Supernatural: Chronicles of the Order 8
Chapter 23: The Emperor's New Recipe
(DISCLAIMER: No, I don't own Supernatural because it belongs to Eric Kripke and Warner Bros. So, enjoy the show! Rated M for graphic violence, adult content, and adult language.)
Reiko was waiting in the hospital as she was ready to return home to Valinor as planned. What she didn't expect was that the Medical Corps were wheeling me into one of the observation rooms in which she never saw me being moved here until now. When she followed further, she noticed Elise and Nibori entering into the hospital as they wanted to know what was going on, for it wasn't good so far.
"Isn't that Sam?" asked Elise as she saw the Medical Corps observing me in the observation room.
"It is, but he's got some biscuits in the oven," said Reiko.
"Are you telling me that he's pregnant?"
"He is, but I also want him to stay put while I do the hunting."
"Talk about role reversal…"
"This isn't the first time that the roles have been reversed," said Nibori. "The Sam Winchester of Old talked about the concept of it in Sharp Teeth once."
It wasn't long until Reiko looked into the observation room I was in as she was worried about me. She never expected me to be here as I was brought here for a lot of reasons. The sight of me being probed and prodded unnerved her as the members of the Medical Corps were even doing an ultrasound on me. The sight of the twins I carried were slightly bigger on screen as Reiko saw them to be thriving without further complications. She was more than glad that our babies were unharmed as she saw them moving on screen. Even though she was on the receiving end during the first three pregnancies, it was my turn as I was put through the ringer while being examined, for I was no stranger to being a guinea pig for the Medical Corps.
"I see them," she said.
"They're Half-Elves, but they've been gestating inside of a man," said Elise.
"I know, but our little ones will have to grow slowly which means that Sammy has to refrain from using his raw power so they won't get big too fast."
"The Medical Corps sure love putting Sam through the ringer, don't they?" said Nibori.
"You shouldn't be peeking through the door like that," said Dunya as she got out of the observation room. "Sam will be fine once we conclude our examination."
Reiko saw the doors of the examination room open up as the members of the Medical Corps wheeled me out of there and directly into a hospital room the moment I was put in there. When she saw the members leave after putting me into a hospital bed, she crept into the room as she saw me there just staring at the television screen the moment everyone all over Baratheon was celebrating the demise of Father Warren, for he would never darken another doorway or planet again.
"People are celebrating the death of Father Warren as his corrupt reign on Baratheon has come to an end," said a newscaster on screen. "The religious zealot met his demise in Etrogarde's colosseum yesterday as thousands took to the streets welcoming the return and restoration of the Castellano Family, who have been exiled for years. The planet's chieftains have viewed Father Warren's demise as a sign of restoring it to its former glory once Emperor Vittorio ascends the throne to address the return of the kindness that his family had in the time of his late grandfather, Emperor Vito. The recipes that they had were staples in Barathite culture stemming from navy bean soup to wacky chocolate cake in which they will be returning to this planet after being away for so long."
I turned off the television as I sat up and felt at the babies that I had in me. What I also noticed was that Reiko was there as I never expected her to be wearing hunter clothing from the Elder Days in which she was in dire need of changing them once she took some lodgings for the night. I didn't mind what she wore as she was also a mess after dealing with the monsters, both humanoid and from the lore, for she wanted to get out of those clothes soon enough.
"I never expected you to wear pants and flannel before," I said.
"I've been wanting to get out of those clothes for a while now," said Reiko.
"You had your fair share of stopping monsters in which you even went up against Father Warren who is no longer living."
"I…" Reiko turns around as she feels her hands shaking. "I was the one who killed Father Warren…"
"Are you serious?" Reiko nods. "But he was a humanoid that needed to be brought to justice, only to end up dead."
