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“How do you tell someone you love that they’re not good at something?” Carlos asks Nancy and Mateo. He thought he’d join TK for lunch, but TK’s been in Owen’s office for the better part of a half hour.
“I don’t know,” Mateo shrugs. “Nancy’s good at everything.”
“Aw,” Nancy croons. “Babe, you’re so good at telling the truth.”
“I’m serious, you two.” Carlos brings the conversation back on topic. Mateo and Nancy both stare at him, waiting for him to explain what’s caused him to ask the question in the first place. “Have,” Carlos pauses, trying to pick his words carefully. “Have you two ever tried TK’s cooking before?”
Mateo and Nancy stare at each other before Nancy responds, “Now that I think about it,”
“I don’t think we have.” At Carlos’ face, Nancy picks up where Mateo’s left off. “I’m assuming that’s a good thing by the look on your face.”
“Well, the precinct is having its annual bake sale this week and TK said he’d help by making a batch of cookies.” Carlos smiles at the memory. “He made them yesterday while I was out shopping and when I tasted them, they were a bit,” Carlos grimaces. “Sour”
“Well what kind of cookies were they?”
“Sugar.” Carlos playfully frowns at the memory. Nancy and Mateo both wince and Carlos nods. “I think he was trying to use lemon zest by they taste the way all-purpose cleaner smells.”
“Yikes.” Mateo and Nancy say at the same time. Nancy shakes her head, as if clearing her head. “Wait, with as long as you two have been together, you’ve never tried his cooking?”
“I always cooked,” Carlos shrugs, “Not because I felt like I had to, I’ve always just liked to. Some of my favorite memories from growing up are cooking with my mom and my sisters.” Carlos smiles at the memory; the same type of smile he was just smiling.
Carlos sighs. “Anyways, now I’ve got a container full of sour sugar cookies that I don’t think will even make it to the table, let alone sell. I don’t know how to TK, or if I even want to. I don’t know, he’s always been adamant about being good at everything he does, I don’t want to hurt his feelings.” Carlos looks at Nancy and Mateo. “What do you think I should do?”
“You’ve gotta eat all the cookies, man.” Mateo says.
“Or,” Nancy interjects. “You could just tell him the truth.”
Carlos considers it; he did have a small breakfast.
“Carlos.” Nancy says.
“Fine,” Carlos sighs, “I’ll do the right thing.”
—
“Hey babe,” Carlos greets TK as he walks through the front door. He walks over to Carlos, watching him stir the pasta sauce and kisses him on the cheek.
“How was the rest of your shift?” Carlos asks, bringing the sauce up to taste it. He reaches for the oregano as TK tells him the story about a cat stuck in a tree.
“Seems a bit on the nose,” Carlos jokes and TK chuckles. He continues to tell Carlos that the owner had tried to climb said tree and sprained his wrist when he fell from said tree. “Hm, maybe that’s a little less on the nose.”
“I also had a very interesting conversation with Nancy and Mateo before I left.”
Carlos falters slightly, but continues stirring the pasta sauce. “Oh yeah?”
“Yeah,” TK answers, though he doesn’t sound dejected. “Babe,” He reaches for Carlos’ arm, his way of asking Carlos to look at him. “Why didn’t you just tell me that my cookies tasted bad?”
“How did,” Carlos begins to ask but TK answers him before the question is finished.
“Asking Mateo to keep a secret is just as good as telling me yourself, babe.”
“That’s fair.” Carlos reaches for the stove knob, lowering the heat of the eye. “I didn’t want to hurt your feelings. I know you put a lot of work into making them, and I didn’t want you to think that any of that was a waste.”
“And as thoughtful as that is, what were you going to do with the cookies? Eat them all yourself?” TK asks, sarcastically. Carlos is silent a beat too long for the joke to be funny anymore. “Carlos.”
“I wasn’t going to eat all of them.” Carlos is quick to clarify.
“Baby if they weren’t good you don’t have to any of them.” TK smiles, rubbing his arm up Carlos’ shoulder. “You can tell me they’re bad, it won’t hurt my feelings.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah.” TK shrugs. “Cooking’s never been a strength for me. Being bounced around so much between mom and dad, takeout kind of became a staple. I guess I never really learned it. Even when my mom and I used to make cookies, she did a lot of the heavy lifting.”
“Well, I’ll always be happy to cook for you, you know that.” Carlos explains.
“Of course,” TK smiles softly. “Just thought it’d be nice to return the favor.” He shakes his head. “Anyways, what’s for dinner.”
Carlos stirs the sauce, before bringing a spoonful of the sauce up to TK to taste. “Hm.” TK savors the taste. “Hm, tastes great, babe.” He kisses Carlos on the lip. “But not as good as you.”
—
“Hey babe,” TK announces when he walks into the apartment. He walks over to the kitchen and sees Carlos wearing an apron and standing in front of the island. It’s covered in an assortment of vegetables, spices, flour and a thick book TK hasn’t seen before. “What’s all this?”
“This,” Carlos waves a hand over everything, “Is what we’ll need for day of Carlos’ Cooking Class.”
“Carlos’ Cooking Class?”
“Yeah, name’s not great, but I did just think of it.” He reaches for the book and opens it. “I found this when I was visiting my parents yesterday. It’s the same book my mom used to use when Sofia, Maria and I would cook with her. Figured it would be a good place to start.”
TK stares at Carlos and then back at the stuff laid in front of them. “You’re going to teach me how to cook?”
“I figured now is as good time as any.” Carlos answers, smiling. “It’s never too late to learn.” He hands TK his own apron.
“Babe, you didn’t have to do this.”
“I know, but I want to.”
TK smiles because when is Carlos ever not Carlos? He pulls on his own apron before asking. “You really wanna teach me how to cook? It might take me a couple of tries to get it right.”
“Of course I do, I don’t mind.” Carlos pulls TK close to him. “I’ll always love an excuse to spend more time with you.”