CHAPTER 27

December ran swiftly as Usain Bolt across the Hills on a galloping horse. I surveyed the festive season. It was only December 2nd and the whole street had lit with Christmas lights. Liam's relatives and friends visited unannounced.
       I cradled my favorite coffee mug and watched as Max strode around the sitting room with a blue file and a serious look on his face. Neither of us had spoken about the event that took place at the old factory which was now a land. Liam repressed a grin as he took the file from Max and sat opposite his dad. He had the same expression as always when he looked up at me-the one that made me feel like my stomach was being ripped out. Max's highly sensitive eyes seemed to have caught on our mind conversation. He raised a thumb and gave a reassuring look.
       I nodded in response then turned to look at Diana. Unlike everyone else, she didn't seem fazed by the Christmas spirit. She did her routine workouts and studied the magazines. I often wondered why she took a distinctive interest in magazines but I guess I wasn't curious enough to ask. There were other things more important than that which was finding out if she was truly Diana or not.
       I scampered downstairs, humming along to the Christmas song playing across the street. Where I lived we didn't have such levity during festive seasons. We had a lot of extended relatives but none of them came to visit. Lisa and I used to squabble a lot a day before Christmas. It didn't feel like an exciting day at least for one of us. My mum would always take her side and lock me up till it was the next day and time to eat. It was probably going to be my first Christmas as a married woman. Two days only and I couldn't wait for the remaining 22 days to ride across the ocean as quickly as possible.
       Pouring a cup of apple cider vinegar for myself, Nanny Mai smiled at me and turned to continue feeding Victoria and Lauren. She had taken the responsibility upon herself to be the best mum and guardian to the kids. I reminisced about signing some papers about being their legal guardian but didn't concede it went beyond just signing those papers. I couldn't give either of them my attention as promised but Nanny was there to always rescue me. Often I wondered what I would do without her.
       Fish tacos. I said inaudibly. One of his favorite dishes was fish tacos. It was unattainable for him to decline a bite even when upset. I reflected how one night he returned late from work and was really depleted and agitated, Nanny Mai had presented him with fish tacos. His first intuition was to storm upstairs after having an altercation with me but reconsidered when the aroma oozing from the food blew across his nose. If I was going to win him over then I needed to start with something small.
       Nanny Mai walked over to the sink and rinsed out Victoria and Lauren's plates then wiped her hands with the napkin before standing beside me staring at me with her inevitable questioning gaze. She restrained her eyes and then asked, "What nuisance are you planning again? Don't think about doing anything absurd today." Her strident tone freaked me out for a second. It felt as though I was a deviant kid that was chastised by their mum.
       Nuisance? The honesty in her eyes and voice made it look like I was always creating problems. I felt offended but at the same time questioned if she was indeed right about everything. Since I moved in, a lot had happened in Liam's family. But was I really at fault? They already had complicated relationships and scandals. Ok, maybe they didn't lose anyone in their family before I came but it was only a concurrency. Anna was sick and was going to die someday, Grandma's feeble legs demanded her to be in her room always so yes, I do consider it a coincidence.
       "Mr. Smith's relatives are here." She continued. Hands-on her waist and face popped out like it was about fall from her neck. "There's been a lot of drama in this house already. Almost every one of them has heard about you and the unfortunate events that happened after your arrival. Don't give them the fulfillment they want. Do you know who you are?"
       Hannah Liam Smith? Or the unfortunate girl that got married to a guy she loathed and is now in love with him? I was pretty sure those answers weren't what she was looking for. I cleared my throat and then asked, "Who?"
       I identified the look in her eyes. The one that unveiled the structure of the heart. So many times I should have died if I weren't Liam's wife. Determined not to be on her bad side anymore, I stood motionless with a straight face.
       She gripped my cup from me and drank the remaining apple cider vinegar and then responded, "You are the wife of Liam Smith. The President of New Generation Restaurant. Do you realize how many of his relatives are envious of that post?"
       Not really. But I'm sure you're gonna tell me anyways. "No. How many?"
