From the Beginning

Chapter 31: Party of Six

            "Here's your lobster spaghetti and garlic shrimp zucchini pasta," the waiter announced and placed the plates on the table. "I'll bring the rest of your entrées shortly. If you need anything additional, my name is Zander."

"Thank you," they all said in unison.

"The food looks delicious," Sion chimed. "I'm starved."

"Well, dig in," Jensen suggested and put some lobster spaghetti into Sion's plate.

"Ge, you eat too." Sion rolled some spaghetti with his fork and ate it. "Mm..."

Jensen noticed that Bowen wasn't paying attention. "Kid," Jensen's voice woke Bowen from his thoughts, "is something wrong?"

"What?" Bowen blinked back to reality and caught on. "Oh, it's nothing. Ge's taking a long time washing his hands. I'm going to go check on him."

"Do you need me to go with you?" Jensen offered.

"I could go with you," Yulian offered.

"I'm a grown man. I could go to the restroom by myself. You guys don't need to worry about me."

"Skye's a grown man." Jensen pointed out. "You're worried about him."

"That's because ge is beautiful."

"You are as well. Someone might kidnap you."

"We're at a restaurant. Hungry people would rather be eating."

"Yes, indeed. They would absolutely crave you."

"I'm not edible," Bowen claimed.

"Oh, you are." Jensen disagreed. "You're extremely appetizing to the starving female and...male population. Sadly for them, you seem to only have eyes for your Skye ge."

Sion glanced up from his plate of spaghetti and mumbled. "Ge is right. Bowen, you're definitely worthy of being kidnapped. Anyway, ge goes with me when I go to the restroom. It's no big deal."

"Every word you say means one less bite of mouthwatering food." Bowen enlightened. "If you don't stop talking, your dinner will get cold."

"Whatever," Sion sniggered. "Go find your ge before you both get kidnapped."

"Save some of that lobster for ge," Bowen ordered before getting up to leave.

As usual, Bailey sat there quietly listening. He couldn't help but steal questioning glances at Yulian. Why does he remind me of Yulian so much?

Yulian pretended that he didn't hear anything and scooped some shrimp zucchini pasta into Bailey's plate. "Here. Eat! You're thinner than before."

"Thank you," Bailey muttered. We've only just met. How does he know if I'm thinner than before?

Yulian quickly cleared his throat. "The pasta really is quite good," he said and shoved a shrimp into his mouth. "You're so thin. You should eat more."

"Okay." Bailey nodded and smiled.

Ge should be seated in the waiting area of the restroom right now, if my memory is correct. Bowen walked into the restroom and found Skye exactly where he expected him to be. "Ge, are you okay?" Bowen rushed over and crouched down in front of him. "Why are you...crying?" Bowen recalled something. That's right. Ge was crying back then as well. I didn't know why.