Chapter 9: Over Bowls of Chicken Soup
Miss Ana's restaurant was nowhere other than their favourite place to eat together since high school days. Even after Kieran dropped out until a year ago, they still visited.
The middle-aged woman, Miss Ana, cooks the best chicken soup in the entire Skybridge. It wasn't easy to find someone with her level of cooking expertise.
Kieran's car revved to the front of a yellow tent, and he pulled over. Same place, same face. Even after so many years, the tent remained a symbol of their shared bond, their immature gossips and secrets shared with one another... with no one other than the savoury, watery chicken soup sitting with them.
Kieran, for a moment, looked here and there. But saw no other cars parked near the tent. This made him raise his brows. Or, maybe Jaxon wasn't yet there.
But stepping inside through the nylon-covered entrance, where brown plastic chairs and tables lined up ahead, Kieran saw the two of them already sitting: Jaxon and Zyn. But Kieran put the thoughts aside when he saw Miss Ana.
At the far corner as usual, steering the simmering chicken soup cooking on a gas cooker. Even if things weren't looking all good for now, Kieran smiled and greeted the woman.
"Hello, Miss Ana!"
She turned over from the cooker and looked his way. Jaxon signalled to him to join them. A warm smile spread over Miss Ana's face.
"It's my boy, Kieran!" she exclaimed as Kieran walked deeper into the room. With one hand holding the steering stick and another by her waist, she added, "You're looking so nice."
Kieran smiled back. "And you too, Miss Ann."
And well, he was telling no fib. She was still looking nice despite her age. Even back in the day, no one here could deny men tipping and asking them to help get Miss Ana's number. Because she seemed closer with them... like a mother to her children, they said. Giving expensive soups out for free counts as that, doesn't it?