A steaming bowl of newly cooked chicken noodle soup was served. "Is this it?" Miguel asked, looking at the big bowl in front of him.
"Yes, Chef. Recipe po ng Inang ko." Pao, the young chef, replied.
Miguel picked up his spoon, stirred the soup a little to inspect the ingredients, and then dug in to get a spoonful. Pao quietly anticipated Miguel's reaction.
Miguel owned "Noods", an eatery that specialized in noodle dishes from around the world. Pao was applying to be a sous chef, after undergoing training under Miguel at the culinary institute they both studied at. Miguel challenged his staff to come up with new dishes or improve on their existing menu for the restaurant. This particular branch had just recently been inaugurated.
Of all the noodle dishes that Miguel had on his menu, he tried to avoid cooking or making chicken sopas. This particular dish brought memories of his grandmother, Mama Luisa. Being the only grandson, Mama Luisa doted on Miguel. She influenced him to try out culinary arts after years of preparing his favorite dishes. When he'd get sick, she'd prepare her special sopas and eat this together with Miguel, and magically, Miguel would instantly get well.
Two years after culinary school and living out of the family home, Angelo, Miguel's dad, passed away. Miguel was somehow relieved that he didn't live in the same house as Minerva, his stepmom. Minerva only showed her good side whenever Miguel's dad was present. Minerva became Angelo's partner when his wife, Patsy, passed away when Miguel was only 11 years old. She was stern and strict that she would often times whip Miguel for poor school performance. It wasn't that Miguel failed miserably, he just didn't really like math or science very much. So, when Angelo passed away, Minerva asserted herself more and took over the lives of the people in the family home, including Mama Luisa's, who lived with them.
Following Angelo's passing, Mama Luisa's health also began to fail. She would still try to cook for Miguel but over the years, she became weaker and forgetful. And because of Minerva's attitude, helpers and caregivers would leave almost as quickly as they were hired. Then, last night, Minerva tried to call Miguel. Not pleased at seeing Minerva's name on his phone screen, Miguel ignored her calls. He shut his phone off and went to bed.
---
Pao's soup reminded him so much of Mama Luisa from the first spoonful. "The noodles are cooked well and it has just the right amount of creaminess. What did you use, crème fresh?"
"No, chef. Just plain evaporated milk."
"...and no hotdogs..." Miguel noted. Although he liked eating the sausage -- grilled, with rice -- he was rather apprehensive to mix it with other dishes; especially not in his sopas.
"No, chef. I believe it will change the flavor and appearance of the dish. I can make shaped pasta with carrots or malunggay to cater to our younger clientele." Pao suggested and Miguel could not agree more.
Miguel nodded. His menu concept was to offer home cooked dishes with options of changing the starch serving with either grain or noodles. His noodle and pasta dishes also had options to change the noodles or pasta into 'fun shapes'. It became a hit with his customers, especially kids. He remembered the time when he had a contest for his kid customers wherein, they had to come up with words made with the alphabet pasta in their orders. Suddenly, Miguel thought of reviving the contest. In the end, Miguel had three big servings of Pao's chicken noodle soup. Pao got the job.
---
Amidst the celebration of Pao's promotion, Minerva's name appeared once again on Miguel's phone screen.
"Hello?" Miguel dryly answered.
"Miguel. Chi..." Minerva began. Miguel was slightly taken aback. She had always called him 'Miguel'. "Chi" was a short version of the nickname used by his dad and Mama Luisa.
"What do you want?"
"Mama"
"What about Mama Luisa?"
"Wala sya dito..."
"What do you mean?"
"Nakita nalang ni Ging na bukas yung sliding door nung kwarto nya." Ging was a recently hired young house girl.
"What?! Wait, what are you saying?"
"Nakita nalang ni Ging na bukas yung sliding door nung kwarto nya. Wala sya sa garden o kahit saan dito sa bahay." Minerva replied, flustered.
"Walang nakakita sa kanya?"
Minerva was stunned and stopped talking for a while. The helpers she called on to look for Mama Luisa around the nearby streets just returned. They all shook their heads implying they didn't see or find the old woman.
"Hello? Ma...Minerva! Nasaan si Mama Luisa?" Miguel stopped addressing Minerva as 'Mom' when Angelo passed away.
"Hindi. Hindi ko alam. Hindi naman ako ang caregiver nya." Minerva replied.
"Pero nakatira kayo sa iisang bahay! Magkasama kayo dyan! Did you start looking for her?"
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry."
"That's not enough! Start looking for her! Sa church, sa mga ospital!"
Miguel's staff were equally surprised how their cool, happy boss sounded really upset with whoever he spoke with on the phone. Miguel moved to the kitchen's back office but his voice could still be heard outside. No one really knew about his background except that he lived alone and that he put up this restaurant all on his own. They didn't know that he was the only grandson and heir apparent of his grandparents' estate. When Angelo passed away, Mama Luisa and Papa Chito, immediately set up a corporation to protect all their properties and assets (especially because Minerva 'came into the picture'). Miguel was named Joaquin Miguel, after Papa Chito (Joaquin). Miguel was set to inherit all of these when Mama Luisa passes away.
---
"Sorry, I can't make it to lunch today. Something came up." Miguel texted Patricia. Janine's text came right after, "Sorry, can't make it today. Call you later." Patricia looked at the clock on the wall of her apartment and was about to send messages to Miguel and Janine to remind them of their date. Instead, she had to text them that the lunch was cancelled.
