Ploy ignored him. “You try everything.”
I grinned. “That’s what I told him.”
“It is good food,” Ploy insisted.
Reek smiled at her. “I’m willing to be convinced.”
Ploy pointed at him again. “Good. I bring food. Not too spicy for baby daddy.”
“I appreciate that,” he said.
“Little spicy,” she added, though.
Reek looked at me. “See, she playin’.”
I laughed as Ploy walked away, calling orders into the kitchen.
Cairo started fussing, his little face scrunching as he kicked. Reek unfastened him carefully and lifted him out. He checked his diaper first, then reached for the bottle from the bag beside him.
He warmed the bottle between his hands and settled Cairo against his arm like he had been doing it his whole life. Cairo latched onto the nipple and calmed down almost immediately.
Ploy brought the first round of food out herself. Ploy brought out chicken satay with peanut sauce first. Then came tom kha soup, pad kra pao with a fried egg, and papaya salad she swore was mild. She had a plate of mango sticky rice too because Ploy said we needed something sweet.
Reek stared at the table. “This all for us?”
Ploy set down another dish. “More coming.”
He looked at me. “She trying to kill me.”
Ploy laughed. “Eat.”
Reek picked up his fork and started safe with the chicken satay. He dipped it in sauce, tasted it, then paused.
I leaned forward. “Well?”
He chewed slowly. “It’s cool.”
I rolled my eyes. “Cool means he likes it,” I told Ploy.
Ploy beamed. “I know.”
He tried the soup next. Then the rice. Then the basil chicken. By the time he hit the papaya salad, his confidence had gotten too high. He took one full bite, stopped chewing for a second, and reached for his water.
I smiled. “You good?”
He swallowed and nodded. “I’m straight.”
His eyes were watering.
Ploy frowned. “Too spicy?”
“Nah,” he said, holding back a cough. “It’s respectful.”
“Respectful?” I laughed.
“The spice introduced itself.”
I laughed so hard Cairo pulled off the bottle and stared at me.
