Losing Control

Tatlo

Ashton smirked even more as he stared into Stephanie's eyes.  His new cook was feisty...and so, so beautiful when she was angry.  He kept his hold on her hand, making sure to run his thumb over her knuckles.  Stephanie locked her jaw and stared right back into Ashton's eyes.  If it was a staring contest he wanted, it was what he was gonna get.  Hindi ako natatakot sa kanya!

"Gigi," Ashton began.  "Alas singko na ngayon.  Magnanap lang ako, ang haba ng byahe.  Gusto kong kumain by 7 PM.  Magprepare ka ng dinner."

"At anong gusto nyong dinner, Sir?"

"Surprise me," sabi ni Ashton and smirked again. 

"Sige po, Sir, kami na po ni Gigi ang bahala dito," singit ni Carlota.

Umakyat na si Ashton sa taas.  Iniwan naman ni Eman ang mga bagahe ni Ashton sa may hagdan.  Sabi ni Carlota na sya na raw ng magaakyat pag nagising na ang boss nila.  Nakatayo lang si Stephanie sa foyer na nakakunot ang noo.  Hindi nya alam kung anong gagawin nya.  She rubbed her temples kasi sumakit bigla ang ulo nya sa kakaisip at sa stress.  Nagsimula na si Carlota na tanggalin ang mga takip sa furniture at naglinis ng bahay. 

Pumunta naman na si Stephanie sa kusina...the big kitchen in the main house.  Sinara nya ang pinto at sinara yung mga shutters na separated the kitchen from the hallway.  Binuksan nya ang refrigerator at nakatayo lang dun na parang estatwa.  The fridge was stocked with everything she could possibly need.  She knew what each individual item was:  eggs, tomatoes, carrots, butter, milk; the thing was, she didn't know what to do with them!  She noticed that there was a whole chicken that was defrosting in a stainless steel cookie sheet on the bottom shelf.  Naalala nya na minention ni Carlota ang adobo.  Yun na lang, adobong manok!

Oh how she wished she had her smart phone with her.  Or her tablet.  Kaya lang nasa loob yung tablet nya ng luggage nya na natangay.  She only had her small purse with her with just her wallet and her make up bag.  Those will not help her look up recipes.  Alam nyang kulay brown ang adobo.  Nilabas nya ang manok galing sa fridge and stood in front of the pantry.  Maraming kulay brown na nakabote sa shelf.  Tiningnyan  nya at nakitang iba't ibang klaseng soy sauce ang mga yun.  Kinuha nya na lang ang isa at nilabas din yun.  Ano pa ba ang nasa adobo?  Ayaw nya naman tanungin si Carlota dahil mabubuko sya.  Bahala na!

Naghanap sya ng pinakamalaking pot na pagkakasyahan ng whole chicken.  Nilabas nya ang stainless steel dutch oven at pinatong sa countertop.  Nandiri sya ng hinawakan nya ang manok at nilagay yun sa loob ng pot.  Ew! Ew! Ew!  naghugas sya ng kamay ng limang beses dahil nandiri talaga sya.  Buti nga at hindi sya nasuka.  Pagkatapos nun ay binuksan nya ang bote ng soy sauce at nilagay ang buong bote over the chicken.  Kumuha sya ng salt and pepper at nilagyan ang manok.  Tinakpan nya na ang pot at binuhat papuntang kalan.  Nabigatan sya and used all her strength to raise it over the stove.  She looked at the knobs on the stove and turned one.  Ay mali!  Pinatay nya yung na-on nyag burner and tried again.  This time she got it right.

While her adobo was cooking, she decided to cook rice.  May nakita syang rice cooker sa corner at hinanap nya ang rice dispenser.  She decided to cook three cups of rice, enough for Ashton and for her, Carlota, and Eman.  Nilagay nya ang bigas sa rice cooker tapos nilagyan ng tubig na nagcover lang up to the top of the rice. She turned it on and waited.  Nakahanap sya ng dyaryo at umupo sa counter while she waited for the food to cook.  After a while, narinig nya ng kumukulo ang adobo pero she just ignored it...hanggang nakaamoy sya ng nasusunog.  She hopped off the counter and walked to the stove.  She opened the lid with her bare right hand and burned herself immediately, dropping the lid with loud klang on the tiled kitchen floor.  She blew on her hand and shook the pain off as much as possible.  She cautiously looked into the pot and saw that the bottom was a sticky mess of burned soy sauce while the top of the chicken was still pale.  In other words, the chicken adobo was inedible.  She turned off the burner and grabbed a couple potholders.  She carried the pot into the sink and ran water into the pot.