"He tried to kill me, but I accidentally killed him instead. I didn't mean to do it, I swear…"
"There's no need to be ashamed, sweetheart. I heard from Minara about how Father Warren kidnapped some of the women and girls who lived in your homestead in which your grandfather and Ralph Farragut tracked them down to an abandoned roadhouse. Even though they saved the women and girls from being raped, Father Warren and his followers fled and ended up here on Baratheon. In the end of this debacle, I have no sympathy for someone who would violate innocent women and girls in such a terrible way. You finished off the worst monster that you went up against and a humanoid one, too."
I bore no grudge against Reiko as I saw her walking closer to my bed. I touched her shaking hand as I assured her that there was nothing to fear in which I was also happy that the threat was gone. It wasn't long until she touched at my stomach as she felt the twins moving inside of me. During the first three pregnancies, she was once on the receiving end as she endured two natural births and one caesarian section. She was also fully determined to protect me as she would stop at nothing to do so, for she cared about our offspring that I carried inside of me.
"Our little ones," she said. "They're awake, but safe."
"I'm stuck here until we return to Valinor," I said.
"I can sense that one of the twins will be a boy because of the fact that he'll be a handful. The other one will be a girl in which she will be so beautiful."
"They'll be fine as long as I don't have any complications, I'll be prepped to have a caesarian section."
It wasn't long until we saw Dunya enter into the hospital room as she was not having it in which she now knows about the situation that I was in. Still, I had to adhere to the usual protocols that were given to me as I was more than likely to be put through the ringer again, for I was put under strict watch due to the pregnancy that I had in my body.
"No more examinations," I said as I sighed heavily while I laid back down in my bed.
"Say what you want, but I'm forbidding you to use your raw power for any reason," said Dunya.
"That could be dangerous," said Reiko cautiously. "The last time he didn't use his raw power, it caused a storm near Yock Island on Stohess."
"That great weapon he has in him has accelerated his pregnancy in which the twins are sped up to being the shape of apples."
"I don't mind it, but this pregnancy has its perks to keep me from doing field work after the battle that I had against Sawney Masbath two years ago," I said as I sat up.
"I'm telling you this for your own good, Sam. Don't use your raw power, you got that? Doing so will cause your pregnancy to accelerate further in which it will be impossible to keep everything in check. The health of your babies is vital and so is your own. Don't let it go overboard."
I saw Dunya leave as I was alone with Reiko. This wasn't the first time that I wasn't allowed to use my raw power as I was also worried about the repercussions it will cause if I didn't do so. I remembered my stay on Yock Island on Stohess as I was forced to use my raw power once again after a storm raged all over the ocean. I even saved Reuben from a Stohessian bull shark at the time as I had no other choice but to use it or else he wouldn't be alive today. Dunya's words worried me to the core as I also had no other choice but to refrain from using the very weapon that saved countless lives, all because of the acceleration of the pregnancy that I had in my body. All I did was weep as Reiko hugged me warmly in which she refused to let me feel uneasy by Dunya's harsh words. I wanted to leave Baratheon as I was getting tired of being surrounded by members of the Medical Corps, for being here was a little too much for me…
Vittorio was in the slums as he was observing the daily life of those who have lived there for years. He heard stories about his family taking care of the poor as he vowed to live up to the example of what he learned from Claudia and Federico. By the time he noticed the old Garza house under the bridge, he went inside of it as he found it to be empty. He saw a small shrine of Ilaria's parents as the pictures of them were in a cabinet surrounded by incense cones that were burning with the scent of bamboo and sandalwood. What he didn't expect was that Nymeriel and Ilaria were there as they came home to see everything intact, for this was their home after all.
"We took a trip to Valinor," said Ilaria as she was putting away some canned fish.
"We left Ifalna with our Draaza neighbors in charge," said Nymeriel as he was looking at the rectangular imprint on the wall. "It's sad that my son and daughter-in-law were murdered in cold blood all because they refused to display a picture of Father Warren on the wall."
"Earlier, I saw the townsfolk here in Etrogarde taking out the portraits of Father Warren and burnt them in a large bonfire in the colosseum," said Vittorio. "As for what happened there, everyone has paid tribute to the one who killed that prick."
