Dinner For Three

By JOY DEEP SAHA

It was six o'clock when Breanna heard her mother's phone receive a text message while she was sitting on the kitchen bench.

 "Mom, I bet it's a dad!" Breanna jumped up from the couch, the books spilling in front of her. She had wondered what story her father would read in one of his funny voices when he put her to bed at night. 

 Breanna's mother rubbed her temples and sighed softly. 

 "Honey, would you mind seeing if it's Dad? My head hurts a lot, but I want to cook a delicious meal for us tonight." 

 Sure, mom. Breanna went into the kitchen to check on the phone. His father had been away two full nights working on a malfunction in his company's warehouse that had left valuable inventory unsecured and vulnerable to theft. I could arrive like a superhero and save the day, but did it have to take that long? It's from dad! 

"Confirmed Breanna excited." He's on his way home! "To support the family, her husband had taken on as many extra shifts and duties as he could to make ends meet. Times were tough, and he worked long hours, but that made Breanna's time with her father even better. 

 "Oh, that's fantastic news. Let's see what I can find to eat. "Mother carefully got up from the couch and added, "I would appreciate your help in the kitchen, Bree. I really don't feel good. "

 "Sure, Mom. "Breanna looked at the phone in her hand and sent Dad a quick reply: 

<2>

 Great! Mom has a bad headache, but I'm leaving. Help her make dinner U soon!" 

 As Breanna opened the refrigerator door, she heard her mother sigh again. The light flickered and bounced off shelves that had been empty for too long. 

 "Oh, I think maybe just those beans and carrots tonight, darling. We could have some hot dogs to cook with too. Could you bring those for me?" 

 When her mother took two more headache pills from the box and put them in the palm of her hand, Breanna began peeling the carrots, just as her mother had taught her. Another beep from the phone distracted his attention, and he stared at the new message: 

 Red and sour, round and sweet, ​seeds of love that I like to eat.

 ​Was that a mystery? Breanna lowered the peeler and studied the message carefully. Her father loved to entertain her with puzzles and rhymes, but she wasn't sure if she'd gotten one by text! .?

Red and spicy, round and sweet.

 So what was red and spicy? Was it a fruit or a vegetable? She looked at the carrots and beans on the bench. 

 Seeds of love that I like to eat ... No, these were definitely vegetables because they didn't have seeds. It must be a fruit! 

 Red and spicy, round and sweet ... 

 Breanna went over all the fruits she could think of that were red. What about the watermelon? He thought. It's red and round inside. But while it was cute, it wasn't. I think it was spicy. Oh, what a secret! 

 Seeds of love I like to eat ... 

 Breanna remembered with a sudden breath that her father had told her about a fruit that everyone thought was a vegetable, which was formerly called the "apple of love." and sweet, red, and definitely hot.

<3> 

 I solved it! The food was ... a tomato! 

 Breanna giggled and took another carrot to peel. Her mother

slowly removed the clean plates and cups from the clothesline, and Breanna felt a twinge of sadness. 

Her mother had had so many headaches lately, and Breanna knew it was because she couldn't find work and was worried about money, but she also knew that her father was a champion and worked hard to bring smiles to everyone to conjure up in the face. Especially hers. 

Nobody had a father like hers, and she couldn't wait. Coming in so he could wrap her in his big, strong daddy arms and caress her cheeks with his big, plump, bushy face. 

 Thing! 

Breanna answered the phone once more and discovered some other puzzle: Big and

sweet, don't look down on me, "Because I wear a crown. 

 Oh my god, Breanna thought. It sounded high and sweet like another fruit. But wear a crown? What fruit does a crown bear? 

Breanna plucked another carrot while thinking about fruits whose names sounded like king or queen. She had often gone to the markets with her mother and was

reasonably sure a stand was selling "royal gala apples." But apples? They

were adorable, but they definitely weren't significant." It didn't seem long ago that her mother was this proud and happy worker, dressed in a beautiful dress and brightly colored earrings for her work.

He wished he could wave a wand and turn his mother back into that confident, handsome queen. He could even imagine her wearing a glittering jeweled crown as she smiled at everyone from her throne.

He also remembered his mother's wise advice in dealing with all kinds of people; Be like a pineapple, she said, be cute and wear a crown. 

<4>

 Oh my god, Breanna thought.

That is! 

Big and sweet, don't humiliate me, Because I'm wearing a crown. 

The solution was ... a pineapple!

"Bree, what the fuck are you giggling at?" Her mom's lips developed a grin and

the corners of her eyes rolled a bit.

 "Oh, I'm solving one of Daddy's puzzles," Breanna replied, taking another

carrot. 

 Thing! it was again. Another SMS puzzle. What was his father doing? 

