Page 13 of Baby Love
“Excellent work,” I tell her. “Come into the kitchen so we can eat with Auntie.”
Anya and I sit down at the clean wooden table in the corner of the kitchen, and Auntie immediately brings over a platter of pastries filled with chicken, potato, onions, and spices, setting it in the center of the table and handing us each a plate.
“Eat all you want; I’ve made plenty.”
“They’re hot,” Auntie warns after placing a few of the puffs in front of Anya.
My stomach growls again.
Anya giggles. “The bear in your tummy wants his food!”
It’s something our father used to say, and a wave of sadness passes over me.
Auntie places her hand on my arm. “Eat,” she says, kind eyes meeting mine.
Taking a bite of curry puff, I chew and soon the savory morsel chases away the dark clouds.
“How is your work going, Nong?” Auntie asks me.
“It’s going well so far.”
“Do you like your partner? Is he a nice boy?”
I can’t help but smile. What does being “a nice boy” have to do with acting? But maybe she has a point—Mark, my partner in Promise Me More, the last bl I acted in, wasn’t nice at all, and being shipped with him was such an ordeal that it drained me every day. Working with Spin will be a much better experience. The workshops are going well, and already the two of us are feeling much more comfortable with each other.
“Yes. Spin’s nice,” I say. “We already knew each other from a play we did at university, so that helps.”
“That’s good to hear.”
“People say we have chemistry,” I add, biting into another puff.
Auntie’s brow lifts and she smiles. “I’m glad. It’s about time you got a good partner.”
After helping Khun Anong clean up the lunch dishes, I take Anya back to our house to hang out for the afternoon until it’s time to leave for a cast meeting. I play with her for a while, and when she takes a nap, I do some much-needed housework. Over time, I’ve gotten pretty good at juggling parenting and housekeeping with my acting jobs, although I couldn’t do it without Auntie’s help with Anya. My mother died when I was born, and my father remained single until I was in my teens and he met and married Anya’s mother, Lily. She and my father were killed in a freak ferry boat accident when Anya was four. Sometimes, late at night, I’ve allowed myself to wonder what my life might have been like had my father and Lily not been killed. I was doing well at university. There was a spark of something between me and Spin when we acted together. Would I have explored it? I’ll never know because the day of the accident forever changed my life, leaving me to raise my young sister alone when I was only a junior at university. Out of necessity, I dropped out of all extra-curricular activities and took on a part-time job. I remained in school, but from that day on, I had to keep Anya’s future as well as mine at the forefront of my mind.
Funny how that future now depends on how well Spin and I do as a shipped couple.
At four o’clock, I help Anya pick up her toys and then take her next door to Auntie’s. I drive into the city, and traffic is heavy but not as bad as it sometimes is. When I reach the top floor of the building that houses SPPT, I head for the boardroom where a meal has been catered for the meeting.
“A lot of people have been commenting about you two since the event at the convention center,” Khun Lee tells me and Spin a few minutes later as the cast and management fill their plates with food.
“I noticed that,” P’Big says from across the table.
Khun Hom looks pleased. “I have a good feeling about this ship,” she says, smiling at us.
“The BL Fanatics’ message board is full of posts about the event,” Khun Lee says, pulling up a webpage on the Promethean board. I turn to look at the screen.
Wife_of_RM: The new SPPT couple is so cute! I need pics ASAP. (praying hands) ParkSpin!
Omega_XSebin @Wife_of_RM: “Spark”! SPPT’s website has photos, not many tho. Park looks really good with Spin. (blushing happy face) Wasn’t Spin in Love Time? With Bang?
MrsFelix4eva @Omega_XSebin: Yes. Bang is going to be in a new series with someone else. Looks like Spin left Hearts Entertainment. ParkSpin are adorable! Look how small Spin is in comparison to Park. (Image from SPPT site of the two standing together at the event.) Also, “Spark” is awesome! Well done!
BLFanx1000 @MrsFelix4eva: They were holding hands the whole event! Park seems so attentive to Spin. I like Spin much better with Park. Spark forever!
Wife_of_RM@MrsFelix4eva: YES! (applause)
Straykids21711: Love the size difference. Their upcoming series is an office romance. I can’t wait!