Free Loving Bailey by Lee Brazil Page A

the
chicken after cooking that thing…"
    "It's plastic," Bailey muttered. "It's
toxic."
    "Are you sure? It doesn't really look melted
or anything…"
    "Plastic!" he shouted. He forced himself to
calm down as he noticed the startled expression on Ashton's face.
"It's not safe to eat. I can't take a chance on that."
    "I thought you'd say that, so… sushi?"
    "My dad and Eden are going to laugh." At
first the idea made him feel like an idiot, childish and immature,
then he remembered the early days of his childhood, when his
construction worker father had struggled to learn to provide meals
for his sons. They'd sat down to mushy pasta and tough meat more
than once while his father figured out the chemistry of the
kitchen.
    "I'll take the blame. There's no need for
them to know that anything went wrong. This was important to
you."
    "There's no need. My dad knows all about
kitchen disasters." Bailey grabbed plastic containers and shoved
them at Ashton. "Get the green beans packed up and in the fridge.
I'll do the potatoes." They worked in companionable harmony, for
maybe five minutes, salvaging the undamaged portions of the meal.
Once in a while his dad or Eden's voice drifted into the room, and
he met Ashton's gaze with a smile of pure pleasure.
    Closing the refrigerator door on the last of
the plastic containers, Bailey pushed the pan of chicken to the
back of the counter. They could take care of that mess later.
    "Come on let's go!" He grabbed Ashton's hand
and towed him back through the door into the living room. Eden and
Drew stopped talking and turned to them expectantly. His father
must have heard the shouting, as his blue eyes were soft with
concern.
    "It smells great." Drew spoke
hesitantly.
    "There's been a small problem," Bailey
announced happily. "Let's go."
    "Where are we going? We just got here." Eden
asked as they obligingly rose and headed to the door.
    "Kitchen disaster." Bailey waved the others
out ahead of him then locked the door with his new key. "I'll tell
you all about it on the way to the sushi place."
     
    THE END