D. Sorry.'' Delilah sighed. "It''s okay, Amy. It''s not your fault," she replied. "So, what''s this part-timer''s JD about?" (JD - Job Description). ''She''ll be working more as an admin assistant. Though, I heard, more specifically as Aubree''s assistant.'' Delilah frowned. "Aubree''s assistant? Does she knows about this?" she asked curiously. ''Yup.'' "I see," she murmured. ''I wonder why Aubree didn''t mention this to me,'' she wondered. ''So yeah, she''ll be heading over to the HQ for further training. She was here last week, trained by me,'' came Amy''s reply. "Wait, was this the one that Howard told you to interview?" Delilah quickly asked. ''No. This is a different one,'' Amy answered. "I see." Just how many people did Amy interviewed without her knowledge? ''Alright, I''ll hang up then. See you soon and good luck!'' "Thanks. See you soon," Delilah responded. She then hang up the phone and let out a dejected sigh. It seems like ever since Firah and Deegan had left the company, she was getting out of the loop. They don''t seem to tell her what has been happening around the office and she was getting kind of worried. Was there something she had done that they would not want to trust her? Is she getting fired? Did they find a replacement for her? Delilah dropped down on her seat, clutching her head in worry. She really does not know what to think anymore. She does not know what to see this as. She leaned against her seat and groaned. What should she do? After a few minutes of just thinking, she abruptly sat up straight and clenched her fists. ''No, I shouldn''t let this worry me,'' she thought vehemently. She glanced up at the wall clock in front of her. The part-timer should arrived by then. Just as she was thinking that, Bella walked into the office with an unfamiliar woman following behind her. She has mousy brown hair with big brown eyes. Her eyes reflect the innocence and naivety as she looked young. She seems to be a clean dresser, wearing a white blouse with ruffled collar and a brown office slacks. Bella knocked on the wall of Delilah''s cubicle. Delilah turned around in her seat with a smile. "Hello, Bella. What''s up?" she greeted, pretending to be oblivious. "Hello D," Bella greeted back. She then gently pushed the woman to the front and introduced her. Delilah stood up. "This is Hailey. She just joined the company as a part-timer. She already did her training at the other branch. But Howard thought that perhaps you can retrain her once more. Just to make sure that she gets the hang of it." She turned to Hailey. "This is Delilah. She''s the boss in this floor," she joked, making Delilah rolled her eyes. "I''m joking. She''s one of the HR officers and she''s also a trainer for the new employees." Hailey nodded and gave Delilah a little bow in respect. "Hello Delilah. It''s nice to meet you." Delilah just nodded. She turned to Bella and nodded again, saying without words that she''ll take over now. Bella smiled and turned to Hailey once more. "I''ll leave you to Delilah''s good hands. So, I''ll see you soon, Hailey. And congratulations on joining the Kang Company." "Thank you," Hailey replied with a huge smile. With that, Bella turned around and left the office, leaving the two of them in Delilah''s cubicle. The two of them were quiet as Delilah silently studied Hailey, who was becoming more nervous under Delilah''s scrutinizing gaze. Delilah sat down back again and said, "Go and take a chair from the cubicle next door." Hailey nodded and quickly grabbed a chair. Delilah then told her to take a seat. The two of them went quiet once more. "So, when did you graduate?" Delilah asked curiously, crossing her arms over her chest. "I just graduated a couple of months ago from B College." Delilah nodded. "Do you have any working experience?" she asked. Before Hailey could answer, Delilah stopped her with another question. "Wait, before that, what position did you applied here for?" "I applied for an admin assistant." "Part-time?" Delilah asked again. Hailey nodded. "And you agree to working part-time?" Delilah asked, baffled. "Don''t you want to continue your studies?" It was strange to find that someone would want to work part-time. Usually, those who worked part-time were those who are still studying or wants to gain experience. But for Hailey, she just graduated. Usually those who have the same route as her would either continue their studies or look for a permanent job. It''s already the time for students to start their new semester so Hailey probably wouldn''t be studying anytime soon. "Yes. I don''t mind working part-time and no, I don''t really want to continue studying. I''m quite content with the qualifications that I have now. What I want now is experience," Hailey answered. She felt like she was sitting for an interview once more. "I see. That''s good then," Delilah nodded. She then stood up. Haily quickly followed. Delilah walked out of the cubicle and gestured towards the cubicle that Deegan used to occupy. She then said, "This will be your cubicle from now on." She stopped and turned to Hailey again. "Did Howard mentioned how many months or what''s your schedule are?" she inquired. "Howard?" Hailey repeated in confused. "Didn''t Howard interview you last time?" Hailey shook her head. "No, it was a woman named Amy, who interviewed me." Delilah nodded. "Alright. So, did she give you your schedule yet?" Hailey nodded. She reached for a piece of paper from her handbag, which was hanging from her shoulder and handed it to Delilah. Delilah took it and skimmed through it. According to her schedule, she would be working alternatively between both branches. And she would have one day off in a week and will only work for 5 hours per day. Seems reasonable with the experience and the salary that the company had offered to her. After Hailey had settled in the cubicle, Delilah followed up with what Amy had taught before. Delilah also asked scenarios questions which Hailey had answered with confidence. Once done, Delilah handed her a handbook where there were all guidelines and references that Hailey needs to know, working as an admin. Two hours later, Delilah went over to where Hailey worked to see what she has been doing. Then, from out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a familiar book sticking out of Hailey''s handbag. She frowned, trying to recall where she had seen it before. Then realization dawned at her and she tapped Hailey on the shoulder. Hailey turned around, looking confused. "Is there something wrong?" "Is that the new planner from Qikki.Q?" Delilah asked excitedly, pointing at the book. Hailey''s face broke into a huge grin. She grabbed the book and held it tightly in front of her, as if it was like a precious thing. "Yes, it is!" The two of them shrieked excitedly together. Then they quickly covered their mouths when they noticed the people around them were glaring at them. Hailey showed Delilah the inside of the planner. Delilah went ''oohh'' ''aaahh'' at every page. It was pretty and colourful. What Delilah likes the most was that it has a budget planner, travel and bucket list and stickers. It was nearly lunch time when the two of them agreed to have lunch together so that they can continue with their talks. Delilah decided to bring along her planner and her sticker book as well, to compare. After a few minutes, they stopped in front of a Mexican restaurant. It was a small restaurant with a Mexican theme decorated all over the shop. Sombreros lined up the wall in different colours and designs. The lights hanging on the ceiling were of handwoven baskets, which made the shop looked more cosy and dimmed, giving off a romantic aura. The two of them grabbed a table and looked over the menu, which was handed by the waiter. They both ordered orange juice and a beef burrito. While waiting for their food, they talked about their planners and show each other theirs. Delilah talked about an event that usually happens once or twice a year called the Planner Market. Hailey''s eyes brightened with excitement when Delilah talked about how much fun the market was. And she promised to text Hailey if there''s one happening later that year. When their meals have arrived, the two women gasped in surprise at how big the burrito was. Delilah picked hers and slowly unwrapped the packaging. She was worried that she might have spilled the contents. The burrito was thick as it was filled with cooked rice, taco spicy sauce, ground beef, black beans, creamy cheese, red onions, crispy lettuce, salsa and sour cream. As she bite in the burrito, she could taste the juices from the beef melted together with the tarty taste of salsa and sour cream. Then added with a kick from the taco spicy sauce and creamy cheese, it was like numerous kinds of flavours just burst inside her mouth. The rice helped added more flavour to the burrito, making it bountiful and fulfilling. She also loved how the crispy lettuce just soften in her mouth, as it mixes beautifully with the onions and the beans, making it more chewy. Delilah had to carefully eat the burrito because she did not want to waste a single drop of it. Before taking another bite, she looked at the insides of the eaten burrito. Each ingredients were arranged beautifully, making one be able to distinguish each unique tastes of the ingredients. She licked her lips before biting into it again. InDEEd, food can be organized beautifully as well, not just in books. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. 47 CH47: Whats your cravings? "We should look for someone to eat and drink with before looking for something to eat and drink." - Epicurus ========================= That morning, Delilah decided to relax a bit while reading some reports. Luckily for her, her tasks at that time does not require her to write so many reports, compared to her other colleagues. Rather, she only has to read a couple of reports, write a small note about it and send it off to the top management. She was munching on some potato chips while reading the report. Using her pinkie finger, she turned each page of the report while being careful not to leave a stain on the paper. The report she was reading was on Deegan''s final thesis in his university. Apparently, he was in his final semester, doing his final year. He had sent a copy of his thesis where he wrote about the workplace environment in the Kang''s Company. The reason as to why he sent his report was to let Delilah check on the contents, to ensure that there was no confidential information being used in the report. ''So far, so good,'' she thought as she grabbed a wet tissue from her tissue pack and wipe her fingers clean. With her eyes still on the report, skimming through the words, she also made some notes, pinpointing on his grammar mistakes and all. Yes, she was being a ''grammar nazi'' [1] but she could not help it. She likes to read smoothly without wincing. Again, not to say that she has a perfect grasp of English. Moving on, she was writing some tips on what to add in the report and whatnot when her mobile phone on the table let out a beeping noise. She looked over and saw that it was a text message from Amy. Reading the message, Amy was asking whether she was in the office at the moment. Feeling perplexed as to why she was asking, Delilah just shot a quick reply, ''Yes'', before she continued reading the report. ''Okay. I''ll be there after lunch,'' came the reply. Delilah picked up her phone and started to answer again. ''How about we have lunch together before you come into the office?'' she asked. ''That would be perfect! Where shall we eat?'' ''I don''t know. Up to you.'' ''I''m good with any.'' ''Me too. I don''t have any cravings.'' ''So do I. So, where do you want to eat?'' ''Anything that isn''t heavy or light would be good.'' ''Something medium? What kind of medium you''re talking here?'' ''I don''t know. What medium are you thinking of?'' Suddenly, her phone went silent. It seems like Amy had stopped texting. Probably a work has caught her or something. Just as Delilah was about to put down her phone, it beeped again with a notification. Looking down, she saw Amy''s reply. ''Seriously, sister. We''re never going to be able to pick a place at this rate. So, pick one, bish!'' Delilah laughed at how Amy changed from ''sister'' to ''bish''. Seems like she was getting annoyed with all the indecisiveness. Delilah quickly texted back, saying, ''I do feel like eating some beef noodles. I''m having my period right now.'' She remembered how painful it had been when she first had her period that month. She was late for a week and it was worrisome. And when her period came, it hurt so bad that she nearly asked for a medical leave, just to rest at home. She did ask one of her friends in discordance. And stitch did mentioned that the pain was probably from the lack of iron. Being poor in Science subjects, Delilah asked again what kind of food does she need to eat when it comes to iron. Stitch suggested a lot of foods but what caught Delilah''s attention was when she said, meat. ''Meat as in beef?'' Delilah had asked that day. ''Yes, beef.'' Hence, Delilah thought that maybe it was a good idea to eat beef. And seeing that day was a chilly day since it had just rained the previous night, it would be great if she eats beef soup. And she has just the right food to eat. ''Beef noodle?'' Amy asked in the text message. ''Yeah, beef noodles. To be precise, let''s eat beef pho noodles.'' ''Sure. We can go to the one that''s near to the HQ.'' ''Great. I''ll see you later then.'' ''Sure. Bye, bish.'' After that, Delilah continued reviewing Deegan''s report, putting lots of sticky notes on the paper. He actually sent to her in softcopy. But sometimes, when it comes to this, it''s more fun and easier to have these papers in hardcopy. Delilah preferred to highlight the corrections and write in notes when it comes to report. It has been that way since she was studying years back. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. Once she was done, she slides the report in a large brown envelope and put a note on top of it. And then she went down to the reception area and talked to Bella. She told her that she will be leaving the envelope for Deegan to pick it up from here. Bella nodded. Delilah thanked Bella with a smile and returned back to her cubicle. At her cubicle, she began to do her other tasks which was to cross-check the attendance and so forth since it was nearly the end of the month. She needed to do this so that she can send her findings to the Finance department. It was fifteen minutes before the clock hits 12 PM on the dot. And Delilah was already preparing to go and have lunch with Amy. She had already told Aubree beforehand that she will be leaving for lunch early. Aubree had nodded her approval. Usually she would join them but then she had other plans. Few minutes later, Delilah arrived at the restaurant. Surprisingly, the traffic wasn''t as heavy as she thought it would be. Especially during lunch times. She even managed to score a parking spot in front of the restaurant. Delilah shot a quick message to Amy to inform her that she has arrived. Seeing that there was no reply from Amy, she assumed that she was probably on her way. She then decided to wait inside the restaurant. Inside, the restaurant was quite quaint with many Vietnamese home decor adorning the walls of the restaurant. The chairs and tables were made of wood, or to be precise, made to look like it was made of rattan [2]. It has that comfy and homey feeling when one stepped into the restaurant. Especially when the smell of the Vietnamese coffee hits your nose. Delilah sat at one of the tables and began to read the menu, which was placed on the table. Just as she was about to place her order, Amy walked into the restaurant. With a huge smile on her face, she walked over to Delilah and sat down across her. A quick look over the menu, she too had chosen what she wanted to eat. Similarly with Delilah, the two women had ordered beef pho noodles. Though, Delilah had ordered with an extra beef strips and tendons, whereas Amy only ordered with beef balls. While waiting for their meal to arrive, they have a nice chat, laughing and talking. Their food came quickly as soon as it was ordered. When her beef pho was placed in front of her, Delilah could smell the earthy aroma of the pho. She could even smell other spices such as star anise, which was a bit smokey. As she sips on the broth, she loved how rich the savory dept it has. The beef itself was sliced thinly. Although, it doesn''t add much to the beef flavour but it still has that chewy texture. Instead, it was the beef tendon that gave out the almost sweet and chewy flavour. Added with the beef balls, it was tender and meaty. The noodles used in beef pho noodles was rice noodles. It also doesn''t add much to the pho flavour but it tasted silky and smooth when bitten in it. Additionally, it was less starchy and less chewy, compared to the other noodles. As the two women enjoyed their pho, Amy suddenly stopped eating as she abruptly put her chopsticks down. Startled, Delilah looked up and asked why. "I forgot to ask you whether you have seen Matt the past few days?" Amy asked. Delilah tapped on her chin, as she tried to remember. "If I''m not mistaken, he did visit the office a few days ago. He mentioned that he will be out of the country for a couple of days." "I knew it!" "What''s wrong?" Delilah asked, looking confused. "It''s like this¡­" Amy began to tell Delilah about what has been happening in the other branch. The things that she told her made Delilah''s eyebrows raise in surprise. Interesting¡­ ----- [1] Someone who has a high understanding of grammar and has a habit of constantly correcting others'' grammar or spelling mistakes. [2] Rattan (from the Malay rotan) is the name for roughly 600 species of old world climbing palms belonging to subfamily Calamoideae (from the Greek ''k¨¢lamos'' = reed). Rattan is also known as manila, or malacca, named after the ports of shipment Manila and Malacca City, and as manau (from the Malay rotan manau, the trade name for Calamus manan canes in Southeast Asia). (From Wikipedia) 48 CH48: Questionable work ethics "Food is part of our contract with life." - Byrant H. McGill ========================= It was Saturday morning and as usual, Delilah was working half-day that day. She would usually come in the morning and went back home at lunchtime. But this time, she decided to stay longer because she has a plan with her friend after lunch. Instead of going home, she would rather stay in the office since the place that they agreed to meet up was nearer from her office than from home. Relaxing inside her cubicle, she decided to read an online novel called ''His Human Mate'' while waiting for time to pass. The story was a shifter romance, where it depicts a story between a werewolf and a human being. She liked this kind of story because anything supernatural seems interesting to her. It only took her a few minutes and suddenly, she had already reached the latest chapter. She sighed. Seems like the author doesn''t update daily. ''What a lazy author,'' she complained inside. ''She probably spend her time just eating and sleeping. Such a lazy glutton.'' Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. Closing the app, she leaned back against her seat, sighing. It was then she recalled the day she had met with Amy. She was complaining about Howard and it seems his work ethics were getting worse. And this was getting serious. She was surprised when Amy told her that they will be cutting off the sales early for that month, under Howard''s orders. It hasn''t even reached the end of the month yet. What surprised Delilah was that they were going to cut at both branches. From what Delilah had remembered was that Matt had given Aubree the power and right to supervise and manage the monetary activities in HQ. As for Howard, he will only supervise and manage the ones in the other branch. This was because Howard had spent more time in the other branch, compare in HQ. So, it seems right to let Aubree handle the ones in HQ. And seeing Aubree was in charge in HQ, why does it seem like it was Howard who still managed the ones in HQ? It was true that Aubree still report to Howard but then again, comparing with Matt, who co-owns the company, Aubree should first report to Matt, not Howard. And this baffled Delilah. She, too, suspected that Howard probably did not tell Matt about the cut off. For Delilah, the cutting off the sales were a waste of time because she knew that Matt was away until the end of the month. Even if they want to cut off early, they still need Matt''s signature to sign the cheques. Delilah did asked why Howard wanted to cut off early. Amy had shrugged and replied lazily, "He probably needs those money because he''s flying off again." "Where to?" "I heard that this time, he will be going to Malaysia. And in the next two months, he will be going to Bangkok for the water festival." Delilah had cocked an eyebrow at countries that Howard was planning to go. Although the countries weren''t that expensive but if you count the budget that you need to go there, a hundred bucks wasn''t enough. You have to consider your transportation money, food money, hotel fees, plane tickets and more. Not only that, Delilah remembered that Howard only has twenty-four days of annual leave. Minus the days that he already took leave, he should have less days left of his annual leave. She sighed again. Oh well. This doesn''t really concern her at all. Even though, its just not fair. Especially to others who had worked for a long time in the company, such as Aubree. She turned around in her seat and grabbed her phone. She decided to read other novels to pass the time. This time, she had chosen a fantasy novel where the main lead character was deemed as trash but actually was not. She liked these face-slapping types of novels. It makes one satisfied seeing some arrogant people being put into their places. She was engrossed reading the novel that she did not realize how much time has passed by. She only realized the time when she heard a text notification from her phone. Startled, she swiped down on the screen to read the message. Eyes widened, she quickly grabbed her handbag and walked quickly down the stairs. Luckily, she had already switched off her computer earlier on. So, all she needed to do was to bring her handbag and phone with her. From the message that she had read, apparently, Trixxie was already on her way to the restaurant. Yes, she was meeting up with Trixxie. It has been awhile since she last saw her. Few minutes later, she finally arrived at a pizza parlour. It was a local restaurant that had been in the food business for more than ten years. It was owned by a couple who had loved eating pizzas and had turned their passion into business. Their restaurant wasn''t big with only a few chairs, tables and a couple of counters. But they do have those black and white floor tiles, making the restaurant look like those restaurants in the 70''s, giving out a classic look. Walking inside, she saw Trixxie had arrived. She walked over to where Trixxie was waving. Both women did their greetings to each other of ''Hello. Long time no see.'' Then Delilah began to sit comfortably while Trixxie passed her the menu. Trixxie had told her that she had already ordered a pizza and her other food. Delilah nodded and called for the waiter to place an extra order for herself. She doesn''t have much preference when it comes to pizza so she would take whatever Trixxie was ordering. Moreover, the two of them had the same taste when it comes to food so Delilah wasn''t worried. For her extra order, Delilah had placed an order for clam chowder. She remembered how she used to order the soup at the restaurant and she was kind of missing it. Once she was done ordering, the two women began to chat animatedly, both were happy to see each other again. The last time that they had met up with each other was during their trip to South Korea. Since then, they only talk with each other through text messages. Thus, it was kind of nice being able to talk face-to-face. Soon after, their food came; pizza, lasagna for Trixxie and clam chowder for Delilah. She was amazed at their fast service. At least, she won''t grow hangry (not a typo. Its hungry + angry) waiting for the food. The broth was still hot that Delilah had to blew on it to take a sip. She loved how thick, creamy and savoury the broth was. There were also potatoes in the broth, which add a starchy taste to it. And even though it has that distinct seafood taste, it doesn''t have that fishy flavour. The croutons were perfectly toasted as well. When it immersed with the broth, it softened, making it more silky and mushy. The clams inside the broth does not have any taste but the broth helps make it a bit sweet and chewy. Just a sip of the broth made Delilah feel warmth all over. It gave out that comfortable feeling when one eat the broth. How she missed eating this. As she ate her broth, a thought came to her. ''InDEEd, eating this makes me feel more alive than ever.'' 49 CH49: Food Competition "Life is a combination of magic and pasta." - Federico Fellini ========================= On a Wednesday morning, the town was bustling with excitement and merriment as many people went out on the street, heading off to one of the biggest exhibition halls in town. Although, it was a working day for most working adults there but it did not stop them from going to one of the most anticipated events being held there. One of the most excited working adults was none other than Delilah, who was currently standing before the wall window on the second floor of her office building. She was watching the people who were walking on the street, laughing and talking. She felt impatient as she watched more people headed towards there. The exhibition hall wasn''t that far from her own office. Rather, it was just a few minutes walk. That day, the Tourism Board of the country had decided to hold one of their most popular events, which was called the ''Loving the Culture, Loving the Food festival''. Although, it sounds like any other food festival, what made Delilah excited was the fact that the Philippines was hosting the festival. And she was positively confident that most of her Filipino dishes will be there. She even heard that there will be a cooking competition and she wanted to be there to see it. Unfortunately, the festival will only be held during the weekdays. And the last day of the festival was on a Friday. Although it was a working day for her, Howard had given her permission to go there. It helped when Delilah literally begged him to let her go there. She couldn''t go on any other days because she has a family gathering and a meetup to go to. She was so ecstatic when Howard gave her the permission, on the condition that she would go there with Aubree and be back before lunchtime. She did not mind going there with Aubree. In fact, even before Howard gave her the condition, she was about to ask her to go with her. At that moment, Aubree was finishing off her morning tasks of scheduling meetings and talking with clients. Once she was done, she passed the tasks over to one of the admins. She gave them instructions on what to do and what to take note. She also told them to place the memos on her desk when everything had settled down. Watching Delilah standing with her hands on the wall window, watching, Aubree felt like she looked like a little child who was grounded at home and had to watch the other children having fun outside. The comparison made her giggle, which drew Delilah''s attention. Delilah whirled around and walked over to where Aubree was standing. "Shall we go, Aubree?" she asked excitedly. "Are you prepared?" Aubree asked back, noticing the lack of handbag on Delilah''s body. Delilah patted both of her pockets and said, "Got my money and phone here." "Only that?" Delilah''s mouth opened in an ''o'' shape. "Oh yes," she said, remembering something. She then quickly went over to her cubicle, crouched to the bottom drawer of her desk and pulled out a recycle bag. She waved the bag at Aubree and said, "Must not forget about this! We need this to carry our food!" Aubree just shook her head in bemusement. At first, she really thought that Delilah would bring her handbag. Seems like she doesn''t know her too well just yet. Walking down to the ground floor, Aubree noticed that there were more items in Delilah''s recycle bag that she questioned on that. "What else do you bring?" "Just some stuff," Delilah answered casually. Along the way, the two women talked while they walked. Both of them had used their hands to protect themselves from the blazing sun that seems to shine down on them. Luckily, there was a slight breeze so they did not feel too hot from the sun. Minutes later, they finally arrived at the exhibition hall. Both women gasped in happiness as cool air from the internal air-conditioner swept through them. It felt really nice and chilly. They were finally out of the frying pan and into the fridge! Although it was a short walk, it felt like they had been walking for hours under the heat. Inside the hall, the environment was buzzing with lively noises and cheery colours of flags being adorned on the walls. There were more than ten booths installed inside the huge hall. There was a big empty space in the middle of the hall, probably where the cooking competition will be held. There were many different countries participating in the event. It reminded Delilah of the other cultural food festival she went to months ago. But this one was bigger than the previous one. And she liked how there were also some performances by each country, showcasing their traditional clothes and dances. The two women were mesmerized by their surroundings, letting out words such as ''Wow¡­'' and ''Awesome'' every minute. Soon after, they walked towards one of the booths. Looking up at the sign to know the name, they saw that the booth was a representative from Thailand that the booth sells Thai food and souvenirs. It was no wonder that the booth was so colorful with red, blue and white hand fans beautifying the poles of the booth. There were also small elephant sculptures made of teak wood, and small ceramic plates on the table. But what caught Delilah''s eye was the somtam. It has always been a favourite of hers so she ordered one for takeaway. Once she was done, the two women walked over to the next booth. However, before they could take a closer look, there was an announcement over the PA system. It seems like the cooking competition was about to start and the dish that the participants would have to cook was a Filipino dish called ''Soupas''. When she heard the dish that they were going to cook, Delilah''s mouth broke into a huge grin. It was another one of her favourite dishes! She quickly grabbed Aubree''s arm and dragged her to the front, much to Aubree''s surprise. Delilah smoothly maneuvered her way in, pulling Aubree from behind. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. When they finally got to the front of the crowd, there were at least five participants who had joined the competition. They were of different ages; there were two of them who looked like they were in their forties and the rest were young, probably in Delilah''s age range. But what made Delilah chuckled was that all of them were from the Philippines themselves. She looked over at the panels of judges. There were four seats but one of them was empty. Looking at the judges, she recognized that one of them was the Philippine ambassador to the country. She had seen him before during one of the food fairs. He was also one of the guests of honour. But the other two, she did not recognize. Probably one of the sponsors. Just then, the MC (Mic controller or the host) walked in front of the crowds, with the participants behind him, at their perspective tables. On their tables, there was a small pot, a portable stove and the ingredients for the dish. Apparently, they were allowed to bring their own ingredients as well if they wanted to add some. Hence, Delilah could see all of them did bring their own ingredients, seeing by the look of a huge bag behind them or on the table as well. "Good morning everyone!" the MC shouted his greeting in the mic. "Welcome to the 8th Annual Food Festival, with the theme of ''Loving the Culture, Loving the Food''. Before we begin the competition, we would like to thank our many sponsors for this wonderful event!" He then continued to call out the names of the sponsors who had sponsored the event. After he was done with his speech, he began to smile wider. "For this competition, as you can see we have four panels of judges and one of them is still not here. That''s because this special judge is¡­ one of the people in the crowd! Yes, one of you can be the judge! So, raise your hands up if you want to become one of the judges!" Shrieks and murmurs of excitement and surprise swept over the crowd. This was a fun event, inDEEd. The moment the MC had said ''raise your hands up if you want to become one of the judges,'' many arms were raised. And one of them belongs to a certain excited cupcake, standing beside Aubree. "Me! Me! Meeeeeeeee!" Delilah shouted, waving her arm frantically. Just then the MC turned and saw Delilah, who literally jumped on her toes, waving madly. He laughed and pointed at her. "You there! The lady with the red blouse, come over!" Delilah pumped her fist in the air and cheered. "Yes!" Handing over her recycle bag over to Aubree, who was surprised at the sudden turnabout, she quickly rushed over to stand beside the MC. The MC was a tall and handsome young man, with dimples on both his cheeks. He was a bit taller than Delilah with a lean body and long legs. He wore his hair in an undercut and brushed back wavy hairstyle, making him look chic, especially with the suit he was wearing. He began to shoot her some questions such as what''s her name, where is she from and more. She answered them loud and clear, though, in her mind, she was impatiently telling the MC to get on with it so she can sit down and taste the DEElicious food. When the MC asked her whether she had tasted soupas before, she answered yes and that she loved her soupas to be creamy with lots of cabbages, macaroni and carrot. And of course, more soup. The MC laughed at her answer and said in a teasing way, "Isn''t that like having a big bowl?" "Not just a big bowl. A HUGE bowl," she replied, stressing on the word, ''huge''. Once they were done with her interview, the MC guided Delilah to her seat and the competition soon began. It was truly a sight for Delilah, who felt like she was sitting on a VIP seat. The other judges talked to her warmly, chatting about the dish and whatnot. Delilah expressed her sincere thanks to the other judges for welcoming her and hoped that they would not get disheartened with a judge rookie like her. They pooh''ed at her words and told her to enjoy the show, instead. One of the judges also admitted jokingly to Delilah that it was his first time to judge a dish so she wasn''t alone. Delilah watched as the participants began to boil the pasta. The small chicken pieces were already cooked so they had set that aside. While waiting for the pasta to boil, they began to cut the cabbages, celery and carrots into smaller pieces. Once the pasta was done boiling, they used a strainer to remove the water and boiled another pot of water. They then placed the cutted vegetables inside the pot and then poured some chicken stock, a cube of butter and evaporated milk. Once boiling, they added in the pasta and the small chicken pieces. They finished off by adding salt and pepper for taste. The soupas smell heavenly from where Delilah was sitting and she could not wait to dig in. After each participant had given their bowls to each of the judges, they tasted the first participant''s soup. Four bowls later, Delilah decided that she liked the soupas made by one of the middle aged women. When she tasted the soupas, the broth was piping hot. She could smell the sweetness yet savoury smell of the broth. As she sipped the broth, it was creamy and thick. The cabbages and carrots were beautifully boiled that it softened inside the broth. It made it easy for Delilah to munch on them as it slides down in her mouth. The macaroni was also boiled to perfection. It was soft as it melted in her mouth. The chicken pieces too were cooked nicely, mixed together with the broth. It shredded nicely in her mouth as she ate the macaroni together with the chicken. The broth was rich with taste and flavour that Delilah could not help licking the bowl clean. After the judges had chosen their winner, it was indeed the middle aged Filipina woman who won the competition. She had won herself a hotel voucher for two at the five star hotel in town for two nights as well as cash prize. Together with the judges, Delilah stood up to applaud the winner. After the competition was over, Delilah thanked the MC and the judges for the invitation and walked over to Aubree. Delilah began to talk about how exciting it had been, tasting all the food. Aubree laughed at her excitement and was happy to see her excited that she could not help teased her as well. It was, inDEEd a ''magical'' day for Delilah. 50 CH50: Healthy eating "Vegetables are a must on a diet. I suggest carrot cake, zucchini bread and pumpkin pie." - Jim Davis ========================= Delilah was munching on some potato chips when Aubree dropped by at her cubicle. For once, it was a slow day where there wasn''t much work to tackle on. Even if there was, it was not that urgent so Delilah can spend more time slack-- researching on the work. "Hey D." Turning around in her seat with her mouth full of potato chips, she blurted out, "What?" Aubree frowned with her hands on her hips. "Didn''t your parents teach you about manners? It''s rude to talk with your mouth full." Delilah swallowed her food and wiped her mouth with her napkin. "Sorry, my bad. I didn''t realize how rude my manners were since it''s just you. I got used to it." Aubree rolled her eyes. "Anyway, want to go down to the lobby with me? Ashlynn is here." "Ohhhh¡­" Delilah said slowly, her face showing a bit of surprise. It has been awhile since she last saw Ashlynn. Nearly a year if she counted. Ashlynn was an ex-employee who used to work in Kang Company before she was hired to work in a government office. (See chapter 8). "What is she doing here?" Delilah asked, confused as to why Ashlynn was here. It was not that Delilah did not welcome her here but wasn''t she supposed to be working at this hour? It was still 3 PM in the afternoon. It was not the time to go home just yet. Aubree headed towards the stairs that lead to the ground floor and said, while walking, "Nothing. She''s here to send me the cakes that I have ordered from her sister." From what Delilah could remember, Ashlynn''s sister, indeed, has an online business where she sells her homemade cakes. Delilah had tasted one of her sliced cakes before and it was delicious. Aubree used to buy them a lot back then and then she stopped. It looked like she was back to ordering them again. Coming to the lobby, the two women saw a lone woman sitting at one of the sofas. On her lap was a white box, tied with a pink ribbon. When the woman saw them approaching, she placed the box beside her on the sofa and stood up with a huge smile. "Aubree! Delilah!" she greeted, opening her arms for a hug. Aubree immediately walked over to give her a hug. "Ashlynn! It''s been so long! How are you?" she asked politely. Ashlynn laughed softly. "I''m doing good. How about you?" "I''m good too." Ashlynn then turned to Delilah and gave her a hug too. And then she suddenly froze. She then started to touch Delilah; on her hips, her arms, her back, much to Delilah''s surprise. Delilah immediately pushed Ashlynn away and covered her body with both of her arms. She stared at her with wide eyes, as if she was scared that Ashlynn was going to ''harass'' or ''molest'' her again. "What the heck are you doing?" she exclaimed in shock. Ashlynn''s eyes narrowed as she studied Delilah, looking at her from top to bottom. "D...." she said slowly, her hand underneath her chin, looking as if she was thinking. Delilah took a step back, trying to hide from Ashlynn''s wandering gaze and hands. "Yes¡­" she said slowly. Ashlynn suddenly stood up straight, both of her fists on her hips. "Did you just gain weight?" Aubree just raised her eyebrows and looked over at Delilah. Delilah, on the other hand, just stared at her. "What do you mean?" she shrieked, looking down at her body. "You seem like you''ve been gaining weight since the last time I saw you." Ashlynn then turned to Aubree. "Don''t you think so?" she asked. Aubree shrugged. "I see her nearly everyday. I wouldn''t have noticed whether she''s gotten fat or not," she replied casually. Ashlynn nodded. "True true!" she agreed. "Nooooooooooo!" Delilah denied vehemently. She covered her face, as if she was in agony and pain. "I do eat a lot of snacks recently," she reluctantly admitted. She then tugged on her blouse and continued, "No wonder my clothes are getting tighter. I thought it shrunk or something." Both Ashlynn and Aubree just rolled their eyes. Delilah clenched both of her fists and said, "I''m going to control my snackings now! Just you all wait and see!" ---- The next week. Delilah was typing on her computer while munching on a green apple when Aubree walked past her cubicle. Watching her eat, Aubree cocked an eyebrow and knocked on her cubicle. Delilah turned around, still munching on the apple. "Eating healthy, are we?" Aubree teased. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. Delilah swallowed before giving Aubree a pout. "Stop teasing me. At least, support me, you bish," she scolded. Aubree just laughed and waved her goodbye as she went to her cubicle. Few minutes before working hours ended, Delilah had rushed over to the restroom with a sports bag. And soon after that, she walked out, no longer wearing her casual office clothes, but in sports attire. Aubree was about to leave the office when she saw Delilah looking motivated and pumped up in her sports attire. "Where are you headed to?" she asked. "I''m going to the stadium. I''m going to go jogging there." Aubree nodded. "Alright then. Be careful back there." "I will. Thanks!" ---- Aubree had entered her room at her home when her mobile phone beeped. Looking down at her phone in her hand, she saw a text message from Delilah. Swiping right to open the message, she let out a laugh when she saw the image sent by Delilah. It looked like she had sent several images to Aubree. For the first picture, Delilah had sent a selfie of herself, standing in front of the stadium. The message reads, ''I''m hereeee!''. The second picture was of a red track, which leads to the stadium. It looked like a long track as the stadium looked smaller, indicating the distance between Delilah and the stadium. The message reads, ''Ugh. I''m so tired!''. And the last picture was of several food trucks lined nearby the stadium. The message reads, ''OMG! No, D! You can resist this!''. Aubree laughed again when she read the last message. She quickly shot a reply to Delilah. ''You can do it, D! I''ll see you tomorrow!'' Shaking her head in bemusement, Aubree placed her phone on her vanity table before heading to her bathroom to take a shower. ---- It was a few minutes before the sun was about to set when Delilah finally arrived at home, feeling tired and sticky. She immediately went straight to her room, wanting to take a shower. However, before she could enter her room, Miya yelled from the kitchen. "D! Come on down for dinner later! It will be ready in a few minutes." "So early?" Delilah yelled back, as she stood at the top of the staircase, her hand on the banister. "Yeah! Dad is going out for a company dinner so it''s just us! I''m cooking early because I got some markings to finish off." Miya worked as a primary school teacher in one of the government schools. She was known as a strict teacher, which was the opposite of herself, compared to her at home. She has been working as a teacher, even before she got married. So she has years of experience when it comes to teaching. "Alright!" Shortly after, Delilah walked into the kitchen, looking freshly showered with her hair covered with a towel. Miya was already sitting at the kitchen table, with Kael in his baby chair and his father sitting beside him. Delilah sat across them and grabbed an empty plate. She scooped some rice onto her plate and saw that Miya had cooked some ''Kangkung tumis'' [1]. Delilah grinned. "Oh, one of my favourites!" she exclaimed as she scooped a generous amount of ''kangkung tumis'' onto her plate. "That''s all you''ll be eating?" Miya asked as she glanced at Delilah''s plate. "Yes, I''m controlling my intake now." Miya rolled her eyes. "Right," she said sarcastically, not believing her. "Say what you will but I am," Delilah protested. She then grabbed a magazine for her read while eating. Reading the articles inside, she munched on the ''kangkung tumis''. Biting the crispy stalks of the water spinach, it tasted soft yet crunchy. The water spinach was actually slightly sweet on its own. But together with the flavours from the ''belacan'' [2], dried shrimps, shallots, garlic and chili, it was made more tasty, letting out a strong umami flavour. Despite the strong fishy smell, Delilah still could overcome the aroma. When she ate it together with a spoonful of rice, she loved how the rice mixed together with the juices from the stir-fried water spinach, bursting with flavours in her mouth. The crunchy stalks of the water spinach was addicting, especially when she ate it all, together with the leaves. Reading an article in the magazine on healthy eating, one phrase caught her eyes. It reads, ''Vegetables are a must on a diet. I suggest carrot cake, zucchini bread and pumpkin pie''. Crunching on the stalks of the water spinach (Kangkung), she scoffed as she read. "He forgot to add ''Kangkung tumis'' to the list." ----- [1] Stir-fry water spinach [2] Shrimp paste or shrimp sauce is a fermented condiment commonly used in Southeast Asian and Southern Chinese cuisines. It is primarily made from finely crushed shrimp or krill mixed with salt, and then fermented for several weeks (Taken from Wikipedia). 51 CH51: Work from home "Rainy days should be spent at home With a cup of tea and a good book." - Bill Watterson ========================= Earlier this year, the world was suffering from a virus that originated from one of the Asian countries. Businesses went down, especially those from the tourism industry. Social distancing has been strictly reinforced. Panic buying has occurred everywhere with some of the countries being on a lockdown. It has been a difficult few months for many people and companies and this does not exclude Delilah''s workplace. Since Delilah was in-charge of training schedules in the company, most of her tasks were on-hold, due to the fact that most training centers were closed until further notice. And since there will be no more flights going out of the country, external training in other countries was also on-hold. Delilah has been doing nothing for a couple of days, other than reviewing her report for more than ten times. She was so bored that she even has the time to help Aubree with her work. Until one day, Aubree texted her, just as she had arrived at home after work. ''Hey, Delilah. I was just thinking. Maybe you shouldn''t come to work after today,'' Aubree''s message reads. Delilah was putting down her work bag on the dining table with her phone in one hand, reading. She frowned as she read the message. What does she mean? She quickly shot a reply to Aubree, saying, ''Yeah, I was thinking of taking a day off.'' ''No, no. What I mean is that you should just work from home. Until further notice.'' Her eyes widened in surprise at Aubree''s message. Delilah did think of wanting to work from home since she doesn''t really know what to do at work. And that she was kind of worried about stepping out of the house with this virus going around. But she did not expect that Aubree was thinking the same thing. ''Wait, what about you?'' Delilah asked in the message. ''Will you be working from home as well?'' ''Nah, I''m still going to work.'' ''Eh, how come?'' Delilah frowned in confusion. Why would she still be going to the office while she works from home? She does feel a bit grateful and happy that she was able to work from home. But she felt that it wouldn''t be fair if Aubree still goes to the office. ''No worries. I also told the other HR employees to work from home.'' ''You still haven''t answered my question. How come you''re not working from home?'' Delilah knew that Aubree was a worrywart that she was willing to stay in the office, thinking that there might still be other people calling at the office. Then again, what''s the purpose of the receptionist? With that thought, she continued to ask Aubree. ''Is Bella on leave?'' ''Nah, she''s still here but I just want to make sure that everything in the office is alright.'' Delilah sighed. She can never persuade her. Aubree can be too stubborn, especially when she worries over a small thing, making a mountain out of a molehill. ''Fine fine,'' she replied back. ''Just text me if there''s anything happening or if you need any help.'' ''Sure, sure. Go and have a nice time, working from home.'' So, the next morning, even though Delilah was working from home, she still woke up as usual. She made a quick breakfast of toasts and eggs before walking over to the living room, where she watched the morning news. After watching the news, she went and grabbed her tablet and began to play some games. And once she got tired of playing games, she started to read webnovels such as ''Path of the Lilies'' and ''Trust in Love''. She read the first one. It was a fantasy novel about a young girl who was known to the world as ''trash''. So, the story talks about her progression on how she fights against those who condemn and bully her. She loved this kind of plot as she loved to see how a weak character grew stronger. Delilah usually ended her reading by commenting, ''Ban Ye Ai Xia''. Ye Ai Xia was a character in ''Path of the Lilies''. Once she was done reading the story, she began reading ''Trust in Love''. The story plot was about a girl who crossdressed as a boy in the modern world. It was kind of a romantic comedy and Delilah also enjoyed stories with crossdressing leads. Probably because she was interested in how they kept their secrets and whatnot. Other than the story plot, she also loved to read the comments where the other readers loved to claim one of the male characters as their own. So, she usually commented, saying that the characters were hers, instead. She liked to further frustrate the other readers by adding ''Dee'' in the characters'' names. A couple of hours later, she was done reading her webnovels and started to feel bored. Her sister and nephew were still sleeping. Her father, brother and brother-in-law were already out to work. It seems like they don''t have the benefit of working from home. Her brother-in-law worked at the bank, so it was no surprise as to why he can''t work from home. But both her father and brother worked in an automotive company. She presumed that it was still alright for them to work at the office. Her sister worked in a public school as a teacher and since all educational institutions were closed until further notice, her sister was also working from home. But she does go to the office once a week, just to hand her lesson plan and whatnot. While waiting for her sister and nephew to wake up, she went to her room and grabbed her laptop. She then switched on her laptop and opened up her web messages. Seeing Aubree online, she began to blast her with messages such as, ''Hi, what are you doing?'', ''Are you busy?'', ''How''s the office?'', ''Is there anyone at the office?'' and ''Aubree, I''m bored.'' Instead of replying to her messages, Aubree just sent a gif. Delilah opened up the link and laughed out loud when she saw the gif. It was a moving image with a funny looking guy with the caption of ''Shut up, bish!'' ''I''m seriously bored. Whatcha doing?'' she texted again. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. Again, instead of replying to her messages, Aubree just sent a link, which reads, ''What to do when you are quarantined at home.'' Delilah laughed again. She then shot another text, saying, ''Bish, I''m not quarantined. I''m just working from home!'' Aubree sent a ''Haha'' sticker and finally replied, ''I''m just texting with Sheila, updating her about our website. Not really. I''m bored too. The office is okay, I guess. Nothing exciting is happening here. And yeah, Bella is here. I''m not sure about the other department. But I''m here with Fawkes. He said he has some things to do at the office, hence why he''s at the office as well. And good for you. Be more bored.'' Delilah chuckled when she realized that Aubree had answered all her questions in just one text box. ''Anything that I can do to help?'' she asked. ''Nah, not really.'' Delilah sighed. She really was bored. After a few more messages, she switched off her laptop and walked out of her room. As she was about to walk past her sister''s room, she noticed the door was slightly ajar. And she could hear sounds of people talking and some buzzing sounds. Walking into the room, without knocking on the door, she saw her sister lying on her stomach on her bed, watching some drama on her phone. Her nephew was sitting beside her, playing a game on a mobile phone as well. Grinning, she immediately lay down beside her nephew and purposely crowding him. Kael looked over at her with a frown and quietly edged away, moving closer to his mother. Delilah then continued to crowd him until he stood up and began to sit on the other side of his mother. She grabbed his arm and wailed out, "Kael! Love me!" "No! Go away!" Delilah got up from the bed and began to crowd him again, much to his frustration. He then shouted again, "No! Go away!" Knowing that he will continue to ignore her, Delilah grabbed one of his favourite plush toys and said in a sing-song voice, "Oh look! It''s my baby!" Looking up, Kael saw his aunt cuddling with his plush toy. He then placed his phone down and began to reach for the toy. Lifting the toy out of his reach, Delilah laughed at his face, which began to crumble and he then cried out loud. He ran to his mother, who was still watching her drama and sobbed out, "Mama, mama! Aunt Dee stole my baby!" "Hug me first!" Delilah said, opening her arms wide. "No!" "No hug means no baby!" He began to cry harder. With a sigh, Miya said to Kael, "Go and hug your aunt Dee." Pouting, he walked over reluctantly and gave Delilah a hug. Moments later, she handed him the plush toy, which he quickly snatched and hid from her. Once she was done teasing Kael, she lay down next to Miya and asked, "What''s your plan?" "I don''t know. What''s your plan?" "I don''t know. I''m bored." Miya paused her drama and looked over at Delilah with a thoughtful frown. She then looked as if an idea had occurred to her. She immediately minimized her drama and went on her social media. After a few scrolls, she finally found what she has been looking for and showed it to Delilah. "Let''s make this." Delilah narrowed her eyes in suspicion at her sister. "Don''t you mean, let ME make this?" The picture Miya had shown her was a drink. Apparently, it was trending at the moment. And its name was Dolgano Coffee. It was a milk-based drink with a big, soft and foamy cream on top. But what Miya had suggested was to make it with a chocolate malt based (Milo), instead of coffee based, since she doesn''t like to drink caffeine. Miya shrugged. "You, me¡­ what''s the difference?" Delilah frowned. "What, inDEEd?" she said sarcastically. Miya then got up from her bed and said, "Alright. I''ll go and buy the ingredients while you stay at home and take care of Kael. Don''t forget to give him a bath and cook him some ''roti''." Before Delilah could say anything, her sister had already gone into her bathroom and taken a shower. Soon after, Miya was already on her way to the supermarket, leaving Delilah to babysit Kael. She let him watch his morning cartoons before cooking him ''roti''. Once cooked, she placed his plate of ''roti'' and a cup of water in front of him while he watched TV. He was a slow eater as he was easily distracted, laughing and not eating. So, while waiting for him to finish his meal, Delilah went to play her game on her mobile phone. Once in a while, she would scold him to eat. An hour had passed by but Miya was still not back from her shopping trip. So, Delilah went to give Kael his bath. When he was done with his bath, Miya finally came right on time. She then began to unload her grocery and arranged them in the kitchen. Leaving Kael to watch his TV shows, Delilah went into the kitchen and told her sister to accompany him in the room. She then began her preparations for the dalgona milo. Firstly, she poured a bit of the milo drink into a large bowl and added in sugar, hot water and some ovalette. She then grabbed a mixer and started to whisk it until it became foamy. Once done, she grabbed an empty glass and put in some ice cubes and poured some fresh milk. She topped it off with the foam and it was done. Looking at the ''masterpiece'', she thought to herself that it wasn''t that hard. She easily made two more for her sister and nephew and carried them with a tray to the living room, where they were watching TV. Kael was happy since he loved chocolate drinks, especially milo. Miya snickered. "Easy, huh?" Delilah scoffed. "Like taking candy from a baby." She then began to drink her dalgona milo. At first, it was sweet, due to the foam at the top. It was creamy, fluffy and smooth. But as she drank more, the milk helped lessen the sweetness and it became even more smooth. It tasted sweet and fresh, overall. The combination of cold milk and the chocolate malt was inDEEd a match in heaven. She sighed blissfully. "A perfect drink when one misses going to a coffee shop," she commented to herself. 