"Father Warren was a man who ruled by faith, only to see it fall under him," said a Half-Elf as she entered into the house. "After being whisked away to live with Uncle Eduardo, I'm glad that Father Warren is dead where he belongs."
"Father Warren had it coming, Consuela. Therefore, a certain goddess of the Ashizoka System got rid of him by melting his face off."
"Isn't that a little morbid?" asked Ilaria.
"Father Warren is busy being one of Abaddon's eternal fuck boys," said Nymeriel as he smirked with glee. "For years, he used rape, intimidation, and murder just to force everyone on this planet to 'keep sweet.' Now that the bastard's gone, every single chieftain is celebrating his demise in which they're glad that he got his comeuppance."
"That is so true," said Vittorio.
It wasn't long until Nymeriel spotted a cookbook in one of the shelves as he took it out of there and began to read it. The cookbook itself was one that came from the late Emperor Vito as it contained dozens of Italian recipes that ranged from lasagna to chicken parmigiana. It was a book like no other as Nymeriel spotted a recipe that hasn't been used in years. It was a recipe called aglio e olio as it had the directions to make it by using garlic and oil that is drenched all over some pasta. The recipe itself reminded Nymeriel of how Emperor Vito made this dish as he made plenty to feed everyone who lived in the slums, for it was one for the ages.
"Looks like your grandfather, gods rest his soul, crafted this pasta dish for those who lived in the slums," he said. "It even pairs up with some Depression-Era bread with garlic butter on top."
"Grandfather never told me about it until he was on his deathbed," said Vittorio.
"Well, you better require the lady's service again in which she's no stranger to preparing meals. Therefore, Lady Reiko knew how to cook from the surrogate who raised her. She loved cooking a lot more than hunting in which she was the type to stay at home until she's been put to be wearing the pants in the family while her husband is both recovering from overexerting his raw power and on pregnancy leave, which my nephew shifted so that he could stay put from being out on the field."
"I heard the omens coming from Dad in which he kept up with that stuff while he was living in exile on Maugrim. He said that there are times when wayward men don't pay attention to their wives in which they're punished by the gods by forcing them to endure pregnancy. It may be a reversal shift, but both genders have to show respect whether they like it or not."
"There are times that men endure pregnancy on a rare occurrence, but the first one in the Order to do so is a High Elf named Minara Mitani in which he carried it to term due to the fact that his current wife suffers from Tabata Syndrome. As for Sam's mess, he's been given strict orders from Dunya not to use his raw power due to the fact that it would accelerate the pregnancy further."
"In Sam's case, it's not easy being a god, especially when being watched by the Medical Corps. Still, I will take the throne and make the pasta recipe that my grandfather has."
Vittorio noticed Nymeriel go into the kitchen as he noticed that there was no food left in which the only things left were some spaghetti noodles and a gallon of olive oil. He never expected the home that his family had be barren of food as he wanted to make dish when he saw some pots and pans in the cabinet collecting dust. Vittorio also noticed some spices that haven't been used for a while as he saw a small jar of parsley that was in there, along with a grinder filled with black peppercorns and a salt shaker. His first act of being Emperor of Valinor had hit a huge snag as he had a feeling that Nymeriel and his granddaughters didn't have enough food to eat in their home, for he had to do something in order to clarify the situation that made their house go without food. He thought of Zadraathi's group as he spotted them cooking food for those who were living in the slums. The sight of them cooking various forms of food for the people gave him an idea as he also had to do his part, for it wasn't easy for him right now…
Reiko was in an inn where the slums were as she was busy taking a bath. She felt relieved to take off the hunter clothing as she couldn't wait to wear dresses again. After she finished cleaning herself, she was ready to call it a day. Even though she was ready to return to Valinor, she wasn't about to leave me yet as she later heard the door to her room open up. Draining the water from the bathtub, she dried herself with a towel as she put on her nightclothes in which she left the bathroom to see me in the room after I had my own bath before leaving the hospital. She never expected me to be here as I was more than glad that I wasn't spending the night in there, for I have grown weary of being in there for too long.
