THE MOTHERS' TABLE
The evening air cooled rapidly, carrying the smoky, mouth-watering aroma of charred seafood up from the beach. The villa's outdoor dining area was lit by strings of amber fairy lights and flickering citronella candles. In the center of the long wooden table sat a massive platter of grilled shrimp, hotdog and spicy rice the combined effort of two mothers who treated cooking like a competitive sport.
"Sit, sit!" Mrs. Luz commanded, waving a pair of tongs toward Kei and Sofia as they climbed the stairs, their hair messy from the salt and sand. "You both look like castaways. Drink some wine and eat before the wind takes the heat off the food."
Kei sat down, feeling a rare sense of relaxation. Across from her, Sofia's mother was already pouring a crisp white wine.
"So, Kei," Sofia's mother started, leaning in with a mischievous glint in her eye. "My daughter tells me the Luz Group is launching a new electric SUV. I hope you're saving the first one for me. My current car is starting to sound like a tractor."
Kei laughed, reaching for a prawn. "For you, Auntie, I'll personally drive it to your front door. But only if you promise to stop calling me 'CEO' and go back to calling me 'Little Kei' like you used to."
Mrs. Luz huffed affectionately, placing a bowl of dipping sauce on the table. "She'll always be 'Little Kei' to me, even if she owns half the street food in the country. But she works too much. Look at her fingers she's probably typing emails in her sleep."
"Mom, I'm right here," Kei teased, though she leaned her head against her mother's shoulder for a brief moment.
"We are just worried," Mrs. Luz said, her voice softening as she peeled a shrimp and dropped it onto Kei's plate a universal motherly gesture of love. "You built the K-Street empire from nothing. You took over the cars. You have proven everything you needed to prove. When do you start living for yourself again?"
The table went quiet for a heartbeat. Sofia caught Kei's eye, a silent warning to stay relaxed.
"I am living, Mom," Kei said gently. "I'm here, aren't I?"
"You are here physically," Sofia's mother added, pointing a chopstick at her. "But your mind is always somewhere else".
Kei looked down at her plate. The mothers didn't mention names. They didn't have to. They had watched Kei grow up; they knew the shape of her shadows. They knew that the "ghost" haunting the hospital back in the city was the same ghost that kept Kei awake at 3:00 AM in her house.
"I'm trying," Kei whispered.
"Don't try. Just eat," Mrs. Luz said, sensing the mood getting too heavy. She piled more rice onto Kei's plate. "And after dinner, Sofia is going to show us that silly dance she learned on the internet. That will be enough 'living' for one night."
"Hey! I told you that was a secret!" Sofia protested, turning red.
The laughter returned to the table, loud and bright against the backdrop of the crashing waves. For the rest of the night, they stayed far away from business talk and past heartbreaks. They talked about embarrassing childhood stories, the mothers' upcoming trip to Italy, and the best way to cook spicy octopus.
As Kei watched the three women she loved most in the world, she felt a small, stubborn spark of hope. The city was far away. The pain was far away. For tonight, the only thing that mattered was the salt, the fire and the family that refused to let her drown.