Growing Up Hoffman

“How would you like to join us for dinner?” You invite Marybeth.

“Oh no, thank you. I wouldn’t want to intrude.” Marybeth replies without a second thought.

“It won’t be an intrusion, Marybeth. I quite like the idea as well.” Becca assures her, before giving you an appreciative smile for offering Marybeth to join the two of you.

“This is your first date. One that, if I recall correctly, you told me you didn’t want to mess up.” Marybeth argues, making you give Becca a teasing glance. “I wouldn’t want your memory of it to be tainted by me being a third wheel.” Marybeth jokingly says, still trying to politely decline.

“Nonsense, Marybeth. I don’t have a memory of you where your presence was ever unwelcome.” Becca assures her, even a little bit shocked that Marybeth would even suggest that such a scenario would happen.

“Maybe you could change that.” You joke deviously.

“Excuse me?” Becca asks in confusion.

“I have to admit, my reason for inviting Marybeth had ulterior motives.” You tell Becca, who raises her eyebrow at you curiously. “Having talked to Becca for quite some time now, I know full well I won’t be able to pry embarrassing childhood stories out of her even if I tried.” You start to explain, and Marybeth already understands what you mean and chuckles. “But maybe you’re more inclined to tell those stories, Marybeth?” You ask her deviously, and she just closes her eyes with a smile while shaking her head in disbelief as a reaction to your offer.

“I disagree with that assessment. I just told you an embarrassing story of mine.” Becca points out.

“Eating fully cooked braised pork that hasn’t been deep fried yet isn’t exactly an embarrassing story, Becca.” You reply lightheartedly.

“Oh? You told him about that story?” Marybeth asks Becca, a bit surprised.

“I did. I even pretended that this was already the finished product to get him to eat it like I did back then.” Becca admits.

“Oh, Becca! You naughty girl!” Marybeth jokingly reprimands her with a laugh, and you laugh too as you hear the teasing sarcasm in Marybeth’s tone.

“I never got to ask her, but was she always scrounging around the refrigerator looking for something to eat as a kid?” You ask Marybeth.

“Oh no~. Becca was always a picky eater.” Marybeth answers.

“Of course you were.” You react teasingly, which Becca thankfully finds funny.

“You have seen how I eat pizza, yes?” Becca asks, riding your tease, and you and Marybeth can’t help but chuckle as well.

“So what made you suddenly go goblin-mode?” You ask Becca.

“I am not familiar with that term.” Becca says in reaction.

“Oh! It wasn’t an insult! It’s just a term for someone who acts differently from their usual selves. Usually someone prim and proper that acts out of character. That sort of thing.” You try to explain.

“I see.” Becca says in reaction, taking a moment to process this new information. “Well, at the time, the pork belly was resting on the counter and still hot from being braised. It smelled delicious, and I couldn’t help but just dig into it!” Becca explains excitedly, even taking a deep breath as if she could still smell it now when she said it smelled delicious. “Or should I say, I couldn’t help myself from going ‘goblin mode’?” Becca then jokingly adds.

“Oh dear, you shouldn’t have taught her what that means.” Marybeth confusingly comments. “You’re going to keep using that term now, aren’t you?” Marybeth teasingly asks Becca, who just gives her a guilty smile in response.

“Indubitably.” Becca then answers, and Marybeth just lets out a noise of annoyance, before the two of them start sharing a laugh. Once again, you can’t help but stare at Becca and smile at the way she’s much more comfortable with Marybeth than anyone you’ve ever seen her with, and the fact that she’s open to sharing this side of her with you now too.

“I’m guessing there’s a story behind that ‘indubitably’?” You ask, as the two try to gather themselves.

“There definitely is.” Marybeth answers, and you pull out the chair next to you so Marybeth can get comfortable. She sees this and glances towards Becca, who gives her a smile and motions for her to take the seat. It’s this gesture, and probably the opportunity to relive happy memories that finally gets Marybeth to accept joining you and Becca.

“So~, what’s the story behind that ‘indubitably’?”

A couple of hours later…

“I think that’s why her father chose to place her at one of the restaurants to train as a manager when she wanted to start working for him.” Marybeth shares, after you bring the topic back up regarding Becca’s love for her food at an early age, despite Marybeth calling her a picky eater. You brought the topic back into conversation after the three of you finished the dessert Becca prepared, a Halo Halo, to round up the Filipino themed meal she prepared for you.

Despite your pronouncement that you invited Marybeth to join you and Becca because you wanted to get her to share embarrassing childhood stories, it had the added bonus of getting Becca to be much chattier and casual than you’ve seen her before, even the times you’ve conversed with her privately. You can only assume that’s what happens when Becca’s not concerned about what the other person is thinking about her based on who they think she is versus who she actually is.

“He also wanted me to become a homemaker, don’t forget. That’s why he had me shadowing the executive housekeepers at the hotels too.” Becca counters.

