Tomato Soup

"Ray, would you like to turn off the TV? Dinner is ready." 

The sound of people cheering loudly from TV slowly faded. A boy walked into the kitchen and calmly sits on his stool waiting for his food. The silhouette of his mother preparing dinner for him can be seen through the flowery thin curtain. 

"What's the menu tonight?" 

"Your favorite." 

"Again?" He sighed the moment he knew what food will be served to the table soon. "Can't we have something oily? I have sudden crave for hamburger tonight, mom." 

"Maybe not today, young man." 

The mixed aroma between sour and sweet quickly inundates the room. His mom came with a big bowl of tomato soup. She smirked as she put down the ladle to Ray's bowl, knew that her son was bored with the same repeated dish. Even though Ray hated it, he still ate the soup without complaining much while her mother sat in front of him, looking at her son eating with honey-dripping eyes. 

"Is it delicious?" his mom asked while Ray inhales the soup. 

"Plain but yeah, no other choice," Ray answered. His thick eyebrows arched as he realizes that his mum hasn't lifted her spoon yet. "Why don't you eat, mum? Is there something wrong?" 

"No," her motherly smile ensued immediately. "Just watching you eat is enough for me." 

"What," Ray pouted his lips. "You always say that. Is there any scientific research that explains watching your son eat will make your belly full?" 

A crisp laugh can be heard through the house. "Of course not, Ray." 

"Then why don't you eat?" 

"I feel full when I cook for you." Her ingenious hands started stirring the soup, caused the smoke billows in the warm air. "Hey, you haven't said anything about the exam today. How was it?" 

"I don't wanna talk about it." His voice suddenly turned bitter. "I might be kicked from the class tomorrow." 

"You got the lowest mark again?" 

"Yeah." 

"Wow, that's expected from you." 

Ray sighted to his mum as he didn't believe what she just said. "You sound so satisfied that your only son got the last position in the class. Wait, are you really my mom?" 

"Why?" His mom starts laughing again until her cheeks turned berry red. "I just fascinated by the fact that my son descended my biggest talent to owns the lowest spot in the class." 

"Meh," Ray mocked his mum, but deep inside, he somehow felt proud by how his mother never made a fuss for getting the lowest mark in the class. Compared to other parents, he lucked out that his mum is pretty cool about it. "Then it is true that I am your child."

"Exactly what I said," his mom acknowledged. "You should be grateful to have a cool mom like me." 

"I did, just that I won't tell you, though." 

"Well, Ray." Her hands reached Ray's left arm. He can feels the rough palm of her mother rubbing on his skin. "It's okay to get the lowest mark in the class, even in the school. I won't be mad about it because there are things that far more important than getting a perfect score." 

"To live up my dreams and to live with my own believes, right?" 

She nodded. It's advice that she always reminded Ray to follow it every single day. "And by that, you will live a joyful life. It's something that I wished every time." 

"Back then when I was around your age, all the girls in my class used to call me with 'the dumbest kid in the class' because my score never exceeded the minimum bar of the class. But boy, I never ashamed of myself and keeping dark all the time." Eventually, his mum ladled her bowl with tomato soup. 

"You know why? Because I am living my own life. I never cared much of what people said; I have a strong drive to be true to myself. As long as things harmonize well with what I believe, then I'll just do it. At least that's what my Dad, a.k.a your handsome grandfather, taught to me from a long time ago." 

Ray was deeply engaged in his mum's story until he didn't realize the soup already went cold and now it turned bland. "Eww, can I get more spices, mom?" 

Out of nowhere, his mom appeared with spices in her hands as if she can read his mind. She even put two more scoops of tomato soup to Ray's bowl. "Say no more, Son."

"Why did you pour the soup again?" He instantly demurred.

"Because I want to." 

"Meh." 

The pleasant tomato soup once again melted in his mouth. Although it's a food that his mum cooks almost every day, strangely, Ray never gets tired of its rich, heavenly flavor. It seems like his mum secretly added some unknown ingredients that enchanted Ray to keep digest the soup. 

***

The warm tomato soup on that windy winter night kept in Ray's mind until today he became a father on his own. As he already mastered the tomato soup recipe from his mother, he often randomly cooks tomato soup at night even when his wife yells about it. And thanks God, his child obey him more than their strict mom, so they merrily dig the soup in flash speed. 

"Hmm...this thick aroma smells very familiar."

That's how his wife launched a satire attack when Ray starts boiling fresh tomato bought from the local market after work. But actually, his wife is pretty nonchalant about the tomato soup; it's just she knew how much Ray cherishes tomato soup in his life. 

"They are fresh handpicked tomato. And it's organic! Bet you will love the taste." He squabbled while stirring the soup. "Oh, I added meatballs too!" 

"It's for the children, not me. I know, I know..." 

"Hehe.." 

