SCARLET'S P.O.V: 

Out of all the works of the world, all he could think of was about food. 

He expected me to distract myself by cooking. Like seriously, I could destroy myself by cooking not distract. For almost thirty minutes after he bombed me with a new idea of cooking for him and left, I sat befuddled on the couch, thinking if I would be able to cook or not. And if I even tried, I would have to go downstairs and see them. No way! 

I was shaking my head and my eyes were closed, my mind was saying 'No' but there was a feeling that maybe, like literally, what if it turned out good and what if I was able to ignore his parents without hurting myself again or without reminding myself about what they did. John, thankfully wouldn't be home but she, the backstabber friend of my mum would be there. I was breathing heavily, the breakfast dish in front of me that Caleb asked me to finish was asking me to eat its food but suddenly, my urge for heavy breakfast went away. 

I just stuffed my mouth with all that stuff and filled my tummy with lots of juice, nervousness still didn't go away, juice could help but it did not. I started strolling from one corner of my room to another corner, thinking that if I should have left my room and got downstairs or not. But there was a war between my mind and heart.

For Caleb, I wanted to cook.

Was that weird?

No matter if I knew how to or not. For myself, I did not want to cook because I knew I would have to see Katerina there, and I would have to do efforts for a man who was my so called husband. 

Logically, I should have gone with my mind, who forced me to think about myself and stay in room and deal with my pain but don't go and make any efforts for any man. But emotionally, I should have gone with my heart, because Caleb was doing something. And something is better than nothing. He did not know how a marriage works, how should he console his wife when she is going through a tough phase but still, he thought for me. He thought that by giving me works to do, he could protect me from never ending pain caused by the revelations that I just heard and experienced.

He thought about me, he made an effort for me. And I should have repaid him by making an effort for him, by accepting his idea, by respecting his choice. Though, we were not on the level of our marriage in which we had to care about each others emotions or respect or anything but still, he did. Even though, he angered me as well but when I needed someone to hold me, to hug me, to whisper those caring words to me, to stop myself from drowning in my own tears, he was there. 

So, after a long debate with my own soul, I was thinking that I would cook for him, and I would accept his idea of distracting myself with works. 

It was almost afternoon, there was so much time left till it was 6:00PM, but considering how much talented I was in cooking, I thought about starting that sooner. I grabbed my phone, used Miss Google to find out a good recipe of something. While searching about which dish could be easy and tasty at the same time, my fingers stopped scrolling and I bit my lip, raising my eyebrows at my own stupidity, I put the phone down and continued thinking.

What does Caleb like?

For that, I had to contact his mother, which was not what I was going to do, or I had to call Caleb and ask about his likes and dislikes, for which I was not prepared. And except that, I didn't know who could know about his likes and dislikes. Thinking about past days which I spent with him, I tried to think if I had any clue about his favorite food. I started rubbing my temples, chewing my bottom lip, rubbing both of my palms in nervousness and restlessness. There was no particular answer.

I went back to my couch as I felt tired from moving from one spot to another, my body was slumped and I was closing my eyes, keeping my head back. For one fleeting moment, I thought about giving up that whole thing. It required like so much effort, and I thought I was going to do it for nothing. But then again, his eyes, those beautiful eyes, they came in front of me and my eyes opened, his eyes tempted me again, excited me again, forced me to grab my phone again and put my finger on his contact. I could click and call him, but I kept it aside again.

For him, I could try cooking. But for him, I could not think of talking to him. I felt nervous. 

Almost an hour went, I spent it doing nothing but thinking, convincing myself for calling him which didn't happen, tried convincing myself for going downstairs and ask Katerina but that didn't happen either. I was getting fed up, but then it hit me.

I looked at my left, took the phone and dialed a number which I never thought that I would ever dial. After few ringing, a voice greeted me, "Oh, Gosh, Scarlet! I can't believe you called me, I never thought that you'd call me ever. How are you doing?" 

"Cut the crap, Irene. I needed a bit of help. Though I could get it in other ways too but you were the least disgusting option. So...will you help me?" I rolled my eyes. My sister and I, like always, complicated.

"Yeah sure," the enthusiasm, the celebration that she held in her voice a few seconds ago was vanished, and she simply responded, sounded a bit disappointed though.

Not my fault, she had it coming.

"You and Caleb...I mean, you both were friends and also you know..." I faltered, my eyes wandered around my room, I couldn't really blurt that out because that reality ignited a very strong emotion in me that I really did not want to meet, but before I could completed my sentence by finding the right term, she spoke up.

"Not really lovers, but we liked each other a lot. I was the only girl he actually liked. So, what can I help you with this?" Her voice held a curiosity, but there was also a confident layering into his tone about how much she knew about her position in his life. It irked me, a lot.

"Have you ever cooked for him?" I asked, ignoring the pang of jealousy that was creating its place in me. 

