I went shopping and stopped by my mom's restaurant to grab a quick bite. Not to brag, but I have not such delicious food by anyone, other than by my mom. Even when we were young, we were eating tasty snacks, baked goodies, full course meals fit for a king, or rather prince and princess. 

My mom had no certified training in cooking school so she had to work up from rock bottom. Of course she refused to work even if a reputed restaurant begged her to join them since she considered that we, her family were her first priority. Of course we still are, but this restaurant is also her baby and who are we to deprive the world of the most delicious food they could ever eat. 

No we simply cannot. Besides my mom doesn't do it for money, she does it out of pure pleasure of cooking and baking.

I crossed the street and went around the restaurant and went in through its back door. My mother insists that we use back door. 

Since:

1. It seemed highly impolite to go through the front and announce that we are the owners (only to be stared at)...

2. My mother tends to keep us away from the business (since we are the nagging and poking our nose in other people's business types)...

3. We like to eat...to much quantity at a time which leads to inappropriate dining manners (so if we sit and start eating in front of customers, I am highly positive they will walk out..... or rather run away. 

My brothers eat like a pack of wolves, not me. I'm calm and serene like a delicate flower)...

I went in and saw the back kitchen in full swing.

There were about 4 employees other than my mother and some of my cousins. My cousin Lucy was dish washing at the sink nearby and smiled when she saw me. 

Lucy was cute. Smart and beautiful. Blonde. But she was so sweet that I feared I would get diabetes by just talking to her, I loved her so much.

"Hey Lucy, how are you??", I asked her smiling. Lucy grinned and hugged me with her still wet hand. 

Which resulted in drenching me. Lucy looked down in horror. I saw her expression and laughed loudly. 

Damn the girl looked like she killed a rabbit.

"Oh my Goddddd!!!!!!! Dawn I am so sorryyyyyyy....", Lucy started apologizing, "I wasn't paying attention, I was so happy to so you that I forgot to wash my hands. I'm so sorry..."

She started to tear up a bit at the end and upturned her eyes to me. Giving a perfect puppy face complete with upturned brows and teared, and sorrowful eyes and cute tilting of her lips. 

Yep, this is why I love her. Lucy can never harm anyone and was genuinely a good person if I thought my mother was Goddess, then Lucy would be a Goddess's Child. She was that pure.

"It's okk, Lucy. Look I am wearing a coat, so it's fine. I will just remove it.", I assured her and patted her head just like I did for Danny when he was sad, "Don't feel bad, sweetie and I am happy to meet you as well. You didn't have time since your semester exams were there, right? How was it?".

Wowww!! her hair was so soft. I have to ask which conditioner she uses.

Lucy frowned and smiling a bit asked, "Are you patting me like you do Danny??"

"No, I am not!", I instantly lied and removed my hand.

Lucy laughed loudly and said, "Yeah, my exams were good."

"And your Internship? How is that going?", I asked with a smirk.

"Now, now...", Lucy smirked back and waved her finger, "I can't tell you that right? It would be like complaining!!" 

We both laughed at that. Lucy wanted to be a Chef. Mom was a bit skeptical to take Lucy as an employee, since hers was a new business and since Lucy was a relative, there could be times when others would argue about our biased treatment for her.

But Lucy begged, pouted, again begged and pouted and some more. 

Till she perfected the art and mom got tired of all the begging and pouting from her,

all the begging and pouting from my aunt (Lucy's Mother),

all the begging and pouting from my uncle (Lucy's Father), 

all the begging and pouting from us,

And took her.

"Hey, Nice Hair Cut!", Lucy complimented nodding at my hair.

"Thanks, I needed it you know?", I grinned ruefully.

"I know. You anyways know, how much I liked him...", Lucy smiled sadly. 

Now... That was an understatement, Ladies & Gentlemen!!

When Lucy Knight says 'I don't like him'.....

What she probably means is that.... 

I hate him till the depths of the underworld, may his dead corpses be feed by worms. 

Lucy was young just 19, 4 years younger than me but I still remember playing with my cousins when I was younger.

When my uncle (her dad) cut his hair in hippie style, her remark on it was, "Huh, New cut dad?".

When my elder sister was getting married and had selected a binge purple bridesmaids dress which made me look like a eggplant, her remark on it was, "Huh, it is Violet", and she nodded like she deciphered a age old mystery.

When I asked that I liked a guy and what did she think of him, she saw the guy and said, "Huh, I don't think that's the guy for you" and shrugged. 

