“My daughter in law prepared everything today,” she told them.
I smiled politely and walked into the kitchen. I cooked slowly and carefully, measuring every ingredient so nothing would be wasted. When the food was ready I placed the pots on large trays and carried them toward the patio.
The guests were already seated and waiting.
“The food is ready,” I announced with a calm voice.
The conversations faded as I approached the table and began placing the dishes one by one in front of everyone. Dorothy watched with visible satisfaction until I lifted the lid from the first large pot.
Inside there was only a modest pile of plain white rice.
No meat. No chicken. Not even beans.
Beside it sat a pot of clear broth with a few herbs floating on the surface, and next to that a plate stacked with warm tortillas. That was the entire meal.
Twenty people stared at the table in silence.
Dorothy was the first to react. “What is this?” she demanded.
I met her eyes calmly. “Lunch.”
She lifted another lid as if expecting something else to appear. “Where is the chicken? Where is the meat and the vegetables?”
“I bought everything the money allowed,” I answered.
A quiet murmur began spreading among the guests.