52 CH52: Simplicity at its bes "Be simple, be honest. Don''t overcook and don''t undercook, But it''s better to undercook than overcook." - James Beard ========================= It was February and the country was busy with the upcoming celebration of the National Day, which will be held at the end of the month. Newsletters and official letters from the government offices had been passed around to every government bodies and non-government bodies, whereby it was announced that all shops and offices should be closed. For the government bodies, they were specifically warned not to travel outside the country during the National Day. Though, this does not apply to those who were working in the private sector, for example, Delilah. Yet, it was not as if Delilah made plans to travel. She would rather stay at home and sleep. After all, it was not everyday she would get a day-off like this, where she could laze around in bed. And even sleep late the night before. Unfortunately for her, her sister was feeling patriotic that year so she told Delilah that she wanted to go and see the parade in the city during the National Day. Delilah had stared at her with an expression that says, ''You''re kidding me, right?'' Miya looked serious at that time and said determinedly, "Yes, I really want to go." "What about Kael?" Delilah had asked. "And why can''t you bring your husband, instead?? Don''t you have a husband to annoy and bring around with??" Miya pouted. "He doesn''t want to accompany me. But at least, he can take care of Kael for me while we go," she smiled with wide puppy eyes. Delilah sighed. She couldn''t ignore her sister''s request. She knew that if she had asked a favor from her as well, Miya would do it for her too. So, it would be ungrateful and selfish for Delilah to reject it. Unwilling, Delilah had said yes, which made Miya so happy. Few days before the National Day, Delilah was inside her cubicle, typing some reports when a call came in. She immediately stopped what she was doing and picked up the call. "Hello. Delilah speaking," she greeted. ''Hello Delilah. This is Isaac from the Finance department,'' the caller said. Delilah''s eyebrows shot up. This was new. She never received a call from him before and she doesn''t think she ever talked to him before either. So, receiving a call from him probably seems to be important. "Ah, yes. May I help you with something, Isaac?" she asked politely. ''Well, you see. I received an email from the office that requires my presence for a meeting this afternoon. Unfortunately, I''m not able to come due to other commitments,'' he replied. "Other commitments?" she repeated. ''Yes. I''m actually on leave today but it seems that it is important for me to attend the meeting.'' "Wait. Do you mean, for today''s meeting?" Delilah asked, feeling confused. From what she had remembered that the meeting for that afternoon was only for the new employees. Isaac has been working in the company for more than a year. Nearly two years, to be exact. Why would he need to attend a meeting that was specifically for the new employees? The meeting was actually an induction. ''Yes, yes. So, is it possible for me to mark my absence because I have other commitments?'' Isaac asked patiently. "Yes, of course," Delilah answered. "I''ll inform the management of your absence. It should be fine since you''re on leave, after all." "Alright then, thank you, Delilah." Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. Delilah put down the phone and immediately texted Amy about the meeting. ''Hey Amy. Are you in the office? What''s this that I heard about older employees joining in the meeting?'' Delilah texted. Seconds later, her mobile phone beeped with a notification. Looking down at her phone, Delilah saw it was a reply from Amy. She quickly swiped open the text message and read. ''Older employees? What older employees?'' the reply came. ''I mean, older employees as in those who have been working in the company for more than a year. Why do they have to join too?'' Delilah typed back. ''Ah, do you mean those like Isaac and Yee Feng?'' Amy asked in the text message. Yee Feng was another one of their employees who have been working in the company for more than a year. Even longer than Delilah. ''Yes,'' Delilah confirmed. ''Why are they still required to attend the meeting? Isn''t this for the newcomers?'' ''It is,'' Came Amy''s answer. ''But Howard told them to come because they haven''t joined any of the inductions before.'' Delilah rubbed her forehead in resignation. Then she replied back, ''The thing is, Amy, that they have been in the company for more than a year. At least, they did come for the other meetings so we cannot say that they haven''t attended once. And also, everything that Howard is going to talk about in the meeting would be repetitive. For the newcomers, it would be alright. But not for them.'' Amy then sent a ''Crying'' stickers as her reply. Then her text came after. ''What am I to do? I''m just a lowly admin,'' came Amy''s pitiful text. Delilah just sighed and replied back, ''Never mind. Hope things will be fine.'' After she was done texting with Amy, she began to sort out the documents and print out the sheets that were needed to be given to the newcomers for their notes. She also took note on the attendance on whom will be attending the induction and so forth. A couple of hours before the meeting started, Amy came into the office, carrying her handbag. The induction meeting was going to be held at the HQ so Aubree and Delilah had already set up and booked a meeting room for the induction. Since it was going to be a short meeting, Delilah did not call for any drinks and snacks. Delilah handed Amy a bunch of papers to be given to the newcomers and helped set up the microphone. They would not be using any electronic devices such as projectors and computers. Instead, the papers would be enough. That time, Aubree had to leave for home early and Howard had already given her permission to leave. So, it was only Delilah and Amy left to supervise the induction and ensure that there was nothing wrong happening. A few minutes before the meeting had started, all the newcomers were already in their seats, except for the few that had already informed them that they would not be coming. And shortly after, Howard came in, looking bright as usual. That day, he was wearing a bright green batik shirt with gold designs all over and a brown slacks. He was also wearing his gold-rimmed glasses with a few diamonds sparkling on the rims. His hair was a bit longer than before and he had swept his bangs to the side, making his glasses more pronounced. He nodded hello to both Amy and Delilah before heading into the meeting room. He began his meeting by introducing himself and then he began to talk about the company; its history, its people and product and services. The meeting took more than an hour with questions and answers. Delilah had recorded the meeting using a voice recorder so that she would be able to write down all the questions asked by the newcomers and compiled them into a FAQ. Once the meeting was over, both Amy and Delilah were mentally exhausted. This was because there were many things that Howard did not even mention and those he had mentioned were not in the sheets. Hence, the two women had to take note of them and also asked for the newcomers'' feedback. As for the older employees, some were indeed dissatisfied because it was repetitive for them. Others felt it was interesting because they were able to raise more concerns and thoughts about what Howard had mentioned. So, after the meeting, the two women helped to clean up the meeting room and went back home. For Delilah, instead of driving straight back home, she stopped by at a little small shop where they served Poke Bowl [1]. After parking her car, she got out of her car and quickly went inside the shop, worried that it might be closed. Going straight to the cashier counter, she ordered a spicy tuna poke bowl with an addition of edamame. It only took a couple of minutes for them to prepare her order. Few minutes later, Delilah was sitting alone in the kitchen at her house. She was opening the lid of her poke bowl when her sister walked in. Her sister sneaked a look at what Delilah was eating and frowned. "That looks good," she commented. "Where''s my share?" Delilah immediately covered her poke bowl and hid it with both of her hands, away from Miya''s prying eyes. "No, it''s all mine!" she exclaimed loudly. Miya just rolled her eyes, muttering, "Stingy," as she walked to the fridge to grab her bottle of orange juice. After Miya had left the kitchen, leaving Delilah alone to enjoy her dinner, she opened the lid again. She loved the beautiful colours inside the poke bowl. The colour of the tuna was so vibrant that you can tell that it was quite fresh and it does not let off a fishy smell either. The tuna was cut into cubes, where it was arranged beside a half avocado, which was sliced beautifully. Then, next to the avocado, there were some edamame and cubed cucumber on the other sides. It was then topped off with thinly sliced scallions and drizzled with spicy mayo and sesame seeds. And all these were arranged appealingly over warm red rice. Scooping the rice, together with the tuna, scallions and sauce into her spoon, she ate them. The tuna tasted fresh with that mild sweet flavour and a beef-like texture. Together with the spicy mayo, it added in a kick to the flavour, giving off a spicy yet tangy taste. The rice itself was cooked nicely. It does not taste much but it does have that mild nutty taste, unlike other rice. It made it more DEE-licious to munch it together with the tuna. Then she ate the avocado and the edamame together. The edamame itself does not have that much taste. Unlike the other beans that she had eaten before, edamame has a mild sweetness to it; almost to nothing. But she loved how she would munch them. The avocado, on the other hand, was soft with that buttery and creamy flavour. It also has that earthy flavour and it combined well with edamame, making both flavour rich and nice. InDEEd, it would be better if food was undercooked since there will be more loss of its healthy nutrients. Then again, to be honest, Delilah does not care much about it because she was all about simplicity and flavours. ----- [1] Poke means "to slice or cut" in Hawaiian and refers to chunks of raw, marinated fish ¡ª usually tuna ¡ª which is then tossed over rice and topped with vegetables and umami-packed sauces. [Derived from https://people.com/food/poke-bowl-food-trend-recipe/] 53 CH53: National Day \"I hate people who are not serious about meals. It is so shallow of them.\" - Oscar Wilde ========================= It was 6AM in the morning and the sun has yet to rise up in the horizon. The morning mist was still covering the country with its hazy wind. There was still a bit of moisture in the air due to the rain from the previous night. But it did not stop the cars from coming into the city at such an early hour. One of the cars that were stuck in the traffic on their way to the city was Delilah''s. That morning, Miya and Delilah had woken up at 5AM in the morning. It was the National Day of their country. So, all the offices including shops and government offices were closed. Buses and cars strove to get into the city. The traffic policemen were also in their positions, working hard to control the traffic. There were also some people who walked by the street, assuming that they either lived nearby or had their cars parked at a different place. Luckily, the previous night, Miya had bought lots of pastries from a bakery and she brought them along that morning for them to munch in the car. She knew Delilah would get grouchy, feeling hangry [1]. And the fact that she was the one who ''persuaded'' Delilah to accompany her to the parade, she thought it was best that she spoiled her for now. Not only did she bring some pastries, Miya also made her hot ''teh tarik'' [2] in a tumbler. Hence, Delilah could not help but to accompany her sister. The two of them were in the car with Delilah driving and Miya leading the conversation. It took them nearly an hour when they finally found a parking space. Although it was illegal since she was parking her car on the side, it seems alright. Because it was the traffic policeman who guided them to the spot. They probably ran out of parking spots so they could only give any space that seems to not hinder other drivers. After Delilah had parked the car, the two women carefully checked the car, to ensure that it was securely locked. Delilah also kept reminding Miya whether she had brought along her important stuff and to not leave them in the car. Once they were done, they walked to the city park where the parade was held. Along the way, the two women talked while taking pictures, sharing them into their chat groups. Delilah even sneaked in to play PokemonGo [3], swiping for the stops. When they finally reached the city park, the place was already swamped with many people. Many of them were dressed lightly since the weather was getting hotter. There were some children who were hoisted up on their fathers'' shoulders, for them to catch a glimpse of the parade. Although the place was packed, Delilah and Miya still managed to squeeze in through the crowd and get nearer to the front. There were also people who sat on the pavement as they waited for the parade to start. Excited chatters and laughter echoed throughout the area, making the atmosphere more lively and happening. Despite the heat, it does not dampen the mood of the people who await the arrival of the monarch, the other royal families and the parade. Shortly after, there were policemen who came to the crowd, asking them to be careful and to not stand close to the road. Apparently, the King and the rest of the royal families were about to arrive. And a few minutes later, a gold plated limousine with a gold royal emblem at the front of the car came slowly driving past the crowds. Children began to shout hello, waving madly, trying to get the attention of the monarch. There were others who managed to take pictures, videos and even selfies with the running car. The King at that time was inside the car and it could be seen that he was inside together with his Queen, waving at his subjects. Delilah, too, managed to take a photo of him and the Queen. Once the car had long drive past them, together with its cohorts, heading towards the stage where the King will be sitting with the rest of the royal families, the crowd around Delilah, too, soon began to quiet down. Another few minutes later, a horn blared somewhere, announcing the start of the parade. Soon after, hundreds of people began marching onto the road, with their beautiful and colourful traditional clothes. Some also wore their amazing cultural clothes, showcasing the uniqueness of the designs and the image. There was also a marching band where they played the national anthem of the country, which sounded surprisingly great and pleasing. Everyone around Delilah soon got more hyped up, clapping around and cheering for the marching people. Delilah too joined in the fun, cheering as she took a video. The parade was amazing where not only the government officers were involved but also the students, private companies and non-profit organizations joined in. There was music, cheers and many lively sounds making the parade more happening and fun. Miya smiled at Delilah and asked cheekily, \"No regrets?\" Delilah turned to her sister and smiled back. \"Surprisingly, it''s worth it.\" The parade took more than two hours and the crowds slowly decreased once the parade was over. Next was the food stalls. It would seem that once the parade was over, the crowds had moved to the food stalls that were set up just nearby. And after buying some of the local snacks such as steamed chickpeas and fritters, the two women decided that they needed a place to eat, sit and chat. Hence, they decided to stop by one of the restaurants in the city centre. The restaurant was famous for its popular dish called the ''Fish head curry''. Yes, basically, they served the fish head part. Most fish head dishes catered to two or more people so the two sisters decided to share the fish head curry and ordered one plate of rice each. Their food came while they were talking and exchanging pictures with one another. The fish head curry looked delicious and the cook was not stingy with the sauce as the dish was nearly overflowed with the curry sauce. The waiter placed each plate of rice in front of the two women and placed a serving spoon on the big serving bowl of the curry. Delilah grabbed the serving spoon first, after the waiter had left the table. She poured an enormous amount of sauce on her rice, making her rice look like orange-coloured thick porridge with spices. The smell of the curry was strong but it did not have that fishy smell, which the two women liked. As she scooped the fish together with her rice into her mouth, Delilah could taste the hearty yet soury with a bit of sweetness of the curry sauce. She loved how the sauce drenched her rice, giving it an added flavour. It was a bit spicy due to the chilis that were used in the sauce but it did not decrease the tangy taste of the curry. The two women silently ate their meal, not even talking to each other as they savoured and enjoyed their food. Sometimes, when one wants to enjoy their food, one has to keep quiet and just take DEElight in the feed. ----- [1] hangry = hungry + angry [2] literal translation: ''Pulled tea''. It''s a famous milk beverage that is commonly found in restaurants, outdoor stalls and kopitiams in South East Asia. [3] a mobile game 54 CH54: Its better to eat in peace "A crust eaten in peace is better, than a banquet partaken in anxiety." - Aesop ========================= *Click click* The sound of keyboards tapping reverberated throughout the office floor of the Human Resource department. Soft voices talking on the phone could also be heard as the atmosphere grew lively at every minute. It was a busy day for the Kang Company as they have just signed a new project with one of the banking companies in the country. The Kang Company will be conducting classes and seminars for the bank employees, which will last for at least two months. With the new employees coming in; they too became involved in the project. However, even if Delilah was not involved directly, she still gives a hand when it comes to helping with some of the tasks. One of the tasks was to write the inventory report of what will be used during the project time. Although it was not under her JD [1], she got used to doing it so she did not mind this time. She was too engrossed in writing her reports that she did not notice that the soft voices around her were getting giddy and a bit louder. She kept typing while rereading what she wrote to make sure that it sounds right when Aubree knocked on her cubicle wall. At first, she did not notice nor hear Aubree as she continued typing. Until Aubree gently tapped her on the shoulder. "Delilah?" Delilah turned and looked up in surprise. "Aubree. Hey. Is there something wrong?" Aubree hardly comes over to her cubicle unless she needs something or has something to give to Delilah. Aubree grinned cheekily as she grabbed an empty seat from the cubicle next door. "Hey, hey. Did you hear?" she asked excitedly. Delilah frowned, confused. "Hear what?" "Seems like Isaac is dating Ally!" Delilah''s eyes widened in surprise. "Didn''t he like Amy? How did he end up with Ally? Is it because of their names?" Ally was one of the HR officers; a colleague of Delilah. She was a quiet but cute young lady. She has this determined and no-failure attitude which made her good at her work. Especially when it comes to pushing people to work. Delilah was not that close with her but they were cordial towards one another. To be honest, Delilah was a bit intimidated by her because she doesn''t like to lose in an argument, which may seem tiring for Delilah. And they don''t really talk with each other much. Aubree shrugged. "Amy probably rejected him and so, he went to Ally." Delilah''s eyes narrowed in suspicion. "What is this? A rebound???" Aubree shrugged again. "I don''t know. Though, I texted Amy and she told me about Ally admitting to their relationship and apparently, they have been together for over a month already." Delilah''s mouth formed a wordless ''wow''. Just then, the said person just walked past them. She saw Aubree and Delilah talking in Delilah''s cubicle and gave them a smile. "Hello Aubree, Delilah." The two of them immediately went silent and looked up with an awkward smile. As if they got caught talking bad about the person. Though, they did, actually. "Hello Ally," they echoed. With another smile, Ally continued on to her cubicle, which was three cubicles away from Delilah''s but nearer to Aubree''s. "Shoot. Do you think she heard us?" Delilah hissed, turning back to Aubree. Aubree waved away her concerns. "Nah, I don''t think so. Anyway, I''d better get back to my cubicle and work." Delilah nodded. "Okay. See you later." ---- Days have passed by after the little gossip that Aubree had told Delilah. The company was still busy with their new project, hence, it was still a bit hectic at the office. Only a few people were left to manned the office, which included Aubree, Delilah and Ally. During that time, Delilah was working on some papers to be given to the new employees for their first monthly assessment. Their supervisors had handed the reports of their evaluations of the new employees to Delilah. So, as the one who was in-charge of the training, she acted as the middle-person where she will reviewed the reports and take note of them. And then she will have to write the reports of their evaluation, together with the training recommendation. As she was writing and evaluating the reports, she heard footsteps coming her way. She stopped and looked up. She then saw Aubree silently stomped over. The latter grabbed an empty seat from the other cubicle and sat down. She sighed while silently fumed. Her arms were crossed over her chest, her mouth in a pout. Delilah had long noticed Aubree''s mood when she first came stomping over. But Delilah had kept quiet as she continued checking the papers to ensure that there were no mistakes. Once she was done with one part, she turned around and cocked an eyebrow at Aubree who was still quietly watching her. "What''s wrong?" Delilah asked. It would be better for her to ask Aubree what was wrong before she could continue her work. It felt unnerving when you have someone staring at you while you are trying to do some work. "I''m getting irritated," Aubree said, a look of annoyance on her face. Delilah tilted her head in question. "About what? What happened?" "Don''t you notice how often Isaac has been coming to this floor?" Aubree asked. Isaac worked in the Finance Department where their office floor was on the next floor above the Human Resource Department floor. Although their floor was only a floor apart, it does not seems strange that Isaac would stop by. However, he never has any reason to stop by their floor. Delilah tapped her chin with a finger. "I''m not sure. I don''t really look at my surroundings." "Well, probably because your cubicle is far from us." "Hey, it''s not my fault that I was placed here." "So, anyway, I''m annoyed by how much Isaac has been coming to this floor and keep asking, ''are you okay'' at Ally? Like, bruh, there''s this thing called a mobile phone." "He''s probably adhering to the rules of no mobile phones while working." Aubree gave her a look of ''Are you serious?''. Delilah shrugged. "You''d never know," she said. Aubree sighed. "I can''t concentrate on my work with him constantly appearing in the cubicle and asking this and that. It''s like¡­ I don''t know¡­" "Clingy?" Delilah suggested. "Yes! I mean, I know I shouldn''t be too bothered about it. But her cubicle is near to mine and their voices are not that quiet. It''s irritating me to hear those mushy words." Delilah laughed. "Leave them alone. It''s still their honeymoon phase. It will all blow over later on." "I know but¡­" Delilah quickly turned around to her computer and saved her document. She then put her computer to sleep, instead of switching it off since she will continue working on it later. She then grabbed her purse and phone and turned to Aubree who was staring at her in confusion. "Come on, let''s go. I''m bringing you to lunch." Aubree looked at her wristwatch and was surprised that it was indeed time for lunch. She then told Delilah to wait for her while she grabbed her purse and phone as well. Few minutes later, the two women were in a restaurant. It was a restaurant that has designs of using woods all over. The place looked quite modern with its wood and leather design on its chairs and tables. One wall was painted in matte grey while the other walls were covered with wood wallpapers. The atmosphere was soothing and relaxing so it was easy for both women to lighten up a bit. Delilah had already placed their orders. Apparently, you have to go to the cashier counter to place the order and immediately pay for the meal. It was not the typical ordering system where the waiter or waitress would go to your table to take your orders. While waiting, the two women got into a light conversation; talking about the news that has been happening in the office and whatnot. And a few minutes later, their food arrived. Both women had ordered a cottage pie each and an iced lemon drink. The cottage pie looked freshly baked as steam was still coming out from the dish. When Delilah started to eat the pie, her spoon could easily dig into the soft mashed potatoes and beef mixture. It was still hot when she ate them that she had to fan her mouth because of the heat. The potatoes were soft and tasted rich, buttery and creamy in her mouth. Together with the beef mixture, it became more savoury and fulfilling. The beef mixture was thick and smooth. It has bits of mixed vegetables and mushrooms in it, making it more flavoursome. The burst of many flavours sends happy tingle in Delilah''s taste buds. Shortly after, the plate was liked clean, together with her iced lemon drink, which was refreshing. InDEEd, eating this pie in peace, while ignoring the stress at work was satisfying and nice. And that was what she had said to Aubree, who also enjoyed her meal and agreed with Delilah. ---- [1] Job Description 55 CH55: Gathering at the beach "I''m on a seafood diet. I see food. And I eat it." - Anonymous ========================= A couple of days ago, the Kang Company successfully ended one of their huge projects, collaborating with one of the banking companies in the country. It had been such a successful collaboration that there has already been news of future collaborations, which may bring profit to the company. To celebrate the success, the Company had decided to hold a gathering for all their staff. The venue for the place would be at the beach, hence, the gathering will be held on a Sunday. Although some of the top managements had arranged to order catering for the event, some of the departments decided to bring their own food as potluck. Some even suggested having a live cook during the event, which was unanimously agreed by everyone in the company. Delilah, Aubree and Howard were inside the meeting room on the HR floor. The three of them were about to hold a spontaneous meeting about the gathering. Howard had invited all HR employees to join them. While waiting, the three of them were having a chat, talking about the current events in the company. Howard, at that time, was wearing his usual loud clothing. His over-bright pink shirt was as pink as the flamingo with glittering curvy patterns of black and gold going from the front to the back of his shirt. His pants were brown and he had his hair combed to the side, showcasing his usual gold-rimmed glasses. Throughout the talk, Delilah and Aubree tried not to cringe visibly. It seems like the days that they had not met with Howard made them vulnerable to his gaudy clothing. A couple of minutes later, few of the HR employees had joined in, and that included Fawkes, Shazzy, Ally and Hailey. Fawkes immediately took his seat beside Delilah, poking her on the arm with his pen, which she ignored. Soon after, everyone from the HR had entered the meeting, leaving the office empty for now. The meeting room was soon filled with laughter and chatter as they happily talked about the gathering. They were excited to give out their own ideas on what to do and what kind of event they can do. Howard then began to clap his hand once, trying to get everyone''s attention. And soon, everyone fell silent, as they turned to look at him. "Good afternoon, everyone. I''m sure that you all have received a memo from the office in regards to the gathering. But before I start on that, I would like you all to give yourself a round of applause for the things that we all have contributed to the project," Howard announced, looking very pleased. He then began to clap, followed by sounds of clappings and cheers from the other people in the room. Although not everyone was involved with the project, such as Delilah and Aubree, they too felt like they did their job as they too had helped the others with the project. Then the discussion began. Some voted to have games such as limbo at the beach and beach volleyball. Some voted to order in a food truck that sells food such as homemade burgers and hot dogs. There were so many suggestions that Aubree had to pull in the whiteboard and started listing out the suggestions on the board. Just then, Delilah raised up her hand and said out loud, "I''m going to volunteer myself to cook a dish for the event." Everyone turned to her, a question in their mind. What does she mean? "Someone did suggest a live cook, right?" she continued, tapping her finger on the table. "So, I will volunteer myself to cook a dish on behalf of the HR department." Howard frowned, confused. "Someone did?" he asked. Delilah pooh-poohed his confusion away. "Even if someone did not, I will suggest it. Because why not?" she said, shrugging. Ally, who had been texting with Isaac throughout the discussion, piped in. "Well, according to Isaac, the Finance department are also doing a small meeting of their own. And they do agree with the live cook. In fact, they also have a volunteer from their department to cook." Delilah immediately turned to Ally and gave her a thumbs-up. "Great!" Ally beamed with pleasure at the praise Delilah gave her, which surprised the latter since she never thought she would be happy from a single word. The meeting went for hours until it was time to go home. Although it was a long and unexpected meeting, everyone came out of the room, feeling satisfied and excited. They really could not wait for the gathering. Howard did mention to them that they should not go overboard since this was just a gathering. Not a big event like their end of the year event. And he had given Delilah a green light to buy things for her live cook and put it on the company''s tab. At first, Delilah was like, wow, I can put my personal grocery in the tab too? Howard only gave her a look and commented, "The company could not afford your grocery bills." Delilah just pouted in answer. ----- Two weeks later. The day of the big gathering. It was Sunday morning where the soft rays of the day brought warmth to the beach. It was not too hot with a little wind in the air that cools. The wind was soft too as the sea pushed towards the beach with a gentle wave. The General Affairs department had booked certain areas of the beach. They had to write a letter to the government, more specifically to the Home Affairs. And fortunately for them, it didn''t take long to get their approval, as long as they follow certain rules and regulations. Other than the employees, there were also other people at the beach; mostly families. There were already few of the other employees from the company who had arrived at the beach. Probably to guide the catering to their area. Delilah was one of the few who had arrived early. This was because she wanted to get a parking spot that was near to the beach and also, it would give her time to set up her cooking area. At that moment, she had just parked her car and put it in a stop. She then went to the boot of her car and pulled a small moving cart from there. She placed it on the ground and turned again to place her large wok and two bags, filled with food ingredients and her cooking utensils on top of the moving cart. Once she brought her other personal belongings from the car and placed them on the moving cart, she pushed it towards their designated area. At their designated area, she saw that Aubree had already arrived. And what surprised her more was that there was also Firah. Pushing her cart near the tables where they had already set up for the live cooking, she put it on a brake and walked over to Firah, who was also walking towards her. They met up half-way and gave each other a hi-five. "Hey, it''s been awhile!" Delilah exclaimed as she put her hands on her hips, smiling. Firah grinned back. "Yeah, Howard texted me the other, asking if I want to join so I was like, why not? So, here I am," she said, spreading her arms wide. Delilah laughed. "Well, it''s great to see you here. You''re staying for the whole event?" she asked while walking back to her moving cart. Firah followed behind her and answered, "Probably will since my husband is off playing a soccer game. So, with nothing to do, I''ll just stay around." "I see. That''s great! Then we can chat some more." "I heard that you''ll be cooking. Need a helper?" Firah asked. "Sure, if you''re volunteering." Firah grinned. "Great. I''ll help!" Soon after, cars began to drift in the parking lot and more and more of the people from the company had arrived. Some also had set up their cooking area near Delilah''s and there were some who had used the BBQ area and began to lit up the fire. While everyone was busy with their own duties, Matt had arrived with a couple of people from the top management. Howard was also with them. They went straight to the large canopy tent where the buffet table was set up and chairs were arranged for the employees to sit on. There were also a few chairs at the front of the tent, specifically for the top management. Once everyone had settled in, Mark began his speech, where he had thanked everyone for their hard work and contribution for the successful project. He talked about the comments and feedback he had received from the baking company and told everyone how he would like to conduct this gathering for a well done job. Everyone began to cheer and clapped once Matt was done with his speech. And soon, the feast finally began. Delilah was at her cooking area when Matt began his speech. She decided to stay because she has many things to prepare for her dish. For her dish, she decided to cook ''Sambal Squid'' [1]. Preheating her large wok on her portable stove, she poured a huge bowl filled of squids into the wok. She then covered the wok and waited for the water to drip out of the squids. Once done, she removed the excess water and placed the squids into an empty bowl. Turning back to the wok, she poured a bit of oil in and a healthy portion of ''sambal sauce'' and began to whisk it around. With a light flick of her hand on the handle, she heat the sambal, bursting out a spicy yet sour fragrance from the wok. The fragrance soon spread, bringing people closer to get a whiff of the DEElicious smell. Delilah then added the squids into the wok and continued to stir-fry. With the addition of the squids, it was thought that it would bring a fishy smell to the fragrance, but rather, it did not. While the squids were cooking, she turned to Firah, who had helped slice the onions. Delilah poured the onions in the wok and mixed them all together nicely. It was then, a more enticing smell erupted from the wok, making nearby people drooling in anticipation. Once the ''sambal squid'' was simmering nicely, she covered the wok with a wok cover. She left it for a few minutes, waiting for it to cook. So, while waiting, she sneaked in a bite from her fellow ''chef'' who was cooking burgers and hotdogs next to her. Her fellow ''chef'' aka Sam let out a small laugh as he caught Delilah sneakily grabbed two patties from his grill pan. Apparently, Sam was grilling burgers and hotdogs at the cooking area beside her and he was the ''representative'' for the live cook on behalf of the Safety department. She then poured some hot sauce and ketchup all over her patties and ate them. Just as she was about to take a bite, she noticed Sam smiling at her, from the corner of her eyes. She laughed awkwardly, a bit embarrassed that she was caught sneaking two patties. She then pretended to pout and said, "It''s just two patties. This won''t make me fat, okay?" Sam laughed. "Haha, just take it. Take as much as you want. We still have a lot of patties here and also other foods." Delilah grinned. "Thanks!" InDEEd, this kind of gathering was exactly her cup of tea. ----- [1] Squids that are cooked stir-fried in sambal sauce, which is spicy and sour. A delicacy popular in South East Asian countries such as Malaysia, Brunei and Singapore. 56 CH56: Last minute meeting "Pasta doesn''t make you fat. How much pasta you eat makes you fat." - Giada De Laurentiis ========================= That night, Delilah was in her room, lying down on her stomach while scrolling down on her phone. She was looking at the videos being shared on the social media; nearly drooling as she watched. It was then she felt an inspiration hit her. She immediately placed her phone down and jumped out of her bed. She went out of the room and straight to the kitchen. Inside the kitchen, her father was sitting at the dining table, looking at his phone. Apparently, he, too, was watching some videos from his social media. And looking from how his hair was still a bit wet and a towel hung around his shoulders, it seems like he had just gotten out from a shower. Walking past the dining table, Delilah went to the pantry storage where they stored their dry and canned food. She then looked at each item one by one as she tried to remember what ingredients that the woman in the cooking video had used to make her dish. At that time, the woman had cooked stuffed cabbages. Seeing that she also needed other ingredients, she went to the fridge and checked whether she was missing one. To her delighted surprise, she found out that she has all the ingredients, even cabbages. Knowing that she wouldn''t have enough time to prepare for tomorrow, she decided to prepare it that very night. And tomorrow morning, she can just shove it in the oven and let it cook while she shower and get ready for work. Feeling proud of herself, she began to work. Her father had already gone upstairs to his room, leaving Delilah alone in the kitchen. This suited her just fine because she prefers to have the kitchen all to herself when she''s cooking. She first grabbed a large pot and filled it with water, bringing it into a boil. She then removed the core of the cabbage with a knife and immersed the whole head of the cabbage into the boiling water. While she waited for the cabbage to soften, she decided to work on the sauce. Cutting the onions and garlic into smaller pieces, she began to stir-fry them until it turned brownish. Smiling at the delicious aroma, she then grabbed a jar of tomato puree, a cup of water, salt and pepper and some ketchup. However, she did not use up all the tomato puree, leaving some aside for later. She then mixed them all together and started to stir them occasionally. Once done, she poured the sauce into her eight inches baking pan and began to work on the stuffings. In a large bowl, she placed her uncooked minced beef in and added eggs, onions, breadcrumbs and rice. Grabbing the jar of tomato puree once more, she poured everything inside and added salt and pepper for extra taste. Once everything was inside, she swiftly mixed them all together nicely. Then she went to check the cabbages and when it had softened, she carefully took it out of the pot and placed it on the cutting board. She then gingerly peeled the leaves one by one. The cabbages were still hot when she took it out of the pot. Delilah took a small knife and started to cut off the hard rib from the base of the cabbages. Once done, she began to fill the cabbages with the stuffings, shaping them into an oval shape. She then folded them and placed it on the baking pan with the sauces. Arranging them nicely in the pan, she then finished it off by covering it with an aluminium foil. She placed the covered pan inside the fridge as she will be cooking it the next morning. Once the pan was inside the fridge, she went on to wash the dishes. This was one of her most hated things to do after cooking. The preparation nearly took her an hour and it really worn her out. So, she decided to take a quick shower and then go to bed. The next morning. It was 6 AM in the morning when her inner clock woke her up. She stretched her arms up as she yawned. Outside her house, the sky was still a bit dark but the sun was slowly rising up. There was a few sunlight from the dawning sun seeping in through the blinds of her curtains and into her room. She got up of bed and instead of going straight to the bathroom, she went down to the kitchen. Switching on the kitchen lights, she went to the oven and pre-heat it for ten minutes. She then grabbed her pan from the fridge and placed it inside the oven. While the stuffed cabbages were cooking, she returned back to her room where she went to have her shower and get herself ready for work. An hour later, the stuffed cabbages were done and packed for her lunch. She brought it to work proudly. At the office, she was just about to place her work bag and lunch bag on her table when she received a text message from Aubree. Confused as to why she was texting so early in the morning, she fished around in her work bag for her phone. Swiping it on, she reads the text. Howard was at the other branch and apparently, he wanted Delilah and Aubree to meet him there to discuss the training that the employees will be doing. Frowning, she replied back to Aubree, asking that didn''t she just send him a copy of the report, together with the list of the employees who will be doing the training? Aubree answered her text with an ''I don''t know''. Delilah sighed in resignation. She hated how this seems to be last minute. It was more convenient if he had told them earlier, for example, last night. She then texted back to Aubree that she will be right over. Slipping her phone back in her work bag, she thought that it was a relief that she didn''t get the chance to unpack her things. Or she would have packed them all over again. She brought everything, including her lunch bag because she knew that when it comes to Howard, it would be a very long meeting. Few minutes later, she arrived at the other branch. Greeting hello at Amy, who was manning the reception area, she quickly went up to where Howard''s office was located. She then knocked on his door and walked in when she heard his voice calling out to come in. Inside the small room, Aubree was already inside, with Howard sitting behind his desk. It wasn''t that big of a room with a couple of file cabinets, a coat rack and a trash bin. Delilah took one of guest chairs, which was beside Aubree and sat down. Apparently, Howard had just received a memo about the training that some of the employees of the Kang Company were about to attend. Due to the political reasons that the other country was facing, all travels going there will be canceled. Hence, some of the employees had complained that they have already spent some of their personal money for the training and were asking for reimbursement. Since Delilah was the one who had been distributing training lists, it was no wonder as to why Howard had called her over. The three of them began to discuss the solution and whether to give out reimbursement. Because for them, it was better if they did not as the Finance department had suggested that it was a proper business move to compensate with another training workshop, rather than with money. They talked about the solution with a bit of jokes and gossips in-between. It was nearly lunchtime when they finally finished talking. And Howard told them to get an early lunch while he went off to meet his friends for lunch. Since Aubree was dropped at the office, she has no way back to the HQ and could only stay behind. And unfortunately, at the other branch, although they have a large pantry room where the employees can eat their lunch, they do not have a cafeteria. And since Aubree did not bring any food, she has nothing to eat. Aubree sighed as she walked down to the reception with Delilah. "What''s wrong?" Delilah asked in concern. "I didn''t bring any food to eat for lunch," Aubree answered. "Ugh. I forgot that they don''t have a cafeteria here." Before Delilah could answer, Amy, who was on her way out for lunch, heard their conversation. She then said, pointing outside at the street, "Aubree, you can just buy your food at the shop there or somewhere nearby." Aubree frowned. "Is it nice?" she asked. It would be nice if the food was tasty. Amy nodded as she hoisted her handbag up on her shoulder. "Yeah, the restaurants nearby are not bad. It''s not that expensive either. You can go buy the food and eat at the pantry, if you want," she suggested helpfully. Aubree grinned. "Alright, I''ll do that. Thanks Amy." Amy nodded again and waved goodbye as she left the office, leaving the two women at the reception area. Delilah then told Aubree that she would accompany her to buy some food and they can eat together at the pantry before going to the HQ. After Aubree had bought her food, they both went to the pantry. The pantry wasn''t as big as their cafeteria at the HQ but it was at least twice bigger than Howard''s office. And there were few people inside as most of them probably went out for lunch. Waving hello at some of the familiar faces in the room, the two women found an empty table and sat down. Luckily, there was a microwave in the pantry so Delilah was able to reheat her food. Although it wouldn''t taste as nice as it should be but at least, it wasn''t that bad. Opening her container, she could smell the heated stuffed cabbages. She could also see the steam coming out from the food after reheating it. She took her fork and knife and cut the stuffed cabbages in half. More steam came out from the meat mixture inside. Scooping more sauce onto the stuffed cabbages, she slowly eats it. The meat mixed with the sauce made it more sour, the same kind of taste from bolognaise and together with the rice, it made one feel fulfilling and satisfied. The cabbage was soft but it still has that crunch which eventually melt in her mouth, flooding her tastebuds with numerous flavours from the sauce and meat. The meat was also tender and juicy, which heightens her pleasure. As she ate, Aubree, who was watching her smiled. "Did you make that?" she asked. Delilah nodded. She then took a piece and placed it on Aubree''s takeaway container. "Here, here. Come and have a taste," she offered. Aubree took a bite and her eyes widened. "Oh, it''s really good," she exclaimed in surprise. Delilah beamed with pleasure, happy from the compliment. "Thanks. I made it last night and baked it this morning," she said. Aubree looked at her in amazement. She not only loves to eat but she can cook as well! As she chewed on the cabbages, Delilah said, "And it''s alright to eat a lot of this, I believe. Since it''s healthy and won''t get you fat." Aubree raised an eyebrow. "Oh really?" she said teasingly. "Oh, DEE-finitely!" 57 CH57: Her mothers recipe "At home I served the kind of food I know the story behind." - Michael Pollan ========================= It was six o''clock on a Friday morning. Delilah had just gotten up from bed. She yawned as she stretched her arms up above her head. Six o''clock was the usual time for her to get up from bed. She immediately went for a shower and did a little facial care; where she used cleansing foam and lotion. Once she felt fresh and ready to face the world, she went to her wardrobe where all her clothes were. Opening the door of the wardrobe in just a towel, she looked around, thinking what to wear. Few minutes later, she was still looking for clothes to wear but unfortunately, she could not find any. She does not want to wear her fancy clothes because she only wore those for dinner out. And she did not want to wear the other clothes left in her wardrobe because they were too casual. She quickly went to her laundry bag where she placed all her dirty clothes. She groaned when she saw that most of the clothes she wore for work were still inside. It seems like she had forgotten to do the laundry last week. She sighed. Luckily, her undergarments were still clean. Without any choice, she decided to wear her abaya [1]. It was a long and simple over-garment where it was black in colour with a few sequins on the arms and body of the garment. She can wear her casual clothes underneath the abaya since it was a bit loose and kind of thin. She put it on and went down the stairs, straight to the kitchen. Inside the kitchen, her father was cooking his breakfast. He usually just steamed his ''Roti Kuning'', using the steamer. While waiting for her father to finish cooking, Delilah went on to make her coffee. She poured instant coffee powder inside her tumbler and poured hot water over it. She stirred the drink so that it was mixed well and closed the lid. Once her father was done packing his breakfast in his food container, he looked over and raised his eyebrows towards the clothes that Delilah was wearing. But he did not say a word. Instead, after he had packed, he immediately left the kitchen to grab his briefcase. Noticing her father was about to leave home for work, Delilah rushed out of the kitchen and asked for blessing from her father. She then returned to the kitchen where she reheated some aglio olio to bring to work. She quickly stir-fried them and packed them in her food container. Once everything was done, she grabbed her work bag, handbag and lunch bag and went straight to her car. In less than an hour, she arrived at the office. At the lobby, Bella was already at her desk. She looked up when she saw Delilah coming into the office. She cocked an eyebrow when she saw the clothes that Delilah was wearing. It was not that it wasn''t allowed to wear abaya to the office but it was rather unconventional. When Delilah arrived at her cubicle, she placed her bags on her table, ignoring the stares she received from her other colleagues. Shortly after, Aubree came knocking on her cubicle wall. Delilah looked up and smiled. "Hey Aubree. What''s up?" Aubree studied Delilah from top to bottom and said, "Why are you wearing an abaya?" Delilah sighed. "I forgot to do my laundry," she mumbled in a soft voice. Aubree squinted her eyes and leaned closer to Delilah. "You what?" she asked. "I can''t hear you." "I forgot to do my laundry!" Delilah said loudly, her face red from embarrassment. At first, Aubree was quiet as she stared at Delilah in surprise. Suddenly, she laughed out loud. "Haha! Seriously??" she said. Delilah dropped down on her seat and sighed. "Yeah, I was looking for my clean clothes and apparently, I don''t have any. So, left with no choice, I had to wear these," she explained, pointing at her clothes. "It''s still okay, right?" she asked, looking up at Aubree. Aubree shrugged. "Sure, I don''t really mind anyway. It doesn''t go against the clothing policy. I just find it funny that you had to wear these. For me, abaya is like my lazy but formal dress." Delilah giggled. "True," she agreed. She then tugged on her abaya and continued, "It''s not over the top as well, right?" referring to the sequins on the cloth. Her supervisor shook her head. "Nah, it should be fine. It is supposed to be ''Casual Friday''." She looked around the office and continued, "Though, it baffles me as to why no one would wear something casual to the office." Delilah raised her eyebrows. "Probably because you don''t even wear casual clothes," gesturing at Aubree''s cream blouse with a navy blazer and pants. Aubree laughed softly as she looked down at her clothes. "Oh well, I''m used to wearing these so¡­" Delilah gave her a thumbs-up. "It''s alright! Let me start the trend then!" ---- Delilah had just packed her things, dumping them all inside her office bag and handbag when she received a text from her father. She frowned. She hardly received any text from her father unless it was from a forwarded message or telling her to do an errand. Swiping left to open the message, she reads. Apparently, her father had asked her whether she will be coming home early that evening. She quickly replied with a ''Yes, why?''