Simple Kind of Life

Chapter 1: Sweet Tea for my Sweetie

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2 cups of boiling water

1 family sized tea bag (Luzianne or quality brand)

1/2 cup to 1 cup of sugar

2 cups of cold water

Lemon slices (optional)

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After pouring the boiling water in a pot, Gwiboon steeped the tea bag for five minutes before taking it out. Then, she poured the tea into a pitcher holding two cups of cold water and began stirring in just over 1 1/2 cup of sugar.

Gwiboon was distracted from stirring and pouring in the sugar into the pitcher of her grandmother’s sweet tea by her view from the kitchen window.

Add one cup of sugar.

Or was it two? 

How much did I just put in? She looked at the pitcher, trying to see if there were any sugar granules floating about, but couldn’t tell. “I think it was...a cup? I think it was a cup.” Feeling confident, she went ahead and added another half cup of sugar, then quickly worried again. “But what if that wasn’t right either?”

Gwiboon nibbled on her tip, trying to remember the recipe from memory and just how much sugar she had added.  Of course, she could taste it to see how sweet it was, but she usually added more sugar to her tea anyway, so she didn’t really know how it should actually taste. The way her neighbor, Jinki, likes it.

When she’d woken up late this morning, she heard Jinki’s lawn mower going, just like every Sunday morning since he moved in next door. He was manly like that, waking up early on the weekend to go outside and cut the grass, even if it was too hot outside. 

Gwiboon loved when it was too hot outside, because then he’d get sort of sweaty and his hair would stick to his face. And she could see him perfectly from the kitchen sink window, too. Which could be a bit distracting and explained why she currently couldn’t recall if she’d followed the recipe correctly.

She really didn’t want to ask her grandmother how she makes it, because that would surely lead to questions and teasing, but if she wanted to make it right for Jinki, she had no other choice.

Walking into the small living room, Gwiboon found her grandmother sitting in her rocking chair, watching her favorite soap operas and peeling potatoes for dinner. “Grandmother, do you use two or three cups of sugar when you make tea? I can’t remember.”

Grandmother held up one finger and kept her eyes on the television screen, signaling to her grandmother to wait a moment. Gwiboon waited patiently, knowing her grandmother wouldn’t acknowledge her more than that until a commercial came on.

Finally, a commercial came and her grandmother turned her attention to her granddaughter, smiling. “The story is getting good now, you should sit and watch it with me.”

I’d rather eat dirt and carrots for dinner than watch these soaps. “Maybe later. Right now I’m trying to make your sweet tea and I can’t remember how much sugar you add to it.”

Her grandmother nodded, “Oh, I usually just go by taste, no particular amount. I suppose if you wanted to be careful though, I use about...a cup and a half.”

Gwiboon balked. “That’s all?” Her heart sank. “I think I used too much, I can’t remember. At least two and a half.”

“Don’t worry about that, it will be fine, just add a bit more water to balance it out.” Gwiboon nodded, still not sure the tea will turn out the same, just as Jinki likes it. “Why are you making tea? You never make the tea.” Her grandmother asked suspiciously.

Trying to play it cool, Gwiboon shrugged a little. “Jinki is cutting the grass again and you usually make it for him, but you’re busy right now, so I figured I’d try making it for him instead. Especially since it really hot outside and he’s probably going to come over later to cut our grass for us, too.”

Her grandmother just laughed and Gwiboon frowned. “What? Why are you laughing?”

She smiled at her. “My granddaughter is adorable. Her first crush. It’s so cute.”

Gwiboon flushed. “I- I don’t have a crush. I just wanted to do something nice for him since he’s really nice to us.”

“Alright, alright. You don’t have a crush on Jinki,” She went back to peeling her potatoes, still smiling and laughing to herself. 

“I don’t have a crush on him.” Gwiboon reaffirmed.

“I said alright. Now, go finish the tea quickly. It’s getting hotter outside and I’m sure he’ll appreciate that drink.” Gwiboon turned to go back into the kitchen, when she heard her grandmother say, “It’s okay to think he’s cute, honey. He’s a very handsome man, after all.”

When she turned again to correct her grandmother, she was shooed away before she could open . “No, my show is coming back on. Go!”

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He smiled at her from over the fence, turning off his lawnmower. He had the most dreamy smile Gwiboon had ever seen in her short life. Every time he gave it to her, she became more and more sure that he was the one for her. She handed him the glass of iced tea. “Grandmother said you looked hot and to give this to you.” She fibbed as she watched him wipe his face with the face towel hanging from his back pocket. 

She took notice that Jinki never shaved on the weekends, and she loved it. Seeing him with the dark shadows growing over his normally smooth chin and cheeks made her heart flutter. She’d always wondered what it must feel like if she rubbed her hand over it. Would it be soft and tickle her finger or would it be prickly and sharp?

Her face was red, she hoped he thought it was because of the heat.

“Thank you, sweetheart.” He smiled again and took a deep gulp from the glass, nearly emptying it all at once. “Mmmm. It seems sweeter, did she change up my favorite recipe?” He frowned playfully.

Gwiboon’s heart dropped a little, “Why? You don’t like it?” 

“No, its just different, its usually a little bitter.”

Gwiboon could have soared to the moon and back. He liked her tea. “Oh..well, I made this batch on my own. I thought I made it just the way she does. Sorry.” She reached to take the half empty glass back.

“Hey hey, I’m not done yet.” He pulls the cup away and finishes it off in another big gulp, tilting his head all the way back. From this angle, Gwiboon could see his adam’s apple bobbing and it wreaked havoc on her teenaged heart. He was just so...handsome. “I like it sweeter, but don’t tell your grandmother, okay?” He winked at their little secret.

Her heart swelled two sizes that day. Knowing she could make him happy, even just a little bit, was enough for her. 

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A/N: That is the greatest sweet tea recipe you’ll ever have IN YOUR LIFE. You have to try it. Also, this story will probably be littered with Louisiana based recipes and themes. It won’t, or shouldn’t, take anything away from the story though. 

Hope you guys follow it through to the end!