Page 66 of The Baby Dragon Bakery
“Hey,” he replied. “Sorry I’ve been so out of it.”
“It’s okay,” she said. Her voice was small.
“How was your day?” he asked.
“It was good,” she replied, and as she spoke, her voice seemed to warm. “Thank god it’s Friday, so I’m done withclasses and internships for the week. I’m taking time off from the cafe tomorrow, too, since I have a big midterm on Monday and I need to spend all weekend studying or I am going to fail miserably.”
She sounded anxious.
“Hey, breathe,” he said. “Let’s take a deep breath.”
They breathed together, and she let out a long exhale. “Ugh, you’re right. Anyway. How are you doing? Does your face still hurt?”
“Nah, it’s okay, now,” he said. “I think I was being a big baby about it, anyway.” He was a little sheepish to think back on it now.
“Yes, you were being a big baby,” she teased. “You’re always a big baby.”
He snorted. “Right. This from the girl who has shed literal tears over a paper cut.”
“Hey! Paper cuts hurt, okay? They godeep.”
They both laughed, and he settled into the couch, feeling relaxed. Talking with her made his whole life reset, everything falling back into place exactly the way it was meant to.
“I made fried kulfi falooda yesterday,” he told her. “It was so good.”
“Oh my god, wait, that is genius,” she said, gasping. “How do you come up with this stuff? I want some!”
He smiled to himself. “I’ll drop some off tomorrow, if you want.”
“Yes please!”
“But you have to share.”
“No! I’m going to hide it away or Alfie’ll eat it all.”
He put the phone on speaker and went to the kitchen to make dinner, and he heard her folding laundry in the background.
“I kind of did something today,” he said.
“What?” she asked.
As he washed the chicken meat, he gave the play-by-play from his morning meeting with Suki, how stressed he had been, and how, after a slight push from Suki, he had confessed to being unhappy. He explained how Suki had handled the news incredibly well and supported him in handing in his notice.
“See, I knew Suki would be fine!” Lavinia said, and he heard the smile in her voice. “This is huge, and I’m so glad you took this step. I only want you to be happy, too, and I hope this helps!”
“I hope so, too,” he said, pulling out a pan. He sauteed onions and garlic, telling Lavinia about his meeting with Saphira, and Saphira’s plans for the cafe’s expansion.
He felt daunted again as he recounted the details. As he added chopped tomatoes to the pan, he chewed on his lower lip. “I’ve never worked a business job before,” he said, moving the tomatoes around. “And it’s been some time since I’ve been out of school. What if I don’t remember how to do anything?”
“Oh, hush!” she said. “You’ll figure it out. You’re smart.”
“Hmm.” He added the chicken to the pan, listening as it sizzled.
“You are!” she repeated, as if she could force him to believe it. “What are you making, by the way?”
“Karahi chicken,” he replied, and they continued talking as he finished cooking. When the curry was done, he warmed up some naan, then sat down to eat, keeping the phone on as Lavinia stressed about her anatomy midterm coming up.
“It’s my hardest class,” she said. “There’s just too much to memorize!”