. Her father then ended the conversation with a ''Alright.'' Frowning, she scratched her head, feeling confused as to why her father had asked. It was not as if she always went out after work. And even if she does, she usually texted in the family chat group before going out. Shortly after, she arrived home to find her father busy in the kitchen. She tilted her head in confusion as she watched her father cook. "Evening, Dad," she greeted as she walked inside the kitchen. "Evening," her father greeted back. "Come over here and have a taste," he said, his eyes still on the pot where he was stirring some broth. Coming closer, she saw that her father was cooking a ''Beef Rendang'' [2]. "Beef Rendang?" she inquired, turning to look at him. Her father nodded. "Yes, it was your late mother''s recipe. You know her rendang best so I want to get your opinion on what''s lacking and whatnot," he said. Delilah grabbed a spoon and spooned out a bit of the rendang sauce, together with a beef piece. She tasted it and licked her lips. The beef was cooked to perfection. It was soft, tender and juicy as she could easily eat it without having to chew too much. The sauce of the rendang felt thick yet it was smooth, with a deep taste of beef. The smell of the sauce was aromatic as it was mixed with many ingredients of spices, herbs and coconut milk. The flavour of the rendang sauce tasted sweet, spicy, rich and creamy, all at the same time. She liked how it tasted in her mouth. If she could have a bowl of rice at that time, she would ''drown'' the rice with the sauce. While she was concentrating on the taste, closing her eyes in bliss, her father''s question pulled her out of the haze and asked, "How was it?" Delilah gave him a thumbs-up and said, "Great!" Then she continued on asking her father whether he had added this and that because she remembered that her mother used to cook with those ingredients. Her father shook his head. "I don''t think so. Your mother used that?" he asked. She nodded. She then told him that her late mother usually bought a certain kind of ingredient and she would blend it. "I see," her father said, rubbing his chin with his hand. "I''ll try that one next time then." The ''Beef Rendang'' was one of Delilah''s mother''s popular recipes among their circles of families and friends. During Eid, people would call her mother to order one huge container of her beef rendang. These days, her mother''s recipe of Beef Rendang was made popular in her restaurant, which was now managed by one of the family''s trusted employees. ---- [1] abaya - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abaya [To see and know what''s an abaya looks like] [2] Rendang - Rendang is an Indonesian spicy meat dish originating from the Minangkabau region in West Sumatra, Indonesia. It has spread across Indonesia to the cuisines of neighbouring Southeast Asian countries [From Wikipedia] 58 CH58: Other than food, I love compliments "There are only three things women need in life:, Food, water and compliments." - Chris Rock ========================= Delilah was in her cubicle, working on her reports. That day, Aubree was on her day off so any tasks for her will be delegated to Delilah for the time being. Hence, on Delilah''s table, there were not only piles of papers for her, but also for Aubree. She decided to work on her reports first since it was an easy task of compiling the data and writing a summary for Sheila and Matt. Although it sounds time-consuming but since it was what she had already done in the past few months, it had become easy. She was on her third report when suddenly, there was a bit of a commotion at the entrance to the office. However, she was too absorbed in her report that she did not notice any noises until Howard knocked on her cubicle wall. Startled at the sudden noise, she looked up and saw Howard smiling down at her. "Good morning, D," he greeted. He then looked around the office. "Seems like a bit quiet here, huh?" he further commented. Delilah inwardly rolled her eyes. ''What do you expect at nine o''clock in the morning? And this is an office, anyway. Not a zoo,'' she thought sarcastically. Facing him, she said, "Uh, yeah. Not many people are in the office since they''re on leave." Howard frowned. "So many people on leave?" he commented, raising his brows. She stood up, took a look around and sat back down again. She then shrugged. "I''m not sure. Some of them had an early meeting with some company. They probably went straight to the meeting." She turned to check her computer and check the list of names that had just signed in. She scrolled down the page and then said, without leaving her eyes off the screen, "Oh yes. Seems like there''s a couple of them are in a meeting with the labour department. And some are at the marketing department for a mini project." Howard leaned over to get a closer look. He too reads the list and then he stands up straight. He looked around and asked, "What about Aubree?" Delilah frowned as she looked up at him. "She''s on leave, isn''t she?" she asked back. "I received a memo that stated that she''s on leave for a couple of days." Usually, a memo will be sent to all employees in the department, top management and supervisors, should anyone in their department be on leave. The memo is usually sent via their work email. This is to ensure that everyone in the department is aware of the said person''s absence and etc. Howard tapped his chin thoughtfully. "Probably," he said slowly. But Delilah knew that look. He probably hasn''t checked in his email for days. Or he probably just forgot about it. He then said his goodbye with a wave as he headed towards one of the meeting rooms. Delilah frowned again. She was curious as to why he was going over to the rooms. She was not informed of a meeting. And Bella, too, did not say anything to her this morning. With that, she immediately texted Bella and asked whether there was supposed to be a meeting or not. In a few seconds, Bella had already sent a quick reply, saying that there was none. She, too, was surprised at Howard''s sudden appearance. And he did not say anything to her but hello. Delilah then asked again whether she knew whom he was meeting with. Bella had answered with a simple ''no''. Delilah was about to put down her phone when it beeped again. She turned her phone and read the message sent by Bella. ''Seems like he has a meeting with Matt! Matt just arrived and he''s on his way up to your floor!'' "Eeehh!" Delilah exclaimed in surprise. Just as she had finished reading the text, there was another small commotion at the entrance to her office. She looked over and saw Matt walking in. He waved ''hello'' to some of the employees on the floor; exchanging pleasantries with them. Once he was done saying hello, he continued to walk forward. Looking up, he saw Delilah standing outside her cubicle, looking at him. He raised an arm in a wave and greeted, "Hey there, Delilah. How have you been?" Delilah gave a small smile and greeted back, "Good morning Matt. I''ve been good. How about you?" He guffawed with delight. "Never better." Delilah''s smile widened. "That''s great!" she commented. She then gestured to the meeting room, where Howard was waiting. "Are you having a meeting right now with Howard?" she asked. "Why, yes," he answered. He then looked around. "Is Aubree here?" She shook her head. "No, Matt. She''s on leave today until the second." Matt nodded. "I see. For three days, huh?" "Yes." Matt nodded again with a smile. "I see. Alright then. I will see you later then, Delilah." Delilah smiled. "Alright. Have a nice meeting." "Thank you, I will." He then headed towards the meeting room while Delilah went back to her work. The meeting went on for more than three hours. Every now and then, Delilah could hear Howard''s loud voice from her cubicle. He has always been loud. And that day was no exception. Delilah managed to sneak in a message to Aubree and asked whether she was aware of a meeting with Howard and Matt. Minutes after she had sent the message, Aubree had replied back with lots of messages. ''What??'' came the first message, followed by, ''No, I didn''t know!''. Then the third message reads, ''WTF. Why do they have a meeting when I''m on leave!''. Delilah let out a light chuckle. She then shot a reply, saying, "Oh well." ''Just update me on what''s happening.'' It was nearly lunch and the two men in the meeting room seemed like they did not have any signs of stopping. Luckily, Delilah had brought her lunch box that day. She grabbed her lunchbox, her handbag and phone and headed towards the meeting room. Standing before the door, she could still hear them talking; Howard with his loud voice and Matt with his calm voice. After she knocked on the door, the two men went quiet. Then from inside, Howard''s voice can be heard to come in. Peeking in, Delilah saw the two of them sitting across each other with piles of papers in front of them at the meeting table. The two men looked over at her. "Hi, I''m just going to head over for lunch. If there is anything, please do text me," she said politely. Howard''s eyes widened. "Oh, it''s already 12 o''clock?" he asked in surprise. Delilah nodded. Matt laughed as he stood up. He then began to gather his papers and said to Howard, "Let''s continue next time. How about joining me for lunch?" Howard nodded and accepted the invitation. Matt then turned to Delilah and asked whether she would like to join. She politely declined and told him that she had already brought her lunch. Truthfully, she did not think she would be able to eat with these two men. Unless Aubree was around, at least, she can leave the talks to her. But her alone? No way! Since the two men had come in different cars, Matt decided to leave first. Delilah was going down, heading towards the cafeteria with Howard walking beside her. After Matt had left, Delilah was about to walk inside the cafeteria when Howard stopped her. Standing before the entrance to the cafeteria, with her lunch bag in her arms and handbag hoisted up her shoulder, she listened to the latter talking. He was complaining about how Matt wanted to increase the training fees and that he wanted every employee to pay for the platform the company was currently using. Delilah frowned as she listened to Howard''s complaints. She too agreed that no employees would want to pay for the platform and there will be complaints about that. Despite the fact that most employees were encouraged to use the platform, she has no doubt that complaints will come flooding in. And knowing how people like to complain, she was also sure that some dissatisfied employee might bring their complaints to their social media. This would not be the first time a company might experience it and it would not be the last. And although the Kang Company has never had this, it was better to avoid it from happening. After a couple of minutes later, Howard finally let Delilah go by saying that he will discuss more with Matt and hopefully, Aubree was around to help support him. The two waved each other goodbye and left in different directions. Inside the cafeteria, it was noisy as usual as the time had struck 12 o''clock in the afternoon, the time for lunch break. Although there were many people inside, there were still a few empty tables. Delilah quickly grabbed one and sat down. Just as she took her lunch box out of its bag, someone took a seat in front of her. She looked up and was surprised to see Fawkes placing his tray of food on the table. From what she could remember, the name lists of the people who were working outside of the office includes Fawkes. Yet, here he was, sitting in front of her, eating his lunch nonchalantly. She tilted her head in confusion. "I thought you''re out of the office," she commented. He was munching on a piece of carrot before he answered, "Ah yeah. I just got back before lunch. Rather than eating out, I decided to eat here." He then gestured towards her lunch box, which was still closed. "What are you having?" he asked. She grinned as she opened the lid of her lunch box. "Shepherd''s pie," she said proudly. His mouth formed an ''O'' as he looked at the delicious-looking pie. "That looks good," he commented. The shepherd''s pie was still steaming hot as steam came out as soon as she opened the lid. Delilah scooped some and placed them on Fawkes'' plate. "Here, have a try. I cooked this." "Thanks," he murmured as he took a bite out of it. She too then began to eat. She dug through the potato and into the beef mixture underneath. As she scooped it and ate, the potatoes had that mushy and creamy texture whereas the beef mixture was hearty and savoury. The beef mixture tasted a bit sweet but it also has that warm and garlicky taste. The beef mixture looked quite colorful, with the colors of red, green and yellow; green peas, yellow capsicum and pasta sauce. The potatoes were topped with melted cheese, which made the potato become more stretchy as she pulled her spoon out of her lunch box. In front of her, Fawkes was also enjoying her shepherd''s pie. "This is really good!" he exclaimed in surprise. Delilah looked at him with a smug smile on her face. "Of course. Praise me more! There''s nothing I like more, other than food but compliments of my cooking!" 59 CH59: We are all human "Ordinary folk prefer familiar tastes - they''d sooner eat the same things all the time - but a gourmet would sample a fried park bench just to know how it tastes." - Walter Moers ========================= The sound of keyboards tapping resounded throughout the office floor as every employee on that floor kept to themselves. It was the end of the month where it was usually busy for the Human Resource Department. They do not have time to chat with one another as deadlines come rushing in. There were a lot of reports that were needed to be handed in and decisions to be made immediately. Delilah was typing a report that will be due in a couple of days. She has been busy the past few days, especially during the week when Aubree was on leave. Because Aubree''s work had been passed down to her, she felt that it was her duty to see it complete. Even if the latter had told Delilah that she would just continue from where Delilah had left, Delilah just brushed her concerns away. Delilah had been so busy that she did not have the time to make her lunch box. Instead, she thought of just buying some food from a nearby stall. She doesn''t want to eat a big meal, hence why she decided to forgo going to the office cafeteria. And she doesn''t want to wait for her meal to be done. And besides, it would be nice to taste something that is not being made by a chef. Sometimes food from the stalls is much tastier than the ones in the restaurants. She has been typing her report for hours. And if she hasn''t been procrastinating at some point, she probably will be able to finish it before lunch. But she got bored typing that she even took some breaks, going over to the pantry twice to make herself some coffee. Hours have passed by and it was finally time for lunch. Delilah only brought her purse and phone to grab some lunch. She doesn''t feel the need to bring her handbag so she just left it in her cubicle. Just as she was about to leave the office, she heard someone calling out her name. She turned around and saw Aubree walking towards her, waving her hand. She waited for the latter to arrive beside her before asking, "Hey, what''s up?" "Are you going to the cafeteria?" Aubree asked. She, too, only brought her purse and phone with her. Delilah shook her head. "Nope," she answered. "I''m going to buy some food from the stalls nearby." Aubree nodded. "I see. What are you planning to eat?" she asked again. Delilah shrugged. "I''m not so sure myself. I''m going to check what they are selling there first and then I''m just going to buy," she replied as the two of them walked together down to the ground floor. Aubree nodded again. "Cool," she said. "I''m going to join you." Delilah laughed lightly. "Sure, sure, lets go." Few minutes later, the two women were standing in front of one of the stalls that were aligned along the street. It was a ten minute walk from their office to get to the location. There were more than five stalls that were set up along the street, with plastic chairs and tables beside them. Earlier before, they had bought some noodles and were about to return back to the office when Delilah caught a delicious whiff. Looking over, she saw a vendor deep frying something like a batter. As she came closer, she saw it was fritters but with corn. She has never seen corn fritters before as most people would cook fritters with either prawns, bananas or sweet potatoes. Before she knew what she was going to do next, she found herself saying, "Hi, can I have some of those for a dollar worth?" Aubree smiled at her in puzzlement. "Didn''t you say that you had enough?" she asked, chuckling though looking a bit confused as well. Delilah just laughed awkwardly and kept quiet. After she had gotten her corn fritters, Aubree asked her where she wanted to have her lunch at. Delilah suggested to just eat at the cafeteria since it would be easier and they can just go straight to the office after lunch. When they arrived at the office cafeteria, the place was nearly empty since lunchtime was about to end. Hence, it was easy to find an empty table for them to sit and eat their lunch. Before tackling her noodles, Delilah decided to try the corn fritters. The fritters were still hot so she had to blow on it first before taking a bite. The fritter was soft, light, fluffy with a bit of a crisp on the top. The corns inside made it sweeter and savory. She liked how cheese and spring onions were added to the fritters making it more tantalizing and melt in the mouth. It was then she decided to try making one at home to give it a try. ---- She was about to pack her things when the clock had strikes 16:45PM when a text came in her mobile phone. Not thinking much, she picked up her phone and read. She then groaned, feeling regret that she had picked it up. Apparently, Howard had just read her report and he wanted to make changes to the report. And to explain the report, he will be coming to the office in a few minutes. Itching to text him that she wanted to go home in a few minutes, she thought of the pros and cons of doing the correction straight away. If she does the correction straight away, she doesn''t have to work on it tomorrow and Howard won''t have to come over tomorrow as well. And thinking of the time, she doubts that he will stay longer. And if she does the correction tomorrow, he might stay longer than she wanted. She sighed and replied back that she will wait. Seems like the making of the corn fritters will have to wait for a couple of hours more. ---- She placed her shopping bag on the kitchen table before heading up to her room to change out of her work clothes and to put away her work bag and handbag. Delilah finally left the office at 17:30PM. It was tiring when someone has too many changes. Apparently, Howard had a lot of comments about the report. There was one time that Delilah had argued why she had added that one statement and it took her a few minutes to argue her point. Fortunately, in the end, he agreed. Though, he did tell her to add another sentence for explanation, which in Delilah''s opinions, wasn''t necessary since her statement was already self-explanatory. She nearly stayed later than she thought until she voiced out that she needed to go home. She told him a white lie, saying that she has a family dinner to go to and that she needed to prepare to go out. Howard, being a big believer in family bonding, looked guilty that he had kept her for so long. He exclaimed, feeling wronged, "Why didn''t you tell me earlier? We could have done this tomorrow!" At first, Delilah felt guilty that she made him feel guilty. But when he said that they could have done this tomorrow, she lost that feeling of guilt and thought that she was glad they had done it that day. And after she was done with the report, instead of going straight home, she went to a mini supermarket. They don''t have a can of corn kernels, a jar of jalapeno peppers and green onions at home so she needs to buy these. It took her nearly an hour to buy the ingredients. It doesn''t help when she got distracted by the free samples of food the supermarket was giving out. Who can pass free food? Once she was done changing her clothes, she went back down and straight to the kitchen. Inside, she began to take out the bowls and utensils from the cupboards so that she could start cooking. She was alone in the kitchen so it felt nice without having someone hovering behind you, asking what you were cooking and whatnot. To begin, she first poured the corn kernels into a large bowl. Using a paper towel, she patted the kernels dry to remove the water excess. She couldn''t find any fresh corn since it''s not the season so she could only use canned corn kernels. After it was dry, she added chopped green onions into the bowl and mixed them together. Grabbing another bowl, she began to start on her dry ingredients. She poured flour, baking powder, salt and pepper, chili powder and stirred them together to combine. Once it was nicely combined, Delilah poured her dry ingredients into the bowl of corn kernels and green onions and mixed them together again. Next, she poured milk, cheese and some beaten eggs and again, mixed them together. The batter has become thick and has a yellowish bit of a sticky texture. Heating the pan with some olive oil, she poured some of the batter onto the pan, making a round shape. She then frowned. ''Why does it look too thick?'' she wondered, watching the batter become thicker, instead of crispier. She then flipped the ''cakes'' and it was still the same. She cringed as she waited for both sides to turn golden brown. And once it was done, she moved it to a plate, which was covered with a paper towel. The paper towel helps to absorb the excess oil and to not make the ''cakes'' oily. Looking down at her creation, she frowned. It wasn''t supposed to look like this. Again, it was too thick for a fritter. Instead¡­ It looked like.... With her hands on her hips, she stared down quietly. Seconds later, Munier, her younger brother walked in, munching on some potato chips. He first glanced at Delilah and then down at what she was staring at. "Oh, corn pancakes?" he asked, grabbing one. Delilah pouted. "It wasn''t supposed to be a pancake! It''s corn fritters," she said. Munier frowned at her. "Isn''t fritters supposed to be crispy?" he asked, pointing at the ''pancake'' he was holding, showing the un-crispiness. She sighed, scratching the back of her head. "I probably add in too much flour." Taking a bite, Munier cringed. Nevertheless, he finished off the ''pancake'' in one go and commented, "And also too much pepper." Delilah groaned. "What a failure." Munier shrugged. "No one''s perfect. At least, you can try it again until you can make it perfectly," he said, grabbing another ''pancake''. "True," Delilah nodded. "Practice makes perfect, anyway." 60 CH60: Life skill "Your diet is your bank account, Good food choices are good investments." - Bethenny Frankel ========================= Delilah started off in a daydream as she watched people passing by her table, without really watching them. For her, they seem like a blur as her mind drifts off somewhere else. She was in the cafeteria where she had just finished off her lunch. She sat alone at the table. Her colleagues had already gone to their floors once they had finished their lunches. She usually went straight to her cubicle after she was done with her meal but instead, she stayed for awhile. She was thinking about her life. Yes, it seems like she was thinking too deep. But she could not help thinking. Will her life stay like this? Is there anything she could do to make her life fun? Last week, she had met up with a couple of her high-school friends. They decided to meet and catch up with one another. The last time she had met them was three years ago. When they coincidentally met up on social media, they immediately decided on a date to meet up. They did not realize how time flies and how long it has been since they met each other. When they finally got together, there was the usual teasing here and there. And then the dreaded question of, "So, how have you been?" was voiced out. The three of them went silent for a second after they asked the question at the same time. Then they suddenly burst out laughing. The three of them decided to meet up at a gelato cafe since they just wanted something cold and sweet to eat after a sweltering hot day. On a small round table, on Delilah''s right was her friend, Eden. She worked as a highschool teacher at a public school. She has been working as a teacher for three years already. When they last met each other, she was still working as a relief teacher in a private school before she got a job offer at the public school. Although she posed as a strict teacher in front of her students, outside her work life, she loved to do crazy stuff with her friends, making childish jokes. On Delilah''s left was another friend named Lacey. She worked as an IT programmer in one of the most sought-after telecommunication companies in the country. Unlike Delilah and Eden, who continued on to do their bachelor degrees after college, Lacey went to look for work, instead. Hence, she had been working longer than them. Similar to Delilah, the two of them weren''t married yet. Though, they do still have commitments at home as the three of them still lived with their parents. Their familial culture was where most parents usually do not allow their children to live alone, unless they were married or had a family. This culture has always been greatly embedded in them so they do not find it wrong, still living with their parents, even at their age. That day, when the three of them met up, Meena, another one of their highschool friends, was supposed to join them but she had a family event to attend to. So, only the three of them came. Once they are done laughing, they finally tell each other what has been happening to them. Two years ago, Eden started being active with her exercises. Nearly everyday after work, she would go to the gym and do some kickboxing. She had been training for more than a year. It was not that she wanted to make kickboxing as her crucial day-to-day activity. But she had found peace and fun in kickboxing. She told them that she even joined one of the competitions in the neighbouring country. Even though she did not win the competition, it was fun for her. She took a break that day since she was meeting up with them. As for Lacey, she has started an online floristry business. Ever since she went to Japan and attended one of the flower arranging classes, she had been hooked. She loved how calming and soothing it felt when one arranged the flowers. Making bouquets, choosing the right flower with the right colors as well as creating loving messages, Lacey loved it so much that she even bought a huge flower refrigerator for her flowers. She had started the business for a year already and thankfully, her customers were a lot. From friends, couples and parents, she had received many kinds of customers. She also loved the feeling of making her customers happy. Listening to them, Delilah had felt lost and having no goals. She also felt a bit envious at how they find passion in what they do, other than work. Thus, she felt a bit ashamed when she told them that she had done nothing but eat, work, sleep and repeat. It was not that she didn''t want to have a goal. She wasn''t sure she knew what goal she wanted. Thinking of that day, Delilah sighed as she slumped over the table, her cheek against the cool surface of the table and her hands beside her head. She was like that until someone tapped her on the shoulder. Startled, she turned around in her seat and looked up at Bella''s concerned look. "What''s wrong, D?" she asked, tilting her head in question. Giving a weak smile, Delilah shook her head. "It''s nothing," she answered softly. She then stood up, grabbing her lunch bag and phone. She turned to look at Bella, who was still standing behind her. "Anyway, I''d better go. See you later, Bella." Bella grinned. "Alright. See you," she said. Minutes later, after she had reached her floor, she decided to have a look at the noticeboard. Every floor in the office has its own noticeboard. Mostly people posted the current events happening at the office, safety rules and regulations and also the events happening in the country. There are those who also posted advertisements in the noticeboard. Although it was unusual to post these kinds of advertisements, as long as it has the General Affair department''s approvals and also it does not clash with the company''s products and services. Delilah was looking at each of the pamphlets that were posted on the noticeboard when one of the flyers caught her eyes. She walked over and looked closely. ''KOREAN BEGINNERS LANGUAGE CLASS ONLY $100 PER MONTH 4 CLASSES IN A MONTH 6PM - 8PM EVERY MONDAY'' She then continued to read the details and found that the class wasn''t that far from the office. And it was only $100 per month, which for her was a great deal since they offered free materials and etc. She quickly took a picture of the flyer and saved the phone number of the class. She decided to text them whether they have an empty slot or not. In her cubicle, she kept quiet, though, she was arguing with herself in her mind. She was trying to push herself to contact the class. And in the end, she did. She wasn''t sure whether to feel happy or disappointed when they said that they do have an empty slot. But she was starting to feel nervous. It has been a long time since she joined a class. A class that she would be going alone, without her cousins or friends. She took a deep breath and calmed down. She placed her phone on her table and let out another sigh. Aubree was walking past Delilah''s cubicle when she saw the latter staring off into space. She knocked gently on the cubicle wall and asked softly, "Delilah, are you alright?" Delilah blinked her eyes and turned around. She then gave Aubree a smile and nodded. "Yeah, I''m good. What''s up?" "You seem a bit off," Aubree commented. Delilah let out a light chuckle. "Nah, I''m good." After they talked for a little bit, Aubree went off to her cubicle while Delilah returned to working on her tasks. The office was quiet for the past few hours before working hours ended. Once Aubree was back in her cubicle, no one there walked around, even to the restroom as each of the employees were hard at work. Sounds of tapping on the keyboards were the only few sounds that could be heard. It was only when the clock struck five in the afternoon that there was a bit of commotion in the office as everyone began to prepare to leave work. Delilah was saying goodbye to her colleagues as she climbed inside her car. Few minutes later, she arrived at home where she immediately went to her room and changed into a more comfortable outfit. Once she was done, she went out of her room and straight to the kitchen. She had heated up some oil in a frying pan and was about to cook something for her snacks. Apparently, too much thinking made her hungry which led to her need for more brain food. She did not want to eat a heavy meal since she''s going to eat dinner again in a couple of hours. So, she decided to fry some samosas. Soon after, the samosas were done frying. Delilah was grateful for pre-cooked samosas since she doesn''t have to make it from scratch. She was contemplating whether to apply for the language class or not when her brother, Munier walked in. "Have you been eating without me again?" he exclaimed, his eyes blazing with accusation. Delilah rolled her eyes at his dramatic act and said dryly, "I''ve just finished frying some samosas. You can join me if you want." "Of course, I want to," he said, sitting down across her. "Even if you didn''t invite me, I''d sit down and help myself anyway." His sister rolled her eyes again as she picked one of the samosas from the plate. The samosa was still piping hot but still safe to eat. As Delilah took a bite, she could taste the blended flavor of the crispy crust. Inside, the potatoes were soft, mixed with caraway, chilies and coriander, making it savory. She liked how the herbs and spices tasted like, especially when eaten with the outer shell of the samosa. Not only does it have a slightly spicy curry taste from the fillings but the smell was aromatic too. The two of them kept quiet as they finished the samosas off. Once they were done, Delilah broke the silence by asking Munier, "What do you think about learning language?" Munier was surprised at first by the sudden question. Then he asked back, "What do you mean?" "I''m thinking of learning Korean language but I''m not sure if it''s alright or not," she said as she placed her chin on her palm and her elbow on the table. Munier frowned. "Why do you want to learn Korean?" he asked. Delilah shrugged. "I''m not sure. I just thought maybe I should have another skill added to me. Like knowing another language," she answered. "But I''m not sure whether it''s a good thing or not." Her brother tapped the table with his forefinger, looking thoughtful. "Well, depends on what you''re going to use it for. Though, personally, if it''s just for personal interest like, for instance, you want to learn because you want to watch your KDrama [1] without using subtitles, then I guess it''s fine. But if you want to learn it for professional reasons, it''s okay too. Even if you''re in an HR department, there might be times you might be involved with foreign workers or foreign companies. And imagine, coincidentally, it''s a Korean company. It doesn''t hurt if you know another language. It may give you an advantage over others," he explained. Delilah nodded, agreeing with his explanation. "True, true," she murmured thoughtfully. Munier shrugged. "So yeah, it doesn''t hurt if you learn another language. It may not be for free but it''s a good investment personally and professionally." She nodded again. "You''re right," she said. "Alright, I''ll register myself for the class." With that, she immediately texted the class and paid her fees online. She just hoped that she won''t regret the decision. ----- [1] Korean Drama 61 CH61: How to improve? "One of the greatest pleasures of my life has been that I have never stopped learning about good cooking and good food." - Edna Lewis ========================= "Hey Delilah. Don''t forget about the report, okay?" Delilah turned around and saw Aubree waving at her as she walked towards the exit of the office. She nodded. "Yeah, I''ll continue it tomorrow. There are still some points that I haven''t highlighted yet." Aubree just nodded before disappearing. Delilah quickly packed her things after shutting down her computer. She waved goodbye to those who passed by her cubicle. Shortly after, she was at the office lobby, with her phone in her hand. Instead of heading straight home, she was planning to go straight to her language class. She had just texted her father in the family group chat, saying that she''s going to her class straight away. Few weeks ago, she had applied for a Korean Language class. Although she had attended once, she was still nervous. Probably because she still would not be able to learn much. Learning a new language was difficult for her. People say that it was easy. But she had argued that it depends on one''s determination and will to learn. Even though she has the determination and will, she had to admit that it wasn''t that strong. Learning a new language was something she wanted to add to her skill. The class was a few minutes drive from her office in one of the shopping centres in the city. Parking her car at a designated parking lot, she got out of her car and headed straight for the shopping centre. The class was on the second floor and she used the stairs to get there, instead of a lift. She thought maybe she could get a little exercise by climbing the stairs. Opening the door that leads to the class, she was greeted by the admin, who was manning the front desk. The place was similar to a school, albeit a private school or ''cram school''. Other than Korean language, they also offer language classes for Japanese, Arabic and Chinese. Nodding ''hello'' to the admin, Delilah walked towards her class. Since it wasn''t her first time, she knew where her class was. Entering the room on the left, she noticed that the class was crowded this time as well. Most of the students were those who were younger or more or less the same age as her. There were only a couple of males in the class. She presumed that either they were interested in learning or they were ''forced'' to join the class by their girlfriends or wives. The class hasn''t started yet. But it seems like everyone has already arrived except for the songsaenim [1]. Delilah took a seat that was a couple of seats from the teacher''s table. She did not want to sit in the front nor did she want to sit at the back. While waiting for the songsaenim, she reads her Korean notebook where the first lesson was to read hangul [2]. She sighed. Although it was interesting learning the alphabets, it seems confusing as well. Especially when some of the letters can also be used for different letters. For example, one of the letters can be used for either ''r'' and ''l''. Just as she attempted to practice her writing, the songsaenim arrived. The songsaenim was from South Korea herself. Her name was Kim Sanghe. She looked like she was in her late thirties. She was tall with a round face and fair skin with small eyes and nose. She was smiling as she walked to her desk. She then greeted the class, ''Annyeonghaseyo'', which literally means, ''Hello''. After her students had greeted her back, she immediately started her class. She first revised back on the topics that they had learned during the first class, which was learning the hangul and the basic greeting words. The class was a two-hours class with a fifteen minutes break in the middle. Although they don''t actually eat during the break, rather just drink, Delilah spent her breaks, just recalling the topics that they had learned. It was not because she was a diligent student. It was just that she needed more practice. She really was weak when it comes to learning a new language. Truth be told, she was weak in her own standard language. After the class was over, Delilah went to pack her things and said her thank you to her songsaenim. Leaving the school, she realized that she was getting hungry. She really needs some brain food at that moment. Fortunately, on the ground floor of the shopping centre, there were many food stalls being set up. She decided to buy her dinner at one of the stalls. Walking around, she finally settled on a Korean food stall. The tteokbokki [3] looked delicious. But it looked really spicy by how red it looked. She does not have the craving to eat spicy food at that moment. Studying the menu that was placed near the stall, she was surprised to see corn cheese being sold. It was not because it was difficult to make but rather, not many stalls would sell this. She did not know why. She decided to place her order for that and also some japchae [4]. Since there wasn''t any place for her to sit and eat, she ordered her food to go. Few minutes later, she arrived at home with her two steaming food. She immediately went into the kitchen and placed her food on the dining table. She then went up to her room to take a shower. Once done, she went back to the kitchen. She took the take-outs from the plastic bag and began to open the cover. The food was still steaming hot, much to Delilah''s delight. Before eating the japchae, she decided to eat the corn cheese since it''s more delicious to eat it when it''s hot. Scooping the corn, the cheese was stretchy as she pulled her spoon higher. The steam still came out from the food, indicating that it was still hot. She blew on the corn and took a bite. The corn was sweet and savory, giving out a heavenly flavour. It was loaded with butter mixed in it, making the taste more palatable and rich. She loved how the corn seems to burst into flavour as she chewed on them. Few minutes later, she cleaned up after herself, already done with her dinner. Cleaning the kitchen, she then went up to her room to sleep. The next day. Delilah was rearranging her papers into a neat pile when Aubree knocked on the wall of her cubicle. "Hey Delilah. Howard''s here." Delilah turned around and nodded. She picked up the papers and her mobile phone and went out of her cubicle, heading straight for one of the meeting rooms. Aubree went back to her cubicle. Inside the meeting room, Howard was sitting alone, in front of his laptop. He was typing on his laptop, not noticing Delilah''s knock. Delilah loudly cleared her throat. "Um, Howard?" Looking up, Howard looked surprised at first when he saw Delilah, as if he forgot that he had called for her. He then gave her a smile and gestured for her to sit. She took a seat across him and waited patiently as he finished off what he was doing. Soon after, Howard set his laptop aside and held out his hand. "Are those the reports that I requested?" he asked. Delilah nodded and handed him the papers. Howard immediately looked through the report, turning the pages numerous times. A few minutes later, the two went into a deep discussion. Delilah mainly talked about her opinions and reasons as to why she had changed some of the words. She showed Howard the little post-its that she had stuck on the reports, summarizing the words. The discussion took them nearly three hours. And when Howard finally stopped the meeting, the two went their separate ways. Delilah immediately went to lunch whereas Howard went straight to the other branch, since he had another meeting with another employee of the company. In the office cafeteria, Aubree was having her lunch, sitting at the table, together with Fawkes and Shazzy. The three of them looked up when Delilah had approached them, pulling out a chair for her to sit. "How was the little meeting?" Aubree asked. Delilah shrugged as she took out her lunch box from her lunch bag. "The usual," she said nonchalantly. Fawkes shook his head in bemusement. "I don''t know how you two could spend hours in a meeting," he said. "What do you guys even talk about?" Delilah shrugged again. "This and that," she said. "And of course, knowing Howard, he likes to talk off-topic." Aubree laughed. "Yeah, he does," she agreed. "I''ve never been in a meeting with him before," Shazzy said softly. She was one of the newest employees in the Kang Company. She has been in the company for a few months now. Aubree, Delilah and Fawkes turned to her and said, "Be grateful that you haven''t!" They all continued to talk while Delilah listened on as she ate. She does drop some comments in-between but that was it. It seems like she had a lot of things in her mind. Not only was she still thinking of the meeting but she was thinking of her language class. She sighed inwardly. ''How does one improve their language skill?'' she thought to herself. ----- [1] Songsaenim - Teacher in Korean (???) [2] Korean alphabets [3] Korean rice cakes [4] Sweet potato starch noodles 62 CH62: Eating in comfor "Food, like a loving touch or a glimpse of divine power, has that ability to comfort." - Norman Kolpas ========================= It was Friday morning and Delilah was relaxing in her cubicle, leaning against her chair and her legs crossed under her in her seat. It was a slow week where there wasn''t much work to be done. She had already submitted her work to Howard and Matt. Hence why she loosen up a bit. She was munching on a chocolate bar, watching an old episode of ''Friends'' on her mobile phone when she noticed that there was an email notification coming in. Pausing the video, she opened up her email and saw it was an email from Jafar, one of the project officers in the company. Clicking open the mail, she reads the content. She began to frown as she continued to read. Apparently, Rachel, one of Jafar''s subordinates, has been working under expectation. It became a growing concern that Jafar had decided to seek the HR''s help in regards to this. Reading on, she noticed that Jafar did not specifically mention the reason why. He only mentioned that Rachel''s work has been dwindling; coming in late, late reports and daydreaming on the job. There were also times where she would go to the restroom and returned back to her cubicle very late. Delilah began to tap her fingers as she thought of the problem. She then decided to email Rachel, asking her to meet her when she''s free. Soon after, she received a reply from Rachel, who had answered that she will be free later that afternoon. Delilah then replied back, saying that she will meet up with her at the meeting room on her floor after lunch. She then emailed Bella, saying that she wanted to book a meeting room later. After sending an email to Bella, she then got up from her chair and walked over to Ally''s cubicle. Standing before Ally''s cubicle, Delilah could see the latter working hard, typing on her computer, a look of concentration on her face. She then knocked softly on the cubicle wall. At first, Delilah thought that Ally probably could not hear her. She was about to knock once more when Ally finally turned around in her seat. She looked surprised to see Delilah and asked with a confused smile, "Hello Delilah. Can I help you?" Delilah smiled politely. "Hello Ally. I want to ask whether you''re available this afternoon for a counseling session?" she asked, tilting her head. She remembered that Ally had once done a counselling session for one of the employees here. Although she was not a full-time counselor, she has a certificate of psychotherapy, which makes her eligible to do a counselling. The Kang Company doesn''t actually have a full-time counselor. It was not that they do not see it as unimportant but they hardly make use of counselling unless necessary. Hence why they only have part-time. Ally was one of the employees who does counselling at work. "Is there something wrong?" Ally asked, looking concerned. Delilah quickly gave a brief summary of the email she had received. She explained the situation and the concerns of the supervisor. Ally nodded as she listened. She then said that she will join the session later. Before Delilah walked away, Ally called her and asked why she didn''t just call her. Delilah laughed awkwardly and admitted that she doesn''t know her extension number. Ally laughed and gave her the number. ----- That afternoon after lunch. Delilah was already inside the room, together with Ally. The two were discussing Rachel''s situation and how to handle it. Because Jafar had sent an email regarding the problem, it has now become the HR case. And since Delilah was in-charge of the employees'' well-beings, it was no surprise as to why she was involved as well. It was a couple of minutes after two o''clock when Rachel finally entered the meeting room. Delilah was surprised to see how untidy she looked. Although her clothes looked ironed and neat, her hair was a mess as if she hasn''t combed for days. She did not wear any makeup so her eye bags were visible. It looked like she hadn''t slept for days. Delilah frowned as she was displeased at how Rachel did not find the time to make herself neat. It was one of the company policies where every employee should dress neatly and smart. Rachel suddenly looked nervous as her eyes darted from Delilah to Ally and back again. She wasn''t sure why Delilah had called her over but she surely did not expect Delilah to bring another person to their meeting. Delilah invited Rachel to take a seat. She then introduced Ally to her and began talking. "Hello, Rachel. How are you?" she asked. "I''m¡­ quite good¡­" Rachel answered slowly, not meeting her eyes. "Oh, that''s good," Delilah murmured. "How is your work? Everything is alright?" Rachel nodded silently. "Any problems?" Rachel shook her head. Ally then leaned forward in her seat and said, "I''m glad that there isn''t any problem with your work. But I assume there''s some problem personally?" "What do you mean?" Rachel asked nervously, though her eyes held some kind of defiance. "Please be assured that everything that has been discussed here will be kept confidentially," Ally said, lacing her fingers together. At first, Rachel was quiet. It seems like she was reluctant to tell the whole story to Delilah and to someone she just met. After much persuasion from Ally, she finally confessed. It seems that she has a personal problem where she had just broken up with her fiance. Apparently, she had just gotten engaged a couple of months ago. The wedding was supposed to be next month but she had called it off when she found out that her fiance had cheated on her. Not with another woman, but rather, cheated her out of her money. As in, he had stolen her money and disappeared. Delilah was surprised when she heard this. She felt sad and angry for Rachel to be duped like this. Not only that, she was also surprised that Rachel was engaged and she did not know. It seems that not everyone knew of her engagement. Hence, it was less of an embarrassment for Rachel. But her other colleagues were surprised to see how she changed. The talk took almost two hours. Most of the time, Delilah was quiet whereas it was Rachel and Ally who did the talking. Rachel talked while Ally advised. Once they were done with the session, Delilah was secretly pleased to see Rachel looking more bright than before. It looked like the counselling session was a success. Rachel felt grateful with the advice and help she received from Ally and Delilah. She thanked them enthusiastically, shaking their hands with a big smile on her face. After Rachel had left the room, Delilah turned to Ally and thanked her too for her great counselling. Ally smiled and accepted her thanks. The two then left the room together and Delilah immediately texted Bella to inform her that she was done using the room. ----- Few days later. Delilah was inside her cubicle, playing her game on her phone when she heard a knock behind her. She turned around and saw Rachel smiling sheepishly at her, holding two small boxes. "Hi Rachel, what can I do for you?" Delilah asked, smiling back. Evidently, the session worked pretty well as the Rachel that Delilah currently was looking at, doesn''t resemble the Rachel she saw days ago. She looked pretty smart, wearing her white blouse and dress pants, with her hair neatly tied in a high ponytail. "Hi Delilah," she greeted. She then handed her a box. "I just want to thank you for the other day. I brought some cupcakes for you to eat." Delilah took the box from her with a look of awe on her face. The last time someone brought her some cupcakes was Shazzy [See chapter 2]. And she remembered how delicious it was. She looked up and smiled at Rachel. "Thanks. You shouldn''t have¡­" Rachel smiled back. "No worries," she said. She then raised her other hand which held another box and continued, "Alright. I''m gonna go and send these too to Ally. Thanks again, Delilah." With a wave of goodbye, Rachel walked away, heading towards Ally''s cubicle. Turning back to her computer, Delilah looked down at the box. She opened the box and drooled at the sight. There were different types of cupcakes inside. She just couldn''t wait to try them. She quickly grabbed a plastic bag and placed the box inside. She then wrote her name on the plastic bag with a marker pen before heading towards the pantry to place it in the fridge. Few hours later when she finally arrived home, instead of going straight to her room, she went to the kitchen. She placed her handbag and work bag on the chair and put the box of cupcakes on the dining table. She rubbed both of her hands together with a look of glee on her face. "Yum yum," she said as she opened the box. There were six cupcakes in the box. From the looks of it, she could tell that each cupcake is of different flavours; nutella chocolate, red velvet, banana, blueberries, matcha and salted caramel. She looked at each of the cupcakes and was thinking which one to try first. Just as she picked up the red velvet cupcake, Munier walked in, apparently, just got back from work. He looked surprised to see Delilah in the kitchen. He walked over and narrowed his eyes at the box of cupcakes. "What''s that?" he asked, pointing at the box. Delilah rolled her eyes, holding the red velvet cupcake. "Nothing. Just a box," she said sarcastically. Before she could say anything more, Munier took one of the cupcakes and bit into it. "Woi!" He licked his lips as he tried to guess the flavour. "Hmmm. Banana?" Delilah shrugged. "Probably." She then took a bite of hers. And suddenly her eyes widened. Delicious chocolate liquid flows into her mouth just as she bit into it. The sweetness of the red velvet mixed beautifully with the rich and thick chocolate that melts in her mouth. The cream cheese frostings tasted velvety yet thick, which melts in her mouth as well. As she chewed on the soft sponge of the cupcake, the sweetness never stopped bursting in so many flavours in her mouth. She especially loved the chocolate flowing from the inside of the cupcake, similar to a chocolate lava. After the two had finished their cupcakes, both Delilah and Munier decided to cut the other cupcakes into half so that they can each have a taste. Sometimes, just eating with someone in a warm and cosy silence can be comforting itself. Especially when eating with good food. 63 CH63: One should not just stop at one buffet table "If we''re not meant to have midnight snacks, why is there a light in the fridge?" - Anonymous ========================= It has been weeks since Delilah had joined the Korean language class. Although it has been helpful, she was still struggling with the class. Probably because she was bad when it comes to learning languages and doesn''t have enough practice. She should try to find someone to practice her Korean language with. But she hasn''t been making friends with the people in her class. It was not because she was unfriendly. But more like, she was too busy. Once she was done with her class, she immediately set off for home, instead of hanging out with them. They did invite her to hang out once in a while but she always rejected them since she''s always been tired after class. All she wanted to do was to go home and sleep. That night, she decided to not come for the class because she had a family function to attend to. She sent her message to the admin of the school, sending her apologies and question of whether she could request for a replacement class. Luckily, they do offer her a replacement class but it will be on a weekend. She liked the fact that the school was flexible when it comes to classes and timings. She sighed. It looks like she''s going to be studying on a weekend. She doesn''t really like having classes or work on a weekend because she always believes that it was the day for her to relax. Though, it seems like she won''t be having any rest next week. She was in her cubicle, rearranging her notes after she received the reply message from the school. She doesn''t have much work to be done so she decided to pass the time by rearranging her notes and files. She did not want to spend her time just watching drama series on her phone or playing games. She wants to, at least, be more productive. She did ask Aubree and her other colleagues whether they needed help with their work. But it seems like they have none that they needed help with. She nearly died of boredom hence why she resorted to cleaning her cubicle and rearranging her notes and files. She even began to water the plant that Matt had placed in the office. (She nearly forgot about the plant!) And speaking of forgot, Delilah also nearly forgot about the family function that she has to attend. Apparently, her cousin''s daughter has just given birth to a baby daughter. And to celebrate the birth, they decided to invite their family members and relatives to the occasion. Although she wasn''t that close to her cousin since there was a huge age gap between them, she recalled him saying that there will be lots of food. Huge age gap as in her cousin''s daughter was only two years younger than her. So, meaning to say, her cousin was nearly the same age as her parents. Knowing that it will probably be a huge event since the baby was the first grandchild of her cousin, she knew better than most that she has to sacrifice herself to look good. She never did like to dress-up. But for this event, she has to wear her formal dress, wear makeup and fancy shoes. She ought to bring her flip-flops just in case. She sighed as she thought of the hours and minutes that she has to prepare ironing her clothes, wearing makeup and so forth. If it was up to her, she''ll probably just wear a tee-shirt and jeans. At least, that would be more comfortable. Unfortunately, her sister had already warned her that there will be other people and she shouldn''t embarrass herself by wearing simple clothes. Delilah did not really care much about her image (even though her sister scolded her that she should since she worked in the HR department) but she did not want to hear her sister''s nagging if she wore simple clothes. She just rolled her eyes at the time but heeded what Miya had said. She was still rearranging her physical notes and files when Aubree walked over to