Submission

CHAPTER : 19

Dinner that night was chaotic. After such a stressful day, one would want to feel relaxed at home, to take a soak in a bubble bath, to wear comfy clothes and watch some TV with hot chocolate in a mug. All that went out the window when Liza suddenly had one of her mood swings, demanding a food carnival.

The kitchen was totally cluttered with dishes and bowls here and there, specks of flour on the counter top, cabinet doors open, pans and pots on the stove, and two women singing and dancing to their old favourite song Downtown.

When you're alone
And life is making you lonely
You can always go
Downtown

When you've got worries
All the noise and the hurries seem to help I know
Downtown

Just listen to the music of the traffic in the city
Linger on the side walks where the neon lights are pretty
How can you lose
The lights so much brighter there
You can forget all your troubles
Forget all your cares
So go Downtown
Things will be great where you're in Downtown...

"Liza! What's burning?!" I pointed my wooden spoon towards a smoking pan on the stove and shouted over the booming music. Thank God we didn't have any neighbours because the trouble we were causing was just too much.

"Nothing Rosie! The meatballs are just getting a tan!" She twirled like a ballerina and headed over to the pan with a certain kind of funny accent that we used whenever we were alone.

The music system was on full blast, while the sizzles and stirs from the kitchen accompanied by the song created so much commotion that I was sure it reached the whole area surrounding our house. Not to mention two women who can't sing at all, shouting and screaming at the top of their voices. We would even occasionally drop or break something and scream and shout at each other with absolutely no care about the aftermath of the mess that we were creating here.

Again, good thing that we don't have neighbours.

The menu was not even that hefty that could create this much clutter considering meatball spaghetti, beef Wellington and cheesecake were the only things on the menu.

I think I should join a gym soon.

"Oops! Downtown emergency!" Liza shouted and made her way towards the bathroom after taking a lick from the batter of the cheesecake with her finger.

I smiled and switched off the music system, happy to have such a friend like Liza who can make all my worries disappear with just a snap of her fingers. These were the moments where I didn't mind that I had to go through whatever I had in the past to be here with her because I felt at peace and the feeling inside my heart was enough. This life, right now, is enough.