Surprise!

This week's topic for Illustration Friday is "surprise" and that does set my brain working. Not because I can't figure out what to draw. Almost every story of mine ends with a surprise. It seems more understandable if you can read the whole story at the same time, but I don't want to torture you guys and myself:-).

Today I'd like to share the first story I did back in 1998. Since beef noodles are a tradition in my family, I wrote a story based on this very special dish. Kiddie is the apple of her parents' eye. They miss her so much when she is away for studies in the US. In the meanwhile Kiddie is worried about her dad and mom's being too sad. She thinks of the old good times when they ate beef noodles together. She then hits upon a good idea. She would like to make beef noodles for them! However, she only ends up in burning the whole house. Afraid of being caught, she starts a long self-exile. Her parents, in the hope of seeing their baby daughter, begin a challenging journey across the mountains and the seas. And the story ends in their finding each other unexpectedly. What's better, they prepare a hot and yummy bowl of beef noodles for her!

"Kiddie, we have a surprise for you!" Mom says.
"Eh?" Kiddie is puzzled.
"Open it!" Dad offers a warm box to his baby daughter.

"Oh oh oh! It's a bowl of beef noodles!!! Gee!" Kiddie is so surprised and touched that she can hardly say anything. There is nothing better than a gift like this after an exhausting and despairing journey.

The three people are so happy that they start the dance of beef noodles. Even the fish join them. And this time, Dad and Mom save two bowls for themselves too!