have a chat. Delilah had already asked for her permission to leave work early since her cousin''s place was a bit far. And since they don''t really have much work, Aubree had allowed her to. Delilah also texted Howard, just in case, who also has given green light. They chatted for a while, talking about the upcoming work and so forth. They had a few laughs here and there as well. In less than an hour, Delilah was already packed and ready to go. She waved goodbye at Aubree, who was standing near her cubicle, and her other colleagues. After she left the office building, she immediately set off for home, not stopping by at any place since she did not want to be late. At home, her sister, Miya was in her room, together with Kael, apparently giving him a bath as Delilah could hear him screaming not wanting to have one. In the kitchen, her father sat at the dining table, watching videos on his phone. He was shirtless but it looked like he had already worn his formal pants. Miya''s husband, Mellan won''t be joining them since he was working late at the bank. Munier, too, won''t be joining because of work. So, it will be just Delilah, Miya, their father and Kael. Soon after, the family of four was on their way to the function. And when they arrived, they were greeted with fairies lights, decorating the lawn of the house. It appeared like the function was in full swing as there were a lot of people standing around in front of the house, chatting and laughing. After they had parked their car, they got out and went towards the house. They then meet up with the host and hostess, who were Delilah''s cousin and his wife. They then thanked the couple for the invitation and congratulating them for the birth of their new granddaughter Then, both their father, Miya''s son and the women went their separate ways. Their father walked straight to their uncles who were talking at the other side of the house. Delilah, Miya and Kael went on the other side, searching for their other cousins. It was a beautiful event. The exterior of the house was beautifully decorated with fairies lights adorned on the walls and pillars. At the front lawn, there were several open tents with chairs and tables covered with pretty cloth and the tableware was also covered with cloth and more. The ''princess'' of the event was inside where she was cooed and admired by her many grandaunts and other relatives. It was then Delilah realized as a thought just occurred to her. She''s a grandaunt now too! She then calmed herself down, saying that she was still young and beautiful. That was just a title. Nothing more. After meeting her other cousins, she went with them to meet her cousin''s granddaughter. She was only a few months old but Delilah could tell that she looked like her mother. They took pictures with the baby and talked with one another, laughing at each other''s jokes. Once everything was done, it was time for Delilah''s favourite part of the event. It was time to eat. Everyone headed towards the front lawn where the food was served. There were several waiters and waitresses, waiting to serve the guest. But what attracted Delilah the most was the whole lamb leg that was stationed at one of the tents. There were two men manning the station, cutting parts of the lamb for the guests. Delilah was one of the first few guests who queued in line. She rushed over before it became crowded. Seeing that the other guests were distracted by the buffet spread, she took the chance to queue in line for the lamb leg. She DEE-finitely wouldn''t miss this for the world. Her older brother, Bryson, who also attended the event was queueing behind her. The two of them bickered back and forth as Bryson tried to cut in. Unfortunately for him, Delilah held her ground. Even stomping on his foot literally. She scolded him for trying to cut in, saying that if he tried to cut in line again, she would give him hell. When it was finally her turn, there was a bright smile on her face. She can''t wait to eat it. It has been a long time since she had eaten lamb. The lamb leg looked tender and scrumptious. As the man who was working on cutting the meat from the lamb, Delilah took her time, picking on the meat that had already been cut. She then poured sauces on top of them. She loved mixing mushroom, barbecue and black pepper sauce together. Once she was done, she went off to look for an empty seat to eat. She sat next to her cousin who was already eating. Delilah glared at her cousin who tried to sneak in a bite. And told him to get his own lamb. She had waited in line for this, she wouldn''t let someone else take advantage of her hard work. As she sliced the meat with her fork and knife, she could feel the smooth and tender meat sliced open softly. As she bite on the lamb, she could taste the strong, fatty and meaty flavour of the lamb in every chew. The sauces made the taste more succulent and savory as she could feel the burst of flavours exploding in her mouth. The soft and tender meat has that gamy taste as well, making it irresistible to chew. Just eating the meat itself was enough to make Delilah satisfied and happy. While she was eating, her sister took a seat beside her, together with Kael. She watched her sister happily eating her lamb meat and asked, "Are you just eating that?" Delilah rolled her eyes at her. "You think this is enough? Since there''s more food that was being spread out there, why should I just stop to eating these? There''s words that was named, second helping." Miya just rolled her eyes. 64 CH64: Becoming a babysitter "Respect for food is a respect for life, For who we are and what we do" - Thomas Keller ========================= It was a windy Friday morning where the sun had just gone up the horizon. Though, it was soon blanketed by few wandering clouds, making it less visible as light rain started to drizzle down on the ground. Delilah had just arrived at the office, after she had parked her car. She shook her umbrella dry before walking into the building. She carried her umbrella, careful for it to not drip on the floor. Ahead, Bella was already working at the receptionist table. She looked up when Delilah walked in. She greeted the latter with a smile. Waving goodbye, Delilah continued going up the stairs, straight to her department floor. Inside the department office, just near the entrance, there was a wide umbrella stand. She placed her umbrella in and continued walking to her cubicle. There were soft murmurs and light tapping of keyboards reverberating across the office. It seems like most people have already arrived and are hard at work. After removing some essential items from her handbag, such as a mobile phone, she quickly stowed away her work bag and handbag before switching on her computer. While waiting for her computer to load, she got up from her desk and went to the cabinets which were placed on the other side of the office. Sliding a finger across every folder spine, she finally found what she had been looking for and slid it out of the cabinet. Opening the folder, she flipped through the pages, skimming through the words, she nodded to herself in satisfaction before shutting it closed. She closed the cabinet door shut and went back to her cubicle. She was reading the report that was inside the folder when her phone rang. She picked it up and said, "Hello, Delilah speaking." "Hey Delilah! I got Howard on the line for you," Bella said. "Alright. Connect him in." Shortly after, she could hear Howard speaking on the line. "Good morning Delilah. How are you?" he asked, starting out the pleasantries. "I''m good," she answered. "How about you?" "I''m great. So, I''m calling about the paperworks that I sent to you a few weeks ago?" he enquired. "Also, have you done the background checks of those people in the list?" Delilah frowned. She could have sworn that she had sent those ages ago. Even though she wasn''t done with the background checks, at least she had finished the paperworks earlier. And that was what she had replied with. "I see. You''ve passed it to Amy, you say?" "Yes, I did. You can confirm it with her," Delilah replied. "Alright. I''ll ask her. Thank you again." She murmured ''no worries'' before hanging up the phone. However, before she could continue doing her work, her phone rang again. Picking it up with a puzzled look on her face, she answered, "Delilah here. May I help you?" "Yo! Did that doofus call you?" Delilah blinked in surprise at the sudden question. "Amy?" she asked slowly. "Yeah, it''s Amy!" the other person on the line said, sounding angry. "What did he say to you?" Assuming that she meant, ''Howard'', Delilah replied, "He said that he didn''t receive the paperwork that I gave to you. Though, I did tell him that I already passed it to you." "Yeah, wasn''t that like a couple of weeks ago?" "Yes, it was. Didn''t you place it on his table?" "I did!" Amy exclaimed. Delilah could sense how annoyed and frustrated she was. "If he had come into the office once in a while, he would have known!" "He doesn''t?" Delilah asked, confused. "No! He comes like twice or three times in a week!" Delilah frowned. "Where has he been all this while?" she asked. "To the government offices." Again, Delilah could imagine Amy shrugging nonchalantly. Delilah frowned deeper. "What is he doing there?" "I seriously don''t know. Anyhow, at least, I know that you know that I actually received it. You do know that I left it on his table, right??" "Yeah, I was there when you went into his office to put the papers there." "Good, good." "Are you alright, Amy?" Delilah asked in concern. "I''m¡­ just fine," she answered slowly. She then let out a sigh. "No, I''m just¡­ a little tired." "What happened?" "Well, Sheila is back here. And yeah, it''s been a bit hectic here. She brought along her daughter and the thing is¡­" she paused for a few seconds before continuing on, mumbling her last few words, "I became the babysitter." "You became what??" "I became the babysitter!" Delilah held her head in resignation. "Amy¡­" she said slowly. "I know, I know! I should say no but¡­" Delilah sighed. Amy has always been too nice. Although she can be blunt, for example, the way she confronted Matt the other day about the budget he had used. But she can be too nice where it was hard for her to say ''no''. It has always been a concern for Delilah. And seeing it''s a task from the boss, even if it''s not in your job description, Delilah could understand why Amy found it hard to say ''no''. "Just¡­ take it easy, okay?" Delilah advised in the end. "If you can''t take it anymore, just tell them. I''m sure they will understand. You have other things to do, other than being a babysitter" "Yeah, I will. Thanks D." "No worries." The two hang up the phone. Delilah leaned back against her seat as she recalled her conversation with Amy. There were times that she did feel sorry for Amy but it was not as if she would go over and take over the babysitting job for her. Even if she has some sympathy for the woman, it doesn''t mean she shouldn''t look out for herself. Yes, it may seem selfish but there are times that you have to look out for yourself. And again, it doesn''t mean that Delilah wouldn''t help out. She was still in her own world when Aubree walked past her cubicle. Tilting her head in confusion, she knocked on the wall of Delilah''s cubicle, startling the latter to reality. "Hey, what''s up?" she asked. Delilah looked up and shook her head. "Nah, it''s nothing," she replied. She doesn''t feel like telling Aubree about Amy. "What about you? What are you up to?" she asked. Aubree shook her head. "Nothing. I''m just going up to the Safety department to talk about updating the rules and regulations." Delilah nodded. The two then waved each other goodbye. But they did make some plans to have lunch together. They decided to try out the new Thai restaurant a few blocks away. A few minutes before lunch time, Delilah was still working on the background checks, though, she spent most of the time waiting for the replies of the other party. She ticked off some of the companies that she had contacted and questioned before going through another set of companies. Just then, Aubree walked into the office and headed straight to Delilah''s cubicle to inform her that she was going to grab her handbag and then they could go for lunch. Delilah nodded. She immediately put her computer to sleep and grabbed her handbag. Since the restaurant was just a couple of blocks away, they decided to just walk, instead of using the car. It was no longer drizzling by the time they walked out of the building. But they could smell the scent of after rain, which was earthy and nice, making one feel cozy and cool. The two women walked on the street for a few minutes until they reached one of the shophouses nearby. In the shophouses, there were several shops and one of them was the new Thai restaurant. They could tell which one was the Thai restaurant because of the decoration in front of the place. The place looked simple and pleasant where there weren''t much decorations to fill the area. There were two hanging plants on both sides of the entrance with a restaurant menu board placed outside. And what made it obvious that it was a Thai restaurant was that there was writing on the restaurant''s name sign in Thai. When they walked in, they were greeted by a strong burst of spices and herbs. It was quite nice and it even made them more hungry. The inside of the restaurant felt warm and comfortable. Similar as to when one goes to a Thai massage parlor. The chairs and tables were made of wood, where it was covered with Thai cloth, which was extremely colourful with their bright colours. The two women grabbed a table and thanked the waitress when she handed them the menu. Looking at the menu, there were so many foods to try that Delilah nearly ordered more than she could handle. Luckily, Aubree told her to relax and that they will come by here again if the food is nice. Delilah nodded as she agreed that it was a good idea. Besides, she can''t say for sure that the food is nice unless they try it first. Few minutes later, the two finally decided on their meal and placed their order. Once done, the two began to chat with one another while waiting for their food to arrive. Just as Delilah was about to show Aubree some pictures of a new bubble tea shop that just opened nearby, their food has arrived. Delilah had ordered pad thai whereas Aubree had ordered Tom Yum Fried Rice. Delilah could feel her nose twitching and tingling from the spices of Aubree''s fried rice. She chuckled when she saw an enormous amount of chili and lemongrass in her rice. As for Delilah''s pad thai, it doesn''t smell that appetizing due to the bean sprouts but she did not mind at all. She scooped some noodles into her fork. The noodles felt sticky and velvety as she scooped them. She could smell some sour scent from the tamarind being used in the pad thai as well as the lime. As she ate, she could feel the numerous flavours exploding in her mouth. From the musky taste of the dried shrimps and fish sauce to the sour taste from the tamarind and to the sweet taste from the sugar. She loved how the noodles slide silky inside her mouth, bringing all those flavours together. It has been awhile since she had pad thai. It was hard to find a good pad thai since some restaurants use ketchup as a substitute for tamarind puree, which is a no-no for Delilah. It doesn''t feel authentic and nice as the original taste. She understood that there were times that there might be difficulty when it comes to getting the right ingredients, hence why substitutes exist. Nevertheless, if there''s an actual ingredient, why not use them? Sure, it can be tedious, especially for a person like Delilah who can be a bit lazy. As she ate more pad thai, she closed her eyes in bliss. Then again, she thought to herself. If we already have the right ingredient, she felt that was one way to respect food as you enjoy them in their original state, or in this case, original recipe. She shook her head, chewing on the noodle. Sometimes she talks nonsense too so it was better to ignore the last two paragraphs. Aubree was watching Delilah the whole time and found it weird that there were a lot of facial expressions going on; from being happy, satisfied, embarrassed and now, resignation. It was comical too that she couldn''t help ask her what was wrong. Delilah jumped and raised her head to find Aubree looking at her with a weird expression on her face. She laughed awkwardly. "Haha, it was nothing. I''m just enjoying my food." "Next time again?" "DEE-finitely. I want to try the pandan chicken next!" 65 CH65: Early Lunch "I do not want to look back, And think ''I could have eaten that!''" - Anonymous ========================= Delilah leaned back against her chair as she stretched her arms above her head. She twisted her upper body left to right and back again. She then flopped down on her table with a sigh. It was a slow morning and she had done nothing but play games ever since she walked into the office. Sometimes being fast in your work can be annoying because you will be left with no work to do and will do nothing but sit there and wait until the office hours end. She had already asked Aubree whether she has any other work for her but unfortunately, she doesn''t. She even asked her other colleagues whether they needed her help or not. And again, they said that they could handle it themselves. She was doodling on a piece of paper, her body still flopped on the table when she remembered something. She was nearly out of her facial wash. ''I''d better buy one later after work,'' she reminded herself. She was still doodling when Aubree came by her cubicle. The latter grabbed an empty chair and sat down beside Delilah and greeted, "Yo." Delilah turned to look at her, without raising her head and greeted back, "Yo." "I want to eat at HappyBee." HappyBee restaurant is a fast food franchise, which is famous for their fried chickens. Although they are not as popular as the other big food chains such as Kentucky Chicken and MacD''s, they are still popular among the locals here. "And then¡­?" Delilah said slowly, her eyes narrowing at Aubree. "Lets go?" Aubree suggested cheekily. Delilah glanced at the clock on the wall and saw that it was still a few minutes after 10AM. She then remembered that the nearest HappyBee restaurant was a 15 minutes drive from the office. And not only that, it might take another 20 minutes or so to look for a parking spot since it was located inside a shopping mall where many people frequent. She turned back to Aubree who was giving her a pleading look and sighed. "I don''t think we''re able to eat out today," she reasoned. "I mean, if we waited for 12PM, it would be a wee bit late to return back to the office." "That''s why I''ve said to let''s go," Aubree replied, snickering. Delilah narrowed her eyes at her. "You mean¡­ Early lunch?" she questioned. Aubree nodded, her eyes twinkling a mischievous glint. Delilah shrugged inwardly. If she wants to go for an early lunch, then go she shall. I mean, her supervisor just basically told her to go for an early lunch so why not? At Aubree, Delilah said, "Then okay. What time shall we go?" "I''ll go grab my purse and phone now," Aubree answered, insinuating that they should go right now. Delilah nodded as she began to pack her phone and purse inside her handbag. Shortly after, the two women went out of the building. Bella, who was manning the front desk, only looked at them as she answered a call from the office phone. They finally arrived at the shopping mall after a few minutes, though, they needed to look for a parking spot before they could alight. It took them another few minutes to finally parked the car and got out of the car. Then they immediately set off for HappyBee restaurant where they ordered their food. Both of them ordered fried chicken, though Delilah''s portion was the spicy ones. Delilah loved how crispy the skin of the fried chicken was and how it makes the crunchy sounds as she bite into the chicken. The chicken meat tasted juicy and tender that juices dripped down onto her plate, making a small pool. The chicken was still hot as steam can be seen coming out from it when she tore the fried chicken apart. She could taste the spicy taste from the chicken, which was obvious since she ordered the spicy chicken. The chicken comes with french fries which tasted soft in the inside but a bit crispy on the outside. With salt, it has that added flavour making it more addicting. Delilah likes to dip them in chili sauce since she likes it spicy. Though, it does make the fries a bit sweet as well. The two enjoyed their meal while chatting. And after they were done, Delilah asked Aubree whether they can stop by at a Beauty and Cosmetics store. She nearly ran out of her facial wash so she needed to buy one. And since they were there, why not? They were about to head over to the store, which was a couple of stores away inside the shopping mall. However, before they could enter the store, Delilah stopped Aubree from approaching it by placing a hand on the latter''s arm. "Wait¡­" she said slowly. "Doesn''t that guy look like Matt from the back?" she asked, pointing at a guy who had his back towards them. He has the same body shape and height as Matt from behind. The two took a glance at their wristwatch and saw it was still before 12PM. As they walked closer, careful not to be seen, they saw a woman beside him. And judging from how she was dressed and her hair from behind, they quietly gasped. That was Sheila! They quickly turned around and walked in the opposite direction. Once they were sure that they were far from there, the two women burst out in laughter. "Oh my gosh! Haha!" "What the heck?!" They were still laughing as they walked even further. They decided to hide in one of the shops. They began to look for some office supplies and at the same time, brainstorming on what excuse they should give if they really did bump into their bosses. They spent a few minutes in the shop, browsing on the items displayed on the shelves. After a while, they went out of the shop and returned back to the Beauty and Cosmetics shop. They were confident that their bosses would have left the building. Feeling a bit cautious, Delilah quickly looked for her facial wash and brought it to the cashier. She paid for her item and the two left the store. Not wanting to bump into any more of their colleagues, or worse, their bosses, they decided to head straight back to the office. Delilah did ask Aubree whether she wanted to stop by at any of the shops but the latter declined. She probably did not want any such coincidence to occur anymore. When they finally arrived at the office, it was a couple of minutes after 12PM. Bella was no longer in front of her desk, she probably went for her lunch already as seen as the note on her desk that reads, ''Lunch break''. Once they arrived on their floor, the two women went their separate ways; both to their own cubicle. Just as Delilah sat inside her cubicle, a text message arrived in her phone. She rummaged through her handbag to look for her mobile phone. Swiping the screen, she saw that it was a message from her sister, asking whether she could stop by at a small grocery store to buy a carton of milk. She inwardly sighed. She was planning to take a quick nap once she got home. It seems like that''s off the list now. She flopped down on the table with another sigh. ''I''ll probably just sleep here right now,'' she thought. She peeked a glance at her wristwatch and saw that it was not 1PM yet. Seeing that she has a few more minutes until work starts, she went for a short nap. Few minutes later, she woke up. The first thing she did was rummaging through her handbag once more to look for her pocket mirror. Once found, she opened it and checked herself out in the mirror. After she was sure that she doesn''t look like someone who had just fallen asleep and making sure that there was no presence of drool on her face, she closed her mirror. She got up from her chair and was about to go out from her cubicle when she saw Fawkes walking towards her. With a wave, he approached Delilah. "Good morning, sleeping beastly," he teased. Delilah frowned at him as she playfully punched his arm, earning a wince from him. "Who are you callin sleeping beastly??" she asked. She then paused. "Wait, how did you know I was asleep?" she asked, worried. Fawkes laughed as he leaned closer to her. "We could hear you snore," he whispered to her. Eyes widened and her face full of shock, Delilah felt like she wanted to die of embarrassment right there and now. When he saw her look, he laughed again. He patted her on the shoulder and said, "I''m kidding. I went past your cubicle earlier and saw you sleeping. Don''t worry. We couldn''t hear you snore." Delilah glared, a bit miffed that he was teasing her that she kicked him on the shins. Grimacing with pain, Fawkes apologized to Delilah. She then told him that if he wanted her to forgive him, he better treat her to lunch, which he immediately promised. After office hours had ended, Delilah immediately packed her things and went off. She waved goodbye to her colleagues, heading straight for her car. She then drove herself to the nearest grocery store that was on the way to her home as well. After parking her car, she got out of the car. The grocery store was a small store that sells daily necessities and others. It wasn''t like the big supermarkets as only a few tens of people can enter the store at a time. Just before she entered the store, she noticed from the corner of her eyes, a small stall on the far left of the store. As she got closer, she realized that it was a food stall that sells toasted cheese bread; the type where one would tear the bread apart and the cheese would stretch. Minutes later, she found herself waiting for her food after placing her order. And when it was done, she found a small bench beside the stall and sat down. She began to eat. The bread was toasty where the crumbs would cover her mouth after she bit into it. The cheese inside was a bit hot but it was also sweet and chewy. She had to pull the bread further back because the cheese was stretched longer than she had expected. After she was done, she threw the trash in the trash can and thanked the vendor. She then went back to her car and drove home. Just as she was about to reach home, she slapped her forehead as she just remembered something. "Oh shoot! The milk!" Delilah let out a sigh and said to herself, "Oh well¡­ I''ll just buy it tomorrow then." 66 CH66: Day out with Grandma "The most indispensable ingredient of all good home cooking: Love for those who you are cooking for!''" - Sophia Loren ========================= It was finally Delilah''s day off. She had taken a day off on a Friday so she has a long weekend to relax and enjoy before Monday arrives. The reason why she had taken Friday off was because she wanted to bring her grandmother out for shopping. Apparently, weeks ago, her grandmother had been complaining that she wanted to go grocery shopping but her children and grandchildren were too busy to accompany her. To their credit, it was true that they were too busy because they either had work or school and by the time they got home, some would need to prepare for dinner and whatnot. It was a tiring everyday routine for them. Her grandmother was actually her father''s mother. Delilah''s grandparents from her mother''s side have passed away before she was born and when she was a baby. And her grandfather from her father''s side passed away a couple of years ago. She could still remember buying him an orange drink from the supermarket. That SPECIFIC orange drink because he loved that brand and only that brand. He passed away just after she had graduated from university. And she lovingly recalled the time she would rush out after class to visit him in the hospital because he would ask for his orange juice. Hence why she could understand why her grandmother was complaining. Delilah assumed that she must be lonely. There were times that her aunts, who were her father''s sisters, would visit her grandmother who lived alone (she did not want any caretaker to accompany her at home). But again, Delilah presumed that wasn''t enough and that she wanted to go out of the house. So, one day, Delilah was working on her report and her phone rang. She picked up her phone and was surprised to see her grandmother was calling her. She answered the call and said hello. Apparently, her grandmother was looking for Delilah''s father. And because her father did not answer her call, she tried to call Miya, who also did not pick up the call. In the end, she called Delilah. She said that she wanted to buy some stuff which she ran out of. She thought that maybe Delilah''s father might be able to take a day off to accompany her. Delilah, who knew that her father was busy with meetings, knew that her father might not be able to accompany her grandmother. Delilah''s father worked in the automobile industry and because the festive season was about to come, his company was busy with car deals and promotions. She listened to her grandmother''s talking and complaining and in the end, Delilah thought, ''Why not just accompany her since I still got a lot of days off?''. After more talking from her grandmother and more listening from her, the two said their goodbyes. Delilah immediately left a text message to her father about her grandmother. A few minutes later, a text message came in and she was right. Her father would still be busy that week and the following week. Thinking that she should give it a try, Delilah replied her father back with a message asking whether it was okay if she went to accompany her grandmother instead. Her father answered yes, that would be even better. Delilah rolled her eyes playfully while chuckling as she read her father''s reply. She could sense that he was a bit relieved that she was offering herself to accompany her grandmother. She immediately applied for leave on Friday that day. Although it was crucial for every employee to ask for leave two weeks before, Delilah wanted to give it a try whether she can apply for the next week. Fortunately for her, since her applied for leave form has to go through Aubree first, the latter immediately gave her approval. She even told Delilah to just go ahead. So, a few hours later, once Delilah had arrived at home, she immediately made a call to her grandmother, telling her that she would accompany her to go grocery shopping. A wry smile formed on her lips as she listened to her grandmother''s happy voice. However, she inwardly groaned when her grandmother said that she will be ready at 7:30am in the morning. Her office hours even start at 8:00am, but her grandmother wanted her to be there at 7:30am. Meaning that she has to wake up even early. So much for a holiday. When that day arrived, Delilah woke up a bit late so she didn''t have any time for a quick breakfast. She only took a shower and went straight to her grandmother''s place. Her grandmother''s place was nearly an hour drive from her house. And because it was Friday, the traffic was a breeze so it was a smooth drive (School days in the country are from Monday to Thursday and Saturday. Friday is for international schools). Before she left her house, she did manage to call her grandmother so that she would be a bit late. Delilah was worried that she might be waiting for so long. Her grandmother doesn''t know how to use a text messaging app so she can only call her. Even if she has her own mobile phone. Shortly after, she finally arrived at her grandmother''s place. Her house was a humble two-storey house with a small porch in front. There were many plants on the porch. Her grandmother loved to plant flowers and cactus. Beside the house, there was a small garage, which connects to the house, where the entrance was the back door of the kitchen. Delilah swiftly parked her car in the garage and went down to go straight to the house. Inside, her grandmother was all dressed-up in her pretty clothes, her small handbag beside her on the sofa. Apparently, while she was waiting for Delilah, she decided to watch TV for awhile. She raised her head when she heard Delilah called out to her. She stood up, grabbed her handbag and switched off the television. She smiled as she watched Delilah approach her. The latter took her grandmother''s hand for blessing and then proceeded to guide her outside to the car. Delilah diligently helped her grandmother climb into the car and went to the driver''s side. Once inside, she switched on the engine and drove them out of the garage. While driving, Delilah asked her grandmother what her plan was. She smiled as she listened to her grandmother''s list of places to go. First off the list, she wanted to go to the restaurant where she always used to go with Delilah''s grandfather. Luckily, the restaurant was still operating so they went there first. The restaurant that her grandmother wanted to go to was a Northern Indian restaurant where she used to eat biryani rice with Delilah''s grandfather. Which she ordered again that day. Delilah let out a sad smile as she sat across her grandmother, watching her looking out the window with a whimsical look on her face. It seems that her grandmother was still missing her husband after all these years. Delilah also ordered biryani rice with beef rendang. So, the two ate their food in silence. Though, Delilah did start a conversation at some point, asking about what her grandmother has been doing. The latter then talked about how Delilah''s aunts and uncles had visited her the other day and whatnot. After they were done eating, they decided to walk around the nearby shops. Since the food that they ate was too heavy for breakfast, they wanted to walk it off. They didn''t enter the shops but rather just window-shopping. Once they were done, they finally went for grocery shopping. Since the grocery store was not in the area, they had to use the car to go there. It took them a few minutes to arrive, added with the time of looking for a parking spot. Delilah had to look for one that was near to the store entrance because she doesn''t want her grandmother to get tired from walking too much. After she finally found a parking spot, she quickly parked her car and went to help her grandmother get down from the car. Inside the grocery store, it was a bit crowded with people. There were parents who brought their children with them, there were also young men and women who looked like they were shopping for themselves. Although the store wasn''t that big, it seems like it was a popular place to do grocery shopping. The grocery store has a high cream coloured ceiling with LED lighting. The walls were painted in soft green, to emphasize the freshness of the products that the store were offering. Most of the products offered were organized in sections, which made it easier for patrons to look for things that they were looking for. And even though there were many varieties of choices to choose from, it wasn''t as big as a supermarket. Delilah purposely chose this grocery store because she did not want her grandmother to walk too far. She just hoped that the store had everything that her grandmother was looking for. After nearly an hour of picking the items and placing them into the shopping cart, Delilah thought it was fortunate that they had everything. She did not have to go to another grocery store to look for the things that they missed out. Once they were done with the grocery shopping, her grandmother told Delilah that she wanted to go to a beauty and cosmetics store. She wanted to buy some lotion and face cream. And so, the two women went off to the store. By the time they were done, it was already past 12 o''clock in the afternoon. Not wanting her grandmother to get tired, Delilah suggested that they go for a light lunch. At least, her grandmother would be able to rest her legs. Delilah too. Delilah chose a small restaurant that served shawarma and other Arabic foods. At first, her grandmother ordered a small portion of grilled chicken with fries. But when she saw Delilah ordering pita breads with hummus and grilled chicken, she frowned and asked what was that. Delilah explained that hummus is actually mashed chickpeas that can be used as a spread for her pita bread. Noticing that her grandmother was becoming more intrigued, she offered her a piece, spreading the hummus on the pita bread for her. After her grandmother took a bite, she hid her small smile, seeing the happy glint in the former''s eyes. It looks like she had her grandmother hooked on the dish. Her grandmother has always been a picky eater but a loyal one. Once she was hooked on a favourite dish at a certain restaurant, she would only buy from that restaurant. Delilah began to eat hers. Her hummus was creamy, filled with rich umami and garlicky flavour. There was a bit of a tangy flavour in it too since she had squeezed a slice of lemon over it. She then took a small piece of pita bread and spread some hummus on it. She took a bite and chewed on it. The hummus tasted heavenly as it melts in her mouth and the bread was a bit dense, hence, a bit chewy. But it was good as it felt airy and light in her mouth. She then took another piece of the pita bread and other than hummus, she also added pieces of the grilled chicken on the bread. She continued to add more chicken and then rolled them. She stuffed the whole thing in her mouth and thought that it was so good. The chicken was grilled to perfection. There were still some juices after she ate them, making them more succulent and savory. Added with the creamy hummus and the airy pita bread, it tasted divine that she licked the plate clean of the hummus. After they were done with lunch, they went to another store which was the jewelry store. She said that she brought her old jewelry and wanted to have them clean. Delilah just nodded as she drove as per her grandmother''s direction. She doesn''t have any plans anyway, other than to accompany her grandmother. Once that was done as well, Delilah could see that her grandmother was getting tired. So she suggested that why not go back home. Her grandmother agreed. It was nearly 5 o''clock in the afternoon, by the time that they reached home. After Delilah helped by carrying all of her grandmother''s purchases to the kitchen and the latter''s room, she noticed that her grandmother had gone to the bathroom herself to take a shower. She continued helping by unpacking the items from the shopping bags and rearrange them in her grandmother''s pantry. By the time her grandmother was done with her shower, Delilah was in the kitchen, cooking a light dinner for her. She knew her grandmother has always been a fan of her ''roti john'' so she thought that she would try and make her one. When her grandmother saw her cooking, she protested that she was already full. But then she quieted down when she saw that Delilah had cooked one of her favourite dishes. Once Delilah was done cooking, she placed the dish in front of her grandmother, who was sitting at the dining table. She watched her grandmother take a piece and another piece with an amused look on her face. She didn''t finish them all, though. She told Delilah that she would leave some for tomorrow. She will put them in the fridge. Delilah nodded and then after a few more minutes of talking and checking to make sure that her grandmother was feeling comfortable and whatnot, Delilah took her leave. She gave her grandmother a hug and told her to give her a call if she needs anything else. Her grandmother nodded and waved her goodbye. Sometimes even a simple home cooked meal is good enough for your loved ones. 67 CH67: Ready, Set, Action! "Learn how to cook --- try new recipes, learn your mistakes, Be fearless and above all, have fun!" - Julia Child ========================= It was a Thursday afternoon and Delilah had just finished her lunch. She only had a simple sandwich of eggs and tuna. It was one of those days that she didn''t eat a lot for once because she knew she would be eating a lot later that evening. Ever since her grandmother had passed away a couple of weeks ago, her family would conduct a gathering where they pray for her. And the gathering would be held every Thursday evening. Hence why she was saving her appetite for later. She knew that there would be a lot of food that she did not have the heart to skip on them. All of the food needs to be eaten! She was writing a report that needs to be submitted next week. It was only an overall summary of the employees'' training and outcomes. Although she did not have the full submission from some supervisors in certain departments, she thought to start it early so that she would not waste more time. She can just add them when she receives their reports. She only wrote about half a page that time because she got distracted playing her mobile games and chatting in her social media when Aubree came knocking on her cubicle wall. She looked up and said hi before turning back to her screen again. Aubree grabbed a chair from nearby and sat down with a sigh, her chin on her hand. She fell silent for a while as she watched Delilah working on her report. However, Delilah doesn''t really feel comfortable with people watching her doing some work. She ignored it for a few minutes but then after a while, she got fed up and whirled around in her seat to face a surprised Aubree. "What is it?" Delilah demanded, frowning at her for disturbing her peace. Aubree put on an innocent look and asked, "Did I disturb you?" Delilah rolled her eyes. "No, Aubree. You didn''t," she replied sarcastically. Aubree laughed as she knew how annoyed Delilah would be if someone just invaded her space and then just kept quiet. "So what''s up?" Delilah asked. Aubree let out a sigh as she handed her her mobile phone. "Look at that," she told her, pointing at the text conversation in her phone. Frowning with puzzlement, Delilah looked down and read. The more she read, the more confused she felt. Once she was done, she raised her head and said, "I don''t get it." "There will be a TV crew coming here to shoot a documentary about us," Aubree replied. "That''s why I''m confused," Delilah said. "Why us? Why here? Is there something interesting in this company that I''m not aware of?" Aubree laughed and shrugged. "Seriously. I have no idea," she said ruefully. "I know!" "And who the heck has time to arrange all this?" "That''s why I''m telling you this! Isn''t it crazy?!?" "Not just crazy, it''s just plain absurd!" Aubree let out a sigh. "I really don''t have any clue on what to expect. Matt only gave me the number to the woman who is in-charge of the shooting. They said that they just want to record about the things we do here. Something like supporting the locals series." "But it''s kinda weird that they chose this company. I''m not badmouthing our company and though, it''s cool that the company gets to be on tv but yet¡­" "I know, right!" "I bet it was them who called the news station," Delilah said, her eyes narrowing in suspicion. The ''them'' she refers to were Matt and Sheila. "Of course, who else would it be?" Aubree said sarcastically, crossing her arms across her chest. "And he told me to prepare a short speech of what we do," she continued. Delilah made a face and then turned back to her screen, saying, "Good luck with that." Aubree immediately tugged on Delilah''s sleeve and said, "Oh, come on! Help me with this!" Delilah sighed as she turned back around. "Fine. Go do your speech and I''ll take a look." Aubree nodded as she stood up. She then immediately went off to her own cubicle to work on her speech. Unfortunately, Aubree wasn''t done with her speech that she continued on at her home. And that evening, the two women exchanged text messages where Delilah continued to help giving pointers and tips. The next morning. The TV station crew will be coming in the afternoon, hence the shooting will be in the afternoon as well. At first, Delilah asked Aubree whether they would need to provide the crew with some light refreshments but Aubree had said no. It was because they were on schedule so they will just do the shooting and go straight back to the station. That morning, Delilah continued writing on her report since the shooting does not involve her; rather it was the General Affairs department and yes, Aubree. Bella was also busy where Delilah could see her running in and out of the office. While she was working on her report, Aubree stopped by at her cubicle. Her eyebrows shot up when she saw what Delilah was wearing. Although she wore her usual office wear, she even wore light makeup and her blouse looked more formal than the usual. Delilah rolled her eyes at Aubree''s exaggerated actions and said, "Just shush. I''m wearing this just in case." "Oh, I thought you''ve got the memo." Delilah turned around in her seat and frowned at her supervisor. "What memo?" "You''ll be joining in the shooting." Delilah immediately cursed under her breath. She then said, "What do you mean? Can''t I just help in the background?" Aubree tapped a finger against her chin, thinking. "I''m not sure. Matt said he wanted you to just play pretend. Be one of the actors." "Ehhhh!" Delilah whined, making a face. "But I don''t want to." then she suddenly thought of something. "Give me a few minutes. I''ll be back," she said, turning back to her computer. "We''ll meet up at the ground floor later." Delilah just nodded as she waved Aubree goodbye without turning back. That afternoon, most of the employees from the General Affairs were on the ground floor, together with Aubree. Matt and Sheila had just arrived a few minutes ago after lunch. The arranged time was at three o''clock and that time, it was only half past two. Aubree stood behind Matt and Sheila as she looked around as if she was looking for someone. Just then her eyes lit up when she saw someone heading towards her. But she became confused when she saw that someone wasn''t alone. "Why is Fawkes with you?" Aubree asked, looking confused. Delilah just grinned. Just then, Matt and Sheila turned around and greeted the two. Matt then turned to Delilah and asked, "Did Aubree tell you about the shooting?" Delilah nodded. "Yes, she did," she answered. "But may I give my suggestion?" "Sure, shoot." Delilah placed a hand behind Fawkes'' back and gently pushed him forward. "Instead of me, why don''t Fawkes do the shooting? He''s tall and good looking. He will look good on television." Fawkes grinned. "Don''t you want to be on TV, Delilah?" Sheila asked, turning to Delilah with a smile. She shook her head. "It''s alright. I rather work in the background," she answered. Sheila then put her hand together and further suggested, "What about this? What about if the two of you acted together?" Fawkes'' eyes widened with excitement as he turned to Delilah. "That''s a great idea! That would be fun, D!" he exclaimed. "Eeehhh!" Delilah said. This was not in her plans at all! Aubree just snickered beside her. So, in the end, the three of them and the others joined the shooting. Matt will first introduce himself and talk about the company. Aubree will be the different departments and whatnot. Delilah, Fawkes and the other employees from the General Affairs will act out; some may pretend to be the customers and whatnot. When the clock strikes three o''clock, everyone on the floor begins to ready themselves. And shortly after, the television crew arrived, carrying their camera equipment and others. It wasn''t a big crew, rather, there were only four of them. The shooting took almost two hours. And by then, everyone was a bit exhausted. After the television crew left, the others also prepared to leave the office. At first, Matt had invited Aubree, Delilah and Fawkes out for dinner but they already had plans with each other. It was a pity that they had to reject free food but the three of them felt it wouldn''t feel nice to eat with their superiors, being all awkward. They decided to carpool instead of going in different cars. It would be easier that way and that because Delilah was lazy to drive herself. So, Fawkes volunteered himself. The three of them got into his car and made their way to the city centre. In the car, Delilah immediately texted in her family chat group to tell them that she will be coming home a bit later than usual since she''s going off to have an early dinner. Her father had replied ''alright'' to her message. The city centre was not that far from their office. Rather, it was less than a thirty minutes drive. And before they realized it, they were already in the middle of the city centre. The three of them had spent the journey, talking about the earlier events. Laughing at each other''s blunder during the shooting. The restaurant that they were heading to was a sushi restaurant. It was one of the most popular restaurants in their country and the fact that the price was reasonable. When they arrived at the restaurant, they were greeted by loud voices from the waiters and waitresses, saying "Irrasshaimase!", which means, ''Please, come in,'' in Japanese. The restaurant itself was a huge one with a large conveyor sushi belt in the middle. The belt itself surrounds the sushi chefs inside who were making the sushi. Other than the greetings from the waiters and waitress, they were also greeted by the noisy din of the other customers. It was rather crowded inside but luckily they were able to find seats, even if they did not book a table. The restaurant has that picturesque feeling to it, giving a vibe that brings Japan closer with all the Japanese painting on the walls and Japanese music. After the three of them made themselves comfortable, they began to browse through the menu, offered by the waitress who was ready to take their orders. Once they placed their order, they continued their talk from earlier. Fawkes teased Delilah for making a blunder where she suddenly stammered during the shooting. Delilah flushed red from embarrassment and retorted back that she was nervous. He can''t blame someone who had no script and was immediately told to say something. Despite the mistakes that she had made, at least Delilah had fun. Aubree and Fawkes had fun as well. When some of their food arrived, Delilah immediately grabbed the one that she had ordered. She had ordered a lot since she was a bit hungry. She ordered salmon don, mini salmon mayo, tuna temaki and more. The one that had arrived was her mini salmon mayo sushi. Basically, it was raw salmon that was wrapped around a clump of rice, topped with Japanese mayonnaise and fish roe. She expertly used her chopstick to pick up the sushi and dip it in her soy sauce, adding wasabi to the sushi and eat it. There were so many flavours that just burst inside her mouth. First, the salmon tasted silky and soft as she chewed on it. And it has that slightly less fishy taste to it, giving a refreshing and subtle flavor. Together with the mayo, it added that sweetness to it. The roe was a bit salty as it popped inside her mouth. The wasabi itself wasn''t actually hot but rather, it has that distinct spiciness, similar to the horseradish. With all of the many flavours, Delilah felt happiness inside her. It was simply too delicious. Some may not like raw fish but she absolutely loves it! Especially salmons! ''The best reward one had for trying out something new,'' Delilah thought as she ate more of the mini salmon mayo sushi. 