Chapter 2

Herman was in the kitchen, apron on, stirring a pot of soup. When he saw me walk in, he excitedly ladled out a bowl. "Try this. It's the best soup I've ever made."

The hot soup slid down my throat, instantly warming me from the inside out.

But I didn't have time to stay. I grabbed the down jacket I'd bought a couple of days ago and headed for the door.

"Hey, didn't you say this jacket was too small and you were going to return it?" Herman asked.

"I'm not returning it. I'm giving it to a student," I replied.

Herman ran a hand through his hair, concern in his eyes, and reminded me to take it easy on the road.

Later, the down jacket was wrapped around Winona, who had been shivering just moments before.

She seemed a bit unsure what to do, thanking me again and again. "Ms. Quinn, thank you so much. Once I get a job over winter break, I'll definitely pay you back."

"No need," I replied. "It was too small for me, and it fits you just right. You're helping me out by wearing it, so it doesn't go to waste."

Winona nodded quietly, her eyes filled with gratitude.

Back then, all I knew was that Winona had lost both her parents. I had no clue what kind of grit and street smarts she'd picked up after all those years fighting to survive on her own.

Herman and I were not only alumni but also colleagues.

He taught physics to our class, always serious and strict. The students were terrified of him.

But with me, he let his guard down and was relaxed and playful.

Winona was extremely skinny. I couldn't bear to see her like that, so I often brought her food from home.

Herman had started to notice her, too, and he'd always have something to say about it.

"I get that you care about your students, but do you have to give away the food I make? That beef stew took me two hours, and you didn't even taste it," he'd complain.

I pinched his cheek playfully. "Winona's finally gaining some weight, all thanks to your cooking, Mr. Zimmerman."

He could never resist my teasing, so he just went back to the kitchen to whip up something new.

Herman was super affectionate and a total homebody. Whenever he wasn't working, he was glued to my side.

My mom always said he was the one for me.

Cooking was Herman's one true passion. He was forever trying to make me chubby and healthy, but my weight never budged, no matter how much he fed me. It drove him nuts.

But Winona, who used to be all skin and bones, started filling out in no time.

Just when I was feeling good about how Winona was finally getting her life together, she suddenly showed up at my place out of the blue.

Herman was the one who answered the door. The moment he saw Winona standing there, he froze for a second, looking awkward. Nobody at school knew we were living together.

Winona was polite as ever, her eyes steady and calm, with no sign of surprise at all.

Then, looking a little nervous, she handed me a paper bag. "Ms. Quinn, my grandpa picked these wild hawthorns. They're tart and sweet. Please try some."

I was just about to thank her when Herman jumped in.

"Ms. Quinn's got a sensitive stomach. She can't really eat sour stuff. But these wild hawthorns would be great stewed with beef. They make it super tender and help balance out the richness," he said.

Winona caught on right away. "The beef stew Ms. Quinn brought me last time was so good. Was that your cooking?"

Herman gave a bashful smile. "Yeah, I made all that food."

Winona's eyes were practically overflowing with gratitude. "I think people who love to cook really love life. It's like they're... gentle gods."

Herman laughed, joking that Winona must watch a ton of romantic dramas, and then invited her to stay for dinner with us.

That dinner was the turning point. It was when Herman and Winona really started to connect.

I had a sensitive stomach and couldn't eat anything spicy, sour, or sweet.

Herman always joked that I ate like a bird. He'd get a little bummed out when no one enjoyed his cooking.

Winona's arrival was just what he needed.

She treasured every meal, and to her, Herman's cooking was always a special treat.

Herman came up with the idea to have her over for dinner every weekend, so she could finally eat well and not worry about her next meal.

Winona was like a rookie foodie, offering surprisingly precise feedback on every dish Herman made.

Her unreserved praise gradually found its way into Herman's heart, and she became the confidant who truly understood his passion for cooking.

Herman started bringing her up all the time, and before I knew it, he'd gone from complaining about her to actually caring and admiring her.

"Winona's really something. She managed to get into this top high school all by herself, with nobody backing her up," he'd say. "Don't let her tiny size fool you. She's stubborn as hell. She'll stay up half the night just to figure out one physics question."

Herman even said, "Yolanda, she's just like you were back in the day. Kind of melancholy and fragile, but stubborn and unbreakable."

I nodded in silence, but inside, something just felt off.