"Shouldn't you be back in the hospital?" she asked me.
"I can't be in there for too long," I said as I sat in my wheelchair. "It gets boring in there."
"As I recall, the last time you were stuck in the hospital, I stayed in the room with you during Christmas. If Dunya catches you out of the hospital, she will find and hurl you right back in it."
"She's too busy tending to those who have been ailing in the slums. As for your effort to bring down a religious zealot, you've become popular."
"I don't let my popularity get the better of me, Sammy. I can't be that egotistical and neglectful to our family, now can I?"
Without warning, I heard something in the closet as I wheeled myself to it and opened up the door to it. What I didn't expect was that Aora and Ghimru were there as they were caught by Carly, who didn't want them wandering off. I was glad that they were here instead of Dunya and her strict protocol as I saw them rushing towards Reiko, for they were very glad to see her.
"You're far from our home on Skald Island," she said.
"Those two were not doing what Granny Cynthia says," said Carly as she pointed at the oldest twins.
"We didn't mean to go very far," said Aora.
"You did so! Mr. Sam needs to get some rest in which he's been put through the ringer too much."
"I just wish that Daddy didn't get sick too much," said Ghimru. "When I grow up, I'm gonna be a member of the Medical Corps just like Uncle Reuben."
"You have a long way to go, young man," I said. "Still, the three of you need to go back to where the room with the red rubber ball is so that Cynthia won't scold you for running off."
Reiko looked at the closet as she saw it to be bigger the moment she saw a red rubber ball on the floor. She also had to tell the children to go back home as she didn't want them to get in trouble in which they also had school tomorrow. Still, they were young, but they had to go back and wait for us as we also had to do our part to observe the coronation of Vittorio, who is Baratheon's new Emperor, for it was vital to do so before returning home.
"You better get back to the castle," said Reiko.
"We'll do it," said Carly.
"We'll go home," said Aora glumly.
"And we'll do it so that Daddy can get a little bit better," said Ghimru.
And so, all three left back to the closet as they closed the door behind them. When they left home, they were gone as Reiko and I were the only ones in the room in the inn. Both of us were tired as we had a long day ahead of us tomorrow in which we were to observe Vittorio's coronation as Emperor, for he was the rightful heir to his homeworld after many years of corruption and religious zealotry.
"It was a long day for us," I said as I slowly got up from my wheelchair and crawled into bed.
"We should also get some sleep," said Reiko as she did the same as she noticed me on my side.
"I know…" I yawned as I was starting to feel tired. "It's just that I don't like being in the hospital room for too long. The last time I was in one, I was kidnapped by Maro and forced to use the raw power that I had against my wishes. At least I'm in a place where I don't have to be in bad shape all the live long."
"Don't forget the little ones…" Reiko places her hands on my stomach as she felt them moving inside of me. "They're not gonna let you sleep yet, but they're also hungry."
"I don't feel like eating right now."
"Sorry, but you're gonna have to eat something so that the little ones won't be restless."
"I'm tired and I just want to go to sleep…"
"It doesn't matter, Sammy. Sooner or later, you'll be craving something to eat in which we can also get up and go to one of the restaurants here in the slums and there's no turning back on a decent craving."
I was outsmarted by Reiko's wits as I had no choice but to get up and sit in my wheelchair. When she wheeled me out of our room at the inn, we went to a restaurant next door as it served some decent Italian food. By the time we went in, we noticed some of the people living in the slums returning to work as they were busy doing the typical work from serving meals to washing dishes. It was lively as I wheeled myself to one of the tables in the back where the restrooms were. I didn't mind it as I was at a table that catered to the handicapped in which I was given a menu that displayed the usual dinner fare from spaghetti and meatballs to lasagna. I even noticed some Italian appetizers and desserts in the menu as I was starting to get a craving for it.
"I told you that there's no turning back for a decent craving," said Reiko as she giggled.
"I'll take the lemon garlic shrimp pasta with some cheese bread," I said.
"So, what will it be for you two?" asked a waitress as she was holding a clipboard.