68 CH68: Were not hiring "Homemade with love. In other words, I licked the spoon and kept using it.''" - Spicy Goulash ========================= In the office, Delilah was watching a short video sent by her sister in the chat group. It was a video of her nephew, Kael, eating his rice with his little action figures around his plate. He was eating and at the same time, talking to his toys, as if they were his little friends. Delilah was taking a short break after meeting with some employees who wanted to have a talk in regards to their training. Although she did agree with some of them, wanting to choose their own training programme, there were others that she had to reject since it wasn''t applicable with their job description. It had taken her nearly the whole morning to meet up with them and it was not even done. Tired from the meet-ups, she decided to continue the next morning and spend the afternoon in the afternoon to relax.... No, working. She had gone for an early lunch that morning after the meet-ups. She thought she needed some ''brain food'' after all those talking. Although it wasn''t much, the kimbap [1] was still satisfying. She had the whole roll to herself, filled with spicy beef, egg, carrots and yellow pickled radish. Compared to sushi, kimbap tasted a bit sweet due to the sesame oil that they were using for the rice and the fillings made it more fulfilling, exploding it more with varieties of flavours; tangy and a bit crunchy from the carrots and radish. She bought the kimbap at a small shop on her way to work that morning. It was fortunate that the shop opened early at seven o''clock in the morning so she got time to drive over before heading to the office. After watching the short video, she went on to watch more videos shared by her friend, Stitch. Everyday Stitch would send her a couple of videos via her social media and Delilah would enjoy watching them. There were times that she was also tempted to make the food from the cooking videos. And one of them was the simple no-bake chocolate lava cake. Instead of an oven, it was suggested to use a steamer. Thinking back, she recalled that her father had been using the steamer at home quite a lot lately. He claimed that it was better to use the steamer to reheat food since it won''t make the food dry, especially those with sauces. She then rewatched the video once again, memorizing the ingredients that it needed and recalled again that she does have all the ingredients required at home. She then let out a sigh. Even if she has all the required ingredients, she wonders whether she has the energy to make one later. Or whether she wouldn''t be that lazy to make one. She began to frown once she was done reading the text messages. Apparently, he had arranged for an instructor to meet her that afternoon. He gave her an excuse that he wasn''t able to meet the man because he has a gout. And that his gout was acting up. He immediately sends approval to the man to meet Delilah without telling her beforehand. She let out a sigh of frustration. It was a good thing that she had cleared her afternoon. Or she would have to last minute cancel the meet-ups, which she did not like to do because she doesn''t want to be known as someone who likes to last minute cancel or change plans. Even if it was only once. There was a saying that says, ''People will always remember the bad things you did and always forget the good things you''ve done.'' She quickly texted Howard back, asking him the details and the reason why the man wanted to meet. It seems that the man wanted to talk about the training that was being offered in the company. But from what Delilah remembered about that specific training module, it was cancelled due to lack of trainers. The trainer who used to teach that specific module had quit the company a couple of years ago, moving to another company. Delilah sighed in resignation. This is what she dislikes the most where there is a lack of communication. Before he offered the class, he should have asked her whether it was available or not. But then again, that training module was empty for so long that how could he (Howard) not know about it? Looking at the wall clock near the entrance of their office, she saw that she had less than an hour until the man arrived. She sighed again as she slumped over her table. She was planning to slack all throughout the afternoon. But it seems that supervisor of hers has come and spoiled it. While waiting for the man to arrive, Delilah began to print out some brochures for the meeting. Instead of driving a potential customer away, she rather ask him to try one of their other training classes and at the same time, offer some of their products for him to buy. Other than training classes, they also offer products related to the training modules. Soon after, she received a call from Bella, saying that there was a man who was looking for her. Delilah thanked Bella and told her to guide him to the guest sitting area at the lobby and that she will be going down in a short while. Few minutes later, Delilah found herself sitting across a man, about her age, lanky and tall. He was wearing glasses and a dark blue shirt and brown slacks. His hair was neatly combed back, giving him a slightly carefree look yet smart-looking. He was grinning at Delilah as he watched her reading the papers he had passed to her. Apparently, other than wanting to attend the class, he was also taking the opportunity to apply for a job. Normally, Delilah wouldn''t accept any CVs like this but since he had more or less shoved his CV to her, there was nothing she could do but read. Though, she has a feeling that the man was more likely to come here to ask for a job, rather than to attend a class. And what irked her more was the fact that the man kept bringing up Howard''s name as if he was trying to show that he was close to Howard. But haha, too bad for you, mister! Howard does not pay for her salary, the company does! After she finished reading his CV, she placed the papers on the coffee table in front of her and began her questioning. Not interview questions but rather, questions of his expectations about the class that he wanted to enroll and when would he be available and the duration. She could tell how unenthusiastic he was about the class and silently fumed about how he wasted her time. Visibly, she put a forced smile on her face. And before he could start on another conversation about applying for a job there, Delilah immediately stood up, picked up the brochures that were left on the coffee table and handed them to him. She thanked him for his time and questions and hoped that he will, instead, join any available classes that they offer. She picked up the CV and handed back to him as well, saying that she would not be needing it at the moment. They were not hiring and she suggested for him to send them his CV when they open a vacancy. And before he could say anything again, Delilah quickly left the room and as she was walking back to her cubicle, she was muttering some curses underneath her breath. When she arrived at her cubicle, she saw a text message coming in her phone. And when she saw who the sender was, she rolled her eyes and decided to reply to it later. She sat on her chair and began to play her mobile games, trying to calm her mind. Few minutes before office hours have ended, only then Delilah closes her game and reads the text message from Howard. It seems like he was asking how the ''interview'' go. This made Delilah feel more annoyed because of the fact that it looks like he knew that the man came over for an interview, not a class. In the end, she just replied that it was alright. She really has no mood to talk with him, playing nice. After she left the office, she immediately went straight home. Although her mind was still buzzing with irritation as she recalled the ''waste-of-time'' meeting, she felt her stress fading out when she stepped into her house. She could feel her nose twitching from the tangy smell of fish curry sauce. She went to the kitchen and saw her father cooking at the stove. Beside him on the table was a plate filled with ''roti''. He looked behind him when he heard a noise and saw Delilah looking at him. "Welcome home," he greeted. Delilah grinned. "I''m home," she replied as she placed her work bag on the table. She then sat on the dining table, propping her chin on her palm as she watched her father continue cooking. "What are you cooking, dad?" she asked. "Made some ''roti'' and fish curry sauce," he replied. After a few minutes, he switched off the stove and scooped everything into a big serving bowl. He then carried the plate of ''roti'' and the big bowl to the dining table. Delilah immediately got up to fetch another plate and a small bowl for herself. She then returned back to her seat and helped herself to the ''roti''. She also scooped some sauce into her small bowl for her dipping sauce. She likes how her father made the ''roti'' crispy. It was soft and smooth to touch; easily torn by hands. Hence, she used her hands to eat, rather than using dining utensils. For ''roti'', it was usually accompanied with a dipping sauce which was either beef rendang sauce, fish curry sauce or chicken curry sauce. For Delilah, she loved fish curry sauce because it was sour yet spicy, giving a kick to her taste buds. She tore a piece from the ''roti'' and dipped it into the small bowl of fish curry sauce. She ate it and there was a burst of flavours exploding in her mouth. The ''roti'' feels soft yet crispy. Added with the fish curry sauce, the ''roti'' literally melts in her mouth since it was soaked with the sauce, making it softer. She liked how the sauce mixed beautifully with the ''roti'' since the ''roti'' was nearly tasteless, just a hint of sweetness. The two father-daughter enjoyed eating their meal in silence. After finishing the ''roti'', Delilah even licked her bowl cleaned. The fact that her father had used fresh fish for the curry made it even more delicious. This is DEE-finitely handmade with love. ----- [1] Kimbap - Korean Sushi Roll 69 CH69: Learn from failure It''s that process that makes the dishes shine.''" - Soma Yukihira ========================= It was a Saturday morning and Delilah was working half-day. Usually, she doesn''t have much to do, other than reading the reports being sent to her or just waiting for calls. However, that day, she decided to relax and play her mobile games. It was not that she was being lazy (well, she was but you did not read that!) but the past few days, it has been slow so there wasn''t much work to be done. And since she prefers to do her work when she has more time, she decided to put it off until the next working day, which was on a Monday, next week. So, for now, she was enjoying her time. It was fortunate that her supervisors weren''t that strict, the one who hovers while you were working. In fact, her supervisor, Aubree, was also playing games on her mobile. How does she know? She just texted Delilah to not disturb her because she was busy playing games. Putting on her headphones, she turned on the music and then began playing her games. Ignoring the buzzing of busy people behind her, she concentrated on her games, wanting to get the high scores. She can be very competitive if she wants to. Soon after, she decided to take a break. Glancing at the wall clock near the door, she noticed that she had a couple of hours until work was over, so she decided to read the reports that were needed to work on for next week. She arranged her reports for the next week, sorting them out based on priorities and putting on post-its on each paper. Once she was done, she went to Fawkes'' cubicle where he was working on a report. She knocked quietly on the wall of his cubicle and grabbed a chair. Fawkes just nodded and held up a finger as if to tell her to wait. He typed a few sentences in his report and clicked on the saved button. "What''s up?" he asked, turning on his seat to face Delilah. Delilah slumped back against her seat, with her arms hanging down. "I''m bored," she exclaimed. "Are you done with your work?" he asked, arching an eyebrow. "Nah, I''m pushing the work to next week," she replied as she sat up. Fawkes just narrowed his eyes at her. Delilah groaned. "I don''t want to do any work!" she whined. He quietly passed her some papers and then said, "Then staple this together while we talk." She pouted. "But I did say that I don''t want to do any work," she mumbled, though she stapled the papers for him, in the end. While she was stapling his papers for him, he was talking about the stuff that had happened and the gossip that he heard before. She likes talking with him since he has so many stories to tell and can be quite open-minded. The two talked until the clock struck twelve o''clock. Just as she was walking down the stairs to the lobby, there was a text message notification. Once she was at the lobby, she stood at the side, letting other people walk past her. She then checked her phone and saw her online friend texting her in her social media. She chuckled when she saw that her friend had been forwarding recipes one after another. She began to exchange recipes as well as chatting with her friend while sitting at one of the chairs in the lobby. When she saw one of the recipes that her friend had sent her, she tried to remember what ingredients she had back home. When she realized that she has all the ingredients, she decided to make that. After replying that she would not be able to text until later since she will be driving, she placed her mobile phone inside her handbag and went out of the office. Waving goodbye at some of her colleagues who were on their way home as well, she went to her car where it was parked at the parking lot. Soon after, she arrived at home. Inside the living room, her nephew was watching cartoons while his mother was lying on the sofa, watching videos from her mobile phone. The two of them looked up when they saw Delilah walked in. "KAEEEEEEELLL! GIVE YOUR FAVOURITE AUNT A KISS!" Kael immediately groaned and got up to hide. Unfortunately, his short legs weren''t enough since Delilah was able to catch him and smother him with kisses, much to his dissatisfaction. Miya ignored her son''s cries of help as she continued watching her videos. After Delilah pulled away from Kael, she asked, "Want to eat chocolate?" "Yes! I love chocolate!" Kael said excitedly, finally grinning widely. Delilah lovingly tapped on his nose with her finger and said, "Well, your favourite aunt will be making mini chocolate cakes. Do you want one?" "Yes! Yes!" Kael said as he jumped up and down, looking very excited. Just then a voice came from where the sofa was, "Huhhhhhhhhhh? Who said you can eat chocolates, hmmmmmm?" Startled, Kael turned around and saw his mother narrowing her eyes at him suspiciously. He then came running towards her, wailing. "But Mamaaaaaaaa¡­! I want chocolate! Please! Please!" After much pleading, Miya finally said yes. Kael began to jump up and down with happiness. Earlier while he was pleading, Delilah had already gone up to her room to change into her much comfortable clothes. In the kitchen, Delilah was taking out all the ingredients to make steamed lava cake. She carried the steamer to the stove and poured water into it. She then turned on the stove. While waiting for the water in the steamer to boil, she arranged all the ingredients needed on the table; butter, milo [1] powder, two eggs, sugar and plain flour. Grabbing her phone and placing it upright on the table, making it as her ''cookbook'', she picked the video where the woman was going to show how to make a chocolate lava cake by steaming. The "baking" took her almost an hour because there were parts that she messed up a bit. And then she realized too late that her two little bowls for the cake were a bit too big. She tapped her chin with her finger as she was trying to figure out what to do next. She then decided that since it''s larger, probably the duration for the steaming should be a little less longer. Too long might make the cake and the ''lava'' inside harden. While waiting for her cake to be done, she was chatting with her friends in discordance, though, inside she was feeling a bit impatient because she just couldn''t wait to eat her lava cake. When the timer in her phone goes off, she immediately got up and switched off the stove. When she opened the lid of the steamer, a sudden burst of steam came out that Delilah quickly leaned back to avoid the heat. Once cleared, she could see the beautiful chocolate cake inside. She grabbed her baking gloves and put it on. She then carefully took the bowl out from the steamer. At that time, Kael was already sitting at the dining table, waiting for the cake. When Delilah grabbed two empty plates for them to eat, Kael was swinging his legs back and forth, looking excited. But then his face fell when he saw the cake kind of ''flopped''. "Aunt D, what happened?" he asked, pointing at the cake. Delilah laughed awkwardly when she saw her failed steamed chocolate lava cake. "Oh well, it''s still good, though," she assured him. He got down from the chair and said, "I don''t want it anymore." With that, he left the kitchen and back to the living room. Shortly after, she can hear him saying, "Mama! I want popcorn!" Delilah rolled her eyes. "Dem brat," she muttered. She then looked at her ''failed'' chocolate cake and shrugged. "Oh well, more for me." She sat down and ''poured'' the whole chocolate lava into her plate. Apparently, the cake wasn''t ''steamed'' enough that the cake was still ''melting''. She spooned some portion of the cake into her mouth and ate it. Although it was no longer a cake, it was still delicious. She can just pretend it was a melted chocolate, which it was. Her friend suggested adding more flour and egg to the ''failed'' cake. But Delilah was too lazy to do it and decided to let it be. Licking her spoon, the chocolate tasted velvety, smooth and sweet in her mouth. The chocolate literally just slid into her mouth. It has that rich texture too, making her lick the plate clean. While she was finishing her meal, she thought to herself. ''Oh well, that was such a DEE-saster. Though, I should try making it again in the future.'' ----- [1] Milo - Chocolate and malt powder typically mixed with hot water for drinking. 70 CH70: Plans So I am the perfect traveller.''" - Anonymous ========================= Delilah was browsing through her social media account, looking very awe at the foods being photographed and the many beautiful scenes taken by the people she followed. It has always been one of her dreams to go to Japan and explore the country. Most specifically the animes, the culture and of course, foods. She sighed inwardly as she scrolled through the pages. She doesn''t know why she likes to torture herself looking at these. Aubree was walking past her cubicle when she noticed the distracted Delilah, slumping over her table. She chuckled lightly as she changed directions and knocked softly on Delilah''s cubicle wall. "What''s wrong, D?" she asked. Delilah looked up and saw Aubree standing behind her, with folders in her arms, smiling down at her. She sighed again. "Nothing. I''m just bored," she replied sadly, fiddling with her phone. "All done with your work?" Aubree asked. Delilah stared pointedly at the wall clock and back at Aubree. "It''s five minutes to four-thirty. You think I would want to do my work right now?" she said sarcastically. She then leaned back to show her computer which had already shutdown. "Even my computer is switched off already." She whirled around in her seat and whined out loud, "I want to go travel!" "Travel?" Aubree repeated. Then she suddenly remembered something. She rummaged through the papers in her folder and then when she found what she was looking for, she said, "Ah! Found it!" She handed the flyer to Delilah, who accepted it with a confused look on her face. "What''s this?" Aubree just silently pointed at the flyer, discreetly telling her to read. Delilah frowned as she read the flyer. It was a flyer for travelling, showcasing a list of countries, flights and price. Then Delilah cringed when she saw it was for a tour. "I don''t really like touring. It''s too restrictive and I like to explore it on my own." Aubree rolled her eyes. "You can just not pick the tour option, you know. And just buy the return ticket," she suggested, pointing at one area of the flyer. Delilah tapped her finger against her chin, thinking. Aubree shrugged. "Think about it. Besides, you still have a lot of day offs in your hands," she advised. She then left her cubicle with a wave. Looking a bit absent-minded, Delilah just sat there and kept thinking to herself. It was then she realized that everyone on her floor had already left their cubicle and was heading straight for the exit. She quickly packed her things and followed suit. Outside, she immediately went into her car and switched on the ignition. Before she drove off, she texted her cousins, saying that she was about to leave the parking lot. She then turned on her GPS navigation app and keyed in the name of the restaurant. Soon after, she was on the road, following the direction of the GPS and when she finally arrived at the restaurant, she saw her two cousins already waiting in front of the restaurant. The restaurant itself wasn''t that big, taking up only one shop area. The windows in front of the restaurant were long, from the top to the ground. It was covered with dark grey blinds, shutting itself from outside. The door itself was a frosted full glass door with leaves decoration. The two girls waved at her when Delilah drove past them to get to the designated parking lot. After she parked her car, she immediately went straight to them. "Hey, been waiting long?" she asked them. The two women shook their heads. "Nah, we just got here a few minutes ago," Farah replied as she opened the door. After she opened the door, they were greeted with the expression, ''irasshaimase'', which means ''Welcome, please come in.''. The waiters and waitresses were dressed in a white clean shirt and black pants with a short black apron with pockets. The atmosphere inside gave out vibes of a Japanese feeling, where classical Japanese music was being played in the background, a sushi conveyor belt in the middle of the restaurant, reaching out to each end of the restaurant and sushi chefs were in the middle, making the sushi. There were also many Japanese ornaments and decorations adorning the walls and the ceilings. One of the waitresses immediately came forwards and asked them for how many people. Farah answered three and the waitress instantly guided them to an empty table. Both Shay and Farah sat next to each other and across Delilah. Delilah took their handbags to place them on the empty chair beside her. Once the three women made themselves comfortable, the waitress handed each of them a menu and quietly walked away. But before she left, she told them to press the call button on the wireless call device which was on the table, once they were ready to make their orders. The three women thanked her and began to discuss what they wanted to eat. Delilah loves salmon and has been craving for it. So she had decided to order salmon don [1] and sake [2] with mayonnaise. Farah also chose to order the same thing without the sake, whereas Shay ordered the unagi [3] don with a salmon temaki [4]. After the three had placed their orders, they fell into a comfortable conversation, keeping each other updated, talking about their parents and laughing. At some point, Delilah was looking at one of the paintings hanging on the wall, looking very much distracted. "What''s with you?" asked Shay as she turned her head to Delilah. "Nothing. I just missed travelling," she replied ruefully. Farah also glanced at the picture Delilah was looking at and said, "Hmm. Japan, huh?" "I''ve never been there." "Me too." "Me three." The three of them then looked at each other and grinned. "Do you still have some days off left?" "Haven''t taken any off days since the past two months." "I haven''t taken any THIS year." Delilah smiled mischievously as she propped her chin on her palm, looking at them. "Heard there''s a promo for flights at one of the travel agencies." "Shall we?" Shay grinned. "We shall." The three of them then laughed. They then began to plan where they wanted to go. As they talked more about their plans, they realized that it would be better if they bought the tickets first and then decided on the places to go. For now, they can just search for whatever places of interest that attracted them. While they were talking, their food arrived. The waitress carefully placed their food in front of the three women and when she was done, she gave a little bow and said that she hoped they would enjoy their meal. The three women thanked her and began eating. Delilah started first with her salmon don. She took a piece of the salmon, using her chopsticks and took a bite. She liked the fact that the salmon does not have that fishy smell, which tells her that this was a good salmon. It tasted a bit buttery and fatty as she chewed on it. It literally just melts in her mouth. She then took a bit of wasabi and placed it on top of her salmon and scooped it together with the rice. The rice was a bit sticky and mildly sweet. Together with the salmon and the wasabi, it added another kick to it with the flavour of the horseradish taste due to the latter. The three women continued their talk while having their meals. It has been a while since the three of them met up with each other so they had plenty of things to talk about. And added with the possibility of going on a trip together, their talks prolong much longer. With the love for food and travelling, of course, that does describe a perfect traveller, don''t you think so? ----- [1] ''Don'' literally means "bowl" in Japanese. [2] cooked salmon known as ''sake'' but usually pronounced as ''sha-keh''. [3] grilled eel [4] temaki means "hand roll" in Japanese 71 CH71: Enjoy things while you can! Like a double cheeseburger.''" - Channing Tatum ========================= It was a sunny Tuesday morning when an email notification came in. Delilah had been sorting the papers that were given to her by her supervisor, Aubree when she heard that distinct ''ping'' sound. She stopped what she was doing and took a glance at her monitor, which was showing her email page. Clicking on the unread email message, her eyes widened as she was reading it. Apparently, it was an email from the Employee Trust Fund department. The Employee Trust Fund (ETF) department was one of the sub departments in the Labour Department in the country. In short, it was one of the public sector''s offices that deals with pensions and other financial activities. And according to her email, it seems that there were some missing funds from the past two months'' salaries. For every working individual in the country, it was compulsory for them to deposit a certain amount of money cut from their salary into their ETF, based on their salary. Be it that they were an employee or employer. As long as they have a salary, it was already deemed mandatory for them. Seeing how there was no money being deposited in her ETF yet she remembered that her salary had been cut as usual, it made her suspiciously baffled. She immediately texted Aubree to ask about it. A few minutes later, a reply came in, telling her to meet up in one of the meeting rooms on their floor. Delilah immediately printed the statement off the email and went to the printer area to fetch the papers. She then returned back to her cubicle, grabbing her notebook and her phone, and went to the meeting room. After knocking on the door, she peeked her head in to find Aubree sitting alone, with papers strewn all over the table and her laptop in front of her. Aubree looked up with a smile and beckoned at her to come in. Delilah quietly took a seat across Aubree and waited for the latter to start talking. Seconds later, Aubree stopped whatever she was typing on her laptop and turned her head to Delilah and asked, "What happened?" Delilah then started to talk about the email that she had received and asked Aubree back in regards to the ETF and why they had contacted her about not receiving any money for two months. Aubree''s eyes widened in shock. From what she had remembered, the last couple of months, the handing over of the ETF was placed in Howard''s hands because the one who was supposed to be in-charge of it was on maternity leave. And the other one who was supposed to replace her was still training overseas and had just gotten back a couple of days ago. Delilah did not actually know that Howard was in-charge of the ETF and Aubree planned to keep quiet about it. For now. Delilah nodded as she handed her the printed documents. Aubree began to skim through the document quietly while Delilah fiddled with her hands, waiting for her answer. After a short while, Aubree placed the paper down and let out a heavy sigh. "I''ll talk to the one in charge of this and asked about it. For now, you can leave this with me and I''ll sort it out for you," she said, a strange look on her face. Delilah nodded. She was about to stand up from her seat when Aubree continued, "Please don''t tell anyone about it." Delilah frowned. Why? Noticing the confusion on Delilah''s face, Aubree explained, "We don''t want to cause any uproar or uncertainty in the office." Delilah nodded as she stood up. She then left the room, with dissatisfaction filling inside her. It was not that she was dissatisfied with how Aubree deals with it. She appreciated how she was trying to help her but she felt it wasn''t a good feeling to see how your money went missing without you knowing it. Outside the room, she stood there for a few seconds and let out a sigh. She ignored the confused looks she was getting from her colleagues who were walking past her. She then returned to her cubicle and continued sorting out the papers that Aubree had given to her earlier. She began to write notes on a little notepad and stick it on the documents. While cross-referencing the documents with the digital documents in her computer, it took her almost the whole morning. Back in the meeting room, Aubree was sitting alone, lost in thoughts after Delilah had left the room. She felt a bit torn between helping her subordinate and covering up her boss. It was not that she condone his actions, she just didn''t know what to do. She sighed. She knew that as a supervisor, she should be firm in her decisions, even if it''s at the cost of whistle-blowing. Yet, she also should see from both sides of the story. Now that Delilah had come up with these allegations, she could not simply brush it aside and leave it hanging. Frankly, this wasn''t the first time she had heard the allegations against Howard. She knew it from the beginning. But whenever she told Matt in regards to these, the latter would just brush it off until she got enough. She wanted to tell Sheila about these but knew that Matt would admonish her by saying that they can handle it themselves. It was hard when you have superiors like these. She sometimes does not understand what was going on in Matt''s mind. She always thought that he might get bewitched by Howard''s loud clothes. A sudden thought came to her mind and she quickly turned to her laptop and login to her ETF. Her eyes widened when she saw that the same thing had occurred to her. If it was only Delilah''s, she thought it would be fine to compensate for it but if there were more people who got caught in it, she knew that this was something that cannot be set aside. She quickly privately texted her other colleagues in the HR department. Few minutes later, she became even more shocked to find that each one of them too did not receive any transactions in their ETF. Aubree then replied to them to be quiet about this as she did not want panic to occur. She then told them to send their statements to her email. Once she had gathered all the necessary documents, she quickly texted Matt to request for a private meeting. Enough is enough. Back in the HR department office, Delilah was about to be done with her work when she received a text message from Aubree. ''Let''s go out for lunch,'' reads the text message. ''Sure, where?'' Delilah replied back. ''I''m craving for tuna kimchi stew.'' ''And I know the best place for that.'' ''Great. Meet you outside in a sec.'' ''Alright.'' Delilah quickly finished up her work and set them aside. She then put her computer to sleep as she will continue to work later in the afternoon. She had just packed her necessary belongings such as her purse, mobile phone and car keys when Aubree knocked on her cubicle door. "All done?" she asked. Delilah nodded. The two women walked together out of the office and building and headed straight to the employees'' designated parking lot. The journey to the restaurant was only a few minutes drive. After Delilah had parked her car, they directly went to the restaurant. The restaurant itself wasn''t that large. The first thing they saw was the huge floor-to-ceiling glass windows and glass double doors. The windows itself were covered with lots of food pictures, showcasing the restaurants'' dishes. Inside the restaurant, the two women could already smell the distinct garlicky scent that was used in most Korean dishes. They were then greeted with ''Welcome'' after they had entered. The waiters and waitresses wore a simple t-shirt with the name of the restaurant printed on the back with black pants and a small black apron. Delilah and Aubree chose the table which was nearer to the wall. The chairs and tables were made of marble and wood, which was kinda chilly from the air-conditioning when they sat on the chairs. The waitress handed them the menu. Aubree just placed the menu down on the table since she already knows what she was going to order. She also ordered warm water. Delilah quickly spoke up and said that she would like a glass of warm water as well. She then scanned through the menu. It was then something caught her eye. It was Korean Fried Rice. She could feel herself nearly drooling at the picture and ordered the dish. The waitress then asked whether she would like to add mozzarella cheese with them. Of course, Delilah said yes. After the waitress left to get a jug of water and cups for them, the two of them began to talk. They were careful not to touch on the ETF topic for now since they do not want it to dampen the pleasant atmosphere. They began to talk about their families; how Delilah liked to tease her nephew and how Aubree loved to watch funny videos of her niece and nephew. They showed each other pictures of their beloved niece and nephews, showing how much they actually loved the little kids. Shortly after, their meal came. The waitress carefully placed the dishes in front of them. Delilah was almost drooling at that point as she watched the steam coming out from her dish. Her fried rice was served in a Korean hotpot with thick mozzarella on top. She grabbed her chopsticks and used it to stick into the steaming hot cheesy rice and scooped it out. The mozzarella cheese stretched out from Delilah''s pulling and she could smell the spiciness and the garlicky scent from it. As she stirred the rice around, pushing the cheese to the side of the hotpot, she could see some bits of chicken pieces and rice cakes in the bowl as well. She picked some of the chicken pieces together with the rice cakes and ate it. It felt hot inside her mouth that she had to open her mouth a bit to let the steam out. Aubree chuckled when she saw Delilah''s face turned a bit red due to the heat. The chicken tasted tender and light as she munched on it. The rice cake, on the other hand, was chewy and soft. She then used her chopsticks to grasp some of the cheese and twirled it around some clumps of rice and ate it. The cheese doesn''t have any distinct taste to it but with the rice added to it, Delilah could taste a bit of kimchi and that was when she realized that they probably added a bit of kimchi in the fried rice. She was amazed since she did not see or smell any kimchi earlier. She liked how the chickens, rice cakes, rice and cheese blends together nicely. The two women ate their meal quietly, both of them clearly looking as if they were enjoying their food. Then out of the sudden, Delilah held up her hand, trying to get the waitress'' attention. Aubree tilted her head in question, wondering why Delilah was calling for them. Delilah then grinned at her, saying, "I''m going to order bingsu. Gotta try out these beautiful foods while we''re at it." Aubree just laughed as she nodded, agreeing with her words. 72 CH72: Catching up with an old friend. when it''s somebody''s treat.''" - Anonymous ========================= It has been a while since Delilah had met or talked with Ai Meili, an ex colleague who has the same age as hers. It was after lunch time when Delilah was chatting with one of her colleagues from the other departments, outside the office corridor when she received a text message from her. At first, she did not know it was from her and decided to read the text once she was back in her cubicle. She kept on chatting with her colleague for a few minutes before heading inside. And before she went to her cubicle, she headed straight for Fawkes'' cubicle where she knocked on his cubicle wall and handed him his canned drink. Fawkes frowned at her and asked sarcastically, "How long did it take you?" Instead of answering his question, she shoots him with a question of her own. "Isn''t it nice that someone actually did buy it for you?" she shot back. "I could have bought it myself if I had known you were taking so long," he grumbled under his breath as he turned back around in his seat, popping the canned drink open. Delilah narrowed her eyes and kicked his seat, nearly making him spill his drink on his shirt. Thankfully for him, it didn''t. Or there would be a huge brown stain on his white shirt. "Woi!" he exclaimed. Delilah just chuckled as she turned around to return to her cubicle. When she was finally in her cubicle, the first thing she did was to check her phone for any text messages, as usual. It was then she remembered that there was a text message from earlier. She swiped open the text message and was a bit surprised to see Ai Meili''s text message. As mentioned earlier, it has been a while since she last talked and met with her. The last time she met her was probably three or four months ago, which was probably not quite long for some people. But for Delilah, it was long since Ai Meili used to text her whenever she was bored or stressed (and that was like, every week). And Delilah being busy for the past few days, hadn''t thought of texting her too. Apparently, Ai Meili was texting her to ask how she has been doing and remarked that it has been a long time since they last chat. Delilah replied back that inDEEd it has been a while and told her that she has been busy with work and whatnot. It was then Ai Meili had replied once again, asking her out for a chat and dinner. But before that, she asked whether Delilah was free or not. Delilah stopped replying to recall whether she does have any plans. She grabbed her planner book from her handbag and checked her schedule for that day. It seems like she was free for that day and she quickly replied that she was free. After she was done texting with Ai Meili, she finally continued her work. Basically, there wasn''t much that she had to do; other than reviewing the reports and taking notes on the training schedules. Feeling a bit restless, she ''abandoned'' her work to go to the lobby area since she knew that she could finish them whenever she wanted to. At the lobby area, there weren''t many people walking around, rather, it was a bit quiet. Other than the cleaners who were sweeping the floor, there was only Bella at the receptionist area. There were also a couple of people in the visitors'' area but that was it. During that time, Bella had just finished talking on the phone and was hanging up when Delilah walked into the lobby area. She looked up with a surprised smile on her face. "Hey Dee, what are you doing here? Are you meeting someone?" Bella asked when Delilah approached her. At the reception table, there were a couple of empty seats, other than Bella''s, so Delilah grabbed one and sat down. With her chin on her palm and elbow on her knee, she let out a long sigh. "I''m bored," she declared. Bella chuckled as she turned to her computer and began typing something. "No work today?" she asked casually. Delilah tilted her head and said, "I do. But I''m lazy too." Bella laughed. "Even so, you should go and do your work, no?" she asked again. "I should. But I''m lazy and bored. Can I just watch you doing your work?" Delilah suggested, her chin on both her palms as she leaned closer. Bella chuckled again. "Sure, sure," she said, with her eyes still pinned on her computer. The two of them were quiet with one of the working and the other looking around her in curiosity, as if she had never been there. Truthfully, she never been there before, at least, when it comes to a receptionist''s view. So, looking around from Bella''s point-of-view was quite interesting. For the past few minutes, she did not realize how the atmosphere there could change. It can be eerily quiet at one point and bustling busy at another point. The first few minutes when Delilah was there, it was a bit quiet. Then when it was an hour before working hours had ended, the ambience suddenly became exhilarated, filled with voices and other noises. And with that, Delilah was able to see Bella working in action. She was in awe at how swift and smooth Bella was. She was smiling all the time, helping out with the visitors and giving them the visitor tags to keep track on them. She continued to be more busy by replying to the messages from the employees in the company about booking a meeting room and whatnot. She does all that while answering calls and transferring them. At some point, Delilah interrupted her by asking whether it feels numb to be smiling all the time. Bella just laughed at her question, not answering. Not wanting to disturb her any longer, Delilah quietly told Bella that she will be going back to her cubicle. Bella just nodded as an acknowledgement since at that time, she was talking on the phone. Truth to be told, she actually just wanted to go up to her cubicle since it was nearly time for working hours to end. When working hours finally ended, Delilah immediately packed her things and rushed out of the office. She quickly walked to her car and drove out of the parking lot. Even though the restaurant was near to her office, the traffic jam can be horrendous. Hence why she wanted to get out earlier to avoid the traffic. Unfortunately, she was still caught in the traffic. It took her nearly forty-five minutes to finally arrive at the restaurant and get a parking spot. She managed to text Ai Meili that she would be a bit late. Apparently, Ai Meili was a bit late too since she also got stuck in the traffic. When Delilah entered the restaurant, the restaurant was empty, other than the waiters and the waitresses who were standing around, as though they were waiting for customers. The dining hall of the restaurant was quite spacious where the setup was minimalistic, including its counter. There were bamboo mats all over the blue painted walls, giving out a relaxing and care-free atmosphere kind of feeling. Delilah took a seat at one of the tables and gave a smile at the waiter who handed her the menu. Ai Meili had texted earlier again, saying that she was looking for a parking spot. A few minutes later, just as Delilah was skimming through the menu, Ai Meili walked in, carrying her handbag. And seeing Delilah was the only customer in the restaurant, it wasn''t hard for Ai Meili to search for Delilah in that spacious dining area. Delilah gave her a smile just as Ai Meili took a seat across her. After she had placed her handbag next to her on an empty seat, the waiter nearby handed her a menu. "Have you chosen which one you want to order?" Ai Meili asked as she scanned through the menu. Delilah shook her head. "Not yet. I''m still thinking which one I should order," she replied, her eyes still reading off the food items in the menu. The two of them began to talk about their preferences. Delilah liked her food to be slightly spicy while Ai Meili can''t stand spicy food. Few minutes later, they finally decided on their meal. They both ordered instant noodles (of course!) with one piece of fried chicken and ''sambal'' [2]. But Delilah ordered the green ''sambal'' which the waiter had told them was slightly spicier compared to the red ''sambal''. While they were waiting for their food to arrive, more and more people had come until the restaurant was nearly full. Luckily for them, they do not have to wait too long for their food to arrive. The food served to them was nicely presented with the noodles in the middle, sided by large cuts of chickens. Though, it slightly disturbed Delilah about the fact that the amount of the noodles was kind of little. It was after the meal, she just found out that they only served one packet. If she had known earlier, she probably would have ordered extra serving of the noodles. The noodles were DEE-licious as usual. It has that slightly good blend of spiciness, sweetness and saltiness in one bite. The condiments that were added to the noodles, which was fried onions and bits of shallots added to the crunchiness and the savory. The fried chicken itself was grilled to perfection. It was juicy and tender. And when Delilah sliced open the chicken, juices oozed out from the meat, flowing onto the plate. Dipping the meat together with the ''sambal'', it added the spicy kick to the flavour. The two had a pleasant conversation with each other as they updated one another on how they had been doing. Once they were done eating, they got up and headed straight to the cashier counter. Delilah was about to grab her purse from her handbag when Ai Meili stopped her by saying, "It''s alright. It''s my treat." "Really?" Delilah asked. Ai Meili nodded as she turned to pay for both of their foods. Delilah grinned. "No wonder the food tasted extra DEE-lish!" she exclaimed happily. Ai Meili just laughed as the two of them went out of the restaurant. ----- [1] Yes, it''s actually Indomie, haha. [2] chili paste or chili sauce, made from varieties of chili peppers, shallots, ginger, sugar and etc. It''s one of the most popular condiments from Indonesia, used also in countries such as Brunei, Malaysia and Singapore. 73 CH73: Meetup at Shays Just as it transforms the food.''" - Laura Esquivel ========================= It was Monday morning and Delilah was chatting with her colleagues, outside the office at the hallway. They were exchanging stories about their weekends, telling each other what they have been doing and whatnot. It was then one of her colleagues asked her whether she was planning to go travelling this year. Delilah tapped a finger against her chin as she looked up at the ceiling thoughtfully. She remembered that she and her cousins had planned to go on a trip. It has been weeks since they last discussed it until it died down. She wasn''t even sure whether they would go or not. Although she had already applied for leave, she wasn''t sure when, though. She only booked her slots. In answer, she just shrugged and said that she wasn''t sure and that she probably would need to ask her cousins. Her colleagues gasped in surprise when they heard her answer. They thought it was kind of a pity that she hadn''t confirmed on her trip yet since the travel promotion has just ended. Delilah just shrugged and replied that it wasn''t meant to be if she didn''t get the chance to travel this year. They continued to talk among themselves for a couple of minutes before heading inside to their cubicles. During that time, the atmosphere around the office was a bit weird as the tone there was getting tense and awkward. It was probably because of what had happened at the other branch. There were rumours about one of the managers there was suspected of embezzlement and that they were conducting a thorough investigation on the employees there. Delilah actually knew about the rumours and the people who were involved but she had decided to keep mum, unless they needed her comments and opinions. Despite the tense and awkward atmosphere, it did not stop the employees in that office to continue working, as if nothing had happened. Even if the question of who was being investigated hung on the tip of their tongues, they knew better not to ask any questions in regards to that. The people in the HR department floor worked hard that morning, only the sounds of tapping of the keyboards could be heard throughout the room. No one was talking either, it was as if they were programmed to just work, work and work, without any talking or chatting. It was during lunchtime when Delilah managed to find some spare time to text her cousins in the group chat. She immediately opened the topic by asking whether they were still on for the trip or not. Shortly after, her mobile phone began to vibrate furiously with all the text messages coming in, reading, "What? Of course it''s still on!" They chatted with each other for a few minutes until Shay ended the conversation by suggesting to meet up at her home after work. The other two women agreed and quietly ended the conversation. After closing the chat window, Delilah continued to eat her lunch in peace. The afternoon passed by like the usual, with Delilah working diligently inside her cubicle. There wasn''t much going on during the time she was working so it was a bit calming and quiet. When working hours finally ended, everyone on the floor quietly packed their belongings and headed straight to the exit. Though, for Delilah, instead of going straight home, she went straight to another route which led to Shay''s house. Before she started to drive, she quickly sent a message to her family chat group, telling them, specifically to her father that she will be going to Shay''s home after work. To get to Shay''s home, she would need to travel for nearly an hour since it was far from the city centre. And to compare the distance, Shay''s home was much closer to Delilah''s brother, Bryson''s home, compared to Delilah''s home. In fact, Delilah had to drive past the residential area where her house was located to get to Shay''s home. By the time Delilah finally arrived at Shay''s home, the sun was about to set, blanketing the whole sky in deep orange hue. Shay still lived with her parents, who are Delilah''s uncle and maternal aunt, together with her siblings. Shay was also the eldest child in the family with five years apart compared to her closest little sibling. Their house was a humble two-storey house with a porch in front and little greenery shrubs. There was a garage attached to the house, together with a path that leads to the front pathway. The front lawn was neatly trimmed, giving a clean and smooth green natured look to the picture. There were windows, in front of the house, with curtains on the side, giving a little glimpse of what''s inside. Before Delilah parked, she could already see her other cousin''s car parked outside. It seems like Farah had arrived. Once she had parked her car, she could hear the noise coming from inside the house after she got out of the car. Before she could press the button for the doorbell, the door was opened wide and Farah stood there at the doorway with a huge grin on her face. "Welcome to my humble abode!" she greeted loudly with her arms opened wide. Delilah rolled her eyes and just pushed her aside as she entered. Ignoring Farah''s ''Woi woi'', Delilah walked into the dining room where her uncle and aunt were. Apparently, she arrived just as they were about to have their dinner. She politely greeted her uncle and aunt. Her aunt then told her to wash up and take a seat to join them for dinner. Delilah nodded. Her other cousin, Shay''s little sister, Ava, was also at the dining table, already sitting and waving hello at Delilah. Shay, surprisingly, wasn''t around, hence why Delilah voiced out her curiosity. Farah had just walked in when Delilah asked the question and answered, "She''s in the toilet. She said she will be down later." Delilah nodded as she took a seat near her aunt. She left a seat beside her empty for Shay. Farah sat across her with Ava next to her. Delilah''s uncle sat on Ava''s right. Knowing that Delilah and Farah were coming over for dinner, their aunt had cooked a storm that day. On the dining table, there was a huge bowl of rice, fried chickens, stir-fried ''kangkung'' [1] and fish curry. Her aunt helped serve food to her husband while the others served themselves. As they were getting food for themselves, they fell into a comfortable conversation, laughing and telling each other their day. Shortly after, Shay came down and immediately joined them for dinner. And the conversation became more lively as they chatted. After they were done with their dinner, Shay invited her two cousins to her room to talk more, more specifically, talk about their planned trip. Inside Shay''s room, it wasn''t quite big and was simple with cotton drapes over the windows, a single bed with light blue bedding. There was a small study table at the corner of the room with a small desk lamp. In front of the bed, there was a wardrobe and a laundry basket beside it. There wasn''t an en-suite bathroom inside so Shay probably shared her bathroom with her sister, since the bathroom was outside the room. Farah and Delilah stood near the door as they watched Shay grab a small portable table and place it near her bed. She then sat down on the floor and beckoned at the two women to join her. The two women immediately sat down on both Shay''s sides. Both Farah and Delilah were carrying their handbags and they swiftly took out their mobile phones and placed them on the table. Shay stood up and grabbed her laptop from her study table and brought over to the small table. Shay switched on her laptop and looked at her two cousins, clapping her hands together. "So, shall we start?" she asked. Delilah nodded as she took out her iPad that she had brought along as well. She swiped the screen on and went straight to the search engine. Farah pouted as she watched them. "I don''t have any fancy things you two have," she complained. Delilah rolled her eyes. "Who told you to leave your laptop at home?" she shot back. Farah shrugged as she took out her notebook and pen from her handbag. "I guess I''ll do the old-fashioned way," she replied. "You do that," Shay said. The three of them noisily got to work, most of the noise came from Farah, who kept complaining about her small screen in her phone and how she was getting tired from writing. Both Shay and Delilah just ignored her. Disregarding the mumbling woman in front of her, Delilah turned her head towards Shay and told her that she will be surveying the plane tickets. And suggested that they should buy the tickets within that week. Shay nodded, agreeing with Delilah. She then further suggested that there should be a limit of how much the plane tickets should cost. Delilah nodded too. "I''ll go check any transportation things that we need when we arrive. I remember that we needed to purchase some tickets called JR tickets for our train. Then again, it depends on where we''ll be going. Are we going to stay in Tokyo only or will we be going to other places?" Farah said as she scrolled on her mobile phone. Shay and Delilah looked at each other and then at Farah. "I was thinking of going down," Delilah said thoughtfully. "Like, probably Osaka and Kyoto." Shay nodded. "Yeah, I wanted that too." Farah absentmindedly nodded too. "Okay, okay," she mumbled softly. "Then, we probably need to purchase JR Passes for that. Although there''s a cheaper way to get to those two places but¡­ it might take longer, compared to taking the shinkansen [2]." "We''re planning to go for 10 days, at most, right?" Shay asked, looking at Delilah. Delilah nodded. "But to be exact, it should be 8 days. The two days are like, when we arrived and returned back home. Basically the airport days," she said. "Also, I''ve got the tickets at its cheapest price. You two don''t mind if the flight takes off early in the morning?" she continued to ask. Just before the two women could answer, there was a knock on the bedroom door. The three women fell silent and turned to look at the door. The door opened to reveal Shay''s mother, carrying a tray. There were three plates with cakes and three steaming mugs. "Hey girls. I''ve brought some desserts for you three to try." Shay cocked an eyebrow. "Were you baking again this morning, mom?" she asked suspiciously, narrowing her eyes at her mother. "Haha, yes, I did," her mother admitted. "I wanted to try making this," she continued, placing the tray on the small table. Both Delilah and her two cousins turned to look and saw there was inDEEd a slice of cake on each plate and three hot chocolates. "Wow, thank you, aunt!" exclaimed Delilah. "No problem. Don''t stay up too late," her aunt advised. "Although I don''t mind you two sleeping over but I''m sure you have work tomorrow." "Yes, we do." "Then, don''t be too long or else it will be too dark," Shay''s mother advised again before closing the door behind her as she walked out. "Yes, ma''am," they echoed out. "Okay, we continue later," Delilah declared once her aunt was out of earshot. "This looks good," she said as she picked up a spoon and cut a piece from the slice of cake. The cake is a Filipino delicacy dessert, made of meringue, buttercream and bits of cashew nuts. As she took a bite, a burst of sweetness exploded in her mouth. There were many kinds of sweetness that she could taste in that one bite; the rich creamy buttercream, the melt-in-your-mouth nutty meringue and also the sprinkled choppy and nutty cashew nuts. It wasn''t dry at all, rather it has that smooth and velvety texture that makes one rather lick it, instead of biting into it. The vanilla taste from the cake was perfect. Even if it was sweet, it wasn''t that sweet to the extent that she could die out of high sugar levels. The cake was so good that Delilah had licked it clean. She tried to sneak another bite from Shay, who took her plate away, further from her. Delilah sighed sadly as she grabbed her mobile phone. With her spoon still hanging in her mouth, she went to a video sharing website and searched for Sans Rival. Shay cocked an eyebrow and asked, "What are you doing?" "Nothing. If I can''t eat anymore, I can just watch a video of how to make Sans Rival," Delilah replied sadly. Shay rolled her eyes at her dramatics. She then stood up and grabbed Delilah''s arm. She then picked up her plate and dragged her out of the room and down to the kitchen where her mother was packing the leftover of the Sans Rival. Surprised at the sudden intrusion, Shay''s mother looked up and asked what was wrong. Shay then said, "She wants more," pointing at Delilah. Shay''s mother laughed and stopped packing. She then took a knife and cut another slice for Delilah. "Here you go!" "Yum, how did you make this, aunt?" Delilah asked as she sat down at the dining table and ate. "Next time, you should come over and we can bake it together," her aunt suggested. Delilah nodded excitedly. Watching how a few ingredients being transformed into a delicious delicacy was worth watching. ----- [1] Water Spinach. Mentioned before in CH50: Healthy Eating [2] Bullet train in Japan 74 CH74: Preparation for work and travel And cooking done with care is an act of love.''" - Craig Claiborne ========================= Nearly a week has passed by and the three cousins had already bought their plane tickets. Verily they planned to buy the tickets after a week was over but Delilah had told them to buy earlier instead since the price then was too good to miss. She was also worried that the tickets might become more expensive. So immediately after they bought their tickets, Farah continued to purchase their JR Passes, which will arrive after two weeks via email. Once that was done, they surveyed the bed and breakfast places and the areas that they wanted to visit. All of these were done by discussing through their group chats and transferring money online. With plane tickets and the JR Passes all paid, all that''s left was the booking of rooms and itinerary. There wasn''t much left for Delilah to do. One morning, she was checking and reading other people''s comments and reviews in regards to their trip to Japan at the office, during her little break from work. She also took note of their advice on getting the best deals and the best places to go. Since they opted to go during the cold season, there were many people who had recommended to go to an onsen [1]. She was too absorbed in reading the comments that she did not notice Bella standing behind her, peering over her shoulder. Delilah was about to turn around and get up to go to the toilet when she realized that Bella was standing right behind her. She stifled her scream, her eyes widened in surprise at the latter''s sudden appearance. She covered her mouth with both hands to stop her scream and she then smacked Bella on the arm. Bella blinked her eyes innocently, her arms hugging the file of papers to her chest. "What? What''s wrong?" she asked, wide-eyed. "What are you doing? You scare me!" Delilah exclaimed. "Any closer, we would have kissed!" Bella pretended to blush and said, "Aww. I didn''t know you wanted to be kissed." Delilah smacked her on the arm once more. "Want, your head!" she cursed. Bella laughed, trying to avoid Delilah''s smacking. After Delilah stopped trying to smack her, Bella handed her the papers that were in her arms. "What''s this?" Delilah asked, looking confused as she flipped through the papers. "Aubree just left this a few minutes ago and told me to pass it to you," Bella said. "She said she had texted you the instructions." Delilah frowned, tilting her head in confusion. "But where is she?" she looked around and only then she noticed that Aubree''s cubicle was empty. Bella tapped a finger against her lower lip and said, "She said something about an emergency and had to leave quickly." Delilah skimmed through the papers that Bella had handed to her again. It seems like it was a report on accepting new interns from a local university. One of the local universities in the country was starting their three months semester break and they were wondering whether the Kang Company would accept any interns to help train and teach the students. Delilah frowned when she saw her name being listed as one of the trainers in the report. She immediately texted Aubree and asked why her name was there. Aubree replied back, saying that it was Sheila who put her name there. Delilah could only sighed and said thank you to Bella for bringing the papers over. After Bella had left, Delilah placed the papers on the table and went to the restroom to do a little ''business'' since it was actually what she wanted to do before Bella scared her. Few minutes later, Delilah returned back to her cubicle where she continued on with the report that Aubree had left for her. She frowned in concentration as she skimmed each page. It took her nearly an hour to finish reading and made some adjustments to it. Apparently, there were some dates that clashed with the date and time when she would go traveling. She quickly made another adjustment for that and changed the date. She texted Aubree in regards to the adjustment and the reason why. Aubree was quick in her replies because no sooner Delilah had sent her the text message, in mere seconds, there was already a reply from Aubree. She thought she would be busy taking care of her grandmother. Aubree then replied that it should be fun and instead of sending the report straight to Matt, it was better if Delilah placed it on her table since there was an adjustment. She would need to check on it. Delilah shot her a quick reply of ''Okay'' and continued on working on the report. It took her another couple of hours to be done with it. She would probably be done earlier if she wasn''t playing mobile games or chatting in her chat groups. It was nearly lunchtime when she was finally done with the reports and had placed the report in a large brown envelope before putting it on Aubree''s table. Stretching her arms above her head, she did a little stretching from left to right. Ignoring the amused looks from her colleagues, she stopped and returned back to her cubicle to grab her phone and purse. Going down the stairs, heading straight for the cafeteria, she waved hello at Bella, who was still manning the receptionist table. Inside the cafeteria, she went straight to one of the stalls and placed her order. Once she was done, she looked around for an empty table. With a sweeping glance over the noisy din of people who were having their lunch there, she saw Sofia sitting alone at one of the tables. Sofia was one of the HSE Safety officers, working under Sam''s. It has been a while since she last chatted with the woman. Walking over to Sofia, who was currently eating her noodles, she sat down across her and greeted her hello. Sofia looked up, surprised and smiled when she saw it was Delilah. She then greeted back. Delilah then placed her purse, phone and the pager which was used to alert the customer that their order was done. "What are you having?" she asked. Sofia finished chewing before answering, "Fried Kuey Teaw with chicken," she answered. "What about you?" "Just some cream soup," Delilah answered, with her chin on her palm. Sofia cocked an eyebrow. "Are you on a diet?" she asked suspiciously, looking doubtful. Delilah rolled her eyes. "Do I look like someone who is on a diet?" she asked sarcastically. She then answered before Sofia could say a word, "I just feel like eating soup for now." "Just soup?" Sofia asked again, still in disbelief that Delilah only ordered one dish. Delilah rolled her eyes again. "Fine, fine. And some fries," she admitted. Sofia then laughed out loud. They began to talk with one another while Delilah waited for her food to arrive. The latter also asked what the people in the Safety department were doing and whether they have any projects. The two compare notes on their departments, laughing at some stories that they have exchanged. Shortly after, the pager let out a beeping noise, to indicate that her food was ready. Delilah excused herself and got up to get her food. And when she arrived at the table with her tray, Sofia had just finished her food. However, she decided to stay for a while to accompany Delilah and continued their conversation. The soup Delilah had ordered was mushroom soup with garlic breads on the side. The soup looked thick and when Delilah grabbed one of the breads and used it to dip in the soup, the bread quickly absorbed the liquid, turning it to a greyish colour. She took a bite and thought the taste was a bit bland. It did not have the creamy taste that it should have. There was a hint of chicken stock in it and bits of cutted mushrooms. Delilah narrowed her eyes at the soup in front of her. Although it tasted good, it was just that. There were only the broth and bits of mushroom. There were no herbs to add to the taste which was regretful. If she didn''t know better, she wouldn''t have thought that the soup was made from a packet. Noticing her mood, Sofia asked, out of concern, "What''s wrong, Delilah?" Delilah just shook her head as she continued eating her soup. Guess her expectation was too high. What can you expect from a dish that only welcomes money and does not give any care? She sighed inwardly. ''I should cook some mushroom soup¡­ someday,'' she thought. ----- [1] Japanese hot spring. 