“Your father really does have a limited view on the capabilities of women.” Marybeth comments as a joke, trying to undercut it with a chuckle, but you know she means every word.

“I think after how Becca handled our situation with him, he won’t be looking down on her again.” You compliment Becca, and Marybeth just gives you a wry smile.

“Stubbornness is a trait that her family has an abundance of. You’ll learn that soon enough once you spend enough time with this one.” Marybeth ominously warns, before trying to soften it by teasing Becca.

“Becca told me as much.” You confirm to Marybeth that you know the saga with Mr. Hoffman isn’t completely over yet, but you also know that with Becca and the others at your side, not to mention the magic of the app, you’ll weather whatever he has coming next too.

“There’s a difference between being told, and seeing it in action, Mr. Jay. A ‘Hoffman’ always gets what they want.” Marybeth continues to say in warning.

“You make it sound like they’re supervillains, Marybeth.” You tease her description, trying to keep the mood light.

“No. The description is apt.” Becca says in support of Marybeth’s assessment. “I believe you thought as much when you told me last night that was your first impression of me as well.” Becca points out.

“I guess that’s your unofficial House Words if this was Game of Thrones. If ‘a Lannister always pays his debts’, then ‘a Hoffman always gets what they want’.” You joke.

“Again, unfamiliar with the reference, but I cannot disagree.” Becca concedes.

“I told you to watch that show.” Marybeth reminds Becca in her best ‘I told you so’ tone.

“If I recall, you and Gigi had swore off that show after it ended? Not exactly the best endorsement.” Becca counters.

“You would’ve swore it off too if you watched that final season.” You tell Becca with a chuckle.

“I’d rather not start something only to be left disappointed.” Becca retorts.

“HA! If that were true, then you wouldn’t have started working for your father.” Marybeth counters, and Becca can’t help but smile in defeat.

“It’s a lesson I learned much too late, and a lesson you told me I’d learn from him when I told you my goals when I was young.” Becca concedes. “I should’ve listened to you, Marybeth.” Becca tells in her sweetest tone.

“I apologize if I stepped out of line with my remark, Becca. I didn’t want to rub more salt into the wound.” Marybeth tells her, taking Becca’s hand that was resting on the counter and holding it tight to show that she only wants what’s best for Becca.

“You don’t have to apologize for that. You know I always appreciate your candidness.” Becca tells her.

“I know.” Marybeth affirms. “I just didn’t want our guest to think I’m constantly being unprofessional. I wouldn’t want him to think I’m a bad maid.” Marybeth jokes.

“Becca has always spoken highly of you, Marybeth. I think we can all agree you’re more than just a maid.” You assure her. Becca has a look of pleasant surprise, and Marybeth closes her eyes while her wry smile returns.

“I know that too.” Marybeth says with a chuckle, before she then downs the rest of her beer with one last swig. “I drink and I know things.” Marybeth jokingly references, getting a chuckle out of you. “Be that as it may, my day job is still as a maid, so professional courtesy must still be observed…” Marybeth adds before suddenly standing up from her seat. “... and I have unobserved it quite enough tonight.” Marybeth announces. Becca looks at her watch, and realizes it might be getting late for Marybeth, so she doesn’t argue against her making her leave.

“Indubitably.” You say in response, calling back to her earlier story that an eleven year old Becca used to parrot that word a lot since she thought it sounded fancy, but having no idea what it actually meant; until finally getting called out on it when she used it to answer ‘how are you?’.

“Indubitably.” Marybeth repeats teasingly as well, while bowing slightly and motioning her hand as if she’s tipping her cap towards you and Becca.

“Good night, Marybeth.” Becca greets her, before you and Marybeth have a split second conversation in your minds and both replying with an ‘indubitably’ simultaneously, sharing a laugh right after. The serious look of annoyance on Becca’s face fuels your shared laughter even more, before Becca finally cracks a smile.

The two of you finally get serious and say your goodbyes and goodnights to one another before Marybeth addresses Becca one last time before leaving, “Wag mo na pakawalan yan.”, and Becca smiles in return, before giving her her own “Indubitably” in return.

After Marybeth gives you and Becca some privacy again, you and Becca both say something at the same time.

“That was fun.” You tell her

“I don’t remember telling you about Marybeth before coming here.” Becca says at the same time.

“You haven’t.” You confirm. “Why is that?” You ask.

“I wanted you to meet her in person. She…” Becca starts saying, before taking a pause.

“She’s the person whose opinion you care about the most, isn’t she?” You finish for her, and Becca just nods in response. “The one you were afraid to find out if she didn’t care for you as much as you thought she did, if you had the app. The one person you’d tell about getting the app if you had it.” You then add.

“You remember that conversation?” Becca asks in surprise.

“Of course I do.” You reply. “It’s why I meant what I said when I told her you’ve always spoken highly of her. I may not have known it was her at the time, but you were right…”

“All I needed was to meet her to know.”