"I'll have the meat and spinach lasagna while Sammy will have the lemon garlic shrimp pasta," said Reiko. "We'll also take some stuffed pasta shells and some garlic bread."
"Great! Don't forget a dessert for your troubles."
"We'll have some tiramisu for dessert."
"Alright! And just to let you know, the tiramisu doesn't have any raw eggs in it because it's a simple vegan recipe in which it's more healthier if you're expecting a baby. There's also the one with cooked eggs and mascarpone cheese complete with some chocolate syrup mixed in with coffee instead of liqueur."
"We'll take both variations of tiramisu," I said. "I don't mind it."
And so, we saw the waitress leave our table as we were waiting patiently for our orders. I was in for some good food as I was also more than likely to be paying for it before leaving. We looked at the aesthetic of the restaurant as we noticed one of the workers taking down a picture of Father Warren and replacing it with a picture of Emperor Vito, who was dressed in royal regalia while holding a wooden spoon in one hand and a cookbook in the other. By the time we got our orders, we noticed a surprise as I spotted a plate full of gyoza with a marinara dipping sauce. It wasn't long until I noticed the gyoza oozing with cheese as I took one of them and dipped into the marinara sauce in which I tasted the spinach and ricotta that were put into it With the garlic bread and other Italian tidbits on display, I took a bite of my pasta as I the shrimp were cooked perfectly in which my body was also starting to crave it when I ate my fill. Reiko never saw anything like it before as she was no stranger to food cravings herself while she ate at her lasagna. Even though I ate my plate of pasta, I was watched by Reiko's hawkish eyes as she was wanting me to eat what was put in front of me, including the tiramisu that was there.
"This is all too much," I said.
"Sorry, but you're gonna eat every bite that's put in front of you," said Reiko as she smiled.
And so, I continued to eat at the stuffed pasta shells, garlic bread, and the spinach and cheese gyoza that were there as I felt my body in tune with what I ate. By the time I ate my plate of tiramisu, I tasted the two different variations of the dish with one regular and one vegan. Even Reiko was astonished to see me finish up what I had as she finished up her own dinner. By the time we paid for our food, we were ready to leave back to the inn until we saw Dunya coming into the restaurant, for she wasn't too happy with me for leaving the hospital.
"So, did you have a nice meal?" she said sarcastically.
"I'm not going back to the hospital, Dunya," I said defiantly.
"Reuben is coming and if he saw you out and about, he would shove you back to the hospital."
"Sammy's tired and he needs some rest," said Reiko as she wheeled me out of the restaurant.
"Hey! Don't you dare walk away from me like that!"
It wasn't long until we went back to the inn next door to the restaurant as we went back to our room for the night. By the time we laid down in our bed, we saw Dunya coming in through the window as she wasn't having it in which she didn't want me to be away from watching eyes of the hospital, for she was determined to return me to my old surroundings.
"You're making me lose my patience, Sam!" she yelled.
"And you're making my life much worse!" I yelled.
"I've been looking everywhere for you in which if you were out and about, then the Executive Division will report you and therefore, you can kiss the slums in Etrogarde goodbye!"
"That's enough!" yelled Reiko. "You can't force Sammy to go back to the hospital right now, not in his condition!"
I was starting to get stressed out as I was clutching at my stomach. I didn't want the unborn twins that I was carrying to suffer from the stress as Dunya stopped the moment she got out her medical bag in order to examine me. When I slowly got up, I sat on the bed as I was laid down the moment Dunya got out her portable ultrasound machine and some gel the moment I exposed my stomach that had the small baby bump that I carried. I felt the cold gel on me as the wand of the portable ultrasound machine touch at my stomach. Dunya saw the images of my unborn twins moving normally as if they were fully satisfied with what I ate, for they were just as much under the microscope as I was.
"Looks like the babies got what they wanted," she said.
"They had Italian food," I said.
"Speaking of Italian food, the Emperor has invited the woman of the hour and you to the coronation in which he found a cookbook that his late grandfather had."
