Chapter 3: Chapter 3

Following that, the focus on the teachings brought me out of the tangle of thoughts concerning Eliot Dominic. The sunset is as red as a burning sky, and time passes quickly. The heat of the morning has subsided, giving way to a refreshing wind in the afternoon.

I will say farewell to Elizabeth at the intersections, where the park's tallest oak tree stands, and head to the Vietnamese restaurant managed by my aunt's family, as I do every day. As I arrived, I noticed that the tables and chairs were completely occupied. We'll be busy from now until tonight, it appears! I considered it, but I didn't want to waste any more time, so I quickly parked the car in a corner and entered the store.

I had only just arrived, but the first thing I heard was Jack's boyish voice:

"One banh xeo, two beef pho, and a mixed baguette special! Thank you, and enjoy your meal!"

Jack is tall, thin silhouette seemed to stand out through the fabric of his blue hoodie in front of me, about three rows of tables away. The boy's long neck and healthy yellow skin are highlighted by his youthful undercut hairstyle. Jack is only thirteen this year, three years my junior, but he is a head taller than this brother! Probably because it inherited Uncle Roger's dominant gene. The high nose is straight as a slide, but the other features on Jack's face are like Aunt Anna's.

"Hi Sean! It is so good to see you, you are back! It's so crowded today!"

Jack dashed over to me, his sly eyes beaming as if he'd found his best savior.

As I put on my apron, I said:

""Yes. Let me go to the kitchen to help your aunt and uncle make the dishes and bring them out. Which table is missing?"

Jack points his thumb back:

"Tables six and eight! Grilled burgers and bun cha!"

"Okay!"

I nodded and dashed into the kitchen. Uncle Roger and Aunt Anna are both quite busy, each with their own tasks. Uncle Roger was scrubbing the dishes that Jack had brought in earlier while Aunt Anna sautéed steak. I greet them both:

"Hello uncle, aunt! Please, let me help!"

Uncle Roger's complexion was flushed from sweat and the kitchen's heat. With his big blue eyes, typical western blond hair, and height of six feet eight nine when standing upright, he has always stood out the most in the Douglas family, which I truly love because I am the "smallest and lightest" in the Douglas family. Because he is in his middle age, the uncle's red and yellow striped polo shirt was slightly sticky to his upper body due to sweat, accidentally showing a round beer belly in the shape of a ball. Uncle Roger, on the other hand, is still pretty good and cool when compared to the many American men his age that I've encountered on the street.

He drained the water from the dishes he had just washed in a huge basket, then squinted his eyes and smiled at his grandson. Normally, he interacts with me in Vietnamese, but Aunt Anna advised that I first become adjusted to the surroundings here, so we continue to converse in the local language. He only speaks to me in Vietnamese while my aunt is away. To be honest, Uncle Roger's Vietnamese is excellent since he learned it from his wife. He also enjoys Asian culture, particularly Vietnamese culture; therefore partnering with his aunt to establish this restaurant is acceptable.

He rubbed my shoulder, his booming speech oozing purity and youthfulness from his attitude, which made me feel completely at ease:

"Sean, well done! You're back, kid, and just in time! You were also mentioned!"

I furrow my brows:

"Is that correct? How are you doing? You'll soon have six pack abs if you work hard in the kitchen with your aunt like this!"

Uncle Roger beat his drum-like fat, plump tummy.

"Come on, I'm not in the mood for six packs. Because your aunt is smitten with this wonderful soft egg belly! Yes, honey?!"

"Stop fooling around with each other and go to work!"

Aunt Anna shook her head and hurriedly requested assistance:

"Can I help you prepare the bun cha?"

I carefully put on my plastic gloves and spoke to my aunt as I watched the skewers sizzle in the oven behind Uncle Roger:

"Yes! Although the grilled meat is ready, you need to prepare the bread first. Customers have been anticipating that dish for quite some time!"

I've become used to the restaurant's service tempo now that I've been here for a time. She knows I'll do well on the allotted responsibilities, so she'll be relieved every time she sees me. Aunt chuckles:

"Yes. Okay! Thank you so much, baby!"

I grabbed two hot crispy breads from the styrofoam box, then used tongs to pick up the contents into the loaf, such as herbs, ham, and sausages, then topped it with hot grilled meat and meat sauce. Spray ketchup or chili sauce on top of the cake at the request of the client who purchased it. Because I was already pretty skilled, the entire process took only a few minutes. I immediately placed the food on the tray and carried it outside to the dining area.

"Enjoy your lunch. Here are two special sandwiches!"

I informed the two visitors at table eight respectfully. Then he went to table number six, where a couple of the restaurant's regulars were seated, to make an announcement:

"It's time for your bun cha. I'm going to get it right now. Please be patient!"

The brown-haired man smiled and nodded.

"Thank you very much! We know we won't have to wait long after seeing you!"

After that, I continued my work as usual, serving in the kitchen and dining room. My limbs, eyes and ears worked at full capacity until nine o'clock in the evening before I could rest, because the restaurant was closed and stopped serving.

At this time, everyone in the family is cleaning the restaurant. I stooped, pushing the mop up and down the wooden floor. Aunt Anna came out of the kitchen after cleaning the dishes with Uncle Roger. Aunt told me:

"Sean, you don't have to clean the house. Leave it to aunt and uncle and do your homework!"

I paused for a moment, looked at my aunt, and replied:

"I finished it this afternoon, auntie."

Her tone was a little astonished:

"How quick was that?"

"Because the assignment isn't very lengthy or demanding. So, Aunt and Uncle Roger, just take a break. I'll finish cleaning the house, take out the garbage, and return!"

Jack sighed, his hand gently cleaning the window pane. It reads:

"Can you help me with my math homework, Sean? It's really difficult!"

"When I finish cleaning the house, I will teach you!"

Jack dashed over to hug my neck:

"I completed the window cleaning. Is it okay if I go home and wait for you?"

I nodded as I continued to tidy the house.

"I will be right back when I take out the garbage. It's now my turn!"

"Yeah! Sean is the best!!!"

Jack quickly rushed out after finishing the sentence and tossed the glass cleaning cloth to another location. The child rode his bicycle out of sight before Aunt Anna could tell him to be careful on the road. Uncle Roger sighed and patted his wife on the shoulder, as if to reassure her that Jack was alright. The pair said nothing further; they lingered with me for a few moments before heading home to rest, partially because I had aggressively encouraged my aunt and uncle to return.

"Sean, here is the key. Remember to turn off the lights before you go home!"

Uncle Roger slipped the spare keys into my palm. My heart grew strangely pleased as I stared at the small glowing metal in my hand. Perhaps it's because I've gained my aunt and uncle's family's trust. I replied, nodding and waving to them:

"Yes. Please be careful!"

A few minutes after I concluded my sentence, the blue truck arrived. Two headlight beams shot over the dark night, then vanished entirely from my view. The parking area outside the restaurant's courtyard was deserted, with no one in sight save myself. Despite my desire to return home, I continued to clean the tables and chairs due to my employment responsibilities. The upbeat pop music playing on the phone also makes me feel less bored. The corners of my mouth began to hum as soon as I did. I finally finished my assignment around ten minutes later.

"Okay! Let's go take out the trash!"