She let out a small chuckle, "Caleb Pierce would never ask anyone to cook for him, this gesture is just so damn cheesy and irrelevant for him. Though, I wanted to and I once did. But he was not really excited about it. Just liked the meal I prepared." Well, sorry but dear sister, he asked me for that gesture so you just stop behaving as if you know everything about him.

No, I didn't say that to her, because It would have sound like too childish and whinny, I could have sounded like a jealous, desperate brat. I was literally sounded like one, no room for any doubt. 

"Oh, but he asked me to cook for him..." I was not going to tell her about how he wanted me to cook for my own distraction and all,I was so sure that whatever happened with my birth mother, and the truth about my dad, John and Katerina, she did not know that. So, I did not try to bring that matter in front of her, but before I could explain why did he asked me, I heard a yelp. 

"What?" Did she just exclaim in pure disbelief? 

"What what?" I asked casually, there was a smirk playing on my lips by the way.  

"Did he..." I could feel that she had a big frown on her forehead, her blue eyes could have been darkening in disbelief. 

"Yeah, he did, so?" I cut her off.

"I mean, he never did that to me, while we were engaged he did not really like those stuff so he never said that to me and..." she started her rant, irrelevant!

My tone was curt, I again rolled my eyes at her annoying little rant, what did she think if he hadn't asked her about it, wouldn't he ask his wife to do it? Not that I actually wanted Caleb to rightfully put his desires in front of me, but when It came to Irene, suddenly, the possessive, jealous and very much childish kind of attitude started to emit from me. "So? He asked me to do it for him, don't be that much curious about it." 

She kept quiet for a few seconds then spoke up, "Okay, so what do you need?"

"You said you once cooked for him and also, you and he...you both had been together and he must have told you what he likes to eat. So would you tell me about that?" As I was getting tired of sitting, I stood up and kept my phone glued to my ear, while talking to her, I could also think about him and how he and she could have spent their private times, how was Caleb as a Fiance and lover to her? There were questions brewing inside me about them as well.

"He likes dishes having chicken. As you don't know cooking a lot, I suggest you to go for roasted chicken, it is kind of simple and he would like it. He must have noticed that you are not a cooking kind of person." She responded to me.

Roasted Chicken? Kind of simple and easy? Really, Irene? By its name, it sounded difficult. I gulped and winced. "Gosh! But what do you mean?" I was frowning.

"I mean, it is almost afternoon, and you are already started with planning, he would be there for lunch or dinner? Caleb doesn't really have lunch at home, in evening, he doesn't like heavy meals so if he has asked you to cook, he could have guessed that you'd invest your entire day about what to cook and how to cook and also will try and fail and try and fail. He wants you busy and distracted right?" Her last statement made my eyes widened, did she know about all the things that happened?

"How do you know?" I asked, immediately, my breath was hitched. 

She sounded casual, and that was when my breath came back to me, I gasped in relief. "That is easy to figure out, the circumstances in which you guys married, you must have been sad and angry and he, being the Caleb Pierce who doesn't like sad people, he must have asked you to busy yourself with this thing so you don't ponder on that marriage fiasco." 

I thanked God mentally, I spoke up again, "I'll call you when I will start cooking...or to be exact trying. You will guide me, and note that, I am not forgiving you, it is just I'm helpless. I don't want to engage in any conversation with Katerina and I won't call him or get mind fucked by internet and the hundreds of recipes there. So, my helplessness asks me to ask you a favor," I explained. 

She seemed to laugh, "I am here for you, call me whenever you feel like trying. And what is for dessert?"

"I am not gonna make any dessert, Irene," I let out a small mocking snicker.

"Well, it will seem lovely you know..."

"I don't care..." I shrugged and tried to also get that dessert idea out of my head but I gave up and asked, " does he like anything sweet? His personality isn't really like sweet."

"Yeah, he likes cheesecake, variations in them are even more appreciated." She confidently stated, knowing perfectly about my state of mind. 

"What the...why is he even a foodie? I never thought he would be a foodie!" I ranted, she laughed again, why was she laughing at me.

"You would know a lot about him that you never even guessed, so...it is just a start, Scarlet. That is Caleb we are talking about," after listening that stupid statement from her, without any 'bye' or anything, I hung up on her. 

Try and fail, try and fail, try and fail...yeah, that situation was so near. Maybe not. Maybe yes. Finally, gaining the best composure and lots of courage, I walked to the door, with my trembling hands, pushed the door open and then set my feet outside the room. Then also closed my eyes for a fleeting moment, and then as I opened my eyes and released a breath that was caught, I felt a bit of load of tension getting off me. 

Didn't even celebrate, knew that was going to come back. Never knew about the severity though.

Reviews and Votes are appreciated

Very important hints (three) are in this chapter. Try to find if you can and want. Everyone loves food, will he love it too...especially when it is made by none other than Scarlet herself? Stay tuned to know about it.

Name of the story is changed =)