"Well, here they come." She squints her eyes when their 7-year old twin child comes running from the living room. "Anna Ariadne Law and Reynold Law, how many times I told you two to not running in this house?" 

Just like the father, the twin child just innocently grinning their teeth when the mom scolds them. They casually sit in their own seats while observing their parents in the kitchen. 

"Daddy, when will the soup ready?" Ray's beloved daughter asked with such a sweet tone. 

"Yeah, I'm hungry, Papa!" Reynold added. "Mum didn't give us a snack since this noon and I am starving to death." 

Reynold is just the son that inherits the silliness of his father and Ray's wife just never surprised about it. While Ray preparing the dinner, his wife getting ready for work as she has a night shift today. She comes near to Ray and back hugged her husband. "I have to go now. Please take care of the kids tonight, okay?" 

"Be careful." He pecks his wife's lips without letting go of the ladle. "Call me when you arrive." 

"Yap." 

She then moves to her child that busy playing with themselves on the dining table. "Kids, mom will go work now. Don't forget to take your medicine before bed." 

"Okay, Mom." 

She kissed both Anna and Reynold before leaving the house. "I'll see you tomorrow morning. Be good to your Dad, okay?" 

Their toys are more attractive than their mum saying goodbye so they just nod their head to all advice from their mother. And then, the three gather in the dining table for a full bowl of smoked tomato soup. 

"It's dinner time, kids!" Ray shouted while carrying the bowl to the table. 

"Yeay!" Both of his children cheering for the arrival of their favorite soup. The presence of red goulash when Ray opens the lid excites the twin. "Please pour it for me, Dad." 

"Ay-ay, Sir!" Ray poured two full ladles of soup on his children's bowl. "You guys better to clean up your bowls since I added the meatballs too." 

"Sure!"

The father and his twin children relish their meal while sharing about the day. Ray took a glance to his kids, especially his son that strangely eating so slow as if he wants to say something but hesitant about it so Ray takes initiatives to ask him first.

"So son, I heard from Mama you had a bad day today. Want to talk with me about it, dude?" 

Reynold put down his spoon as he heard the question from his father. His shoulder hung down with bitter aura encircles him. "I got scolded by the teacher today and they called me dumb because I failed the test." 

"Ah, so the day has come." Ray sounded very relieved as he paid attention to his son's story. "It's okay, Reynold." 

Surprised by his father's response, Reynold asked his Dad with a questioning tone. "Wait, you don't seem very disappointed with me, Dad." 

"What?" His Dad strikes back. "Do you expect me to go wild and told you to study harder while whipping your ass?" 

"Kind of?" Reynold shakes his shoulder. 

"If that's what's you wished for," Ray teasing his son. "Haha... No, son. Why in the world I have to be enraged because you failed the test? After all, score is just a number. You don't have to worry about it." 

"But, Dad, I don't like to be called dumb." Reynolds mixes his soup with his spoon. 

"Well, if you hate it, then just ignore. Why bother?" said Ray to his son while scooping soup to his mouth. His son seems not very happy to his word so he continues. 

"Kids, let me tell you something. I, too, have been dubbed as dumb back then, but I get away from it because I stand firm to myself. I didn't let myself swoon.

Instead, I tried hard to shine in another field that I think suited me the best. In the end, the thing is not how good you scored at school, but how you behave and treat people is more important. I don't care if you do not excel math in class but I'll definitely disown you as my kids for being rude to others." 

"Papa," Anna raised her hands immediately. "Is it okay if I hate math and love drawing instead?" 

"Do whatever you want, Miss. Just know that your Mama and Papa will always support your dreams no matter what," said Ray. "But remember, do your drawing on canvas, not on your textbooks. Anyway, Reynold, you did a good job and I extremely proud to have kids like you two."

The giggling sound quickly fills the kitchen as they nearly finished the meal. Reynold is no longer sulky to himself and back to his cheery self after being encouraged by his father. The twin put their bowls to the sink before running back to the living room to watch their favorite series. 

While Ray washes the utensils, his lips secretly unfurl to a smile. The leftover from tomato soup has stimulated his memories of the sweet-scented tomato soup made by his mother. Back then, he always pondered why that flavorless soup tasted so delicious the minute it touches his tongue. Even after he retained the recipe and try to remake it, the taste is still the same. Bland. It missed an essential element, and he had no idea what's missing until he seizes it's not spice nor the quality of the ingredient, but something invisible. 

Something that cannot be seen but can be feel. And it's called the warmth of love. It instantly elevates the flavor of every dish without adding more spices. That's why the mum's tomato soup tasted very delicious because it contains the love from the mother's hands and heart.  

It cannot be found anywhere but on the mom's hand who no longer be with him in this world. She may be unable to join a dinner with her grandchildren, but the values she developed on Ray will be carried well to his children through the everlasting tomato soup recipe. 

****