Gaith awoke in an unfamiliar room, struggling to piece together how he had gotten there. Despite vivid memories plaguing his brain, he couldn't make sense of them. "If I forgot," he thought, "then it can't be important."
As he scanned the room, he groaned in discomfort. The only source of light was an old, ceiling-mounted lamp that looked as ancient as the room itself.
Beside the bed, a lady was sleeping, her hand clasping his. In the right corner opposite the door, a table adorned with feminine attire caught his eye.
Based on these details, Gaith deduced that he was in Lady Beretta's room. She had apparently fallen asleep sitting up, her red hair shining in the lamp's glow, and her face serene.
Not wanting to disturb her, Gaith quietly wrapped her in the previously used blanket and grabbed his blazer before tidying up the room and slipping out.
The view outside the room immediately caught Gaith's eyes, and he couldn't help but be struck by the striking difference. The floor was made of gleaming marble, and the corridor was adorned with stylish pillars and unique decorations that caught his attention. It was a world away from the worn and rusted room he had just left, with cracked walls and peeling paint — a scene that seemed to belong in a documentary film rather than reality.
From the window, Gaith saw that the sun was already shining in the sky. "Ohh! it's already morning!" he exclaimed.
As he walked, whispers followed him, people curious about his presence. Ignoring them, Gaith focused on his growling stomach and searched for the kitchen. However, he didn't know where the kitchen was located. As he walked, he spotted a maid doing her chores and approached her.
"Excuse me, madam!" Gaith greeted politely.
The maid turned to him, smiling brightly. "Yes, what can I help you with, little boy?"
"I want to know where the kitchen is," Gaith said, bowing slightly.
"The kitchen? Why?" The maid seemed puzzled. "Are you a new employee?"
Gaith shook his head. "No, madam."
The maid's eyes narrowed. "Then who are you?"
Gaith put his hands on his chest in a polite form of introduction. "I'm Lady Aisyah's son."
Upon hearing whose Gaith was, the maid's demeanor suddenly changed. She let out a hiss, and her friendly smile disappeared, replaced by a look of disgust. Gaith was used to such reactions, especially within the Emily household, where his mother was born. Aisyah Emily was the result of a relationship between the previous head of the Emily family and a young maid. As a result, Aisyah was resented and envied by many and became a target of hate within the Emily household.
Feeling the maid's disdainful gaze, Gaith quickly stepped away from her, not wanting to create any more hostility. Despite her insincere tone, the servant had still directed him to the kitchen, and Gaith was eager to find it. With a bow of gratitude, he followed her directions, humming and smiling with excitement.
The scent of delicious food grew stronger as Gaith approached the kitchen. He followed his nose, eyes closed, until he suddenly collided with something solid.
"Oof!" Gaith exclaimed, rubbing his forehead.
Opening his eyes, he saw a large wooden door in front of him, with the sounds of people talking and wood crackling coming from the other side. He realized that he must have stumbled upon the kitchen.
"So, this is the kitchen!" Gaith thought to himself.
Gaith knocked on the door, but there was no response at first. He persisted until an old woman dressed like a tough chef opened the door, "Who the hell's knocking?" she barked, "Huh?" she grunted, peering out into the hallway.
"Here!" Gaith called out.
The old woman lowered her gaze and noticed Gaith, who was dressed elegantly in black attire, giving him the appearance of a wealthy royal.
"Who are you, pal?"
Without saying a word, Gaith strode confidently into the bustling kitchen, the sounds of sizzling pots and cutting knives filling his ears. He quickly took charge of the cooking, humming a tune as he worked his magic.
As he tasted the soup, Gaith immediately identified what it was missing. "The soup is bland," he declared with confidence. He added more meat, a little oil, and some pepper, stirring the pot with a flourish. "And boom! Perfect soup," he announced.
The other chefs and kitchen assistants were drawn in by Gaith's culinary expertise and eagerly watched as he worked his magic.
One of the young female chefs in the kitchen, wearing a red bandana, turned to the old woman and asked, "Mama Jui, who is that child?" She gestured towards Gaith.
"I don't know, Leona" The old woman—Jui replied. "It's the first time I've seen him, but I have to admit, he's got some serious skills in the kitchen, doesn't he?"
They watched in awe as Gaith finished preparing the soup and ladle some into a bowl. "Try it," Gaith said with a smile, offering it to everyone in the kitchen.
A few chefs in the kitchen eagerly took a spoonful from the bowl, and as they tasted the soup, their faces lit up with delight. "This is so good," they exclaimed in unison.
Gaith grinned with pride. "Of course, this is a skill that I learned from my father!"