I got to know later that he was a delinquent and kept making fire around our campus.

But she is Lucy. So we love her.

"Yup, I know that too. Next time I get a guy I will run him by you to see your prospective" I said.

"Yeah you do that" Lucy replied, waving her hands like a queen dismissing a problem after solving it.

Then, my Mum stepped from the side and came to me.

"Dawn, Honey!!! Why didn't you tell me you were coming?", My Mum came across smiling, engulfing me in her arms. 

I took some time holding her, feeling her warmth spread through me. When I was bullied during my school days, I used to fight and come home in scratches and cuts and start crying after I reach home. My mom always used to hug me till I stop crying. Holding her like this made me feel, I can fight anyone in this world now.

Feeling recharged, I stepped back and smiled, "Nothing, just a hair cut and some shopping!!"

"But why don't you come tonight for dinner? How is Danny? Will you bring him?", My mom asked hurriedly and turned hopeful eyes towards me.... 

Really women in my family really have perfected the art of making puppy face. I don't know, how men resist them. But thankfully, I am a master of the art and have no issues, whatsoever in resisting it.

"No, Fine and No!", I replied shortly. 

"But... But whyyyyy????", My mom wailed.

"How could you deprive me of my grandson, I loveeeeee him!!!! You are so mean!!".

"Oh come on, you know, I need some time mom. Besides, he meets you every morning when he goes out right?" I asked, raising an eyebrow at her. When I moved out, my father insisted that I moved nearby and Danny, being Danny knows the way to my parents house and goes there to play or eat delicious snakes, whenever he goes out for a walk. 

My family dotes on Danny. My mom stops wailing and glances at me warily, "Why didn't you get affected by my attacks? I thought I perfected the emotional blackmailing?", I smirked, "Yeah Mum, but I am your daughter and I grew learning from you."

"Of course, you have learned from the Master. Now... Bow down!! You are in the presence of my majestic awe!!", My mother upturned her nose and gave the perfect imitation of a Snotty Queen. I looked at Lucy and she coughed a laugh in her fist.

"Ah ha...", I replied and rolled my eyes. 

"Well, if you are not going to come to dinner at least take something for home!!? I have some leftovers...", she turned without waiting for me to follow.

I will follow.. Oh!! I will most definitely follow!! If I got to get that delicious meals cooked by my mom, even if it were leftovers, I will go to war to win it. I followed her to her section.

"NO WAY!! YOU DO IT!!!!"

"NO!! I won't...."

"I can't deliver to that place..... NOT TODAY!!!!!"

People started yelling from our left and my mom diverted her steps to them.

"What's wrong?" She asked a young boy. By his dressing, he looked like a delivery boy.

"Ma'am!! I am sorry... I can't deliver today here!" The boy apologized desperately....

And surely... there can't be tears in his eyes... Right??

"No ma'am... any other day could have been fine but not today!!"

"Even I can't!! You know, I am diligent and focused in my duties, Celia!!", my Uncle Angus exclaimed.

"Not today!!" The young boy started crying, "Celia Ma'am, Angus sir... is... is... making me go because he", the boy wailed and pointed towards Uncle Angus with his finger shaking, "...doesn't want to go.... I can't go not again!!" 

"STOP THAT!! Aren't you a man??!! How can you cry like a girl??!!", Angus rolled his eyes.

"Hey, what do you mean by that??!!", I exclaimed at Uncle Angus.

"Show all this ladies, how a man does it!!!", Angus waved a fist over his head like a Roman or rather a Celtic warrior, "Go forth and vanquish your enemies!!" 

"Then why don't you go??!!", I asked him, tapping him on his shoulder to bring him back from any delusions he had created and was currently playing.

"I am but a retired soldier, my girl... I would have accepted this great honor but I can't. Besides," he said, kneeling down, "My knee is hurting me, it's an old injury lass", and nodded solemnly. 

Celia rolled her eyes and looked over to me and said, "You go!"

I startled and asked, "What...??"

Hi Guys and Gals,

Next on Valiant of my heart, Adam's POV and our leads first meeting. I will just continue the suspense where they will meet. I hope you enjoyed this one.

Last but not the least, I want to dedicate this chapter the 1st 3 subscribers that I have!! 

1. Vough

2. TEA-na

3. Sugarsweet

Thanks Guys for subscribing to my Story: Valient of my Heart... You are all so sweet....

Thanks to all those reading my story!!! 😍😄😍 So long until next Chapter...