"Cookbook?" said Reiko.
"It was found in the Garza home in which Vittorio was hinting at making Emperor Vito's iconic dish, aglio e olio."
Those words from Dunya reminded me of what Claudia made when she visited the fort on Gehenna all those years ago. The pasta recipe was a simple one as I remembered the taste of garlic and olive oil that were cooked with parsley while it drenched the spaghetti noodles that were there. I never met Vittorio before, but I would be meeting him soon as he was about to be made into Baratheon's new Emperor, for he had a kindness that was passed down from his family over the years.
"Subject is fine and so are the little subjects," said Dunya as she saw the images of the twins on screen. "The smaller subjects have even taken in the nutrients that were derived from mostly Italian food."
"They wouldn't let Daddy go to sleep right away," said Reiko.
"For the record, Sam's gonna have to keep up with a diet that's catered to feeding what he has, for he is eating for three right now. While he's carrying this pregnancy to term, he is to have various foods that are healthy, such as cereal, bread, pasta, and leafy green vegetables. Therefore, he can't have any fish, such as cooked or raw salmon or any other type that is served due to the fact that some of those contain mercury. He can't have any shellfish, either, because of the fact that some of it can also contain mercury." I began to feel discouraged after I ate that shrimp pasta earlier. "Fruit, nuts, and legumes are beneficial to the babies' health, so is peanut butter. Dairy is not allowed because of the fact that you can be lactose intolerant and stuck on the toilet all the live long. Eggs and poultry are not allowed because of the fact that both the carrier and the babies could end up getting salmonella. Finally, no meat because of the fact that it can clog the arteries."
"Are you telling me that I have to adhere to a strict vegan diet?" I said.
"I would rather have you stick to something that is mainly plant-based, Sam. Those foods that deemed beneficial to you like meat, fish, shellfish, poultry, eggs, and dairy, are forbidden in which a plant-based diet is better for the baby and to you."
"I guess that I'll get started on the vegan diet tomorrow…"
"It's better than putting your babies at risk. A vegan diet is more healthier for expectant mothers and sometimes expectant fathers than the traditional one."
It wasn't long until Dunya put away her portable ultrasound machine in her medical bag as she left the room. When I slowly got up, I grabbed a washcloth as I wiped away the gel from my stomach in which I sat down in my wheelchair and went towards the bathroom and brushed my teeth. Still, I was wanting to go to bed, but Dunya's advice on sticking to a vegan diet made me uneasy, for I had no choice but to adjust to it as punishment for leaving the hospital. By the time I finished up, I saw Reiko enter into the bathroom to do the same as she was more than ready to observe the coronation of Vittorio, who was there to restore his family's place in Barathite society once and for all. When she finished brushing her teeth, she followed me to our bed as we fell asleep in which we were more than likely to be there at the palace, for this was a celebration of restoring Baratheon to the hands of those who cared about their people…
The next morning, I was up as I went downstairs in the dining area in which I was mainly eating a bowl of fruit cocktail for breakfast. With Reiko joining me, she was dressed in her usual attire instead of the hunter garb as she was eating a plate of smoked salmon with cream cheese on a bagel. I sighed heavily as I continued to eat my fruit cocktail until the bowl was empty. By the time Reiko finished up her salmon and cream cheese on a bagel, she was worried about me as she wasn't too thrilled with Dunya's advice in which the vegan diet may have benefits, but it also had its drawbacks as well. When we left the inn, we were on our way outside as we saw several people standing next to a large television screen as they were awaiting the arrival of Vittorio in which he would soon be ready to ascend to the throne here in Baratheon's capital.
When we took the trolley to the topside area, we were going upward in which we later got out and began to go towards a procession of Barathite royal guardsmen and members of the Order circling a float that had Vittorio sitting in it. He saw us as he waved at us in which he was more than glad that Father Warren was no longer having a stranglehold on the planet and its citizens. The sight of everyone from chieftain to citizen wishing their new Emperor well became a sign of joy as everyone all over the planet was more than blessed to have a member of the Castellano family back in the saddle once again. I was also blessed that Reiko was the hero who stopped a overzealous madman from causing hell for everyone on Baratheon as I noticed some of the spectators seeing her in person, for she put an end to Father Warren's tyranny after all.