75 CH75: Landed in Japan The overwhelming majority of its audience will never get to act out what''s happening on screen." - Skint Foodie ========================= It has been a couple of months since Delilah and her cousins have prepared for their trip to Japan. And tomorrow morning will be the day they will fly off. The night before the day they take off, Delilah had been checking her things, crossing off her checklist on the items that she had planned to bring. She did not want to bring much since they would be moving out of their BnB [1] after four nights to another place. She did not want to drag a large suitcase all the way to the station and all over the place. She decided to bring only the necessities; a couple of pants, a few shirts and undergarments. As for a coat, since they will be going during the winter season, she needed one. Though, she doesn''t own one, luckily, her friend was kind enough to lend her one. And it was also fortunate that they have the same size too. Once she was done with all the packing, she went to sleep, hoping that things will go well tomorrow. Three hours before take-off, Delilah was already awake and all done with everything. After saying goodbye to her father and sister, she went to the airport with her brother. Her father and sister couldn''t send her off at the airport since it was a working day so only her older brother was available. Bryson was fortunate enough to have a lenient boss who allowed him to take a couple of hours off in the morning to send Delilah to the airport. It helped too when his boss was their aunt. Few minutes later, they arrived at the airport. Bryson dropped her at the airport entrance where the departure hall was and told her that he will go and see her later since he needs to park the car. Delilah nodded and went to the trunk of the car to grab her luggage and backpack. After her brother had driven off, headed towards the designated parking lot, Delilah wheeled her luggage, going straight for the entrance, with her backpack hoisted up on her shoulder. While walking, she grabbed her phone from her pocket and immediately checked her text messages to see whether Shay or Farah had texted her. After a quick scroll, it seems like there was none. So, she shot them a text message, instead, asking whether they had arrived or not. Inside, there were many people as children ran around, playing with each other, young adults standing as they talked among themselves, their loud voices contributing to the noisy din of the airport. There were also elderly people who were chatting while sitting down. Occasionally, there would be some flight attendants walking, heading towards the departure area, with their similar small luggage wheeled behind them. Seeing an empty spot beside an elderly couple, she quickly walked over and sat down. Returning a smile to the elderly couple beside her, she pulled her luggage close to her and took off her backpack, placing it beside her luggage on the floor. Just as she was about to check her phone again, a text message just arrived. It was from Shay, telling her that she was about to arrive in a few minutes. Delilah quickly replied, asking what about Farah? Shay replied with an ''I don''t know.''. Delilah could only sigh. A couple of minutes later, Bryson arrived with both of his hands tucked in his pockets. He looked around first before standing before Delilah. "Where''s Farah and Shay?" he asked. Delilah shrugged. "Shay said that she will arrive in a few minutes. I don''t know about Farah. She hasn''t replied yet to my text," she answered. Just then, a dark-haired woman with glasses rushed over to them. And when she stood before the two siblings, she was breathing hard as if she had been running. She looked like she was about to kneeled over as she bent her body, her hands on her knees. Behind her stood a medium sized luggage. Apparently, she had been running, dragging the luggage behind her. It was fortunate that the luggage had wheels or she would become more tired trying to carry the luggage. Both Delilah and Bryson turned around and were amusingly surprised to see that it was Farah. "Why are you so tired?" Delilah asked with a laugh. Farah let out a long breath before standing up straight. "Feck!" she cursed out loud, not noticing the shocked and disapproving look from the elderly couple beside Delilah. "I thought I was late so I ran!" Delilah and Bryson both laughed. "Who dropped you here?" Bryson asked. "Hector dropped me here. That dem brother of mine woke up late. That''s why I was late!" Farah fumed, her hands on her hips. Bryson elbowed her, silently warning her to stop cursing. Farah frowned at first, wondering why he kept elbowing her. She then followed his gaze to the elderly couple, who were still looking at her with a reproving look and began to flushed red. She bowed her head many times, apologizing for her cursed words. The two siblings stifled their laughter at the sight of Farah apologizing, looking away as they hid their sniggering from the latter. After the elderly couple looked away, having their own private conversation, Farah turned away from them and saw Delilah and Bryson''s shoulders shaking from laughter. She narrowed her eyes and smacked Bryson on the shoulder while kicking Delilah on the calf. "Stop laughing. It''s not funny!" she hissed. Delilah chuckled, her laughter dying down at that moment. The three of them then began to talk with each other; both Delilah and Farah talking about how excited they were and Bryson kept reminding them not to forget this and that. Shortly after, Shay finally arrived with Ava who was walking beside her. They looked around and saw the three of them at the sitting area. They quickly rushed over with Shay dragging her luggage behind her. "Are we late?" Shay asked, as she stopped in front of them. Delilah stood up and picked up her backpack. She then hoisted it up her shoulder and replied, "Not really. But we should check-in our luggage now that we''re all here." "Are you all going straight to the gates?" Bryson asked. Delilah looked at Shay, who in turn looked at Farah. Farah frowned when she saw that they were leaving the decision to her. She let out a sigh and said to Bryson, "Yeah, I guess so." Bryson nodded. "Then I''ll just go and get to work," he said. He then turned to Delilah and nodded. Delilah just waved him goodbye. Ava, who had just arrived with Shay, groaned. "But I just got here¡­" she whined. Farah pinched Ava''s cheek. "That''s what you get for being late," she said. Ava just pouted because she knew it was her own fault and that the others know it couldn''t be Shay since she''s hardly late. After saying goodbye to the two of them, the three women quickly went to check-in their luggages and get their plane tickets. After they were done, they went straight to get their passports checked and stamped. And then they went to the gates, at the departure hall as they waited for the time to board. It was then, Delilah''s stomach began to growl loudly, eliciting glances from nearby people. She flushed red in embarrassment as she touched her stomach with both hands. Both Farah and Shay laughed out loud. Shay then beckoned Delilah over, saying, "Let''s go and eat first. Didn''t you eat any breakfast?" They walked around the waiting area until they stumbled upon a small restaurant. There weren''t many people inside so there were still a lot of empty tables inside. It was a quaint little restaurant with little plastic flowers in a pot decorating each table. The atmosphere gave out a comfortable feeling as soft music was being played in the background. The three women went in and sat down at an empty table, which was near the exit. After placing their bags on the floor, each of them grabbed a menu each, which had already been placed on the table earlier and skimmed through the pages. Just on the side of the restaurant wall, there was a wall television. It seems to be playing a cooking show. Coincidentally, the chef in that show was showing how to make Egg Mentaiko Rice bowl. And another coincidence was that the restaurant they were dining at that moment also served the dish. And because seeing how delicious it looks on television, Delilah decided to order that similar dish. After the three of them had placed their orders, they fell into a pleasant conversation, reviewing what they were going to do once they landed and so forth. A couple of minutes later, their food arrived. As mentioned earlier, Delilah had ordered the Egg Mentaiko Rice bowl, which was served in a dolsot [2]. This surprised her, seeing it being served in a dolsot since they weren''t in a Korean type of restaurant. She inwardly shrugged to herself and thought that they probably want the food to be hot. Careful not to touch the pot, she used a spoon to scoop some rice and egg with the sauce. Blowing a bit on the hot food, she then took a bite. The smooth sauce melted together with the fluffy scrambled egg and rice, making Delilah inwardly moaned in bliss. The soft colour of the mentaiko sauce looked tantalizing pleasing against the yellow bright scrambled eggs. Although the mentaiko sauce has a very strong umami flavor to it, it also has that bit of sweetness and sour in it. She liked how even if the sauce has a strong umami flavor, it doesn''t overwhelm the other bits of rice and egg. Just as they were done with their meals, there was a call for boarding. It was their flight! The three women quickly paid for their meals and rushed out of the restaurant, heading straight for the gates. They then queued in line for passport check. The journey took more than 8 hours of flight travel. And luckily, Delilah was the sort of person who is able to sleep in the airplane. So she put on her earpieces and switched on her music player. With that, she went to sleep, only waking up to go to the restroom or when it was meal time. Since their flight was in the early morning, they should have arrived in Japan in the afternoon. Soon after, they arrived a few minutes before estimated time. When the three women and the other passengers got out of the plane, using the boarding bridge, they could already feel the cold breeze from outside. The feeling of it made Delilah more excited and how it seems unbelievable that she was actually in Japan! When they entered the airport, there were so many unfamiliar words written in Japanese on the sign boards. It was fortunate that there were some English words, which made it easier to read. Everything in sight seems fascinating as the three women looked around in awe as they walked, heading straight for the arrival halls. As Delilah looked for a free wifi so that she can contact her family back home, she thought to herself, ''Food, here I come!'' ----- [1] Breakfast and Bed [2] stone pot made of agalmatolite, Korean type of stone pot 76 CH76: Hello Asakusa and the best ones make you dance." - Edward Lee ========================= Delilah, Shay and Farah have finally arrived in Japan. They had just left the train station from the airport and were now standing in what was supposed to be the nearest station to their BnB. Next to their legs were their suitcases and just ahead was a flight of stairs. Looking up, they realized that they had to climb that, carrying their suitcase. Inwardly groaned, they were also relieved that they decided to bring along a not so large suitcase. Yet again, looking at the stairs, it does make one tired, even without climbing it yet. Farah had gone on looking for a lift earlier but found out that it was at the end of the station, which seems so far. It just wasn''t worth it. So, in the end, they decided to suck it up and ''dragged'' their suitcases up the stairs. By the time they reached the top of the staircase, the three women were already out of breath, oblivious to the curious stares of the people around them. Then they quickly stood aside so that they wouldn''t block other people''s path and began to check the message sent by the owner of the BnB on the directions to the place. Since it was Delilah who had arranged and booked the BnB, obviously, she was the one who was in contact with the owner. She quickly opened up her email and began to read on the directions the owner had sent to her. It was fortunate that before they had left the airport, they had rented a pocket wifi, enabling them to use the wifi anywhere and anytime. With her phone in her hand, Delilah began to guide her two cousins on where the BnB was. It was the winter season in Japan so the weather was rather chilly. Even with a thick sweater and a winter coat, it felt like it wasn''t enough to stay warm. Hence why these three women were kind of in a rush to find the BnB so that they can get warmth. The weather was so cold that Delilah can make little puffs of smoke by blowing. After they left the station, they walked around for a few minutes until they realized that they were a bit lost as they got confused with the roads and all. They were lucky enough to meet a local, who knows a bit of English. He kindly guides them a few metres away before pointing at a direction where they should just go straight. After thanking the man, the three women continued to walk, dragging their suitcases behind them. Entering the house, they were greeted by quaint and modest decorations. The front entrance was quite small, enough to place their shoes. Once they stepped over the threshold, they were already in the living room, which combined with the dining area. It wasn''t that big either where the dining table can only occupy three chairs as it was pushed against the wall. There was also one small sofa and one small armchair, facing a television. Beside the television, there was a door that leads to the bedroom. Inside the bedroom, there was only one queen-sized bed, together with one wardrobe and one small bedside table. The bathroom was outside, just beside the door to the bedroom. Inside the bathroom, it was quite crammed with one high bathtub, toilet and a toilet sink. The small kitchen was in the middle, between the front hall and the living room, where there was also a small washing machine. One word that Delilah would like to describe the house would be that it was quite minimalist. Although they were not used to small spaces, it was fortunate that none of these three women were claustrophobic. In fact, it was quite an experience. After they were done looking around the room, they decided not to unpack since they will be going out soon again. They took a few minutes rest, propping their legs on the small coffee table and just catching their breaths. Soon after, they found themselves at Asakusa. It was crowded where there were many people walking here and there. They wanted to look for a vegetarian ramen shop as recommended by one of the people in a website review. They thought they would give it a try. However, before they looked for the shop, they decided to walk around and do a little window shopping around the many stalls there. At some point, Farah and Delilah saw one of the stalls selling ice-cream. The flavours of the ice-creams looked interesting as they have never seen such flavours in their home country, other than those in packets, such as black bean, cherry blossom and matcha. While Shay was still walking around, looking at the other stalls, Farah and Delilah decided to buy a cone. Delilah ordered the matcha while Farah ordered the black bean. They shared their ice-cream, taking a bite from each other''s cones. They were about to leave the store when the storekeeper called them back. Apparently, they cannot walk around while eating. So they stayed inside the stall, finishing their cones before joining Shay. Once they were done, they thanked the storekeeper and went out of the stall. They then went to look for Shay, who was still window shopping at several stalls away. They spent nearly an hour just walking around, intrigued with the merchandise being shown at the stalls. There were so many things to see and despite the crowd, it didn''t dampen the excitement of these three first-timers women to Japan. They looked around with their round big eyes filled with fascination and awed. While they were walking, they did not realize that they stumbled upon the exact vegetarian ramen shop that they were looking for. It was a small shop with other small shops beside it. It was a two-storey little restaurant with a huge glass window in front. There was a white bicycle at the front of the shop with little plastic grasses below it used for decoration. As they walked in through the glass door, there was a little tinkle sound of bells to indicate that someone had entered the threshold. There were two young women behind the counter. One of them was cleaning the glasses and cups while the other one was behind the cash register. The two of them looked up and welcomed Delilah and her two cousins with a smile. "Welcome!" they said in English. Probably knowing that these three were tourists, they immediately spoke in English. The three women went straight to the counter where a menu was being placed on top of it. They took some time deciding on what to eat and finally chose the same dish. However, Shay ordered hot coffee, Farah hot green tea and Delilah hot milk matcha. After they had placed their orders, they went to grab an empty table and make themselves comfortable. There weren''t any other people, other than the two employees and the three women, hence, it was somewhat quiet, other than the soft music in the background. While waiting for their meals to be served, the three women began to discuss their next plan. For that day, they decided to go somewhere nearer since it was just their first day in Japan. And they were worried that they might get too tired. So, they agreed to go to Shibuya and Shinjuku, which was a couple of stops away, using the train. Shortly after, their meal arrived. The waitress placed each bowl in front of them and they were hit by the fragrant and aromatic smell of the ramen. They could also smell the earthy and ammonia-like odor from the mushrooms in the ramen. The three women had ordered vegetarian ramen, which consisted of shiitake mushroom, egg, baby spinach, shredded carrots, ramen noodles and scallions. Delilah grabbed the soup spoon and began to scoop the broth out. She took a sip and felt a huge burst of flavours coming together in her mouth. The broth tasted silky and not so greasy. Although it has a hint of umami sauce, the earthy flavour from the mushroom was stronger. But Delilah wouldn''t say it was that bad. It was quite nice, truth to be told. The mushroom was soft and chewy. The baby spinach was soft and silky. The egg was half-boiled so there was a bit of runny yolk still in the egg, which made the flavour of the ramen more distinctive. She could never be able to cook the egg just like that. ''I wonder how they did this,'' she thought as she ate the egg. After they had finished eating, the waitress came and took away the empty bowls. She then came and served them matcha ice-cream. At first, the three women were confused since they did not order any dessert. But then the waitress said that it was free and that since they were first-timers in Japan, the dessert served as a welcoming gift to Japan. Feeling touched at the nice welcome, the three women digged in the dessert. The ice-cream was soft as it melted inside their mouth. Although it was not creamy as other ice-creams, it has quite a strong rich earthy tea taste to it and was a bit slightly bitter. Nevertheless, it was quite nice and even though the weather was already cold, it did not stop these women from enjoying the dessert. Especially since it was free. Once they were done with their meals and paid for it, they walked out of the restaurant and continued to window shopped around the nearby areas. After they felt like they had enough, they decided to go straight for the station to Shibuya. As they stood inside the train since there weren''t any empty seats around, Delilah began to compare Japan''s public transportation and her home country''s. She really could see the difference and she was still in awe with Japan''s technology. It was just amazing. She really was looking forward to see more of Japan''s wonderful sights and amazing mechanization. 77 CH77: Sightseeing in Japan you no longer need to count the calories." - Amanda Kraft ========================= It was late afternoon when Delilah, Shay and Farah finally arrived in Shibuya, one of the most bustling and populated wards in Tokyo. Although it was still five o''clock in the afternoon, the sky has already darkened as the surrounding temperature started to lower. Cool and biting breeze swept across the area, bringing chills and shivers to one body. The three women stood outside of the Shibuya station, their hands in front of their face, trying to blow some warmth. After deciding on places to go, they began to leave the area, their hands now clothed with thick gloves. They walked around, taking in the beautiful sights as they explored freely around the place. They stopped by several department stores where they bought some items and merchandise. Delilah loved planner stuff and decorations so she kind of went wild when she saw an arts and craft store. Leaving the store, she could not believe that she had just spent 11,000 yen on just those items alone [A: approximately USD$104]. She sighed. She did not expect to buy so many things. She felt like she was hypnotized with all the pretty things. Her cousins, Shay and Farah could only chuckle, watching her depressed look. But then she brightened up when Farah convinced her that it was not everyday she got to buy a lot of things. And the fact that they were in Japan, it was also time for her to splurge on herself. Delilah had nodded then, agreeing with Farah. After stopping by a couple of few more stores while taking lots of pictures along the way, it was nearly ten o''clock in the evening when they finally reached the station where their BnB was located. With their hands full of shopping bags, they felt quite satisfied with their purchases but then their stomachs growled simultaneously. The three of them looked at each other and laughed. It seems like they need to fuel their stomachs before going home. So, instead of going straight to the route that leads to their BnB, they decided to look for a late-night restaurant. After a few minutes of walking, they saw a restaurant still opened. Walking in, they were greeted with the smell of ramen and fried tempuras. One of the employees, probably the owner of the store, seeing how he gave off a superior vibe from the way he instructed other employees and whatnot, looked up and saw the three women. He then greeted them in Japanese and politely pointed at the line where they can choose their food from the food display. Something sort of like a buffet but will be served by the employees themselves. Since the restaurant was a bit empty, except for a couple of lone customers at some tables, it wasn''t that hard to find an empty table that could accommodate the three of them with their shopping bags. Placing their bags down on the floor, near their feet, they placed their trays down on the table. They had ordered some vegetable tempura and korokke [1]. What made these three women happy was the fact that all the foods that they ordered were freshly cooked so it was still hot. When Delilah pulled the korokke apart, she could see there was still hot steam coming out from the korokke. They had ordered the mushroom korokke and apparently, they used shiitake mushroom, which gave off an appealing aroma. Before she took a bite, she blew away some of the steam, careful not to burn her tongue. She took a bite and the soft potatoes and carrots inside just melted together inside her mouth. The breaded exterior gave out a crispy texture, which wasn''t hard at all and instead, softened together with the insides once bitten. Delilah loved how it gave off a pleasant feeling; taste of tasty comfort. The potatoes don''t have that starchy taste, rather a creamy and sort of sweet flavour. The minced carrots too added to the sweet taste. The three women enjoyed the korokke, as well as the tempuras, falling into a warm conversation, having a laugh at their first time experience in Japan and getting more excited about their next journey to Kyoto. Why? They are going to a hot spring! Yay! But wait, they said to each other, let''s discuss the places that they will be going to in Tokyo. After they were done with their meals, it was then they realized that there were more people in the restaurant. They were probably too absorbed in their conversation that they did not notice streams of customers had walked in while they were talking. And interestingly enough, most of the customers were high school students, probably just finished with their club activities since they noticed that they were carrying their sports equipment, for example, basketballs, hockey sticks and etc. Few minutes later, they found themselves inside their BnB. they immediately dropped their purchases on the floor in the bedroom. They took turns in taking a shower because there was only one bathroom and they felt slightly sticky, even if the weather was cold. So while the other was taking a shower, the other two just dropped off their purchases near their luggages and made their bed to sleep. The next morning. The three women woke up early that day, hoping to grab some quick breakfast before going sightseeing. It took them more than an hour to get ready since they had to take turns taking a shower as well as made up the bed and so forth. It also took them a while to put on their clothes, wearing their winter coat and gloves since they were not used to it. They have been living in a country that doesn''t have winter so it was getting a while to get used to it. Once they were done, they closed the door to the BnB, which auto-locks and went down the street. Along the way, there was a vending machine. The unique thing about the vending machine was that it also served hot drinks which fascinated these three women since it was their first time seeing this kind of vending machine. Giving it a try, all of them tried to buy a hot drink from the vending machine. It wasn''t as good as the ones in the restaurant but it was nice since it was hot. After having their drink, they threw the empty canned drinks at a nearby recycle bin. This was another thing that fascinated the three women. How there were recycle bins everywhere in the country; can, plastic, papers and miscellaneous. Delilah was simply amazed at how organized and advanced the country was. They continued their walk to the station where they would use the subway to reach Tokyo Tower [2]. Since their BnB was in Shinjuku [3] area, they would need to stop at two stations before arriving at the tower. The journey took less than thirty minutes when they finally arrived outside the station that will lead them to the tower. Before arriving at the tower, they passed by many areas, such as a flower garden, a man selling hot sweet potatoes in a food cart and even a woman wearing a kimono [4]. First, they approached the man who was selling the potatoes and ordered one for each of them. It was still piping hot but tasted great, especially during a cold day like that day. They were feeling kind of hungry and decided that this would help fill their stomach up before going for lunch later. Once they were done, they thanked the man and tried to approach the Japanese woman, who was wearing the kimono. She was standing next to a man, who wore a winter coat. The two were chatting up a storm that the three women felt that it was awkward and rude to interrupt their conversation. They too felt a bit scared that the woman might reject their request for a photo. But to their surprise, the woman actually turned to them and asked whether they wanted to take a photo with her. She probably noticed them hovering near her and couldn''t help but talk to them first. Excited, the three of them took a photo each with the woman. They thanked the kind woman and said their goodbye. Then they went to take more photos around the flower garden. Farah took a lot of photos for her mother since she loved flowers. It took them nearly an hour when they finally reached the Tokyo Tower. It was really tall that they had to crane their neck back just to look at the whole structure. Delilah and Farah did so many ways just to get a perfect shot, that included the tower, bending here and there, much to Shay''s amusement as she watched their crazy antics. After they visited Tokyo Tower, they went straight for Tokyo Skytree [5]. The whole journey took them more than thirty minutes of travel time and they had to stop at two stations as well. There, they took more photos, spending nearly an hour walking around the area. They also went for lunch at the nearby restaurant since there were many of them. That day, they basically went to many places, which included Ikebukero [6], an area well-known for Pokemon merchandise. And of course, the main reason why Delilah wanted to go there as well. She was a big fan of the anime. Shay and Farah? Not so. But they just went along with Delilah''s plans. By the time they were done, it was already late in the evening. They went for dinner, a different place this time. They opted for a ramen shop, also near to their BnB. And after they were done with their dinner, they returned back to their BnB, already excited for the next day to arrive. ----- [1] breaded deep fried patty made of mashed potatoes and cream sauce, similar to the French croquettes. [2] A communications and observation tower, known to be the second tallest structure in Japan. [3] Special ward in Tokyo. One of the most popular areas in Japan [4] Japanese traditional dress [5] Tallest structure in Japan [6] Downtown Street in Japan 78 CH78: Kyoto ut about the life you gain." - Dr. Josh Axe ========================= It had been three nights since Delilah and her two cousins had stayed in Tokyo and the next morning, they were getting ready to move out to another prefecture of Japan, which was Kyoto. Delilah hadn''t spent much of her money shopping in Tokyo since she had saved some for Kyoto. Knowing how expensive Kyoto was, compared to Tokyo, it took a lot in her to not go wild when it comes to shopping, especially those art and crafts items. Yet that does not hinder from tasting the local delicacies that Tokyo had to offer. They had visited many places in Tokyo such as Yoyogi Park, Roppongi Hills, Takeshita Street and Kabukicho. They had packed all their things and tidied up the rooms before leaving the BnB. It was fortunate that the door of the BnB auto-locks itself, so they do not have to think much about its safety and security. Since Delilah does not have their host''s phone number, she could only email him to thank him for the hospitality. It was eight o''clock in the morning when they were about to arrive at the nearest station. Looking for the signs that would lead them to the bullet train hall, they dragged their luggages towards the direction. Inside the station, there were so many people rushing here and there. It appears that they had arrived during the peak hours when people were hurrying to get to the trains to work or school. Even if it was crowded, the three women were impressed by how organized the Japanese were. Following the signs, they finally reached the bullet train hall, which was a further away from the normal departure hall. Thinking that they would not be able to find the time to eat, they decided to buy some food and drinks from the nearby convenience store. After they had bought their things, the call for their train was announced via the broadcast, they quickly rushed towards the train. Inside the train, they stood aside for other people to pass through while they looked for their tickets. They then quickly take note of the seat number written on their tickets. After that, they went to look for their seats. To their surprise, they had found other people sitting at their seats. Confused, they decided to seek assistance from the stewardess, who was standing near the exit, checking the luggages being stored there. After explaining their problem to the stewardess, the stewardess looked at their tickets and told them with a wry smile that they actually got on the wrong train. Shocked, the three women began to panic. If they had got on the wrong train, doesn''t this mean that they were going on the wrong way? Do they need to buy a new ticket? Questions began to swamped these women''s minds, making them even worried and anxious. After thanking the stewardess, they made their way towards the free seating section, which was a few sections away. However, just as they were about to sit down, there was an announcement through the speaker, announcing their arrival, which surprised the three women. That was fast! They quickly turned back and headed straight for the exit. Getting off from the train, they were once again hit by the cool wind from the outside. A few minutes later, they found themselves outside the station. Not wanting to drag their bulky luggage everywhere they go, they decided to look for the ryokan [1] that they had booked before. Compared to when they were looking for their BnB in Tokyo, looking for the ryokan was much easier. Probably because the directions given were straightforward and easy to follow. It was less than an hour when they finally reached the ryokan. It was located in one of the residential areas in Kyoto, where the surroundings were kind of peaceful and serene. The three women felt much comfortable and at ease when they entered the area and even more so, when they entered the ryokan. They were welcomed by warm air from the heater inside and a huge smile from a Japanese man who was standing behind the counter. He greeted them in English and Japanese, which was a relief since these three don''t know how to speak nor read Japanese. Though Delilah knew that he was good at communicating in English since they have been exchanging emails in English as well. The ryokan itself was not that huge as there was a small front hallway with a small counter on the left side, where the Japanese man stood. There were a couple of doors on the right, which Delilah assumed was the rooms. And further ahead, there was a small fork. Looking closer, the right side leads to the outside where they would collect the trash and on the left side leads to more rooms, laundry room, kitchen and bathrooms. Once they received the password and other necessities from the Japanese man, whom they concluded was the owner, since he was the one who contacted Delilah via emails and had been using ''my'' ''mine'' when it comes to the ryokan, they thanked him and went into their room. They opened their shoes outside and went barefeet in. Inside the room, it wasn''t big, rather, it was quite empty with only a small table on the side, a huge wardrobe, where they assumed the quilt and other things were stored, a small fridge, an air conditioner that served as a heater as well and another small area to hang their clothes and coats. Placing their luggages to aside, they decided to go out to have their meal and go sightseeing. Nodding goodbye to the owner, who was still standing behind the counter, the three women got out of the ryokan and breathed in the fresh air of Kyoto. The day was still bright, with few clouds in sight but the wind still persists in blowing cold air to their face. It was like they did not need any air-conditioner to make them feel cool. Looking down at her phone where she typed out her itinerary, Delilah told the other two that they would need to go to the station to get to their destination. That day, they decided to go for some grilled meat since it has been awhile since they ate meat. Using the train, they passed by a couple of stations before arriving at their targeted station. When they got out of the station, they arrived at a quiet ward, where there were little people walking around. Apparently, this was one of the residential wards in Kyoto. Hence why it was quite tranquil and peaceful. It took them some time to look for the restaurant and it was difficult as well since they could not even find a single person to ask for directions. There were some people but they were far away. They were getting hungry as they continued to look for the place. They kept checking google maps but apparently, it wasn''t that helpful. Nearly an hour later, they finally found the place and they keep slapping their foreheads many times in their mind for their stupidity. They did not expect the place to look similar to other residential homes, with their traditional Japanese style. When they entered the restaurant, they were greeted with warm air blanketing over them, making them feel cosy and pleasant. A pretty woman stood behind the hostess stand, looking down at a book. She looked up when she saw the three women enter and welcome them with a small smile. She immediately approached them, said hello and asked how many people. Shay told her that it would only be the three of them. The hostess nodded and led them to an empty table, not far from the exit. The restaurant was kind of empty, other than a few tables and chairs. On each table, there was a BBQ exhaust pipe [2], which was used to control the temperature, as well as vent in the smoke air from the grill. After making themselves comfortable, the hostess handed them the menu and left them, saying that the waitress will be coming over to take their orders. The three women nodded and opened the menu. The three of them suddenly looked shocked when they saw the prices. It was fecking expensive. Shay let out an awkward laugh, saying that it was probably because meat was expensive and whatnot. The other two reluctantly agreed with her. One plate of meat already cost 3000 yen, which was equivalent to nearly thirty dollars in their currency. The price made them cry tears of blood inside but because they were so hungry, they decided to keep their eyes closed from looking at the prices and ordered it. Few minutes later after they had placed their orders, their dishes arrived. The waitress then explained that they should use the fats of the meat as the oil. The three women nodded. Each of them immediately began to place the meat on the hot grill after the waitress left them alone. The sounds of meat sizzling brings joy to the three women, making them inwardly drool. Juices of the meat oozed out and began to flow on the frizzling grill. The fresh cut meat slowly turned to brown, making it look succulent and juicy. When Delilah turned the meat over, she could feel the tenderness of the meat. Once it looked done, she took one from the grill and blew on it. She took a bite and inwardly moaned at the juiciness of it. The flavor of the meat gets deepened and better after the grilling. The meat became more savory as it emits a delicious aroma. It also felt smooth and silky, giving a satisfying taste when one bite into it. Wanting to eat more since it wasn''t enough, they ordered another plate. They don''t want to think about the calories they gained or the dent they made in their wallets. As long as the food was delicious was enough. And this just made their first day in Kyoto a pleasant bite! ----- [1] A traditional Japanese inn [2] Check this: pinterest.com/pin/516365913501724670/ 79 CH79: Onsen There''ll always be more." - Mae West ========================= It was early morning in Kyoto, where the chilly wind breezed through the air, sending chills to the livings outside. As usual, the three women; Delilah, Shay and Farah, walked around to look for a vending machine to buy their morning canned coffee drink. Feeling cold, they decided to buy a hot canned drink to warm their insides. When they finally found one, Delilah noticed that the price was slightly higher than the ones in Tokyo, a difference of one yen. And after they were done drinking, they immediately headed straight for the train station. They did not want to waste time standing around when they didn''t really have much time staying in Kyoto. That morning, they were planning to go to a hot spring or as they called it, ''onsen''. It had been recommended by many people to go to an onsen during the cold season so they took note of it. The women didn''t bring anything with them, other than their handbags and so forth. This was because in the website of the onsen, all the necessities, such as towels and soaps were provided there. They too do not want to bring too much with them since they were planning to go somewhere else straight after the bath so having the onsen providing those items were convenient for them. The journey to get to the onsen that they wanted was kind of far. It was basically at the end of the train route, which in Delilah''s opinion, wasn''t surprising, considering the fact that the onsen was in the mountaintops. They had to exchange more than five stations to reach the final station and when they finally reached there, the wind was more cold than before. The wind was much stronger there than back at their ryokan. Delilah rubbed her hands together to gather more warmth and cupped her mouth, thinking that the hot air might bring some warm to her face. Getting off the train and walking out of the station, the three of them gathered together in front while waiting for Delilah''s direction. The latter took out her phone to read the directions and according to the directions given in the website, they would need to get on a free shuttle bus to reach the onsen. After they reached the bus stop, it would only be a ten minute walk from the bus stop to the onsen itself. The onsen was actually an inn as well. Before they entered the onsen, they saw a vending machine just before the entrance. As they walked closer to it, they realized it was where they would need to pay for the entrance fee. There was also an additional fee for those who wanted to rent other items such as towels. They pressed the button for the fee and towels and went in. There wasn''t anyone inside to greet them, other than a cleaner who gave them a bow and a smile. They followed the signs where the lockers were and when they stepped in, they were greeted by warm air. Shortly after, a couple of elderly women walked out from what they assumed to be the entrance to the onsen. The two elderly women gave them a smile as they headed towards their locker. Soon after, there were only Delilah and her two cousins in the locker room. They quickly remove their clothing and put on the bathrobe which was provided inside the locker. They also put on the slippers that were provided and went out of the locker room. Outside at the onsen, the view was mesmerizing and breathtaking as cool air swept over the three women. Behind the onsen were some trees, surrounding the onsen from behind the bricked wall. The onsen was designed like a swimming pool, with hot air steaming out. There were small wooden buckets on the side of the onsen, separated one by one in a few meters. One side of the onsen had a roof above it, though it was out in the open. On the right of the onsen was where the shower stalls were located, inside. The three women were confused as to where they should dip in. Although there was also a hot tub inside, just to the left of the onsen, they felt that it would be boring as they wanted to experience the one outside. Feeling chilled to the bones, they quickly looked around, looking for a place to hang their bathrobe when they saw the hangers just beside the shower stalls entrance. The three of them looked at each other. "So, are we supposed to get naked?" Delilah asked hesitantly. "I guess so¡­" Shay answered slowly. "Out here?" Delilah asked again, looking hesitant. Farah immediately walked over to the hangers and opened her bathrobe, revealing her body. She then nonchalantly walked over to the onsen and slipped inside. She closed her eyes and moaned in bliss. "That felt so good!" Delilah and Shay could only watch her with their wide eyes as Farah languidly lowered her body in the onsen, leaving her head visible. Noticing her two cousins still standing in the cold, the latter turned her head and said, "Come on and join me!" Delilah and Shay looked at each other and shrugged. The two of them walked to the hanger area and opened their bathrobe. Together, they walked to the onsen and slipped inside. As they sat down inside the onsen, only their heads visible above the water, they too groaned in bliss. It felt like all their tiredness and fatigue had swept away, along with the water. The water felt hot but comfortable. It really does make one fall asleep due to the pleasant feeling it brought. And it was no wonder that most Japanese people love going to the onsen. They spent nearly an hour at the onsen, basically relaxing and bathing. Once they were done, they had a quick shower before leaving the place. The hot shower was pleasing as well after that brief little chill that they experienced, getting out of the onsen. And when they were back at the station, they could feel their weariness gone. After days of walking around in Tokyo at the wards, they felt more refreshed than ever. Since they have more than enough time that day, they decided to eat some brunch. They headed for the nearest ramen shop and had their meal there. The ramen shop wasn''t that big as it probably could hold less than ten customers at once. For cold weather, a hot broth was perfect to warm their bodies, hence, the ramen. The ramen wasn''t so bad, just a bit bitter, which was strange. Delilah never expected that there was a ramen that wasn''t as good as she expected. It tasted like the broth had more water than taste. Nevertheless it was still edible and she liked that it was still hot so she did not mind at all. They also ordered some tempura to eat with their ramen. By the time they were done with their meal, it was nearly lunch time. They then decided to spend the time to go sightseeing, walking around. At first, Shay suggested going to Gion [1] but Delilah said that it would be better to go there during the evening. If they were lucky, they probably might be able to see a geisha [2] or a maiko [3]. So, they went to Fushimi Inari Taisha [4] instead. Along the way, they stopped by several small shops where they sell souvenirs and snacks. At one point, they stopped at one of the shops that sells mochi. The three women were mesmerized at how the woman makes mochi, using a machine, rather than the traditional pounding. While they were heading there, there were also many people heading there as well. They couldn''t be sure whether they were visitors or the locals. When they arrived at the shrine, there were many people already there, going here and there. There were some who took pictures and prays. The three women did the touristy things; taking wefies, taking pictures of the shrine and other interesting structures. At first, they wanted to go deeper, climbing up the hill. But seeing how crowded it was, they forgo the notion and instead, went out of the shrine. Next, they wanted to go to Bamboo forest. Then they changed their mind again when they saw how far it was. So, for the whole afternoon, they went exploring other places such as the Nishiki Market [5] and Kyoto Tower [6]. They had fun exploring the places, meeting friendly locals and tasting the delicacies that they had to offer. When night was about to descend, they took a train to go to Gion street. And when they arrived there, the place was still a bit quiet, even if it was before six o''clock. But they were happy to find the cafes were already opened. So they decided to have a little snack before exploring Gion street. They entered one of the cafes and were greeted by a warm smile from the waiter. The cafe was like those typical Japanese cafes with wood texture design and greenery surroundings. The atmosphere was quite cosy as well. And after being guided to an empty table, the three women make themselves comfortable. They took a long time, trying to choose what to order that they felt bad for the waiter who was waiting patiently for them. In the end, they told him that they would call him once they confirmed their orders. With a nod of understanding, the waiter went back to the back. But before leaving the table, he instructed them to press for the bell to call for him, politely pointing at the button on the table. Thanking him, the three women continued looking through the menu, still contemplating on what to choose. A few minutes later, they finally decided on what to eat. Of course, they ordered some hot drinks. Delilah ordered hot matcha, together with a cheesecake. Shay and Farah too ordered hot matcha, but they ordered pudding and chocolate cake respectively. While waiting for their food to arrive, they began to chat, showing each other pictures that they took from their phone. They waited for another couple of minutes when their food finally arrived. When the waiter placed the cheesecake in front of Delilah, her eyes widened and she became excited. The cheesecake was quite small, enough for one person. And when she poked on the sides, it jiggly moved. She poked more. She could feel how fluffy and jiggly the cake was. As she cut through the cake, she saw how moist it was too. As she took a bite, she could feel the cake slowly melted in her mouth. It has a more fluffy and sponge-like texture, compared to the other cheesecakes that she had tasted. It was a bit sweet with that rich and creamy texture. It was really nice that Delilah licked the plate clean. Of course, Shay and Farah managed to taste a bite before Delilah devoured them all. After they were done, they did not immediately set