       "All." I wheezed, to show my feigned interest in what she was saying. "Yes. Six years ago before Liam's grandfather retired to his old house, there was a long-lasting dispute in this family because of that title. Everyone went crazy, there was no trust, love, or any kind of affection. It got so bad that they couldn't even eat food from each other's table because of fear of being poisoned."
       Fascinating. I blinked twice. I had come to the kitchen to prepare food for my husband but here I was, hearing an intriguing story about his extended family. I couldn't say it was boring I just didn't expect they had such drama going on and pretended to be the best on television. Everyone begrudged them without realizing there were hidden animosities among them. There used to be a neighbor of mine in my family home who used to watch their reality show every day until the day she died. She used to wish her family would be like the Smiths. When I gave it a second thought, I finally realized why her children separated a few days before her death. It was her wish that became a reality. People wish to be like celebs without discovering their lives could be better than the lives of people they desire to be like. "I didn't know this," I whispered. I had started to take an interest in what she was saying. I needed to know Liam more to understand him. Diana assumably knew about these things and I certainly wasn't going to ask. "So, how did Liam get to be the President?"
       "Simple. There was an open vote between the stockholders and directors of the company. Every last one of them chose Liam because he's prosperous, intelligent, good-looking, and courteous. Liam had the highest net worth amongst all his cousins and was also one of the youngest and richest men in America. They needed someone who was shrewd and not voracious. They needed someone like his grandfather."
       Courteous? I didn't realize Liam was generous. I reasoned. Her mouth moved swiftly, hands motioning, legs walking around in circles. The only thing I could think of was when I witnessed Liam being charitable. And there was basically no time I had noticed that. Did he unexpectedly stop after marriage? She had a lot to say about his family. I guess people were correct when they said nobody knew the hidden secrets of a family better than a nanny and security guard. Fish tacos. How do I make it? There was certainly no way I could ask her to make it. He had tasted hers already. "Chefs need to be respected all over the world. It's not easy to cook."
       "It's easy to cook but difficult to know how to make good food." Max strolled in. "Fish tacos?"
       Huh? "Hey, how did you know? It's like you were in my head or something." My mouth dropped.
       "Every girl that's dated my brother tried to make a very first good impression by making his favorite food."
      "How many passed?"
      "Liam's a little bit persnickety with a lot of things. Neither of them was successful in creating a good impression." He pulled out two aprons, wore one around his neck then extended out his arm and passed me the other apron. "He's a really good chef so it's going to be difficult. It's like trying to teach Flash how to run."
       "So how did Diana create a good impression?" I wore my apron.
       "She didn't." Max and Nanny Mai harmonized. They stared at each other in astonishment then turned to look at me pitifully. "Liam fell in love with Diana first."
       And that crushed my soul. I thought I had a chance to win him over but didn't realize that chance was very slim. If he was going to look at me as a woman someday then a lot of effort was needed from my side. My days of feeling helpless and alarmed were over. Stroking my palms against each other, an evil grin spread across my face, I brought out my phone and yelled, "Let's do it! I don't know how long but I'm going to keep trying until he sees only me in his dream." That was the most awful expression but who cared?
       "As a nightmare?"
       Ok, someone did. Max, maybe he was just as sardonic as his brother. Why would I want to be a nightmare? "Let's just get started. I'm not going to deal with this right now."
       "Us?" Nanny Mai's mouth set in a hard line. "I'm sorry. I wish I could but I can't. He's going to know I prepared it."
       Does she take me for a fool? I already figured that out. "Max,"
       "That would be a no from me." He plastered a smile on his face, his right leg drawing an imperceptible circle on the floor. "I work once in a blue moon in New Generation Restaurant. And Liam's tasted my food before. I'm pretty sure he would find out if I make it." Just when I was about to give up on the whole idea of pleasing him, Max snapped his finger. His gaze scanned the living room. "He seems busy. I could teach you how to do it but you'll do the cooking yourself. Don't think about anything, just cook."