Chapter 36

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'You should join us for dinner at our house. It'll be easier to tell us both when we are in the same room, it'll save time,' Pete had said.

Beam always got onto him for missing the details. He supposed he really should have paid more attention to Pete's words rather than being excited to spew out about his brilliant business proposal, because now he was sitting in front of them. Watching as Pete feed Kao, while Kao fed their baby beneath a pastel green blanket. To be fair, Kao had asked him if he minded, and he had just given a quick shake of the head without realizing it. He was too surprised by it all, but the cold glare coming from Pete had him looking away from Kao.

"Didn't you have something to say?" Pete said far too dryly and annoyed, which earned him one of Kao's quick stern looks that was telling him 'to be nice.'

"Uh...yes," Forth said turning towards his friend, "I do, but I am kind of more intrigued by you both." He said letting his eye fall to the beautiful silver band with red diamonds embedded into it wrapped around Kao's ring finger—the very same one Pete had taken off from his own finger to propose with, but that now was sized down to fit Kao's finger. "I didn't know you two were married, much less this settled into your relationship that you both had a baby. Which congratulations Kao on your safe delivery. I don't know how you put up with Pete during those 9 months." Forth said with a smile. "Now, I know why my friend was having mood swings left and right," Forth said innocently.

Normally, Pete would have thrown a nasty remark his way but Kao knew without looking that Pete had a look of guilt at those words. It wasn't Forth's fault that he had accidentally hit a sore spot for them, because Pete hadn't been present at all until the last month before In was born. "Thank you," Kao said with a sheepish smile, "Pete's been a lot of help, and honestly I didn't think he would be this great at it."

"I can see that," Forth said with a smile, "I'm happy for you both. By the way, what's the kids name?"

"In, Intradit," Pete said keeping his eyes on Kao when he had finally finished feeding his son and was letting the blanket fall after fixing his shirt. In's little face was rosy and half sleepy. "I got him," Pete said, always being quick to take his son to burp and hold him. He was a bit selfish and his mother-in-law had already warned him about cradling the baby too much. He was gently holding In against his chest and patting his back in a gentle rhythm.

"How old is he?" Forth asked curiously. It was funny to him, how three of his closest friends were already starting a family. Pick, Porsche, and now Pete. He let himself imagine Beam heavy with his baby, but the fantasy didn't last for very long. Beam would kill him if that were ever to happen. He had always been clear about waiting and doing things in the right order. So, that's why they were being extra careful, especially now that he was working on his residency at the hospital.

"He is turning 3 months in a week," Kao said with a smile.

"Any plans for more?" Forth asked making the couple both blush red. It was cute to see them so flustered at the question.

"Maybe in the distant future," Kao said with a shy smile as he avoided Pete's surprised gaze.

After that In's burp had broken the silence between them and Kao had forced Pete to hand the baby over to Forth. The purpose of tonight's dinner was forgotten after that, in favor of playing with the kid.

It wasn't until the second time Forth was invited for dinner that they had discussed the business proposal, and it so happened that Mork—Kao's friend who was there visiting—had surprised Forth with a few additional ideas as well. Which had Forth officially inviting him to join the project.

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