"Reiko be praised," said one of the bystanders.
"You're very popular right now," I said as I smiled at Reiko.
"I'm not used to this popularity, but I can manage," she said.
It wasn't long until we noticed Marnathi out of the hospital as she was glad to see Vittorio taking the reins of being Emperor. With her arm in a sling, she slowly resumed her job as a police officer as she was both glad that change was coming to Baratheon and angry at Dunya for forcing me to be on a vegan diet, for she was worried about me just as much as everyone.
"I see that you're feeling much better," said Reiko.
"After being in the hospital, I've got light duty," said Marnathi.
"It's nice that Vittorio took the reins just like his grandfather," I said.
"Well, he found Vito's cookbook in which he recognized the lost recipe that hadn't been used in years in which it's none other than—"
"—Aglio e olio? I've tried that pasta recipe before when Claudia made it. I wonder if Vittorio would make it like she wanted it…"
"I heard about Dunya forcing you to stick to a plant-based diet in which it's got its drawbacks in spades despite that it's healthier for those who are enduring pregnancy."
"It's sad that I can't have anything else…"
"Vegan diets may be healthy, but the main side effects are deficiencies in iron, selenium, vitamins B12 and D, zinc, and protein. Supplements are fine, but they can't be a substitute for the real things like meat, fish, shellfish, poultry, eggs, and dairy. Balance is key, my friend, for a good deal of it is better than half of it."
I was willing to follow Marnathi's way of thinking as I was also thinking about the consequences that came after it. With Reiko wheeling me towards one of the feeding stations to some of those who were living in the slums, I noticed a large pot of spaghetti noodles being cooked as I also noticed Claudia here in which she was busy preparing food in which she was cooking the rare dish that hasn't been seen in years, for she was there to help those who were below the top in Etrogarde.
"It seems that you saw my grandson being paraded all over the streets," she said.
"I know that dish that you're cooking," I said.
"The Garza sisters found my beloved Vito's cookbook that he had in which his iconic aglio e olio recipe is in there." I see Claudia placing the spaghetti dish on a plate as she gave it to me. "Dig in! It's really good just the way my family made it."
I took a bite of the aglio e olio as I tasted the olive oil, red pepper flakes, garlic chips, and parsley that were blended into the spaghetti. I remembered the taste of it as I loved what was made into it during my years living at the fort on Gehenna. By the time I finished up my plate of spaghetti, I put my dishes into the washing station as I was ready to leave until I saw a few members of the Medical Corps standing in my way, for I was more than likely to be returning to the hospital anytime soon. What I also didn't expect was that Reuben was there as he was more than likely to be taking me away, for I had a gut feeling that I would be put under the ringer again.
"You fled the hospital last night," he said.
"I left, but at least I slept without any difficulty," I said.
"You're in for another examination again."
"I had a feeling that you would say that… Therefore, I can't have any red meat to my diet that Dunya put in front of me last night."
"Are you serious?" I nodded sincerely. "This is not good, Sam. If Dean saw you reduced to eating rabbit food, he'll end up coming unglued on your ass. Plant-based diets in pregnancy may be healthy for some, but not for others in which some babies were born with the infamous Hank Hill effect with narrow urethras in the penis."
"I've gotten used to it so far…"
"Plant-based diets are dangerous for those who are pregnant and most of the foods that Dunya forbade are essential for the babies you're carrying. Therefore, you should stick to a normal diet instead of being hopped up on rabbit food."
I was at Reuben's mercy as I had no choice but to adhere to my normal habits. Still, the threat of being forced to eat rabbit food was looming in the air as Reiko wasn't having it in which she gave me an extra helping of the traditional aglio e olio, but it was topped with shrimp in which I was dreading Dunya's wrath even more. I was ready to avoid it until I noticed Reiko not budging to Dunya's strict plant-based guideline for me, for she didn't want our babies to be deprived of the much-needed nutrition that I was getting. I was ready to pick the shrimp off of the pasta until Reiko stopped me in which she refused to let me adhere to the diet that was put in front of me, for it was needed a lot more than ever.
