When fate plays its hand (Miranda)

Chapter 0002

At the dining table, Hansel didn’t seem eased with what had been served for breakfast. “Where’s my pumpkin soup?”

“You mean cream of vegetable soup?”

“Cream of vegetable soup?”

“Yes, I know that Ms. Sutton makes that all the time. It’s the one made with pumpkin, potatoes, onions, and celery, right? Um, I don’t have as much time to prepare all the ingredients for that.

“The pumpkin, potatoes, onions, and garlic have to be roasted and freshly puréed beforehand; it’s best if it’s slow cooked the night before. And then the soup has to be stewed and slowly brought to a simmer over open fire for hours after that..

“I don’t have the same amount of patience that Ms. Sutton has to always be checking on the fire every few minutes. Also, what I make will probably still taste different from what she makes. On top of that

“Bring me some marmalade,” Hansel interrupted.

“Coming right up, Mr. Johnson.”

”

“Why does this taste so different?” Hansel glanced at the bottle packaging The packaging is wrong.”

“That jar is empty now. We only have this brand left.”

“Go and get two jars of the other one at the supermarket, then.”

“It can’t be found anywhere, Mr. Johnson.”

Hansel wasn’t amused, “Why not?”

Martha smiled rather awkwardly. “Ms. Sutton made the marmalade herself. I don’t know how wait, Mr. Johnson! Aren’t you going to finish your breakfast

first?”

“No.”

Martha watched in bewilderment as Hansel stormed up the stairs. Why did he lose his temper all of a sudden?

“Hey, you lazy bum, it’s time to get out of bed!”

Miranda flipped over in bed and didn’t even bother opening her eyes. “Shut up. I want to sleep a while longer…”

Winter Jefferson, Miranda’s best friend, had already put on her makeup and was in the midst of choosing a purse to go with her outfit.

“It’s going to be 8:00 am. Don’t you need to rush home to make breakfast for your most beloved Mr. Johnson?”

Miranda used to stay the night at Winter’s place from time to time, but she’d always leave before the crack of dawn to make her usual cream of vegetable soup for Hansel, who was extremely prone to gastric problems.

The mere thought of it had always rendered Winter speechless. Was Hansel paralyzed? Or was he too dumb to order delivery on his own? Why did he have to go and make life difficult for Miranda?

he’d

still reluctant to get up from bed. She shook her hand at Winter and said, “I’m not going

are you planning on

Miranda didn’t answer her.

some breakfast for you on the table. I’m going to work now, and I won’t be back for dinner because I’ve got a date tonight. But you’ll probably be gone by then,

Miranda woke up due to

left for her and stared at the sun shining outside the windows. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d

2/6

+15. BONUS

breakfast, she changed her clothes and

check for 50 million

“I’d like to speak

himself, who offered her a considerable annual interest rate. Miranda tried negotiating with him

the rate by a little

in each of them, managing to get interest rates that were higher than the previous bank she went to

new owner of three black cards

it after all.”

their membership, which was worth 2,000 dollars. She was immediately

others.

her long brown hair and large curls. This was the first time

of your hair. You look exactly like a

it. He said he liked how it felt. Every time

a lot

the hairdresser and said, “Please cut it

toy, no matter how pretty it was. She wouldn’t stop anyone. from looking like a doll, but she was done being

salon, feeling like a weight had been

past a clothing boutique that had a sale on, so she walked in and bought herself a white T–shirt and a pair

straight out of the shop. They matched the sport shoes she was wearing today,

outside Bedford College. She watched as the students rode their bicycles in and out of the gates as the sun set in the sky, gradually falling into

“Sol! We’re here!”

Miranda. “What

of visiting

let so many people in at the same time,” Solomon Hall said. “Here, I’ll just take the two of you

Bioinformatics.”

Bioinformatics? Dr. Young?

reverie. She hurried forward and asked the students, “Who

at the pretty young lady talking to him. He was tongue–tied for a few

“Dr. Christine Young?”

“Yes.”

is she

“Westerton Hospital.”

“Thank you.”

the way, which faculty are you from?

question. Instead, she turned

reached Winter’s condo,