We’d just returned from an early appointment, and the sun had left a strong effect on our bodies. The only thing we needed at that moment was iced water and then food to cool us down. But as soon as we stepped into the house, we were met with a wave of heat so intense that it almost pushed us back outside.
We left the door open, just a little wide enough to let in some fresh air from the corridor but not enough for anyone to peep inside.
"I think sitting outside for a while would be fine because I don't think I'm ready to be cooked by this extreme heat," I said, leaning against the door of the room opposite Rachael’s.
"I think we should sit in the backyard instead; there's more assurance of fresh air there. I can't go in right now, too" she suggested.
We closed the door, ready to go with her idea. Thankfully, we still had some leftover snacks we'd been munching on in the car on our way coming and two bottles of water. That was enough to hold us together while we figured out what to eat later.
The cool breeze washed over us as we sat outside, exactly what we needed at that moment. We talked for a while, enjoying the fresh air, before finally deciding to go back inside, hoping the heat had eased up a little.
"So, what are we eating for dinner?" I asked playfully, pretending to be busy on my phone. I wasn't ready to prepare anything, and from the look on her face, neither was she.
My body ached from all the standing earlier. The agent we were supposed to meet for the apartment inspection had directed us to someone else, causing unnecessary delays. By the time we got back home, I was beyond exhausted and annoyed.
As I lay on the bed, Rachael did the same. Neither of us was ready to get up. Before we knew it, sleep took over.
When we woke up, it was already 5 p.m. The hunger hit differently this time.
"I'm thinking we should go out to find something to eat. I can't sleep with an empty stomach tonight," I said, my voice drained of energy.
"Okay," she replied, scrolling through her phone and it didn't look as if she was ready to get up. I waited to see if she would say something after that but she didn't.
"Okay? Are you not eating tonight, or is that what will feed you?" I shot back, pointing at her phone.
She chuckled but didn't move.
I sighed. "Get up, please, let's go find something out there."
"Since you arrived here, you've been spending a lot. Let's just manage something in the house," she stared at me with a sympathetic look, as if she truly felt how much I had spent since I arrived.
I immediately replied, "Come on, it's not like I've complained to you or even asked for money to support me. Don't worry about it; I'm fine."
She hesitated at first, saying she'd just eat something from the house. But I wasn't eating whatever she had, and I needed her to come with me. After a little pleading, she finally gave in.
As we walked through the noisy and crowded street, my mind was to visit the restaurant just across the road, but we barely took the first turn when my eyes caught this small shop. There was a woman who ran a business cooking noodles for customers, and that instantly made me salivate.
"Look, let's go there. I want some noodles. Do you care, too?" I nudged her playfully, hoping she'd agree. "The smell alone is making me hungrier."
When we got there, I told her to prepare four packs of noodles and two eggs separately. But I wasn't paying attention as we were both talking about something fascinating we saw on my phone, that got us carried away.
By the time I turned back, my face was hit with disappointment.
She had mixed up everything together.
"What is this?" I asked, staring at the pot with wide eyes. "I thought you'd make it in different places and not together."
She turned to me calmly, stirring the noodles as if nothing had happened. "Ah, I mixed them both to save gas," she explained. "I'm sorry," she quickly added.
I exhaled, shaking my head. This was not what I wanted. But it was too late to change anything.
"Don't worry," she smiled, "I will share it equally into two takeaways."
"Better," I turned as I gave her a warm smile.
She quickly dished the noodles, ensuring each of us had an equal share. We paid and left, still slightly annoyed but too hungry to argue further.
The walk back home was quiet, except for the occasional sighs from Rachael and me.
By the time we settled in to eat, all was forgotten. The noodles tasted just fine. We ate to our fill and that ended what seemed like a long night to us.
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