8. Your Name

Chapter 8

Your Name

"Sorry, I made you wait too long." Nick pulled a pantry chair, took off his jacket and placed it properly on the back of the chair.

"No problem," Vanilla said. A smile spread across her sweet lips. "The only thing you should worry about is your blood sugar."

"They're fine." Nick stood beside Vanilla, he observed the dishes that the girl had prepared.

"I seem to be starting to depend on your cooking." Vanilla chuckled hearing Nick's statement, for two weeks every day the man had come to her restaurant kitchen after work to taste the coffee and other drinks she had concocted, also to taste the dishes that would be on the menu at her restaurant later.

Nick liked all the food that Vanilla made, it was not at all made up because in fact the girl's skill in cooking and processing coffee was indeed worthy of appreciation and for some time now, the moment of drinking afternoon coffee in the kitchen with Vanilla had become the thing that Nick had been waiting for the most.

Never in his life had he waited so much for five in the afternoon just for a cup of coffee or tea, never in his life had he been crazy about dinner even though he had always been very careful about his diet to maintain his muscles. Nick had forgotten that, for him now his togetherness with Vanilla was much more important than his muscles.

He was even willing to work harder so that before five in the afternoon all his work would be finished and he could meet the girl soon. Every afternoon for two weeks, Nick sat waiting obediently according to Vanilla's orders because the girl didn't like other people involved when they were preparing food. However, didn't mean the girl didn't like to converse in the kitchen.

They are telling many stories about their childhood, high school, and college days. "I think Beck is the luckiest man," Nick said after finishing his Creame Catalalana.

"Unfortunately, I've never cooked for him." Vanilla pulled the bowl of Creame Catalalana in front of Nick, stacking it with the other empty cutlery. Nick furrowed his eyebrows.

"Are you kidding me?"

Vanilla smiled bitterly as she shrugged her shoulders. "Since I came back to Barcelona, we've been at odds. We fight every time we meet, Beck thinks my presence is a threat to his relationship with soap."

"Soap?" Nick concluded.

Vanilla chuckled. "Sophie, I call her soap," she said without the slightest guilt.

Nick laughed hearing what Vanilla said. "It's funny."

"For Beck', I'm a bad girl. Even though I never interfered with his relationship with Sophie, I mean... I never asked Beck to leave Sophie," Vanilla said, the girl turned a little gloomy.

"I thought you didn't know about Sophie's existence." Nick studied Vanilla's face with a serious look.

"I know, since Beck entered college he met Sophie on the first day of college. Beck told me every day how he admired Sophie."

Vanilla stopped and remembered how Beck started to distance himself from her because of Sophie's presence, Beck even left her in the library, letting her finally go home by bus just because Sophie called him and asked to be taken to the beauty salon. The girl smiled again, she was fully aware that Beck had never loved her but she was so sure that she would be able to win Beck's heart one day.

"I think if you want, I can help you separate Beck and Sophie," Nick said. Vanilla shook her head.

"It's not time yet," she said softly.

"Wow!" Nick was really amazed by all of Vanilla's answers. "So, are you waiting for the right moment?"

Vanilla grinned. "God has arranged it, I'm just going through it."

This time Nick's amazement increased a hundredfold, the girl in front of him always made astonishing surprises. He was increasingly convinced that Beck, his best friend, not only had a visual impairment but also a sanity problem.

Nick cleared his throat. "So, in other words, you give up?"

Vanilla, who was putting the cutlery under the sink, turned to Nick. "Not at all. Following God's destiny doesn't mean giving up. You see, I'm busy taking care of my business. I don't have time to think about Beck, let alone marrying him anytime soon, what's certain is that now I just want to focus on my work."

Nick smiled, he didn't want to continue the conversation about Beck which made him furious because he wasted a beautiful girl like Vanilla. "Then, we better go back now," Nick said after checking the expensive watch on his wrist.

Vanilla who was washing her hands nodded, Xaviera didn't allow her to wash the equipment she had used. So, those things were just piled under the sink every day after she tested the cooking with Nick. The girl dried her palms then took her bag and jacket, both of them stepped out of the kitchen after making sure all the doors were locked properly and making sure the security system was working properly. As usual Nick took Vanilla back to her house before eight at night.

"Next weekend, do you have any plans?" Nick asked when a few dozen meters away they entered the high-class housing complex where Vanilla and Beck's family lived

"No, I guess...," Vanilla answered.

"Then, I'll make you have a plan," Nick said, the handsome man grinned.

"Huh?"

"I'll pick you up later."

Vanilla looked at Nick with a confused look until the girl frowned, making Nick chuckle.

"Accompany me to watch the horse race," Nick said.

***

Beck was busy with his laptop while Sophie, the girl was sitting sweetly in front of him while reading a document. There was no meaningful conversation because they were involved in a very important and serious work project. Suddenly the door to the room opened, a middle-aged woman stood in the doorway. Lucy Peyton, Beck's mother.

"Doesn't your secretary have her own room to work?" that was the first sentence Lucy said. Clearly her tone did not show the slightest bit of friendliness.

Beck raised his face to look at the woman he last saw on Christmas six months ago. "Madre? When did you come? Why didn't you tell me?"

Beck looked nervous at his mother's sudden arrival because all this time both of his parents lived in Madrid.

"Tell you so you can hide your secretary? I warned you, Beck. I don't like seeing that bitch in my company," Lucy said firmly as she stepped into Beck's office without even glancing at Sophie who immediately sat up straight and stiff, as stiff as a board.

"Ma...." Beck gave Sophie a code to get out of the room which the woman immediately understood.

However, just as Sophie stood up from her seat Lucy spoke, "Oh, what's your name?" The glamorous woman stared at Sophie with a cold gaze that was able to freeze Sophie.

"Sophie, Auntie," Sophie answered politely even though in her mind she cursed Beck's mother's attitude for asking her name even though they had met several times.

Lucy smiled sarcastically. "You can call me, Madam."

Sophie just nodded and swallowed her saliva secretly. "Starting today you are fired," Lucy said to Sophie without further ado.

* Madre = Mama. * Creame Catalalana = Spanish pudding.