Jui, who had been watching the scene with unease and disbelief, decided to try the soup herself. She grabbed a spoon and took a taste. "This is definitely good," she admitted, impressed by Gaith's talent.
"It's not just good, it's super good," Gaith added with a playful wink, earning a chuckle from the other chefs.
Leona, the girl in the red bandana, couldn't resist trying the soup that Gaith had prepared, using the spoon to taste it. "Well, it's more delicious than your soup, Mama Jui!" she playfully teased, her eyes twinkling with mischief.
The other chefs nodded in agreement, impressed by Gaith's skill and confidence in his ability to elevate their dishes to new levels.
As the banter subsided, Mama Jui turned to Gaith and asked in her usual gruff manner, "By the way, who are you, pal?"
"My name is Gaith," he replied calmly, unfazed by her rough tone.
Mama Jui's curiosity was piqued, and she continued, "Which family did you come with? Corron? Welly? Brunice?" She listed off the names of all the families she knew, trying to place Gaith among them.
Gaith remembered his earlier experience and knew better than to reveal his identity. "Well, could we eat the food first? I was starving," he had replied, attempting to steer the conversation away from his background. His stomach growled loudly, emphasizing his point.
Jui couldn't help but agree, nodding her head in approval. "Well, let's fill your stomach first, and then we can talk more," she said, leading Gaith to a nearby table. There, she offered him a steaming bowl of soup and a slice of freshly baked bread. Gaith eagerly dug in, savoring the flavors of his creation. The chefs around him couldn't help but smile as they watched him appreciate the meal.
However, as he ate, Gaith had a nagging feeling that he needed to do something, but he couldn't seem to remember what it was. He furrowed his brow in concentration, trying to recall what it could be, but the thought remained just out of reach. Despite that, he continued to enjoy the food, hoping that the answer would come to him eventually.
Just then, the sound of knocking interrupted the pleasant atmosphere in the kitchen, causing everyone to pause. Jui marched into the door, her face etched with anger, "Who the heck is knocking on the door this early in the morning?" she growled, clearly annoyed by the unexpected interruption.
As Jui opened the door, she was surprised to see Lady Beretta, who looked flustered and out of breath. "What do you want? I don't think the master has given you permission to come near the kitchen!" Jui asked sternly.
Lady Beretta took a few deep breaths before responding. "I...I came to take a child. He was around this height, with black hair and dressed in black," she said, her voice shaky.
As Jui turned her gaze, her eyes landed on Gaith, and she realized that he was the child that Lady Beretta was searching for. Jui took a deep breath before shouting, "Hey, kid, are you Lady Aisyah's son?"
Gaith's heart sank as he realized that his secret had been discovered. The atmosphere in the kitchen changed instantly, and he felt the judgmental stares of the other chefs and kitchen assistants on him.
"So, you are really her son, huh!" Jui added, clapping her hands. "Leonaaa! Kick that child out!"
Following Jui's orders, Leona roughly grabbed Gaith by the arm and forcibly threw him out of the kitchen, slamming the door shut behind him.
"What bad luck," Gaith thought to himself, "I didn't even get to finish the soup I made."
As he stood in the hallway, feeling dejected, Gaith suddenly saw Lady Beretta's figure standing before him. She looked out of breath and concerned. "Are you okay, Gaith?" she asked, placing a hand on his shoulder.
"Ah, sorry Auntie! I'm okay," Gaith said, scratching his head and feeling guilty for causing trouble.
"Don't be sorry, my dear," Lady Beretta replied, her voice soft and reassuring. "I'm just glad I found you. Come on, let's go."
"Go...where?" Gaith asked, feeling confused and anxious.
"Didn't you forget that today is the day your father is being buried?" Lady Beretta replied gently.
As those words entered Gaith's ears, he remembered what had happened the night before. "We should go there quickly, shouldn't we?" he said, feeling a sense of urgency.
Lady Beretta nodded. "Of course, we're already late."
With that, Lady Beretta firmly took Gaith's hand and led him towards the garage, where they would take her car to attend the funeral.
Unfortunately, when they arrived at the garage, Lady Beretta's old car wouldn't turn on. Gaith immediately noticed that it was an outdated car, one that should have been retired long ago. After some checking, they realized the car had no fuel left, leaving them stranded.
Even though they faced setbacks, Gaith and Lady Beretta's spirits remained undimmed. "We should run to the gate!" Lady Beretta said, determined to make it to the funeral, "and then we can take an Uber."
As Gaith and Lady Beretta ran towards the gate, their hearts pounding with exertion, something suddenly fell from the sky.
~~ To be continued ~~