out to explore, instead, they spent another few minutes, chatting inside the cafe. They were tired from walking around since morning so they wanted to take a break before exploring Gion. Soon after, they walked on the Gion street, where the nightlife was bustling with people walking around. There were some people taking pictures and window-shopping. It was a quaint little street, where lights from the houses on the side brightened the street. Delilah liked the fact that just by walking down the street, one does not feel rushed like what she felt when she was in Tokyo. Rather, it was peaceful and relaxed. The three women spent the night walking around, window-shopping as well. They even managed to take a picture of a Maiko walking around with her attendant. In short, it was quite a productive day for them. From morning until the evening, they did everything that they could and really enjoyed the day. Next morning, they will be heading to Osaka, which will be another story to tell. For now, it will be back to reality for these three women, where after Osaka, they will be heading back to Tokyo, spent a night at a capsule hotel before heading back to their country, ending their Japan journey. ----- [1] Kyoto''s geisha district [2] Female Japanese entertainer [3] Apprentice geisha [4] Head shrine of the kami Inari [5] Marketplace in downtown Kyoto [6] Observation towe 80 CH80: An unexpected visit from Firah You have to burn yourself¡­. Messing up makes you a better chef." - David Chang ========================= It has been a couple of days since Delilah''s eventful trip to Japan. To say that it was memorable and exciting was an understatement as she could still feel the exhilaration she had when she was there. She remembered how she and her two cousins were awed and fascinated with the capsule hotel [1] at the airport. They had spent their last night in Tokyo, sleeping at the capsule hotel because their flight was in the early morning. At least, they weren''t in a hurry when morning came. It was an amazing experience, sleeping there. The hotel was so sleek and modern. Delilah felt like she was in some kind of airship with how contemporary and clean the place was. And although the capsule looks a bit cramped, when Delilah slept in it, it was surprisingly comfortable. They did not offer any breakfast so the three women can only buy their food at the restaurants at the airport. And it was fortunate that most of the restaurants were already open by the time they arrived there. As she reminiscenced about the time she was in Japan, she was rudely interrupted by Aubree who suddenly poked her head near her face. Delilah''s eyes widened as she nearly screamed from fright. Aubree pulled back as she stifled her laughter. Delilah immediately kicked her not-so-strongly. "Stop scaring me like that." "Haha! Sorry, I just couldn''t resist." Delilah just rolled her eyes. She was in her cubicle at that time. She had just returned from giving out souvenirs to her colleagues on that floor from Japan. She had bought them the typical souvenirs; a kitchen magnet. She was really bad in choosing gifts but it''s the thoughts that count, right? So, after she had given her colleagues their souvenirs, she returned back to her cubicle. And instead of going straight to work, she began to day-dream, thinking of the days she had spent in Japan. That was how Aubree found her. She, herself, had just returned from meeting someone at the lobby when she saw Delilah looking dazed. Wanting to test whether she realized that there was someone in her cubicle, Aubree cheekily placed her face near Delilah, who earlier nearly screamed, much to the former''s delight. "What do you want?" Delilah asked, none too politely. Aubree chuckled. "Welcome back," she said, as she dropped a stackful of papers on her table. Delilah''s eyes widened again. "What the heck is this??" she exclaimed in surprise. "I met with Sheila the other day. And she apparently did not know that you were on leave so she left me this to give it to you once you return," Aubree replied nonchalantly. Aubree shrugged. She then leaned closer to her, whispering softly to Delilah''s ear, "Don''t worry. It''s just some piles of papers that needed to be typed. She will forget about it soon when she''s busy with something else," she reassured. Delilah narrowed her eyes at her supervisor, not believing her words. But really, what was the point of giving her these works if Sheila was going to forget about it? She could only let out a sigh. Sometimes she could never understand how Sheila''s mind worked. She picked up the stack of papers and set them aside. ''I''ll do these when I''m free,'' she thought. Seeing that Aubree was still standing inside her cubicle, she raised her head and frowned, thinking why she was still there. She tilted her head in confusion as she tried to think of reasons as to why. ''Did I forget to give her her souvenir? Is that why she''s here?'' she thought to herself. "What''s wrong?" she asked. Aubree let out a sigh, crossing her arms across her chest. "I''m in a quandary." Delilah frowned. "Quandary? What do you mean?" she asked again. Aubree rubbed her temples in dismay as she tried to think of how to explain to Delilah. "Matt and Sheila just paid for an advertisement." "And?" Delilah prodded more. An advertisement? So? Isn''t it normal for a business to pay for an advertisement? "A TV advertisement." Delilah''s eyes widened. Alright. She did not expect that. "So, there will be an advertisement about the company on television?" she asked, unsure. From what she knows, TV advertisements can be expensive. Probably like a thousand dollars or more. Especially when it will be aired during peak hours. "More like an interview on the local morning show," Aubree answered with a grim look on her face. "Interview?" Delilah repeated. "Who will be the interviewee?" When Aubree continued to keep silent, Delilah''s eyes slowly widened again. She then burst out in laughter, rudely pointing at the former. Aubree smacked her back when Delilah continued to laugh, no sign of stopping. It seems like the idea of Aubree on live television is funny. The former did not know whether to feel offended or find it funny as well. After the smack, Delilah stopped laughing but her laughter turned to light chuckles as she turned away, failing to hide her laughter. "Seriously, how come it''s you who will be doing the interview?" she asked, her face now serious. Aubree let out another sigh. "You know them. They just do this and that and expect us to continue on and make it more happening." "But the thing is, isn''t it better for them to do the interview instead? I mean, being them the owners and whatnot? They did one last time, didn''t they? It''s not as if we have a public relations department." Aubree just shrugged, having no clue on how to respond to that. After a couple of minutes of more chatting, Aubree left Delilah''s cubicle and went to hers. So, other than that, there weren''t any much eventful things happening that day. Unless one counts Firah''s unexpected visit to the office as a non-eventful day too. It was after work when Firah stopped by. Both Delilah and Aubree were still at the office. Aubree had to stay behind because she had a last-minute meeting with Sheila, whereas Delilah was just late. She had been lazing around that she did not realize that it was already after hours. She was about to pack her things when she received a text message from Firah that she was coming over. Delilah frowned. Although she was happy that she was coming over, the other message after the latter said she was coming made her frown. Why? Because she said that she was already coming up. Delilah let out a light chuckle in dismay. She was still the same Firah she knew. Just as she placed her phone down on her table, Firah came walking in the office. Saying hello to some of her ex-colleagues who seemed surprised to see her at the office, she quickly walked over to Delilah''s cubicle. She sneakily entered and sat down on Delilah''s chair. Turning around, Delilah gave her a smile and greeted her hello. She then asked Firah why she was here. It was not that Delilah did not welcome her but she just wanted to know what was her purpose in coming there. "I was just bored. My hubby is out doing the laundry at the laundromat," came her airy reply. "How come you''re not with him?" "I don''t want to. Let him do the laundry." "He''s fine with you coming here?" "Of course, he should be! I didn''t scold him for going out to play football. Why should he scold me for visiting you?" Delilah just laughed. Then she suggested that they go to a nearby coffee shop and have their talk there. They were about to leave the building, after waving goodbye to Bella, who was still behind her receptionist table, working. It appears that she was working late since Sheila and Aubree were still having their meeting upstairs. Just then, Matt came walking in. He looked up with a surprised smile on his face when he saw Delilah and Firah. He nodded hello to both of them. It seemed that he was about to go up the stairs to join the meeting with Sheila and Aubree but when he saw Firah, he got distracted. He asked Firah how she was doing and where she currently worked. Seeing how it seems like Matt was going to have a long conversation with Firah, Delilah discreetly guided them to the visitor''s lounge. Delilah sat next to Firah while Matt sat across them. They continued to talk for nearly an hour. Many times Delilah had to sneakily nudge Firah with her foot, hinting that they should go. Unfortunately, she does not get it. Delilah even purposely asked her whether her husband was done with the laundry. But again, Firah does not get it as she brushes away the former''s question, replying that he probably wasn''t done yet. Delilah could only inwardly sighed as she listened to them talking half-heartedly. Soon after, Aubree came down to the lobby, seemingly to be looking for someone. After asking Bella, who pointed her to a direction, Aubree was surprised to see the three of them at the visitor''s lounge. She immediately walked over. She happily greeted Firah and then turned to Matt, saying that they were waiting for him upstairs. Matt quickly got up and said his goodbyes to both Delilah and Firah, before following Aubree up. Aubree turned her head to them and waved them goodbye too. When the two of them were alone, Delilah rolled her eyes and scolded Firah for not getting her hints. Firah was surprised and burst out in laughter when she realized what she had done wrong. She apologized for being ''slow''. They then say their goodbyes to Bella and walk their way to the nearby coffee shop. Since they were too lazy to drive and were in need of fresh air, they decided to just walk. It was not that far either so they both did not mind. The coffee shop where they were headed to was quite small, as it only took the corner of the building area. It was a bit narrow as the seatings were in a bar seating. The other space was for queuing. And when they walked in the shop, they were greeted by the strong smell of coffee beans. It was fortunate that these two women loved coffee so they actually felt the smell was quite nice. The inside of the shop was warm and gave out a comfy feeling, with dimmed lights. Though, it was not that dark, just to the extent that it brings a relaxing atmosphere. They queued for their drinks and food. And luckily, there were some seats left at the bar seating. They climbed the tall bar seat and made themselves comfortable. They talked for a while as they waited for their orders to be called. When the wireless coaster pager beeped, Delilah got off her seat to pick up their orders. Returning back, she served Firah''s orders while placing her orders in front of her. Delilah had ordered chicken mushroom quiche and hot mocha. Firah ordered a chocolate croissant and hot latte. The quiche looked as if it was freshly baked as there was still steam coming out from the dish when Delilah sliced through it. The pastry of the quiche easily crumbled under her fork as she scooped up some parts of the quiche. As she took a bite, she could already taste how the crispy pastry slow melts in her mouth and how creamy and rich the chicken and mushroom were. The fillings were fulfilling and satisfying. And she liked how the rich and savoury the fillings were, together with the pastry. The two women continued to chat as they updated one another about what had happened in their life. Although Delilah found it funny still how Firah was already married since she still acts as if she was single, going out alone at night, without her husband, it was quite nice to chat with her after so long. It was times like these when impromptu and last minute catching up session felt as nice as the quiche! ----- [1] Google image capsule hotel. 81 CH81: Regret in watching the video Is not poetry also food?" - Joyce Carol Oates ========================= Delilah was inside her cubicle, where she was reviewing some reports that had been sent to her a couple of days ago. She had just returned from Japan last week and already, her table was filled with stacks of papers. She was shocked when she saw the piles of papers stacked neatly on her table. She immediately called Bella and according to her, it was sent by Sheila. Apparently, she forgot that she was on leave, nevertheless, she still sent her some work. What irritated Delilah was the fact that some of the works were not what she usually does. Sometimes she wonders whether Sheila understands exactly the job description of a human resource officer. Then again, she probably answered something like one needed to work out of the box, to understand the whole thing and etc. Thankfully, Fawkes had seen her piles of work and took a pity on her by helping her with some of the work. He was surprised as well when he saw the work as it was not something the Human Resource department usually deals with. Rather, it was more of an admin job. Without any ill intentions, Fawkes even asked Delilah whether she got demoted or something. To which, she replied with a smack on his arm. Just then Aubree had walked past them and being curious, she peeked in and asked what was going on. Fawkes then told her and Aubree had a good laugh after that. She then answered for Delilah, saying that Sheila had liked her previous works on the itinerary and whatnot, hence why she had been given those kinds of works. Delilah just rolled her eyes when she heard Aubree''s answer. After he had listened, he tried to return back the work he volunteered but Delilah pushed them back to him, saying that he can''t take back what he had said before. And that he must help her with this. With regret on his face, he could only take the work back and returned to his cubicle. Delilah smirked. ''Haha! It''s too late!'' she thought wickedly. She continued reviewing the paper in her hand when there was an email notification from her computer. She looked over and saw it was an email from the other branch. Apparently, they had sent an email stating that Howard would be changing his schedule. He used to work in the evening but it seems that he requested to change his schedule to normal office hours. Although she did not have any problem with it, Delilah was curious as to why so sudden that she immediately texted Amy, who was at the other branch. Knowing that she would not receive Amy''s reply straight away since she would probably be working and her phone might not be in hand''s reach, Delilah continued to review her work. She even managed to type a few pages of her report when a text message finally came. Delilah frowned. The message sounds very ambiguous that one could not help but feel suspicious. If she had any bad thoughts about it, she would think that he was busy with¡­ well, let''s leave that to one''s imagination. ''Evening¡­ huh?'' Delilah replied back. There hasn''t been any reply after that so she went back to doing her work. Just as she was about to get up to go to the restroom, there was another text message from Amy. She grabbed her phone and read the text. ''Want to know what he has been busy with?'' Amy replied with a smirking sticker. Before Delilah could reply, there were a bunch of links in the text message. She frowned, wondering what these were. She replied to Amy in a playful manner, ''What is this? Virus?'' Amy immediately sent a ''Haha!'' sticker and told Delilah to just click on the links. So, she did. Apparently, it was a video. And after a few seconds of watching the video, Delilah regretted it so much. The fact that she had enough seeing Howard''s clothes, now she was tortured by his shrieks. Yes, if you can call his singing, ''shrieks''. She could not even finish the whole video before she closed it. And instead of berating Amy, she forwarded the links to Aubree, who was in her cubicle. Once she had sent the links, she leaned against her seat, her arms behind her head as if she was waiting for something. A few minutes later, there was a sudden loud hacking cough from Aubree''s direction. Delilah immediately covered her mouth as if to cover up her laughter. Soon after, she heard someone getting up and heading towards her cubicle. She then quickly got up and was about to hide, she meant, go to the restroom. Before she could get away, Aubree saw her and called out her name. Delilah stopped and turned around. With a weak smile, she watched as Aubree was getting closer and closer. And before she could say a word, Aubree had pinced her arm. "Ouch!" Delilah exclaimed, rubbing her arm from the pain. "What the heck with the videos?" Aubree scolded, her hands on her hips. Looking around to see whether there was anyone listening to them and found none, Delilah grabbed Aubree''s arm and pulled her along, heading downstairs. Aubree just let her pull her along, curious to know where she was bringing her to. Soon after, they found themselves at the visitor''s lounge. It was fortunate that there weren''t anyone around so they had the whole room to themselves and could converse freely. The two women sat next to each other. Aubree took out her phone and resumed playing the video that was paused before she confronted Delilah. While they were watching the video, many expressions passed by the two women''s faces; cringe, shock and weirded out. Even though they did watch until the end, Aubree kept skipping and fast-forward. Once they were done watching, the two of them kept quiet. But there were looks of disbelief and surprise on their faces, as if they could not believe that they had watched that video. After a while, Delilah broke the silence by saying how her ears now hurt and how she was baffled as to how he got the courage or guts to be able to teach people how to sing, when she knows that he has no qualification. And from the way he sang, she did not want to be mean but she heard a better singing voice than him. Aubree had laughed so hard after she heard Delilah''s comments. And laughed even more when Delilah criticized his clothes, saying who wore a batik dark purple with a huge silver diamond brooch on it? She further commented, asking Aubree whether the event was a wedding ceremony or a singing competition. Aubree made Delilah more heated up when she pointed out his hair where he had styled it with a bushy on the side, similar like elvis hair but on the side. Delilah groaned as she covered her eyes with her hands. The two women had a laugh together as they talked about the video and they finally found out why Howard requested to change his working schedule. He was probably busy judging and teaching people to sing during the evening. Though it does not really affect much, Delilah still finds it funny. Seeing that lunchtime was about to arrive, the two women decided to relax. By relaxing, meaning that they do not want to work so they went to grab their purse and phone from their office before returning back to the visitor''s lounge where they waited until lunchtime. While they were playing with their own phone, out of the blue, Delilah asked Aubree what was her plan for lunch. Aubree shrugged, saying that she was probably going to the office cafeteria for lunch. Then Delilah asked her whether she wanted to go to a Korean restaurant. Aubree turned to her, who still has her eyes on her phone and answered yes. The moment Aubree said yes, Delilah stood up and said, "Alright, let''s go." Aubree laughed and followed her out. Although there was another five minutes until lunchtime, she guessed that being early for a few minutes should be fine. Since the Korean restaurant was a couple of minutes drive away, they had to use the car to get there. So, they went straight for Delilah''s car and she drove them there. It was not lunchtime yet but there were already many cars on the road. Fortunately, not enough for a traffic jam to occur. Few minutes later, they reached the restaurant. Delilah parked her car at a nearby parking spot and after that, the two stepped down from the car and headed for the restaurant. The restaurant only took one unit of the building so it wasn''t big nor was it small either. It has a couple of red pillars at the entrance of the restaurant with a huge signboard of the name of the restaurant. The huge windows covered the entrance with folding curtains, giving a glimpse of the insides. And when they entered the restaurant, they could smell the strong scent of kimchi [1] and they were welcomed by the waitresses. They picked an empty table and sat down. One of the waitresses handed them each a menu. And it took them several minutes to decide on their meals. They decided to share one large dish of tteokbokki [2] while Delilah ordered japchae [3] and Aubree ordered kimchi stew. Soon after, the waitress placed a portable stove in front of them with a flat bowl on top of it. Apparently, the tteokbokki was already inside, together with the other ingredients, such as spring onion, sausages, cabbages and more. It seems like the two women would need to cook the tteokbokki themselves, which shouldn''t be hard since they would only need to stir it occasionally. With a huge smile on her face, Delilah stirred the tteokbokki, mixing it well with the sauce. She then left it for it to fully cook. The two then talked with one another while they waited for their other dishes to arrive. Before their other dishes arrive, it seems like the tteokbokki was done cooking so they decided to eat that first. Delilah scooped some into her bowl and began to eat. It was still hot so she had to blow to cool it down. She ate the tteokbokki first and found it chewy and soft. The sauce was a bit spicy but not to the extent that it would burn her insides. It also has that sweetness in the sauce, making it delicious together with the tteokbokki. The chewy texture probably made it a bit addictive as she could not help chewing on the tteokbokki and eating more. The sauce left red stains around her lips but she did not really mind as she continued eating it. Soon after, their other dishes arrived and when they saw how big of a portion their dishes were, Delilah and Aubree winced, wondering whether they could finish them all. Then Delilah just shrugged, saying that they probably can just takeaway them all. ----- [1] pickled and fermented vegetables. Staple food of Korea. [2] rice cake [3] Korean glass noodle stir fry 82 CH82: This is why ex should remain as ex! can alter the course of your health and change your destiny." - Anonymous ========================= Delilah was lazing around inside the pantry, making a hot tea for herself. The weather was kind of cold with sounds of thunderstorms booming across the sky. Dark clouds blanketed high up in the air, making the surrounding area dim and slightly gloomy. Lights were switched on to brighten the room a bit. She was about to take a sip of her drink when her mobile phone beeped, indicating that there was a message coming in. She glanced over and decided to check it out later. She wore her thick cardigan to keep warmth so it felt comfortable sitting there and she wanted to relax for a few minutes. She brought her packet of dry biscuits as well, which she took one and dipped inside her tea. She was clearly enjoying her snack time, despite the dreary weather outside the office. Even if the biscuit tasted bland, it did not stop Delilah from savouring the peaceful and alone time. She was about to eat her fifth biscuit when the door to the pantry was slammed open. Startled, the biscuit in her hand dropped in her cup of tea. Eyes widened, she could only watch her biscuit slowly become soggy and melted into small pieces. Letting out an aggrieved sigh, she could only stand up and went to grab a small spoon. Not noticing Aubree, who was standing in front of the pantry doorway, she grabbed a spoon from the cupboard and returned back to her seat. Aubree frowned when she saw that the other woman clearly either did not notice her or just ignore her. She walked over and sat in front of Delilah, who was scooping out the soggy biscuit from her cup of tea. Aubree continued to watch Delilah, who then ate the soggy biscuit with a spoon. With another sigh, the latter placed the spoon down and drank the whole cup of tea. She cringed when she could feel the taste of the remnants of the biscuit. "Are you done now?" Aubree asked sarcastically after Delilah had put the cup down. Delilah frowned, looking at Aubree. "When did you come here?" she asked, confused. Aubree rolled her eyes. "A couple of minutes ago." "Was it you who slammed open the door?" Delilah asked again. "You startled me!" Aubree glared at her. "If you knew it was me, why did you ignore me?" she asked back accusingly. "One does not leave their food uneaten unless necessary," Delilah answered, sounding philosophically. Aubree just rolled her eyes. The two of them went quiet as Delilah got up to wash her cup while Aubree just watched her. Once she was done washing, Delilah returned back to the table, propped her chin on her palm and lazily looked at Aubree. "So, what do you want?" she said rudely. Delilah took a quick glance at her phone, which was lying on the table and back again at Aubree. "I haven''t. I did see a text message coming in¡­" She then picked up her phone and used her pointer finger to swipe open the screen. "And I''m going to read it now," she ended. Aubree rolled her eyes again. She felt like she''s going to have a crick in her eyes after so much rolling. After a while, Delilah placed her phone down once she was done reading Aubree''s text. She then squinted her eyes at the latter suspiciously as she crossed her arms across her chest. "That''s it? That''s why you''re rushing here and interrupting my snacktime?" The text message reads: "Lunch later at Karate Noodle [1]?" "Well, that kind of message needs a yes or no answer, to which you haven''t replied yet," Aubree retorted sarcastically. "Hence why the rush." Delilah let out a sigh, as if she was disappointed with Aubree''s answer. "Such silly question," she said softly. "Of course!" she then exclaimed loudly. Delilah leaned closer to Aubree, both of her arms on the table. "What''s the rush? Do you plan to go somewhere?" Aubree grinned as she stood up. "Just in case Howard invites me to lunch, I got an excuse to reject him," she said sneakily. "And I doubt he would want to join us." Delilah too stood up and nodded, chuckling. "True. He wouldn''t be able to gossip with you then," she said. Although Delilah was close with Howard, she was not that close with him as he was with Aubree. This is especially so when the latter two have similar mutual friends. So, there were probably some things Howard would like to share with Aubree, but not with Delilah. The two walked out of the pantry and went to their perspective cubicles where they continued to do their work. Hours had passed and when it was a few minutes to lunch, people had already begun packing their things to go out. Delilah was waiting for Aubree at the lobby of the office when she saw Howard walking into the building. The both of them saw each other at the same time. Howard walked over to her and asked what she was doing. She answered him, saying that she was waiting for someone to go to lunch. She did not mention Aubree, lest she actually did not want Howard to know that she was going with Delilah. Delilah questioned him back, asking what he was doing at the office, to which he replied that he was having lunch with one of the officers from the Safety department. After a short pleasantries with one another, the two parted ways, with Delilah continuing to wait for Aubree while Howard headed towards the elevator area. It was unsure whether it was a coincidence but just as Howard entered the lift, Aubree had just arrived at the lobby area. She saw Delilah and walked over. She tilted her head in confusion when she saw Delilah looking at her suspiciously. "What''s wrong?" she asked. "How did you know Howard just entered the lift, just as you came down?" Delilah asked back accusingly. Aubree frowned, looking confused. "I don''t?" she answered, unsure whether she answered the other woman''s question correctly. She was still a bit baffled as to why Delilah looked so suspicious of her. Delilah continued to look at her suspiciously and then she shrugged, turning around. "Whatever," she said airily. "Lets go. I''m hungry!" A few minutes later, they were on the road, on their way to the restaurant that they planned to go. It took them several minutes to arrive and another couple of minutes to find an empty parking spot. When they arrived at the restaurant, it was nearly full. With the help of the ceiling-to-floor clear windows, they were able to see the insides and they saw an empty table on the left side of the restaurant. The two women quickly entered and sat at the empty table that they saw earlier. The restaurant was lively at almost full capacity. There were a lot of people dining there in groups; most probably colleagues and friends. The servers were constantly on the go, cleaning up the tables and serving the orders over. The two women quickly placed their orders as they were hungry and worried that their food might arrive late. The two of them ordered the same dish and the same drinks. While waiting for their orders to arrive, they fell into a comfortable and idle conversation, laughing and showing each other pictures from their phones. After a few more minutes, their food still hadn''t arrived, making Delilah turn around in her seat to look at where the orders were coming in. She was worried that their food would arrive late and as a result, they might have to come to work late. Sending a worried look at Aubree, the latter immediately understood and texted Bella, informing her that they would be late coming in. And that if there was somebody who would like to see either of them, she asked Bella to take their names and numbers so that they can get back to them soon. The table that they were sitting at was actually for a group of six people. But because it was the only table left empty, they had to take it. Just as their food finally arrived, there was a couple who came in the restaurant. Seeing that the capacity in the restaurant was full, the couple was about to leave when one of them saw Delilah who looked happy that her meal had arrived. The woman gently pulled the man, guiding him to where Delilah and Aubree were sitting. When they were standing near their table, both Delilah and Aubree looked up. Delilah''s eyes widened when she recognized the couple. They were her ex lecturers from college. Although she had not had the opportunity to be taught by the man, the woman was her lecturer, who had taught her for two years. "Delilah, is that you?" the woman asked, smiling. Delilah awkwardly smiled back. "Hello Mrs. Nora and Mr. Shane," she greeted politely. "Do you mind us sitting here?" Delilah shook her head. "Sure, go ahead." She couldn''t exactly refuse when there were only two of them. "Thank you," Mrs. Nora said. She then nodded at Aubree, who nodded back. "Hello, I was Delilah''s lecturer back when she was in college." Aubree smiled politely. "I''m her supervisor at work, Aubree," she introduced herself. Mrs. Nora then cocked an eyebrow in surprise. She swept a glance at Delilah and said, "Oh ho. You''ve been doing quite well, Delilah." Delilah smiled awkwardly again. In her mind, she was furiously thinking, ''Gosh, just let me eat!'' "All thanks to your guidance and patience, Mrs. Nora," she replied back. Mrs. Nora chuckled. "Ho ho ho. Makes me wonder how much my teaching has helped you since you like to sleep in class, despite sitting at the front," she said. Delilah flushed red in embarrassment after she heard her ex lecturer''s words. Aubree tilted her head in question. And then she smiled mischievously, looking at Delilah. "So, I guess she never changed, huh?" she commented. Mrs. Nora looked at Aubree and asked in disbelief, "She''s still sleeping at work?" to which Aubree nodded. "Sometimes," the latter replied. Mrs. Nora then turned to Delilah with a disapproving frown on her face. "Delilah, that''s quite unprofessional of you," she admonished. "You''re even working in a HR department. And you''re still sleeping? You''re no longer in school, my dear." "I was only sleeping during break," Delilah mumbled but she did not dare voice out. Mrs. Nora continued to air Delilah''s dirty laundry, making Aubree blushed but Delilah to be more embarrassed. Having enough embarrassment for that day, Delilah told her ex lecturer that they will be eating their meals. Mrs. Nora nodded as she waved them away since she needed to place her orders as well. Delilah had ordered Lamian beef noodles. The broth was clear with chili oil spread on the surface of the broth. Bits of scallions also laid out on the surface of the broth, on top of the lamian noodles. Delilah took a spoon and scooped out some broth. She took a sip and thought that it was really good. It doesn''t really have that strong beef taste, rather it was more savory and a bit of spicy. The beef was thinly sliced, fanned out on the side of the bowl. She took a piece, using her chopsticks and ate it. The beef was a bit juicy and with the broth, it added more flavor to the beef stripes. Then she tasted the noodles. The noodles were handmade, stretched long and were neatly rounded in the bowl. She used her chopsticks to eat the noodles. It was quite lengthy and it took a while for Delilah to reach the end. The noodles tasted fresh, soft and chewy. She loved how it also mixed with the broth, bringing more taste to the noodles. Before she continued eating, she grabbed a bowl that contained the chili ''sambal'' [2] and added a huge spoonful of it into her broth. She swiftly mixed them up, making the broth more red, due to the sambal and the chili oil. And she took another sip and thought it was more delicious because of the spiciness. And fortunately, it does not overwhelm the beef broth. Delilah finally enjoyed her meal, without having to hear her ex lecturer ''bashing'' her down. Though, it was quite entertaining for Aubree who had been holding back her laughter all this while, listening to Delilah''s antics from Mrs. Nora. Nevertheless, it was still a pleasant lunch. Despite the embarrassment that she had from Mrs. Nora''s exposure of her, she too had a nice talk with the latter as well. It was nice to meet up with her once in a while. But not too much! ----- [1] name of noodles restaurant [2] chili sauce or paste, popular in South East Asia 83 CH83: Memory of a mother especially when it''s something that anyone can make -. pancakes, meatloaf, tuna salad - but it carries a certain taste of memory." - Mitch Albom ========================= Sunday evening. Delilah was reading a novel on her bed, with her legs up, lying on her stomach when she heard a beeping sound from her mobile phone. Placing the paperback facedown on the bed, beside her, she stretched her arm towards her bedside table to grab her phone. Grunting, she kept trying to stretch her arm but instead of being able to reach her phone, she successfully pushed the phone to the floor. Cursing out loud, she was a bit thankful that her room was carpeted or she probably would have cracked her phone. She reluctantly got up from her bed, groaning. She bent down to grab her phone which had fallen beside the bedside table. She quickly checked her phone to see whether there were any cracks and was relieved to find none. She then swiped her phone open to read the message. Apparently, it was a text message from Aubree. The text from Aubree reads, ''Hi Delilah. Sorry to text you at this late hour. And also, sorry to tell you this at a very last minute. Amy will be going on an emergency leave for a couple of days. And it seems like there''s no one to replace her at the other branch. I was wondering whether you can relieve her of her tasks for these three days? Since you know more about her tasks as well.'' Way before Amy was hired, Delilah used to work at the other branch and she was the one who trained Amy with the admin works. Hence, it was the right move of Aubree to ask Delilah about this. Delilah tilted her head thoughtfully as she pondered on. Recently, her sister has been having her lunch at their dad''s restaurant after picking up her son from school. The restaurant used to be a joint partnership between their parents. But after their mother had passed away, the restaurant was fully owned by their father. The restaurant was an Indian style restaurant where they specialized in curry, roti and other Indian cuisines. Because Miya''s son loved to eat roti there, they usually had their lunch there. Many times Delilah wanted to join but because the restaurant was more than thirty minutes drive, which includes the traffic time, she had to miss out the fun. But now, she probably could join them. The other branch of the Kang company was actually near her dad''s restaurant. In fact, it was only a few minutes walk away. Not noticing an evil smirk appearing on her face, Delilah rubbed her chin gleefully. She then quickly replied ''Alright'' to Aubree''s text. She placed her phone back on her bedside table and flopped back down on her bed. Lying on her stomach, she reached out for her paperback and continued to read. As she drove her way to the other branch, she felt like the day was going to be great. Not only was the weather great; not too hot and there was no sign of rain coming, the traffic was smooth as well. Did Delilah once say that the other branch office was near to her house, compared to the headquarters? No? You readers must have forgotten about it. After parking her car at a designated parking lot, Delilah grabbed her things from the car. Other than her work bag, she also brought along her large water bottle, tumbler which contained hot green tea, her lunch bag and computer bag. Walking towards the office building, she was really quite a sight to see. There were so many things on her body that an employee from her office could not help but took a pity on her and tried to help. However, Delilah shook her head, smiling, rejecting his help. She does not feel comfortable with strangers holding her personal things, even if he was someone from the office. She thanked him for opening the door for her. Since the office was actually on the first floor, she had to climb the stairs to get to the office. It was fortunate that there weren''t many people working at this branch, compared to the headquarters. As mentioned before, the only departments that were in the other branch were the General Affairs department, Logistics department and the Safety department. For the three days, Delilah would be working in the General Affairs department, where Amy''s department was. And since she would be relieving Amy''s tasks, she would be working at the front desk. Unpacking her things and arranging her things on the table, she made herself comfortable. Once she was done placing all her personal things on the table, people walking past the front desk would probably think she might stay there forever with so many things there. She was about to look for any notes that Amy might have left for her to see when Howard walked in through the office. Noticing Delilah sitting behind the front desk, he walked over with a huge smile. "Delilah! Long time no see!" he greeted. Looking up with a smile, Delilah greeted back. But when she saw what he was wearing, she inwardly cringed before forcing another smile on her face. "Hey Howard! How are you?" That morning, Howard was wearing a bright yellow shirt with green flowery design on the bottom of the shirt. He was also wearing light cream slacks, which only made him more bright. Delilah does not know how he was able to dress himself in that. "I''m doing good. Are you here to relieve Amy?" he asked, leaning against the front desk. Delilah nodded. "Yes, I''m just trying to find my balance now," she said, chuckling as she rummaged around the area to look for a note of tasks. Howard grinned. "Then I''ll leave you to it. See you later," he said, waving as he headed over to his office. Delilah nodded again. "See you!" It took her a few minutes to familiarise herself with the things around. Though it was expected that as soon as the office opened, they would be busy, including Delilah. And the work that she had done in just one morning was enough to keep her on her toes. While she was working, she did not forget to text her sister whether she would be eating at their dad''s restaurant. It took nearly an hour before she received a reply from Miya, who replied ''yes''. Delilah quickly replied back that she would be joining them and that Miya should text her back once they were on their way to the restaurant. At least, she would be able to estimate what time she should leave the office. After getting another confirmation from Miya, she returned to her work. Glancing up at the wall clock, she noticed there was still another hour to lunch time so she should be able to finish some tasks here. Amy was working as a receptionist/admin so there were a lot of tasks that she had to do. And being today as the first day of the week, Delilah felt it was a miracle that she was not overwhelmed by all these. Probably because she doesn''t mind being busy. Other than updating the heads of departments and supervisors on upcoming meetings, she also had to handle enquiries and arrange schedule training dates, tasks from her HR duties. Although there were some tasks that she could not finish at that time, since she had to wait for the other recipients'' replies, she decided to put that off in the afternoon, after she returned from lunch. Looking up at the wall clock, she saw that it was nearly lunch time. She then looked over at her phone, there was still no text message from her sister. But knowing that they should be on their way, she decided to try her luck and call her. She frowned when her call was rejected. Before she could send a text message, asking whether they had left, a text message came in, instead. She inwardly rolled her eyes when she saw that it was a picture message from her sister, with a picture of some food and the caption reads, ''We''re here''. Delilah quickly tidied her things around the desk. She took some of her personal items and locked them in a drawer. She then walked out of the office, following the other employees who were on their way to lunch, as well Some waved hello at her and some even invited her to lunch. But Delilah politely rejected their invitations, saying that she already had lunch plans. Walking out of the office and onto the main street, she walked for a few minutes before finally reaching her dad''s restaurant. The restaurant was nearly crowded with patrons who came there for lunch. Chatters and loud merriment resounded throughout the place, making the atmosphere lively and busy. There were waitresses and waiters walking here and there, serving and taking orders. Some of them recognized Delilah as the boss'' daughter as they greeted her ''hello''. Those who did not know looked at her curiously but welcomed her politely as well. She looked around for her sister and nephew. Luckily, a friendly waitress who recognized her, too, knew who she was looking for as she pointed in the right direction. Thanking the waitress, Delilah followed the direction and saw her two family members already enjoying their meal. Sitting across them, she accepted the menu given to her by the same waitress who followed her. Noticing someone was sitting across them, Kael looked up and grinned. "Aunt Dee!" he exclaimed happily. "What are you doing here?" he asked. "Nothing. Just sitting here, looking at you," Delilah replied sarcastically while reading the menu. Kael stared at her with an ''o'' on his mouth. His hands were still tearing the roti up as he ate. Miya glared at Delilah. "Stop teasing your nephew," she scolded. Delilah shrugged. She then ordered her meal. While she was waiting for her meal to arrive, she chatted with her sister, talking about things at work and home. Her nephew continued to eat his roti with his hands as he watched a cartoon from his mother''s mobile phone. Few minutes later, her food arrived. She had ordered Indian chicken korma [1] with rice. She loved the aroma of the korma. It smells delicious and the gravy was thick and creamy. She picked up her dining utensils and cut through the chicken. The chicken was still hot as steam can be seen coming out from the meat. Even though the chicken korma has a lot of spices in it, it does not taste spicy. Rather, it was very flavourful, rich in tastes and seasoning. She mixed the gravy together with the rice, watching how the rice mixed well with the sauce. She took a bite and moaned inwardly, savouring the delight of the taste. She loved how the rice became flavourful with the sauce. The chicken was juicy and tender as well. Together with the gravy, it added more taste and zest to the chicken. She swiped parts of the chicken meat to the gravy and ate it. As she continued to eat, she suddenly recalled her late mother. Chicken korma was one of her specialty dishes. Although the chicken korma that she was currently eating was delicious, it does not beat her mother''s cooking. Looking at how wistful she suddenly looked, Miya frowned in confusion. "What''s wrong?" she asked. Delilah smiled ruefully as she ate. "I just thought of mom." Miya too smiled sadly. No matter how many years she had passed on, one could never forget the taste of a mother''s cooking. ----- [1] creamy chicken dish from India. 84 CH84: A surprise for Aubree that can''t be cured by breakfast food." - Ron Swanson ========================= There were times when Firah would text Delilah up to invite her for lunch. And because the former only has an hour lunch break, they usually had their lunch at a food court that was near Firah''s workplace. One morning, since Amy was still on her leave, Delilah was reading a report that had been given to her by Howard. She was absorbed in reading that she did not notice that there was a message notification from her mobile phone. It was until someone called her on her mobile phone that she was brought back to reality. She was about to answer the call when the ringing stopped. Frowning, she grabbed her phone, nonetheless, and looked to see who was calling her. She was surprised to see that it was Firah. It was then she realized that the latter had actually texted her and that she probably was impatient that she gave Delilah a missed call. Chuckling to herself, she swiped open the message. Firah: ''Yo, are we still on for later? The Brekkie House? [1]'' Delilah: ''What''s later? Brekkie House?'' Firah: ''Aren''t we going for lunch? :sadpout: [2]'' Delilah: ''I know I mentioned next week but I didn''t say it was today.'' Firah: :cries: ''Aw! So when, then?'' Delilah: ''Let me ask Aubree first. Today should be fine, I guess.'' Firah: ''Yes please! Oh yeah, are we still on for celebrating Aubree''s birthday?'' Delilah: ''Sure, why not?'' Firah: ''There''s a small bakery at my office. And they sell cakes too. I can buy them and we half-half the price?'' Delilah: ''Sure, I''m okay with that''. The two continued their conversation until they said goodbye to each other, saying they will see each other later. Delilah immediately texted Aubree asking her about whether she was free for lunch later, who also quickly answered, yes. Once everything had settled, Delilah continued with her work. After reading the report, she typed another report, cross-referencing each document, making a new report. There were a lot of people coming in and out of the office. One of them being Howard. As usual, he was wearing one of his bright coloured shirts, together with his dazzling gold-rimmed glasses. Delilah had to squint her eyes first before being able to look at him properly. The day was quite hectic. Probably because it has been a while since she had manned the front desk, she never noticed how busy Amy can be. It had been years since she worked as an admin or receptionist. She was usually busy in the office upstairs so she would never know the situation was like downstairs. Bella probably experienced this kind of strenuous work twice more than Amy, since she was in the headquarters. While replying to the text messages, she also had to entertain the guests who came to meet with the employees here. Again, it was quite frantic. She did not even have the time to sit down and rest. And it''s not even lunch time yet! Delilah sighed as she sadly glanced at the wall clock. There was another few minutes left until lunch time and she has yet to complete her task. Stretching her arms up, she bent her waist from side to side, drawing amused glances from the people around her. Howard had just come out of his office, about to go for his lunch when he saw Delilah stretching. He lightly chuckled and called out to her, "Aren''t you going for lunch?" Delilah nodded. "I will, in just a few minutes!" she replied. After she was done stretching, she quickly tidied up her place and rearranged her things. She then shot a quick message to both Aubree and Firah, telling them that she had just left the office and was on her way to the Brekkie House. Both promptly replied, ''Sure, see you there!'' and ''Okay!'' respectively. Delilah quickly grabbed her things and then went out of the office. She went straight to her car and drove out of the parking lot. It was unsure as to why the traffic was smooth that day since it was always jammed, especially during lunch time. But she has no complaints about that as she was grateful for the easy drive. The parking spot that she had found was a few blocks away from the restaurant so she would need to walk to get to the place. After crossing the road, she finally arrived at the restaurant. The restaurant itself was quite big, taking up two units of the building. The entrance decoration looked welcoming where it was decorated with little colorful flag banners and paper flowers. Opening the door to the restaurant, the atmosphere inside was bustling with life and cheerful chaos. But despite the noises, it was kind of soothing, giving one a comfortable feeling. Giving a smile to the hostess, Delilah just went inside and began to look for Firah and Aubree. They had just texted her earlier when she was parking the car that they had arrived and were waiting for her inside. With a sweep glance over the patroning customers, she saw them sitting together at the near corner of the restaurant. She quickly walked over and sat down. The two of them were chatting with one another and did not notice that Delilah had arrived. Though when she sat down, only then they looked up and greeted her with a smile and hello. Delilah took the menu, handed by the hostess, who had followed her to the table and thanked her. The hostess left the table, leaving Delilah to take her time, choosing her meal. "Have you two ordered yet?" Delilah asked. Firah nodded while Aubree said yes. Delilah swiftly skimmed through the menu before deciding on the All-day Breakfast meal. She held up her hand to call for the waitress. Soon after, a waitress appeared beside Delilah, a notepad and a pen in her hand. "Hello. May I take your order?" the waitress asked. Delilah smiled up at her and voiced out her order, to which the waitress quickly wrote it down. And once the former was done with her order, the waitress thanked her and said that she would quickly return back with her meal. The three of them then began their conversation with Firah telling how she has been, how the work at her new place seems so different and more stressful compared to Kang Company. She then asked Delilah and Aubree what was happening in Kang Company; was there any stories to share and whatnot. While they were talking, Firah and Aubree''s food and drinks had arrived. Delilah gestured to them to just eat since hers haven''t arrived yet. She doesn''t mind waiting since it was logical that hers would arrive late when they had ordered their meal before she came. The three women continued talking while Firah and Aubree ate their food. Shortly after, Delilah''s food had arrived. The plate was huge that it nearly took much of her table space. On the plate, there were sausages, two pieces of toast, grilled tomatoes, two pieces of hashed browns and scrambled egg. Aubree frowned when she saw Delilah''s food. "You sure that''s going to fill your stomach?" she asked, a look of uncertain on her face. Delilah rolled her eyes as she stabbed a sausage with her fork. She took a bite and the taste of slightly burned sausage filled her mouth. She liked that smoky taste when grilling meat, especially sausages and steak. The sausage tasted nice where the taste of beef was not too overwhelming yet juicy. The juice of the meat oozed out from where Delilah had bite it. After she ate the sausage, she then took a piece of toast and carefully arranged the scrambled egg on top of it, making it an egg sandwich. The egg was fluffy and soft, just the way she likes it. She poured ketchup on top of the egg and took a bite. The fluffy egg tasted creamy and melted in her mouth when she ate it. The toast gave an additional crunch to the taste with a slightly toasted flavour. The ketchup was a bit sweet which made the whole sandwich delicious. The other two women looked at Delilah as they watched her enjoyed her food. Firah chuckled when she turned her head to Aubree. "Looking at her eating them makes me regret ordering this," she said, still giggling. She had ordered eggs benedict with smoked salmon. "Me too," Aubree agreed, smiling as well. She, on the other hand, had ordered fried noodles with chicken. They continued to enjoy their meal as they talked with one another. After they were done eating, Firah gave a look at Delilah, to which the latter nodded. Firah then turned to grab something from her recycle bag which was placed on an empty seat beside her. She took out a box and placed it in front of a surprised Aubree. Aubree''s eyes widened. "What''s this?" she asked, pointing at the box. Obviously, it was a cake box but she was clueless as to why Firah gave it to her. Both Firah and Delilah grinned. "Open it," Delilah urged. Aubree carefully opened the box and her eyes widened once more. Inside was a beautiful small cake, with wording, ''Happy belated birthday, Aubree!'' Aubree was touched. She grinned at them and thanked them. Firah giggled. "We didn''t want to hand it to them because we knew that you''d feel shy when they sing happy birthday to you. Hope this is alright?" Aubree nodded furiously. "It is! Thank you so much!" she said again. She quickly grabbed her phone and took a picture of her cake. "Here''s to wishing you a long life and happiness ahead of you, Aubree!" the other two women wished. "Ameen!" ----- [1] name of a restaurant. [2] supposedly an emoji. 