Chapter 127 - Breakfast Analysis and Journalism

6 am next day – Midtown, Manhattan

"""""

… The last night's Music Night at the Apollo was probably one of the most anti-climactic nights of its history. While the night was filled with great performances from some of the best amateurs, one among them stood out. 

Isaac Yawat, 18, won the night with his incredible cover of 'May This Be Love' by Miles Brown. Isaac is a good singer, but too good that it made one wonder if he is really an amateur, or an unknown professional. 

With a quick search on the internet, we found that Isaac would not be what one would consider an amateur. Not only is he a rising star in Nashville's country music scene and has performed alongside one of Nashville's biggest bands, he is also an in-demand songwriter who has written some hit songs for country stars.

This made us wonder what really is the criteria for 'amateurs' to partake in the Music Night. Is Music Night really what we thought of as a show that tells the heartwarming stories of ordinary people with big dreams? … 

""""""""

"WHAT THE ACTUAL F*CK!" The main producer of the show slammed the tabloid newspaper on her office table

"Rashida, we didn't know! No wonder he.. well.. He had us distribute his prize money among the contestants!" A producer said in defense. 

"It's NOT! About! The! F*CKING MONEY! What do we do? OH, what do we do?! Call the --- Ahh sh*t, here's that asshole." Rashida said when she saw one of the executives of the TV network walk towards her office. 

"Hello James, So you've heard?" Rashida sighed when she saw the smug smile on James' face.

"Oh, I did. Hahaha. I have to say… *Giggle*" James could not finish his sentence.

"You're already here to tell me we're in trouble, so come on.. Rub it in. Rub the salt to the wound." Rashida said through gritted teeth.

Both Rashida and James didn't know where it started but they just never saw eye to eye for years. Perhaps it is because they belong to the opposing parties of the creative side VS the executive side. 

"AH! After years of knowing you, I finally see the great Rashida mess up." James said in glee.

"SO, what's the verdict, huh?" Rashida said.

"Oh nothing. I have to say, after seeing you like this, I don't hate you as much now. Hmm." James said.

"Nothing?" Rashida asked to confirm if she heard right. 

"Nothing. Seeing you panic at a small matter like this made my day…" James said, smiling and less smug than before.

"What happened exactly?" Rashida asked.

"Well, I had the marketing people work on it immediately, and guess what? It's not a big deal." James reported.

"Not a big deal?" Rashida is confused at the news. 

"No. First of all, this is the first time this happened to the show. Second, we can just be honest to the reporters and the viewers; it was an honest mistake. Here's the gist of what the folks downstairs said. We've had 500 plus episodes of the show. We've had obvious amateur participants so over time, we just assumed that all the people that audition are." James' report comforted Rashida very much. 

"So, we just come clean, promise that we do background checks again, and let it blow over." Rashida rephrased.

"Exactly. And, we can just, you know, with the power of suggestion…  tell the reporters that you know… it's Isaac, that little shark, that sneaked in to the fish pond." James said. 

Rashida, however felt guilty at the suggestion. "But, he's just a kid... He might not have known any better." Rashida said.

"That's why we won't blame the kid blatantly. It's up for the people to decide. And, it's not like he can just plead ignorance, which he probably is, because you know, he's not American." James explained. 

"Can an 18-year-old really handle that?" Rashida asked.

"An 18-year-old can't, but Isaac can. The kid is a good songwriter so he's a cash cow; he has a lot of powerful people he can fall back to. I've also read that he won an award for best director at Sorrento, so even if he becomes hated here in America, the rest of the world is enough a playground for the guy. He can take it. We divide this mess between us and him." James said. Rashida is speechless and just shook her head. 

"Why am I explaining this to you? It's not like I need your permission. All I'm saying is that you don't have to feel so guilty." James concluded their talk and walked out of Rashida's office. 

---

Jericho, New York – 8am 

Tayaw is cooking a feast for a breakfast when his doorbell rang. *Ding**Dong*

"Must be Lee. He's early today." Tayaw said as he heard Lee's faint voice from outside.

Tayaw walked to the front door to look at the camera feed of the gate.

"OH boy." Tayaw sighed however at what he saw. 

Tayaw ran back to the kitchen to adjust the stove before heading outside to welcome the visitors.

Tayaw opened the gate and he saw what he already expected.

"Good morning, Duhills." Tayaw greeted Charlotte, and the rest of the Duhill family. 

"Good morning! We just want to meet our celebrity neighbor! I'm Peter. Nice to finally meet you." Peter introduced himself.

Because he is always busy at work, he never met Tayaw until now.

"Tayaw. Pleasure to meet you. So Lee told y'all huh? " Tayaw asked. 

