"Beauty, don't let other girls go near Clarence. Don't let him get away from your clutches from now on. Follow my example, after his Dad confessed to me, I wouldn't let any girl s.n.a.t.c.h him away from me. I'm so happy you'll be my daughter in law." Claire finished putting light makeup on Beauty's face and hugging her cheerfully.

Beauty could not say a word. How to respond to the proddings from her boyfriend's mother? This was really awkward for her.

"What? Are you not happy I'll be your mother?" Claire shamelessly said.

"Ah, haha, No Mommy Claire. I'm absolutely happy. . . I'll better go now. Clarence is waiting outside. Other girls might flirt with him if I won't' go out now." Beauty spoke with firmness and enthusiasm. Uncomfortable she might be, but to end this talk she had to learn how to converse with her 'future mother in law'.

"That's the spirit, make him head over heels in love with you," added Claire. Although this doting 'future mother in law' understood Beauty's awkwardness, she still preferred to continually act this way. To see a good and trustworthy girl with her only boy was her joy. Mothers always wish good lifetime partners for their children.

Beauty got out of her room after another dolling up session with Claire. She was wearing a yellow gingham dress with a stylish hat and a simple sandal on her feet. She was so carefree looking, making her more attractive. A lot of men were gazing at her that irritated Clarence. A man had even walked into a tree while staring at her making the girl beside him p.i.s.sed. He held her waist as they walked to announce to these guys that 'she is my woman'.

"I feel like you've been so possessive nowadays. You now casually hug me. You don't even ask permission anymore. I want to talk to you about this for quite some time now. There should a boundary. Do you get what I mean?" complained Beauty.

"I need to do this to drive the bees hovering over you away."

"What bees? There's none."

"It's just a metaphor. These male guests have been staring at you every time they see you. If you don't want me to get jealous then allow me to hold you this way always."

"Poor alibi, very very poor alibi." Mocked Ronald who was following them.

"Hey, Mr. Kidlat, I thought you're on my side," retorted the 'alibi boy'.

"Hehe, I want to see you jealous. Hardcore jealous," replied the teaser Ronald.

"Haha, you two. Ronald, I don't want that or else he will have his tantrum again."

"Huh?" He somehow recalled that day he forced her to feed him. "Yeah, that would be nice. You cooking and feeding me, splendid."

While they were playing along, a commotion happened at the restaurant. A man was shouting at the chef.

"What is the meaning of this? I already paid the whole amount and now you can't deliver what I asked?" The man was shouting furiously.

"What's going on here?" Clarence b.u.t.ted in to help their chef.

"Sir Clarence, this guy has paid whole for their wedding reception but the freezer was broken and all the meat we bought were wasted. We can't replace those anytime soon before the wedding day. So we have to make a refund unless their willing to change the dishes ordered," explained the chef.

"Yeah, we'll refund. If you have the menu changed that would be agreeable for us," said Clarence to the chef.

"Hey, are you the owner of this resort?" asked the angry man.

"No, I'm not, only this restaurant."

"So young, no wonder your restaurant is a mess."

"We gave you a good exchange, why call it a mess?" Clarence said calmly but he felt insulted deep within.

"My wedding will be held two days from now in this resort. For only two days of notice, where will I get someone else to do the catering for us in this far away place? Change the menu? My family loves the food we ordered. Your people promised then you have to deliver whether you like it or not."

"Hmm, you got a point. . . Sir, let me check on the details first and come back to you. Please wait for a while. Give them some pastries and whatever they want to drink." He went to the office after ordering his men to politely accommodate the angry man with his bride.

"So what's the problem?" asked Clarence to his personnel.

"Sir Clarence, they ordered 'Lechon' and some meat dishes. Our main problem is all our pork meat was ruined in the busted freezer. It was just this morning that we found out the freezer was not functioning well. It was well yesterday, but we don't know what happened why it broke. The only meat available will be the live pig prepared for the lechon."

"How about the local market? No meat available to buy?"

"Sir, we went there this early morning and we can only get 5 kilos the most, but we need 50 kilos of pork meat. Coincidentally, someone bought all of it before we arrived there. Our contact said that tomorrow deliveries as well were already pre-ordered and paid in advance."

"This is a headache alright."

"Is the only problem not having pork to buy? Can we still get other kinds of meat?" asked Beauty.

"Chicken, goat, beef, and seafood are available. A plenty."

"Chef Jim, can we change the menu?" asked Beauty.

"I already asked the client to consider that of which he was firmly against it," said the Chef.

"Let's talk to him now and offer him a better alternative. One that would surpa.s.s their expectations. If he agrees then no problem. If not then we need to double the effort to convince him. . . hmm, Clarence, you're good at convincing people." Beauty squinted her eyes fixated on him as if telling him 'you must convince them by hook or by crook'. Clarence got gooseb.u.mps with her eerie stares.

The girl shared to him her plan first as they walked to where the customers were sitting. His apprehensions were gone as he envisioned the whole scene she described. It was really a splendid idea and easy to prepare. They presented Beauty's plan to the couple. Thanks to the bride's insistence the groom conceded, but a condition was set if it ends in failure. Clarence believed Beauty's idea would turn out fine, so he dared the condition of a compensation. Therefore, it was settled.

"What' the plan?" asked Chef Jim.

Beauty shared her plans with excitement as always.

"Twenty native chickens weigh at least a kilo each. Check out for beef tenderloins. My great grandma had these special recipes perfect for weddings. I will display her excellent recipes on this occasion."

"Buy watermelons and other fruits for the fruit basket. We need prawns, big ones. Chef make do of your seafood paella. I really love its taste. . . Ah, I was thinking of other seafood too, but the paella is already there. Redundancy is not appealing at all. We need at least two more dishes aside from the lechon to complete the five dish plan the client made."

"How about sus.h.i.+? Chef Jim is also well versed on that. In fact, our unique sus.h.i.+ bar is the famous here." Clarence spoke for Chef Jim's sake.

"Oh, I almost forget that. It would be ashamed if that will not be included. Teach me how to make that special sus.h.i.+ of yours afterward, Chef."

"It would be my honor. I expect to learn these unique recipes of your great grandma as well."

. . . . .

A man wearing a hood with dark sungla.s.ses was standing near them and clearly heard what they were talking. "Hehe, girl, wait for me tonight." The man said to himself as he left them.