85 CH85: Enjoy life with spice! That''s what human life is all about - enjoying things." - Julia Child ========================= Delilah had just arrived at the office when she saw something amiss. It was still 8 o''clock in the morning and usually it was quiet since people had just started arriving at work. But that day, it seems like the atmosphere at the office felt busy and buzzing. It makes Delilah who was not used to this kind of atmosphere so early in the morning a bit curious. Walking over to the reception, instead of going straight up, she was surprised once more to see that there wasn''t anyone at the desk. As a receptionist, Bella should be at her desk before office hours started to greet the other employees and whatnot. Seeing no one was around, she looked around again. Just then, she heard hurried footsteps coming from her left side. She looked over and saw Bella rushing over to her. "Good morning, Delilah. Can I help you?" Bella asked when she got to her desk. Delilah shook her head. "Nothing. Are you busy already? You seem like you''re in a rush," she commented. Bella forced out a small laugh as she tuck a strand of her hair behind her ear. "You could say that," she said. "The bosses will be here." Delilah''s eyes widened in surprise. "Bosses as in¡­ Matt and Sheila? I did not know Sheila is in the country," she said. Bella gave her a strained smile. "Yeah, we''ve actually been busy since yesterday." "Demanding, huh?" "Dee-finitely!" Delilah laughed. After a quick small talk with Bella, she went up to her office. Inside the HR department office floor, most of her colleagues were already in their cubicle, hard at work. It seems that they received the ''hidden'' message, telling them that the bosses would be in the office soon. Hence why they were all hardworking. Delilah snickered as she walked past a couple of cubicles before reaching hers. She placed her work bag and handbag on her table and began unpacking her things. After she had settled in, she grabbed her tumbler and a packet of green tea and went to the pantry to get some hot water. There wasn''t anyone in the pantry so it was quite quiet. Seeing that there wasn''t any hot water, she began to boil some. She sat down on the chair there and began to fiddle with her mobile phone while waiting for the water to boil. A few minutes later, she walked out of the pantry with her hot green tea inside her tumbler in her hand. She went straight for her cubicle when she heard her name being called. She turned around and saw Amy approaching her with a smile. Delilah smiled back. "Hey, what are you doing here?" she asked. Amy was the admin at the other branch and she hardly went to the headquarters unless she was called over. Delilah cocked an eyebrow. "Oh?" she said. Amy nodded. "Yeah, I''m not sure what they were going to talk about. But probably something about the management or something," she answered airly. Before Amy could continue talking, there were sounds of hurried footsteps coming from outside the room. Both Delilah and Amy turned around and saw Bella and Aubree rushing over with piles of papers in their arms. Aubree saw Amy and immediately approached her. She then pushed the piles of papers towards Amy and said, "Here, please help me pass this around later. Matt and Sheila will be arriving soon and I''m needed downstairs to greet them." Amy quickly nodded. With a wave of goodbye to Delilah, she ran towards the meeting area to help set up and prepare the meeting. Aubree turned to Delilah, who was looking at them curiously and asked, "Are you busy?" Delilah turned to her and swiftly put her tumbler closer to her mouth, blowing on the hot liquid and said, "Oh yes. Very very busy." Aubree narrowed her eyes at her suspiciously. Delilah looked at her and frowned back. "What? I am very busy," she argued. "Busy with what?" Aubree asked. Because from what she had recalled, Delilah doesn''t have any work at the moment, other than rechecking the previous months'' reports and to wait for the analysis reports from other departments. "Busy with drinking," Delilah mumbled, her words muffled due to her mouth covered by the tumbler. Aubree leaned closer, her hand cupping her ear, saying, "What did you say?" "Imbusywithdrinkingsogoodbye," Delilah quickly replied in one word before rushing towards her cubicle. But before she could reach her cubicle, her arm was grabbed from behind. It was fortunate that her tumbler was on her other hand, not the one that was grabbed. Or else, hot liquid may spill. "Come with me," Aubree said as she dragged the other woman. "Hey hey!" Delilah protested. In the end, there was nothing Delilah could do but to accompany Aubree to greeting the two bosses who were on their way to the office. After a short pleasant conversation between the four, Aubree led them to the meeting room where Amy and the other employees from the General Affairs and the Marketing department were waiting. Since Delilah was not involved with the meeting, she could only discreetly wave goodbye at Aubree behind the two bosses'' backs with a mischievous smile on her face. The meeting went on and on. There were times where two of the admins went out of the room to grab some refreshments and brought them inside. And the meeting continued on. And from the rigid looks on their faces, Delilah could tell how the meeting was like. There weren''t any loud voices but she could still feel the tension from where she was sitting. It was close to lunch time when Delilah started to arrange her things on her table. She decided to have her lunch at the office cafeteria, instead of going out since she was too lazy to drive. And she doesn''t want to order takeout since the delivery charges for one meal are outrageous. While she was grabbing her phone and purse, the door to the meeting room suddenly opened. Everyone outside the meeting room looked up and watched as the two bosses walked out of the room, a grim look on their faces. Delilah could not hear what Sheila was saying to Aubree but she could tell that it was quite serious, seeing how sombre Aubree looked. And it looked as if Aubree would just nod and listen while Sheila shot comments at her. It made Delilah curious. Just how bad was the situation during the meeting? Just as they walked past Delilah''s cubicle, Aubree shot her a look, giving a sign, her eyes going down signalling her. Delilah nodded, understanding what Aubree wanted. After the three people left the room, more people walked out of the meeting room. Delilah looked over and saw Amy among the people walking out. With a forced smile on her face, Amy just nodded at her and left. It seems like she does not have the mood to talk about what had happened. Guess she could only ask Aubree about it. Few minutes later, Delilah was standing in front of the entrance to the office cafeteria when she saw Aubree walking into the office. Aubree was looking down at her mobile phone and when she was close to the cafeteria, she looked up. She then saw Delilah standing alone and waved at her. Delilah waved back and waited for the other woman to approach her. Together they walked in the cafeteria. Unlike the other days, that day, the cafeteria was unusually quiet with only a few tables being filled in. it was weird to find the cafeteria this quiet, especially during lunch time, which was why Delilah commented on this to Aubree. Aubree looked around and nodded in understanding. She then told Delilah that probably most people here went out to lunch because they got stressed out from the meeting earlier and they just wanted to get out of the office. Delilah then asked, "Was it that bad?" "We''ll talk about it later," Aubree replied. "Let''s get some food first." Delilah nodded. The two women quickly queued to order their food. Delilah decided to eat ''Wet Kuey Teow noodles with chicken'' [1]. Once they had placed their order, they went to grab their seats, which was easy, considering that the cafeteria was nearly empty. While they were waiting for their food, Delilah immediately looked at Aubree with narrowed eyes and an expression that said, ''Okay, tell me!''. Aubree pretended not to notice Delilah as she carefully placed her phones and purse on the table. Delilah rolled her eyes and with a look of impatience on her face, she knocked on the table and said, "Heeeellllooooo?" Aubree laughed when the other woman kept frowning at her. "Alright, alright," she said, trying to calm Delilah down. She then began to tell her what happened during the meeting, or at least, a brief summary of what had happened. The more she talked, the more troubled Delilah''s expression became. After Aubree was done talking, Delilah began to explode. "The feck was that?" she exclaimed. "Okay, I get it that Amy did a bad thing for not constantly replying to her text and whatnot. But she did not have to say that to her face, saying that she would not congratulate her on her new job position. She could have just kept quiet! And the feck with why do Amy not ask her any questions? And why does she keep asking you and Matt? Isn''t it obvious? She''s not always in the country and at most, she would be like, a month or two in the country. How would she know the ongoing and whatnot in the company? And in the end, everyone knows that she would be asking you and Matt. So, why would Amy waste her time asking her when she can straight away ask you two?" Delilah fumed. The ''she'' she was referring to was one of their bosses, Sheila. "And why does it seem like she''s picking on Amy a lot? What''s her deal?" Delilah continued, scowling. Aubree cupped her chin with her palm and said, "No idea. I guessed that she''s just frustrated." "I understand that Matt wouldn''t want to be involved in this talk because he''s probably worried that his wife might scold him again at home, accusing him for backing his employees, instead of her." Aubree just chuckled. "This is why it''s hard to do a business for husband and wife, you know," Delilah commented. Aubree cocked an eyebrow. "Didn''t your parents co-owned a restaurant?" she asked, curiously. Delilah nodded. "They did. But back then, dad wasn''t involved in it much since he has his other job. Mom was the big boss. But now that mom has passed away, dad took over." "Anyway, and she wanted to introduce a daycare here?" Delilah continued, now in disbelief. Aubree snorted and nodded. "How the feck is that related to the company?" "She said since there are married employees here with kids. We can take that opportunity to open up a daycare so the employees here can send their kids here as well." Delilah leaned against her seat, her arms crossed across her chest. "That''s one of the most ridiculous ideas I have ever heard in my entire life!" she declared. "One of?" Delilah nodded. "Yeah, there''s a lot of stupid stuffs and this one is one of them." Aubree laughed. "Seriously, Bree. To open up a daycare here is not easy. First thing first, we need to get a license. A business license for it. It''s not the same as the one we currently have and it shouldn''t be shared. Secondly, we need the people. Does she expect the admin to babysit them? Oh god. And thirdly, the authorities would be checking the place. This is not a place for daycare!" Delilah continued, her finger tapping furiously on the table. Aubree sighed. "Yeah, but you know her. She has high expectations and dreams." "Girl, this is reality! Be realistic!" The two women continued to talk and a few minutes later, their food arrived. Usually, they have to grab their food themselves but probably because there weren''t many people around, their food was sent over. Looking at the huge plate filled with chicken and egg gravy, Delilah could not wait to dig in. Using a fork, she scooped up the flat noodles and tried to eat. Because the gravy was so thick, it was also slippery that it can easily slide out from the fork. With a pout, Delilah changed her utensil to a spoon and began to scoop the noodles and eat it. The egg gravy with the noodle tasted savoury and not too rich. It has that glassy texture with a hint of oyster sauce. The noodles were fried first before being added to the gravy, which gave a smoky charred taste to the noodle. The chicken, though, was cut into smaller pieces, making it easier to chew on. And because it was cooked together with the gravy, it did not have that fried taste, rather, it tasted like it was steamed; soft and tender. The juice from the chicken was added to the gravy, making it taste more delicious. Delilah grabbed a bottle of soy sauce and a spoonful of cut chilis. She poured a good amount of soy sauce in her noodles and dumped the chilis after that. Aubree cocked an eyebrow when she saw Delilah''s actions. "You like it spicy, huh?" Delilah looked up with a grin. "You just gotta enjoy life with spice!" ----- [1] Flat rice noodle 86 CH86: A slice of cake brush away the tiredness or the slowest form of medicine." - Ann Wicmore ========================= As December slowly approaches, the work at the Kang Company was also slowly declining as most people had quickly done their work just so that they could book an early vacation. Although it was not encouraged to have many people get an early start to book their vacation since the office was still open, some would protest that they would want to spend their time with their family since their children had a school holiday as well. Delilah dislikes people like these. Just because they have children, it was as if they were entitled to book their vacation so early, without thinking about their other colleagues, who might need those dates as well. Even though Delilah was not married yet, it was not as if she has no family commitments as she still has her father and other siblings. And some of the employees in the Kang Company knew that they shouldn''t use the ''I have children, pity me'' card when they booked for vacation dates, especially for the end of the month. Delilah would look at them with mockery in her eyes and talk sarcastically at them if they did that to her. Delilah was finalizing the dates requested by the employees from each department regarding their leave when Fawkes walked over to her cubicle. After knocking on the wall of her cubicle, he grabbed a seat from nearby and sat down behind Delilah. She did not know that Fawkes was behind her, hovering and keeping quiet, hence why she continued to read the papers, oblivious to the waiting young man. Because she had been absorbed in reading the papers, she did not like to be disturbed. In short, she was in the ''zone'' that cannot be interrupted. After a few minutes, Delilah decided to take a break and turned around in her seat. She had a fright when she suddenly saw Fawkes'' face in front of her that she stifled her light scream. She immediately smacked him on the arm and admonished him for frightening her. Fawkes scratched the back of his head awkwardly, giving her a sheepish smile. "What are you doing here?" Delilah asked as she leaned back against her seat, giving a bit of space between them. Fawkes leaned closer, his hands on his knees and his voice very soft. "Hey," he whispered. "I heard you''re finalizing the dates for the leave." Delilah narrowed her eyes at him suspiciously. "Yeaaaa¡­" she said, dragging her words. "I know I''ve already submitted mine but I need to change my dates again," Fawkes said softly. "No can do." The young man''s eyes widened. Delilah did not have to think twice as she immediately rejected his plea. "But why?" he asked. "Because it has been finalized." "If I did that, I have to cross check everything again from the beginning to ensure the dates won''t clash." "What if I found someone to exchange with?" Delilah looked at him, her eyebrows raised. "Did you?" she asked, in doubt. Fawkes then looked dejected as he looked down at his hands. "Not really." She shrugged and turned back again. "Sorry, can''t help you. I don''t have the final say, anyway," she said airly, her back to him. The young man let out a sigh before getting up and leaving the cubicle. A few hours had passed and it was already past lunchtime. Because of the slightly busy schedule Delilah has at that moment, working on the leave report, she only had her lunch at the office cafeteria. She did not want to waste more time by going out of the office to have lunch when she can eat at the office. Before the office hours have ended, she finally was done with the report and was about to go over to Aubree to submit the papers when she saw Fawkes talking to a couple of their colleagues near the pantry. When Delilah looked over, probably sensing someone was watching them, the three of them looked over. Delilah then saw a flash of guilt on Fawkes'' face before it disappeared. The three of them just waved at her before continuing their conversation. Delilah frowned, feeling something amiss. When Delilah arrived at Aubree''s cubicle, she was surprised to see the woman had her head in her hands, looking haggard and tired. Delilah knocked on the wall of the cubicle softly, feeling a bit worried that she might disturb the other woman. Aubree looked up and there were stress lines on the corner of her eyes. "Whoa, Aubree," Delilah exclaimed. "You don''t look so good. What happened?" she asked bluntly. Aubree let out a long sigh before saying, "Ugh, I didn''t sleep last night." "Didn''t you get some rest during lunch time?" Aubree looked at her with wide eyes. "Lunchtime is over?" Delilah nodded. "It??s already two in the afternoon now." Aubree rubbed her hand over her tired face. "Ugh, I missed lunch." Delilah walked closer in her cubicle and tried to peered in to see what the other woman had been working on. There were lots of statistics reports and others laid on top of her table with more stacks of papers stacked up on the side, near the monitor. "What are those?" Delilah asked. Aubree turned to look at where Delilah was pointing at and let out another sigh. "These are the works that Howard had left so I''m reviewing them all over again." "You mean, basically you are cleaning up his sh*t," Delilah said bluntly. The other woman could only smile weakly at her. Delilah grabbed some of the reports and said to her, "Let me help you." Aubree''s eyes widened and she quickly shook her head. "No, no, it''s alright," she said, rejecting Delilah''s help. Delilah frowned. "It''s fine. It''s just reviewing and cross-checking, right? I''ve done this before when I helped with Howard a few months back. Unless this is something confidential?" she said, unsure. Aubree let out a light chuckle. "Nah, this is fine. You sure?" she asked back. Delilah nodded as she took the papers from Aubree, reading them. She then looked at the other woman and said, "I''m also done with the leave report." "Any changes?" Delilah shook her head. "Not that I know of, why?" "I heard Fawkes want to change his dates with Sophia," Aubree said, referring to one of the HR employees. "Did he tell you?" Delilah shook her head once more. "I don''t think so. But then again, I don''t think we can change it now since it has already been finalized. We''ve already given them time to choose the dates," she said. "Even so, do you think it''s possible?" Aubree asked again. "I''m sure it won''t affect much." Delilah kept quiet at first as she thought of the possibilities. Then she said, "I guess it''s fine since the both of them are from the HR department." They continued their small talk before Delilah said goodbye to the other woman, bringing along with her a stack of papers to work on. And just as she was about to leave, Delilah did not forget to remind her to get some rest whenever she can. On her way to her cubicle, she saw Fawkes still talking with the other two. Delilah cocked an eyebrow at them. Seeing the displeased look on her face, they smiled awkwardly and said goodbye to each other. Fawkes then walked over to Delilah. "Did you meet with Aubree?" he asked. Delilah stared at him first before she answered, "Yes." "Did she say anything?" he asked again, beating around the bush. Delilah rolled her eyes and then said, "Yes, I did. And yes, you can change your leave with Sophia but the dates won''t change in the system so it''s between you and her. Make sure your schedule with her doesn''t clash as in, if you are meeting someone, make sure it''s not on both of those dates so there won''t be any confusion." Fawkes nodded as he broke into a huge grin. "Thanks!" Delilah narrowed her eyes at him suspiciously. "Why are admanent in wanting these dates at the last minute?" she asked curiously. The young man scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "Uh, I have a last minute dance class." Delilah nodded in understanding. "I see." From what she recalled, Fawkes actually teaches dance classes after work and during his leave days as his side job. After warning him to not make any repeated mistakes, Delilah went back to her cubicle to continue working on Aubree''s task. When the clock hit five o''clock, Delilah quickly packed her things. After saying goodbye to her colleagues, she went straight to the parking lot to her car. Instead of going straight home, she went to the nearest cafe as she was dying to eat some sweets. The nearest cafe wasn''t that far at all. It was only a few minutes drive from her office. It was actually a new cafe that just opened a couple of months ago. She has been meaning to go there but did not have the time. The cafe looked quaint, rather like a typical cute cafe, with cake displays and little chairs and tables. The atmosphere inside was cosy with a soft classical music being played in the background. It was not crowded with only a couple of tables being occupied. Before going to grab a table, Delilah went to the cake display, looking over at what cakes they were offering. There were many cakes being displayed; chocolate crepe cake, red velvet cake, crepe cake, black forest cake, carrot cake and more. Although all of the cakes looked yummy, she chose a slice of Victoria Sponge Cake, in the end. Once she had placed her orders, she went to grab a seat that was on the corner, a bit quiet and secluded. Soon after, her orders arrived. Other than a slice of Victoria Sponge Cake, she had ordered a cup of hot chocolate as well. Cutting through the sponge, it felt soft under her fork. And when she took a bite, she could taste the lovely buttery and soft sponge cake. The fillings were a mixture of sweet and sour as it was mixed with buttercream and raspberry jam. The slice of cake looked pretty even after being cut with buttercream in between the two sponge and the raspberry jam dripping down the sponge. She liked how the sponge easily melted in her mouth, bursting out with the flavours and how light and fluffy it was. 87 CH87: Appreciating family time eveals your character." - Anthony Bourdain ========================= It was a Tuesday morning where the sun was shining brightly in the sky, sending a warm breeze throughout the streets, outside Delilah''s office. It was quite hot that even the wind felt hot as well. And other than thinking that she was grateful for being in an air conditioned building, she also thought how great that her laundry that was drying outside in the sun at her house would dry very nicely. She was playing a game on her mobile phone while at the same time, chatting with her friends in discordance. In short, she was relaxing in her cubicle as if there wasn''t any stack of papers waiting to be reviewed and checked on her table. Although it was the holiday month of December and there were many works to be done, it did not stop Delilah from relaxing. She already did lots of work and also assisted Aubree with Howard''s little sh*ts so she believed that she deserved some time at the office to slack off a bit. She was still playing and chatting when the clock hit ten thirty o''clock in the morning. And it does not look like she was stopping at any time soon. Aubree, who had walked past by her cubicle a couple of times, only swept a glance at her and did not reprimanded her for not doing her work. In discordance, her friends were talking about their usual topic, food and beauty products. There was another new member named ''kawaii'' in their discordance server whom Delilah and aistitch, another close discordance friend of Delilah''s, were close with. It was probably because the three of them were at the same age range and have similar interests which were food and beauty products. Of course. Kawaii was good at baking where she told the two women that she usually bakes every weekend. She gave them advice on the methods, type of ingredients and pans. For Delilah, this was interesting since she had never baked bread before. She was so absorbed into chatting that she did not realize more than an hour had passed. She quickly said her goodbyes and looked around her with a guilty look on her face. Seeing that no one was paying her any attention, she turned to her table where a stack of papers were piled up next to her monitor. She took a paper from the stack and let out a sigh. It was then she saw a paper sticking out from the stack. Curious, she pulled it out carefully. She began to read the content and a frown appeared on her face. ''What the feck?'' she thought in disbelief. It was a budget report sent by Howard, where he wanted to get an approval from the Finance department for the end of the year party at the beach with catering and games. He had proposed a budget of over one thousand dollars. The thing was that it was way over budget. It reminded Delilah of their previous office party. A couple of minutes later, she received a reply where the first sentence of the message reads, ''Hahahaha!''. Then Delilah continued to read and groaned inwardly. Apparently, Aubree had already planned to reject it but she just wanted to tease Delilah by sending the report over for a laugh. Delilah quickly stabbed a reply saying that it did not make her laugh, rather it made her stressed out, instead. Aubree just replied with another ''Hahaha''. Setting the paper aside, Delilah continued to check the other papers. There were a lot of papers to be reviewed and seeing that it was the end of the month, she also had to check each employees'' performances, as to whether they were qualified to receive a bonus. It took her a long time to cross check and look over at the perspective supervisors'' reports as well. She wasn''t even done with one department employee list when lunch time had passed. Again, she was so absorbed in doing her work that she did not realize that lunch time was over until she could feel her stomach grumbling. She looked up at the wall clock and was surprised to see that lunch time was indeed over. Seeing the neverending piles of papers on her table, she felt it would be a shame if she did not finish at least half of them. She did not mind not going for lunch since she still has some bread buns in her stash, inside her drawer. Aubree had passed by her cubicle and was surprised that the other woman was still in her cubicle, though, this time, she was working, instead of slacking off. She knocked on Delilah''s cubicle wall, asking whether she wanted to go for lunch or not. But the other woman had shook her head, saying that she has work to do and she probably would go eat after work. Aubree then left Delilah alone to do her work as she continued on to her own cubicle. Hours have passed and the clock finally hit the end of office hours. Everyone on the HR department floor immediately went to pack their things, getting ready to go home. Delilah rearranged the papers on her table and went to place the pile of papers in a secure folder before locking it inside a cupboard, since it was all confidential papers. It was after five thirty o''clock in the evening when she was finally done with arranging the papers and locking them up. Just as she walked down the stairs to the lobby, there was a text message coming in her phone. She took it out from her handbag and saw that it was a message from her sister, saying that the family was out for dinner and that she should come over, straight after work. Unfortunately for Delilah, it was unsure whether she was careless or in a rush or just plain lazy, she did not read the full message. Her eyes only took note of the name of the restaurant and time. So, she immediately drove her way to the restaurant that was mentioned in the message. When she arrived there and went into the restaurant, she became confused. She could not see any of her family inside. After sweeping another glance through the place, she called her sister, asking where they were. She groaned inwardly when she realized that she went to the wrong branch. She was about to tell her sister that she would go home and just to let them takeaway her meal. But then she groaned inwardly again when her sister said that their father would be waiting for her so she better come. So, the only thing she could do was get back to her car and drive towards the correct branch. Luckily, it took her less than half an hour to arrive at the restaurant. The restaurant was a bit smaller, compared to the one she went to earlier. And there were less chairs and tables as if it could only accommodate a small number of patrons. Inside, at the long table, she saw her family sitting, eating, through a glass window. Clearly they have been eating for some time by the looks of their nearly empty plates. And she saw one dish still looked as if it was just served. She presumed that it must be hers. Walking into the restaurant, there were other patrons with their family. It was normal to see a scene like this in the restaurant since it was a family restaurant. When she came in, her brothers and sister looked up while her nephew shouted her name, sounding happy. There was an empty seat next to her father, with the food being placed there. She sat there and began to eat. Her sister had ordered ''Buttermilk Chicken with Rice'' for her. Basically, it''s chicken that was fried together with cream and milk sauce, served with white rice. The sauce cream of the buttermilk tasted rich and velvety with a hint of hot and curry. This was because the sauce cream was usually cooked with curry leaves and chili peppers, adding more flavour and tang to it. She scooped the cream covered chicken bits with the rice and ate it. The burst of buttery and creamy goodness exploded in her mouth. The rice was drenched by the sauce, adding sweetness to the food. The chicken was fried flawlessly; juicy and delicious, without any hint of burn. And it was cut in perfect sizes; not too big, not too small. More bite sized, which made it easier for Delilah to eat. She was a bit concerned that her father had been waiting for her for so long to arrive, hence why she ate a bit faster, which made her sister notice. Her sister then scolded Delilah, telling her to eat slowly. After she had finished eating, they continued to hang around in the restaurant, talking with one another, mostly teasing Delilah''s nephew. It was times like these that made Delilah appreciate family dinner time. 88 CH88: Give me a lil respect! and turn it into something resembling lemonade." - Anonymous ========================= It was late morning and the sun was already high up in the sky with few clouds blanketing the sun, making the day less hot. That day, Delilah was inside one of the meeting rooms, together with Aubree. They were working on the upcoming team-building activities and learning lunches [1]. Because they needed a larger table space, that was why they had to book a meeting room, even if it was only the two of them. The two women had been working on these for nearly a week. Although it does not seem much, there were a lot of factors that the two women have to take note of. Hence, why it took some time for them to complete. Especially when there were many opinions and ''friendly'' suggestions about it as well. While they were working hard on the tasks, Bella came in after knocking on the door. The two women stopped what they have been working on and looked up to see Bella standing before them. "Yes, Bella?" Aubree asked. Bella gave an awkward smile and said, "Ms. Aubree, there''s someone who wants to meet you." Aubree frowned in confusion. She could not recall making any appointment with anyone nor did she have anyone that she wanted to meet. "Who is it?" "It''s a Ms. Wanda from RST Industries." Aubree frowned deeper. Again, she did not recall making an appointment with the woman. She then said to Bella to tell the woman that she will be down soon. After Bella had left, Aubree turned to Delilah and told her that she will be right back and that the latter can continue doing the work. Delilah nodded and went on to continue her tasks. A few minutes later, Aubree had returned back to the meeting room. This time, she has an annoyed look on her face which was rare for her. Based on her personality, Delilah always sees her as a very patient woman and someone who rarely gets angry. However, she looked quite irritated at that moment that Delilah could not help but ask what was wrong. Aubree took a large gulp of water before rattling out the thoughts in her mind. The more she talked, the more displeased she was. Apparently, the woman that she met earlier was one of their customers. She ''coincidentally'' had a meeting with one of the trainers here whom Aubree had no knowledge of. Because usually, when there is a training session, it usually goes through Aubree for approval. However, she was quite surprised that there was one ongoing at that moment and Aubree had no clue about it. They did not inform her about the session nor do they even bother to call her to talk about it. Aubree was greatly annoyed by all this and she felt seriously disrespected. She was also feeling a bit peeved at the trainer for not telling her as well. The name of the trainer was Annie. She was a small brunette with large eyes. Despite her small frame, she has quite a fiery personality which can be fun at times but rude at other times. It was why Aubree was not surprised with her disrespect. Annie was also one of the longest working employees in Kang Company, hence why she probably was familiar with Aubree and did not think that she did anything wrong by contacting the customer privately. After she was done ranting, by then, Delilah too was extremely annoyed. She then began to curse the customer, ranting and raving about how ungrateful the customer was and how thick faced she was. Then when the latter heard about Annie''s involvement, her annoyance also spread to her. Delilah decided to mark Annie as being disrespectful and no teamwork in her notes. Once they were done complaining about the customer and the trainer, the two women continued to do their work. But it did not stop them to sneak in a couple of dissatisfaction in regards to the customer, seeing that she was still in the building. Delilah even managed to take a peek at how the customer looked like, because she completely forgot how the latter looked like. After she saw the customer, who was currently in one of the rooms, together with Annie, diligently learning and studying, Delilah let out a scoff. ''Such thick face,'' she mocked in her mind. She walked past the room and returned back to the meeting room. Aubree was inside, chatting with her niece over a video call. Although it was during office hours, Delilah did not mind and let her be. It was just a short call, anyway. Delilah continued to do her work while Aubree chatted with her niece. In less than a few minutes, just as Delilah had said, Aubree was done with her call and resumed with her work. The two women continued working, even missing lunch time, which they did not realize. And when Delilah suddenly felt hungry, she was surprised when she saw the time. Since they were hungry, they decided to go for a late lunch before continuing their work. There was no use working on an empty stomach. Before Aubree could say a word, Delilah had cut in by saying, "I''m too tired to think right now so go ahead and choose what you want to eat." Aubree fumed. One of the hardest questions to ask was where to eat. Especially when you''re on an empty stomach because you just want to eat everything. But then again, that might not be logical and stressful on your stomach¡­ and wallet. Delilah continued to work for a bit while waiting for Aubree to choose a place. Few minutes later, Aubree had chosen a Korean restaurant. The nearest Korean restaurant was a few minutes drive away. Delilah nodded in agreement and the two women immediately rearranged their things before leaving the office. When they arrived at the restaurant, it was empty, which was not so surprising since lunch hour was over. And when they entered the restaurant, they were greeted by a strong smell of kimchi, which was fermented cabbages. Although Delilah was not a fan of kimchi, she did not mind the smell. Aubree, on the other hand, loved the smell of kimchi. So, when they were finally seated, that was the first thing that she ordered from the menu. Other than that, she also ordered tuna kimchi stew with rice and a glass of water. As for Delilah, she had ordered bulgogi kimbap [2] and ramyeon [3]. While waiting for their meal to arrive, the two women fell into a comfortable conversation, both exchanging funny stories about their nephews and nieces. They had a good laugh, listening to their loved ones'' antics. Shortly after, their meal arrived. The waitress carefully placed the dishes in front of them, to which the two women thanked her. Before she eats her ramyeon, Delilah decides to eat her kimbap first. She grabbed a chopstick and took one kimbap from the plate. Inside the seaweed roll, there were marinated beef, yellow radish pickles, carrots, perilla leaves and blanched seasoned spinach. She ate one and the seaweed was a bit chewy and stretchy. She could taste the crunch from the pickles and the sweetness of the marinated beef. Together with the cooked rice, which has a tangy taste, due to the rice vinegar, it was quite delicious. The whole kimbap has that slightly salty yet sweet and nutty flavour in its taste. It doesn''t have any dipping sauce like its Japanese counterpart, sushi but it does not matter since it was already delicious. After eating three to four pieces, only then she ate her ramyeon. For Delilah, there weren''t much differences when it comes to Japanese ramen and Korean ramyeon. But both of them were quite tasty. While they were eating, they also talked with each other. It was times like these when the stress of work can be comforted by food. All those stressful things that you had from work, just bring it to food, which makes it all better. ----- [1] One of the employee engagement activities where a company encourages each department to share what they have been working on and so forth. [2] cooked rice, beef and other ingredients rolled in a seaweed [3] Korean style instant noodles 89 CH89: Not shameless like that! Real food is ingredients." - Jamie Oliver ========================= That morning, Delilah was in the pantry, having her snacks and drinking her green tea. Outside, it was raining heavily and for Delilah, it seems like the perfect time to relax and enjoy a cup of hot drinks with a snack to munch on. And that''s what she did. It was fortunate that she did not have a lot of things to do so she could afford to slack for a while. It was quite peaceful at the office where there were only sounds of keyboard tapping and people walking around. There wasn''t anyone to disturb or bother her about work and so forth so she felt peaceful. But alas, she spoke too soon. She was about to dip a biscuit inside her cup of green tea when Aubree slammed open the door, startling Delilah, making her drop her biscuit in the cup. With a frown, Delilah could only watch her biscuit sink in the cup, becoming soggy. With a sigh, she grabbed her teaspoon and scooped the biscuit out. And with a cringe look on her face, she finished off the snack. She then gulped down the green tea. Ignoring the woman who was now fuming as she sat across Delilah, the latter got up from her chair and went to make another cup of green tea. She rinsed her cup first before making another cup. Luckily, the water was still hot so she did not have to wait for the kettle to boil. She easily made another cup of green tea. Once she was done making it, she returned back to her seat. Blowing on the surface of the drink to cool it, she cautiously took a small sip. She then placed her cup on the table and looked at the woman, sitting across her, who was also watching her with a scowl on her face. "Do you want one?" Delilah asked politely. Surprised with the sudden question, Aubree quickly said, "Oh, sure." Delilah gestured behind her with a jerk of her chin and said, "Go make yourself one then." Aubree rolled her eyes as she crossed her arms across her chest. She thought Delilah was offering to make her one and since she just told her to make it herself, she rather not. Stirring her tea, Delilah looked down at her cup. "So what''s wrong?" she asked, not looking up. She then paused. Why does this scene seem familiar? Even though the place was different, the plot was the same. Delilah narrowed her eyes suspiciously at Aubree. Aubree was just too nice of a person. It made her look like a person that can be easily taken advantage of and how she was being disrespected and all. This wasn''t the first time Aubree had come to her, letting out her frustration and dissatisfaction on her. Aubree let out a sigh. "Tracy just gave me her resignation letter. Effective immediately," she said. "It is," Aubree said. "But she said she needed it to be effective immediately because her father wanted her to quit." "Why?" "I don''t know. Something like a personal problem." "Even so, it''s supposed to be within two weeks. If it''s not, she will be penalised. She did sign a contract with us, right?" Aubree nodded. "She did." Delilah then shrugged nonchalantly. "Then go quit after two weeks. Her request for an immediate leave should be rejected unless she wants to pay for the penalty." Aubree nodded but she looked a bit hesitant. Delilah knew what the other woman was thinking and cut off her thoughts. "No, Aubree. It''s not the time for you to sympathise or feel sorry for her. This is the rules. You can''t expect to give them leeway or they will crush you down. What? You''re going to pay for her penalty fees?" Aubree quickly shook her head. "No, no. Of course not." "Then don''t think much and tell her, it''s either two weeks or pay the penalty." Aubree let out a sigh. "Alright then." The two continued to talk with each other. Aubree also went to make a cup of hot tea for herself. Shortly after, they went out of the pantry and went to their perspective cubicles. Hours have passed by without any hitch so it was quiet at the office. The clock just strikes twelve o''clock on the dot and Delilah was preparing to get herself some lunch. She was quite lazy to drive so she decided to have her lunch at the office cafeteria instead. After placing her order at the cafeteria lady, she went to look for an empty seat. As usual, it was quite crowded and there were many people inside, talking among themselves. Looking for a familiar face, she looked around. It was then Jafar, who had already sat down with his meal, saw her lingering around, apparently looking for an empty seat. Disregarding the fact that he was loud and probably might be disturbing people who were eating, he just shouted, calling out Delilah''s name to come over. Hearing her name being called, Delilah looked around and saw Jafar waving madly at her with one hand. When he saw that she had turned to him, he furiously pointed at the empty seat across her, telling her that there''s an empty seat. Looking over to see that there was indeed an empty seat, Delilah quickly walked over. In fact, there were more than three empty seats at the table. Other than Jafar, there were also Travis and Sam sitting there. It had been a long time since she had seen Travis and Sam so she was pleasantly surprised. Nodding hello at the two men, she turned to Jafar, thanking him as she sat down. Jafar waved away her thanks and said, "Hey, how are you? HR''s been pretty busy lately?" Delilah let out a light chuckle as she placed her purse and phone on the table. "Nah, not really," she disagreed. "Same ol'', same ol''." Sam gave a wry smile. "How lucky," he murmured. "We''ve been busy the past few weeks, ever since that new regulations had been posted up. Had to review everything from scratch." Travis then snorted. "Whereas for us, we''ve been having weekly meetings non-stop. We even have meetings twice a week," he complained. Delilah frowned. "What''s the purpose of having too many meetings?" she asked, curious. Travis rolled his eyes. "Don''t know. Ask that boss of ours," he said grumpily. He then looked at her and continued, "You''re lucky to have a supervisor like Aubree. She''s lenient." ''But there are times that her leniency can be a turn-off,'' Delilah thought to herself. Out loud, she said, "Even so, leniency is not all that good." Travus just shrugged. Before Delilah could say another word, the restaurant pager near her just sounded off, indicating that her meal was ready to pick up. Excusing herself from the table, she got up and went to grab her meal. She had ordered baked rice with crabsticks and mentai sauce. The food was served in a small baking plate, hence it was still hot, steam could be seen rising up from the baked rice. The three men looked at her with an ''O'' look on their faces. Delilah rolled her eyes. "It''s as if you guys haven''t seen this before," she said. Sam and Jafar just laughed while Travis smirked. Delilah grabbed a spoon and scooped the rice onto it. Blowing at the rice a bit which was smothered with crabsticks and mentai sauce, she then ate it. The rice and the crabsticks were a bit sweet, probably because it was already mixed with the mentai sauce. The mentai sauce has a bit of an umami flavour and a hint of sweetness as well to it. It also has that spicy creamy kick that Delilah likes. In short, it was a bit of a flavourful and sweet dish. She liked how they torched the cheese and the sauce on top of the rice, giving out a smoky flavour and it also makes the cheese to be more creamy. While she was eating, she also talked with her colleagues at the table. She was halfway done with her meal when she sensed someone was sitting next to her. Turning her head, she was surprised to find Aubree, looking a bit worn out and slightly frustrated. Delilah frowned. This morning, when she last saw Aubree, she didn''t look this tired. "What happened again?" Delilah asked. The other three men just kept quiet but they were looking at Aubree as well, waiting for her to answer. Aubree snorted. "Guess what?" she said. "That girl said it''s fine that she''s working off her two weeks notice." Delilah frowned again. "Isn''t that good?" she asked, confused. "It is. But then, she asked whether she can borrow a room for her Farewell party," Aubree said. "And the date is AFTER she quit the company." Delilah and the other two men burst out in laughter. More of mockery, rather than amusement. Sam just smiled wryly. "Okay, that''s weird," Delilah commented, still smiling. "I know, right?" Aubree said with disbelief. "I don''t know how she has the gall to request that. No one ever asked for that!" Jafar laughed again. "So, were you invited?" he teased. Aubree just rolled her eyes. Delilah then chuckled. "I know I can be shameless but not that kind of shameless!" 90 CH90: I need food to end this day! They eat food." - Mary Catherine Bateson ========================= The past few days have been quite tiring for Delilah, who had been working non-stop. It was fortunate that she was not the kind of person who would bring her work home. She does understand the importance of having a work-life balance, even if some people may see it as a myth. It was also fortunate that she doesn''t work nearly everyday. She has at least a half-day and a day off, which was a half-day Saturday and off day on a Sunday. Firah, at her new workplace, only has a day off on a Sunday, she even works on a Saturday. The sudden increase of workload had caught her off-guard as she tried to make time as well as organized the priority tasks that were given to her. She did not even have the time to sneak into the pantry to have a little snack and sip of tea. And because of that, she was feeling wronged and a bit distraught. Earlier, she was done with two reports, when the part-timer, Hailey, came over to give her another pile of papers. Delilah''s eyes widened when she saw the stack of papers being added to her already high pile. She had frowned and asked the other woman who had given these. Hailey had answered that it was from Howard. Because Aubree was already busy with her tasks and that even Amy was overloaded with work. But hers was from Sheila. Delilah was a bit grateful that her tasks were from Howard, not from Sheila. But it doesn''t mean that she likes the extra work. It''s giving her more headache. A couple of days ago, she had heard rumours of either Howard being let off or he quit the company. She was not sure, but seeing how he had given off his tasks and works, made her feel like there probably was some truth in those rumours. And she had noticed how he hardly comes to work so she was feeling quite suspicious about it. She had asked Aubree about it but the other woman was tight-lipped about it. She either changed the topic or just smiled at Delilah, without answering her. Delilah thought that the status of Howard has not been officially confirmed, hence why Aubree did not dare to tell her what was currently going on. She did not mind, though. But she does mind that most of his works were now transferred to her. Goodbye, chill life! Goodbye, little trips to the pantry! She could not help but lament over her bad luck and pitiful work life, crying blood tears. Hence, for days, she had been working hard. Sometimes she even missed lunch and could only sneak in a couple of bites off her snacks. And if she was not inside her cubicle, other people could find her walking around, going up and down between the department offices, meeting with the heads of each department. She sometimes gets annoyed when these department heads think she knows everything, giving her tasks which were not supposed to be hers, for example, making her look for their subordinates to work with her, when she doesn''t really have the power to do so. She found it baffling as to why they can''t seem to just tell their subordinates themselves since they have the command to do so. They seem to think that because she worked in the HR department, she can control the other employees, which seems to be dumb of them to think so. Many times, she had told these department heads that she could not possibly order their subordinates as she pleased. She did not want to be seen as overbearing and over the head. But they always waved her concern away, saying that they, the subordinates, won''t probably mind. Delilah had inwardly rolled her eyes when she heard that. In front of them, they would no doubt show their unwillingness but behind their backs? Seriously, how hard was it to just tell them to do this and that? Sheila and Howard DEE-finitely have no problem with that! Seems like it was hard for them to just open their mouth to give some instructions, expecting someone else, even those who were at lower ranks, like Delilah, to give them the directive. With all that, Delilah''s days have been tiring and sometimes a bit stressful. After hours of working, it was finally time to go home. Since she did not eat much during lunch, she decided to stop by at a little food stall to buy some food before going home. She was at the parking lot, where she was placing her things at the backseat of her car. She climbed inside her car and was starting up her car. She was so ready to be blasted with good music and that cool air-conditioning. Even though the weather was nice, it felt even better to be inside an air conditioned space. However, as much as she kept on trying to switch on the ignition, her car seems to not want to start. One time, she succeeded in starting up the car before it suddenly died down. Frowning, she wondered why she can''t start her car. Looking around her, most of the people had already gone home, except for those who were working late at night. With no one to turn to for help, she decided to call her brother, Bryson, since she knew he was jogging somewhere nearby. When he had answered the call, she explained what was happening. To her surprise and anger, he told her to just call for their other brother for help because he was busy jogging. She could not believe how heartless and selfish he can be! His own little sister was stranded and he couldn''t come help because he was jogging?? Furious, she called her brother, Munier, for help. Unfortunately, he was out of town, meeting some people for work. He could only be there once he was done, which was after an hour. She could only sigh and called her father next for help. He then told her to call for a towing truck and tell them to tow the car back home. He surmised that the battery was probably dead. He next told her to check for the documents at the compartment in the car for the towing service details. After she was done talking with her father, she immediately called for the towing service, who told her that they will be there in a few minutes, which was forty-five minutes. She leaned back against the driver''s seat, sighing, wondering why the day was so bad. Bryson had texted in the family group chat, asking how she was. But she was too angry to reply so she ignored his text message. Soon after, her sister privately texted her, asking how she was and what she was going to do. Delilah then told her that she was waiting for the tow truck to come and tow the car away. Miya was worried about her so she offered to come over with her son, Kael to pick her up. And later, they can just follow the tow truck from behind. Delilah was happy and told her that she will be waiting. Few minutes later, her sister arrived, together with Kael. Seeing her sister, Delilah immediately walked over and climbed in her car. She let out a long breath of relief, relishing the cool air from the air conditioning. She was sweating like mad, waiting for her sister to arrive. So it was quite a heaven-sent when she saw Miya had just arrived. They continued to wait since the tow truck had not arrived. But soon after, they were surprised to see Bryson had arrived, when they expected the tow truck. Delilah was still sulking over the fact that her brother did not rush over to help so she let Miya do all the answering when Bryson was asking questions. In the end, it was decided that Bryson would wait for the tow truck while the two women and child go home. But instead of going home, Delilah was moaning about how hungry she was and that she was craving for a nice juicy burger. At first, Miya suggested one of the fast food restaurants but Delilah rejected the suggestion, saying that she wanted those sloppy kinds of burgers that were usually sold in a night market. So, Miya changed route, heading straight for the night market. It was crowded and noisy when they arrived at the night market. It took Miya quite a while to finally find a parking spot. The night market was an open air area with many food stalls being set up. There were also chairs and tables being set up for those who wished to eat there. Although it was not that clean since there were puddles and dirt on the ground, it was tolerable. The two women and child walked around, trying to choose which stall to buy the food from. There were many foods being sold there such as burgers, fritters, noodles, fried rice, chicken and more. Shortly after, Delilah finally chose a stall and ordered her burger, whereas Miya had ordered fries and fritters for her and her son. Once they had placed their order, they went to look for an empty table to sit. And they only waited for a few minutes for their order to be done. When Delilah received her burger, she could confirm that this was the sloppy kind of burger she was craving for. She could feel the juices and the sauces oozing out from the meat onto the plastic wrapper that was used to wrap the burger. The bun was nicely toasted with a generous amount of butter as she could taste the crisp and the buttery taste of the bun. Shredded tomatoes, carrots and cucumbers were also added in the burger, giving it a nice cool fresh taste to it. The sauces were a simple mixture of mayonnaise and chili sauce but with only that, it tasted really good. Especially when the meat juices were mixed with the sauces, making it more succulent. The patty was fried nicely and she liked how it wasn''t so dry but rather, it was tender. She had to wipe her mouth many times as the juices kept dripping out. "Best meal to end this miserable day. Some people need shopping therapy? I need food!" Delilah declared.