Chan and Evan are enjoying some quiet time together. Good food, good music, who knows where that will lead? See what's happening in this week's chapter of Super Trooper. Don't forget to visit the other Briefers and see what's up with them. Their links follow my tale! Enjoy!
Chan could have stayed where he was forever, safe
within Evan’s warm embrace. But his stomach chose that unfortunate moment to
signal its discontent with an embarrassing gurgle. He felt his cheeks go warm.
Evan smiled sweetly and kissed his cheek. “Another
country heard from.” He laughed. “Guess we need to do something about that,
don’t we?”
They disentangled from one another and headed back
downstairs. Evan pulled out the various containers from the bags they’d carried
them in and laid them out on the counter. Then he brought out two bottles of
beer from the fridge. They each made up a plate and carried everything into the
living room, next to one another on a mocha-colored sofa that faced a second
television, a large flat screen in the middle of a dark wood entertainment
center. Once they were settled, Evan picked up a remote control.
“Watch something or listen to music?”
“Music, please,” Chan replied without hesitation. He
wondered what kind of music Evan preferred. Probably country western, since he
went to Partners. Although Chan went there too and it wasn’t his first choice
of music, so he shouldn’t make assumptions about Evan based on that. Chan was
pleasantly surprised when Evan selected a quiet jazz station, turning the
volume down so that it was audible but wouldn’t interfere with conversation.
“If you don’t like this, we can find something
else,” Evan said.
“No, no, this is perfect,” Chan assured him. “Very
nice.”
They ate in contented silence for a few minutes.
Everything was delicious, especially the pot stickers and the duck noodles.
“I’m surprised I’ve never tried this kind of noodles
before,” Chan said. “I will definitely order this again. Thank you for turning
me on to this restaurant. It’s very good.”
“I hoped you’d like it,” Evan said. “We’ll definitely go back there.”
Chan liked the sound of that, hinting again at a
future between them.
Evan was very adept at using chopsticks, Chan
noticed. He could feed himself with them but he wasn’t near as good as Evan
was. Which he proved by dropping rice down the front of his shirt. Evan quickly
leaned over with his chopsticks and picked up the offending rice, then fed it
to Chan.
God, he could get used to this so easily.
“I’m a little clumsy,” he apologized, but Evan waved
his words aside.
“You’re fine. Gives me an excuse to feed you.” He
winked at Chan.
“You don’t need an excuse,” Chan blurted out without
thinking. He was horrified with himself until he saw that Evan seemed to have
no problem with what he’d said, judging by his pleased expression.
“How was your day?” Chan asked. “Well, day and
evening.” He couldn’t imagine working a shift that straddled both day and
night. Thank goodness the savings and loaned closed at five. Of course, he also
didn’t have to deal with crazy drivers, either. No telling who was carrying a
gun these days.
“Pretty quiet for a Saturday, actually. Here, try
this beef broccoli.” He dipped his chopsticks into the dish, then offered it to
Chan.
“That was delicious,” Chan said. He carefully picked
up some of the duck noodles and conveyed them to Evan, who opened his mouth and
accepted them.
“I see what you mean, those are very good,” Evan
said, once he swallowed. “How was your day?”
“I had a very good day,” Chan said. “I took the
children to the park and let them play.” Belatedly he realized Evan had no idea
who these children were. No wonder his eyes just got huge.
“Not mine,” he hastened to assure Evan, waving his
pair of chopsticks in the air. “My little brother and sisters.” That seemed to
relax Evan again. Chan couldn’t even begin to imagine having children, as that
would entail a relationship with a woman. And that was so not happening.
“I’d love to hear about them.” Evan picked up a pot
sticker, attention focused on Chan.
“They are very good kids,” Chan said. “Laksha is the
oldest, she is eleven. She is very smart and she loves to read. Kamal is seven
and can be very mischievous. Madhu is only two and a half but she already has
everyone wrapped around her little finger.”
“Quite an age difference there,” Evan observed.
“Would you like another beer?” He picked up his empty bottle as he started to
rise.
“I am good, thank you,” Chan said. “My mother has
been married twice. First was to my father, but he died when I was just a baby.
Later she found Balji and married him and they had my siblings. I try to spend
time with them as often as possible.”
Evan waited until Chan was finished speaking before
he went into the kitchen, disposed of his empty and got out a new one. He
resumed his seat by Chan. “Your stepfather, do you get along with him?”
“Oh yes, he’s a very good man. Very good father. I
could not ask for a better one,” Chan replied with enthusiasm. “He has made my
mother very happy, and for that alone, I love him. But he also gave me my
brother and sisters, and I love them very much.”
Chan reached for his own beer as he spoke, but his
eyes were fixed on Evan. For just a moment, he thought he saw something in
Evan’s eyes. A sadness maybe? Whatever it was quickly passed, and Chan tucked
the thought away for another time.
“They’re lucky to have an older brother like you,”
Evan said.
Chan half expected, or maybe half hoped, that Evan’s
next words would be “I’d like to meet them sometime”. But that didn’t happen.
“What about you? Do you have brothers and sisters?”
Chan asked.
Evan shook his head. “Only child.”
“Did you have any pets?”
Another shake of the head.
to be continued
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