"Yep. Here's a personal welcoming gift from me." Peter said and he handed Tayaw some cards.

"Mmm. Southdown Coffee?" Tayaw raised his eyebrows at the familiar looking name.

"Yeah. I think it's the best coffee place here in Long Island."

"Really?... Well, thank you Peter. Please, come in." Tayaw said as he led them to his house.

"Shoes off, please." Lee told his family as they arrived at the doorstep. Having spent some time in Tayaw's house, Lee already knows Tayaw's rules. 

"Oh dear, it's clean…" Charlotte gasped at how spotless Tayaw's house is.

"Thanks for noticing Charlotte, I like cleaning. Have you guys had breakfast yet?" Tayaw asked. 

"Yes" The family replied except for Lee's "No." Tayaw raised his brows at the Lee's answer.

Tayaw can still smell a whiff of maple syrup when Phil was talking earlier but he offered breakfast just for courtesy. 

"I guess pancakes aren't enough, lil' fella?" Tayaw chuckled.

"I like your food. Haha." Lee shamelessly answered.

"How'd you know? Pancakes?" Lexi, the second daughter however, is interested in Tayaw's deduction.

"Lucky guess?" Tayaw said.

"Maybe, but I don't think so. Why not toast? Why not egg and bacon? Statistically speaki-" Lexi started.

Tayaw already heard about Lexi's habit of rambling, so he cut her off.

"Or, I have very sensitive nose that I can smell the maple syrup wafting off of you guys. That narrowed it down to me choosing between pancakes or waffles."  Tayaw's answer surprised the family.

"Anyway. Come, I know you already ate but have breakfast with Me." Tayaw said as he led them to the dining area.

While he liked to devour the feast he is cooking for himself, he loves to cook for other people more and see how they enjoy his food. 

"I have enough seats, please." Tayaw offered them while he resumed cooking.

A few minutes later, "Enjoy." Tayaw is done cooking.

"Why are you having dinner for breakfast?" Holly was dumbfounded when Tayaw started serving them.

"Smells good." Peter on the other hand, didn't care and smiled at the smell of the skillet grilled chicken b.r.e.a.s.t topped with creamy garlic soup. On the side is a simple vegetable salad made from lettuce, leafy greens, and other chopped vegetables freshly marinated with vinegar, onions and cuc.u.mber. 

"Thanks Peter. Well, Holly. I didn't know there's such a distinction from the American breakfast and dinner." Tayaw said. He lied but he does not like eating a lot of carbohydrates for breakfast. 

"MMM! The chicken is perfectly cooked! The sauce is great too." Charlotte savored the chicken and nodded in approval.

Lee on the other hand, loves to eat the tastiest part of his meals last, so he hesitantly reached for the vegetable salad. While he does not like vegetables, he trusts Tayaw's cooking after having eaten Tayaw's food a few times now.

"Hmm. I like this!" Lee who was wary, was surprised as he chewed on the vegetables.

His family snapped their heads to Lee's direction when they heard his remark, surprised because they know Lee does not like eating vegetables.

"See, honey? Vegetables are good." Peter chuckled. 

"Mom's veggies don't taste like this though?" Lexi said after having a taste, while Charlotte felt like she was punched in the gut. 

"Holly… Tayaw can sing, can play piano, can play the guitar, can make a film, and his food is good too. What can you do?" Lee asked, innocently weighing the pros of Holly and Tayaw as he could not wrap his head around the two possibly dating.

Holly however, felt like her heart was pricked with needles and was forced to look into herself.

"She's pretty and she knows how to party. Hahahahaha. But Tayaw is a director; he knows a lot of pretty actresses from parties." Lexi took Lee's innocent question and turned it into snarky teasing.

Holly also didn't try and make fun of Lexi for being a nerd, it being her usual response, as she knows it would only make her look bad in front of Tayaw.

"That's enough. You should not be like this in front of the neighbors." Charlotte reprimanded her children. 

Tayaw is not stupid and gathered information at the interaction so he did not ask them what is going on.

"So, school break, huh? I remember the excitement I felt every time the final exams are over." Tayaw changed the subject. 

"You don't seem like you go to school though?" Peter asked.

"No. I quit last year and focused on my music and my movie. Still, I miss being a student. I was a good one too." Tayaw said. 

"Speaking of your movie, I know a small thing about it." Charlotte said. The group turned their attention to her.

"You know that meal kit service we use for dinners?" Charlotte said as she pulled out the recipe pamphlet from Pink Apron from her pocket.

"It's here.." Charlotte said and she showed them the page containing the advertis.e.m.e.nt for Tayaw's movie.