 Don't tell the pigs, I'm delicious, Cut into small pieces, and I'll make the dish. 

 Okay, Breanna thought as she put the carrots in a saucepan and picked up the beans. Don't say pig ...

 She knew it meant not to lie, but what did it mean here? And what was so delicious that he made the dish? He turned to ask his mother and frowned. His mother unwrapped the sausages, and he could see that there were only four. If she and her mother each had one, her father would only have two hot dogs left. He would be hungrier than her, for sure.

At that moment, Breanna, although she loved meat, decided to give her father the sausage from his plate. If Mom doesn't do it first, she thought.

 Wait a minute ... something went through Breanna's mind as she started cutting the dirty ends off the beans. Porkies ... did that mean pork or pork? ? All of a sudden, Breanna's mind shot through her mind eating pasta, pizza, and all those excellent Italian dishes with her parents, and

all she could see where those pieces of ham that made them so delicious. 

That was it. Don't say pigs, I'm delicious, Cut into small pieces and prepare the

dish.

 The answer was ... ham. 

<5>

 Before another minute passed, another message came. "My God, darling," her mother chided gently, "if you keep chatting with Dad,

we'll never cook dinner on time." She took some beans and started cutting the

ends off while Breanna puzzled over the phone screen:

 Spend your money on something clean, fat or thin, it's all a pleasure! 

 m ...Breanna thought about it. I think I know what's going on. He mentally turned the puzzle, remembering that the dough meant money. But in

this case, it also meant something else. Especially when it could be thick or thin. His eyes widened as he discovered the meaning of the riddle.

The answer is... the pizza crust. 

 Brianna and her mother cooked the beans together. Mother took the beans and put them in the pan. Filled both pans with water and then turned the knob on the stove. The thing glowed orange, and the sausage was under the grill. 

Gradually, they began to heat up and change color.

 "Oh, I should wear this earlier," Brianna's mother complained. "It takes years to prepare food. It would be great if Dad came over for a delicious lunch. He hasn't slept for 48 hours and must be exhausted." She looked sad; Brianna hugged her and raised her head to her mother. A big smile.

 "You know, I think my father hasn't left for too long to wait for dinner.

 "He understands everything, the meaning of the riddle, the reason his father gave him now.

 "I sent my last message to my father. 

 Melted slime makes me happy. Mesh dressing, mesh dad. 

 Three minutes later, his father came up with the most extensive and most delicious ham and pineapple pizza; he took it home.

<6>

 She ran up to him, he smiled at her, full of vigour and vitality, she couldn’t believe

that he hadn't slept for two nights.

"Cheese," he screamed, "the last one. 

The hint is cheese! I put tomatoes, pineapple, ham, and crust together and found that you brought the pizza home! I understand!"

 "Yes, of course, my smart girl. You even changed the word "cool" to GRATE, which sounds like cheese in pizza! Now put it on the table and let's eat it! "He rubbed her hair, she inhaled his essence, mixed with the scent of delicious pizza, and suddenly believed that she was the happiest girl in the world, and nothing could upset her. When she saw her mother, she raised her head and frowned when staring at her father with arms crossed. 

 Takeaway pizza? This money is too much! There is a lot of food here, and we can't afford that much money. "Brianna's mother looked like she was about to cry. Her father stretched out his hands and walked to his wife. She refused to do so, but he kicked her in. "Honey," he muttered, "When my sweetheart, When my wife is too sick to cook, we have enough money to buy pizza.

 "I mean, my great girlfriend has not been seen in two days.

I just finished the longest and toughest shift I have ever done in my life. Then we should celebrate more and spend some money. This time out of For these reasons. Life no longer gives us many moments to celebrate, so we must catch them when they come and celebrate with all our heart." 

 "But we have too little money..." His wife was silent; tears flowed down the cheeks.

 "We have enough...for this." He stepped forward and gently held her hand. 

<7>

"Tomorrow we will have a more relaxing lunch, but now we want to celebrate and cherish what we have. Here and now: a beautiful family that can stay together even in difficult times, not Disturbed by a minor setback in life. Looking for a job. I know you will. I never want you to lose faith in yourself. We are not. "

"No, Mom, Brianna interrupted her. "To me, In other words, you are still the queen of all pineapples. 

 It took Brianna and her parents ten minutes to finish a whole ham and pineapple pizza. At that moment, Brianna saw her mother become soft and burning; her father started to perform magic again, and suddenly the family laughed as usual.

 As if life has never changed, all aspects are sweet and beautiful. 

 It seems that they continue to laugh and appreciate each other because life provides them with all the incredible aspects and flavors.

 It seems as if the things they need came to them and filled them all up. 

 Like... Pizza.