"You need to eat for the babies, Sammy," she said to me as she twirled some spaghetti with shrimp into my mouth. "You should take Reuben's advice instead of depending on rabbit food to supply the nutrients for our babies."
"Hey! What the hell are you doing?!" yelled Dunya as she saw me eating my pasta that was adorned with shrimp. "I thought I told you that you need to have a strict plant-based diet and shrimp is not allowed!"
"Sammy can't rely on rabbit food alone, you know. Besides, all babies need nutrients to survive because I had three pregnancies in which I ate what I craved."
"Shrimp contains mercury! Fish and shellfish also contain mercury! Poultry and eggs contain salmonella! Red meat and dairy are strictly forbidden in which they can hinder the growth of the babies! It's either plant-based food for Sam or I'll sic the Review Board on his ass!"
I finished up my pasta dish with the shrimp as I eventually lost my appetite. I wasn't hungry for the basic food anymore as I obeyed Dunya's wishes so she wouldn't have another conniption at my expense. When I followed Reuben with Reiko wheeling me with the group of members of the Medical Corps, we were on our way to the hospital for an examination in which I was the one going under the microscope once more, for I was going through hell with a terrible diet that Dunya imposed on me…
I was in the examination room as I saw several members of the Medical Corps looking at the babies that were on screen. The babies were moving fine as I noticed them content with the food I ate, but it was also the last time I could eat normally. Today was the start of the infamous plant-based diet that Dunya imposed as I was more than likely to be saying no to the good things that I gotten used to, for I was mainly going for the rabbit food than the usual stuff I ate.
"You and the babies are functioning normally," said Reuben. "Thankfully, they got the nutrition that was made from the dish that the Dowager Empress cooked up earlier."
"That's good to hear," I said.
"Whatever you do, don't even try to deprive yourself of the proper nutrition that is needed for the babies you carry. If Dean saw you doing that, he would pull a prank on you by putting itching powder all over your clothes."
"Dunya has a say on my nutritional needs by having a strict vegan diet, not me."
"I'm putting my foot down when it comes to your nutritional needs, Sam. You can do a lot of things, but you can't sacrifice your nutrition. If I were you, I suggest having a nice juicy steak with your leafy greens."
I got up as I went back to my wheelchair and left the examination room. After being probed and prodded, I was going towards the cafeteria as I was seeing many doctors and patients eating their fill of food before returning to their shifts. When I sat down at a table, I was staring at the various sandwiches that were filled with meat and cheese, along with some extra toppings and condiments. When I stared at the stuff in front, I was feeling the wrath of Dunya's words ringing in my ears as I ordered up a vegan caprese salad in which it was drenched in a balsamic vinegar dressing. By the time I returned to the table, I began to take a bite of my caprese salad as I tasted the sweet basil and tomatoes that were in it in which I also tasted the tofu that replaced the mozzarella cheese slices that were often put with it.
Bite after bite, I ate my salad as I felt tears streaming down my cheeks. I was trapped in the diet from hell as I had no other choice but to stick to the plant-based regimen that Dunya mentioned. The start of the strict vegan diet took a toll on me as I felt guilty for not eating the proper foods that were needed for the babies to grow. I wanted to get a glass of milk, but I stuck with some plant-based alternative instead as I later noticed a plate of aglio e olio in front of me complete with shrimp on top, for it was a relief to see a comforting dish just for today.
"You can do a lot of things, but you can't sacrifice your nutrition."
I took a bite of my pasta with shrimp as I felt more content for this day. The taste of garlic chips mixed in with the spaghetti was more comforting than Dunya's "rabbit food" rhetoric as I wasn't worried about it too much, for I was more than glad that I tasted aglio e olio again…
To be continued...