If You Can't Stand the Heat

Chapter 2: First Chili Fail

Chapter 2: First Chili Fail

So Friday evening Kayla arrived home with several bags of groceries, plus beer for the two cooks. Reese inspected the ingredients while both women unpacked and put it away. Alvin and Moto sat side by side and checked out the interesting smells.

“You did great, K. Ground turkey, corn, red beans, chicken broth—we have the spices already. Hey, what about the tomato part?” Reese was rummaging through the pantry. “Don’t we need tomato paste or sauce or something?”

Kayla looked a bit worried. “Well, I always feel like paste is a bit—too much—ya know? And they had these big cans of stewed tomatoes on sale. Won’t they do?”

Reese slammed the pantry door and sat on one of the bar stools at the counter. Kayla came over and attempted a kiss on her girlfriend’s ear, which was received in silence.

“Come on, babe. It’s just the first prototype. And the whole thing’s just for fun. Don’t stress. Andres will come over tomorrow and be our taste-tester. It’ll be a relaxing afternoon, I promise.” Kayla had a fleeting thought that she spent a lot of time making Reese feel better…

* * * *

Saturday morning, Reese and Kayla got a late start in the kitchen because of activity in the bedroom. Both women finally arrived in the kitchen for chili making, dressed for making a mess in sweatpants and T-shirts.

Reese assigned Kayla to open cans. Kayla got the cans from the pantry, thinking that this wasn’t a very important job. As if Reese didn’t trust her to know what to do…

Ten minutes later, she had opened cans of corn, beans, tomatoes, and green chilies. “Hey, babe—now what?”

Reese looked up from the stove, where she was browning the ground turkey. “Just relax, K—maybe feed the boys.”

Kayla swallowed her frustration and sidled up behind Reese, slipping her arms around the other woman’s waist. Reese reacted by patting Kayla’s hand and then giving her an annoyed look over her shoulder.

Kayla went to feed the dogs, blinking back tears. Maybe this chili thing wasn’t such a hot idea after all.

* * * *

By one in the afternoon, all the ingredients were in the pot, including a bundle of bay leaves and thyme to which Kayla strongly objected. Even with the small can of green chilies, she knew this chili was not really going to be chili at all—more like a glorified vegetable soup. Kayla felt annoyance creep up on her. What made Reese, who grew up in Minnesota, think she should be in charge of chili in the first place?

As the kitchen filled with the aroma of…whatever it was in the large pot, Kayla heard Andres at the door, calling, “Hey lesbos!” the way he always did. Kayla chuckled and opened the door to her best friend.

Andres immediately wrinkled his nose with a questioning look on his handsome brown face. “I thought we were making chili, sweetie.”

Before Kayla could answer, Reese called from the kitchen, “Hey, Andres. Come see how the chili’s coming along.”

Kayla said a silent prayer that this cooking adventure would not turn into an argument. Reese argued as passionately as she made love, and the outcome was never pleasant.

Kayla and Andres entered the warm kitchen of the small apartment, where Reese presided over the chili creation. It’s not that it smelled bad—it didn’t smell like chili. Andres and Kayla looked at each other in consternation. What to say? Best to say nothing.

Andres peered over Reese’s shoulder at the contents of the pot.

“Okay, then. This is the chili?”

Reese stepped away from the stove with a presentation gesture. Andres looked into the pot. Kayla was a bit afraid to.

“Okay,” Reese laughed, “Let’s just try it. Then we can see about the spices and everything.”

Reese dished up three small bowls of the contents of the pot. Everyone sat at the kitchen table, with Alvin and Moto waiting at attention by the edge of the living room rug.

Andres valiantly took the first bite. The two women waited while he made various faces and finally swallowed. Reese looked worried.

“Well, it’s pretty tasty…” Andres offered. “I like the beans and the tomato flavor.”

Resse asked, “But what about the texture? And the spices?” She looked over at Kayla as if to warn her not to say anything.

“Okay, you asked. It could be spicier—more Southwestern spices maybe. And the texture is a little—thin.”

This was not what Reese wanted to hear. “Thin? More like vegetable soup?” Again, she glanced at Kayla with narrowed eyes.

“Well, yeah,” agreed Andres. “I guess I expect chili to be more…hearty. Maybe more meat?”

Reese got up from the table and went out on the patio. Kayla didn’t dare follow. She stirred her own bowl of Reese’s creation and looked at Andres. Now what?

Kayla said in a quiet voice, “I think you better go, dude. She’s unhappy, and it probably won’t end well. I’m fine—don’t worry. And thanks for helping.”

Poor Andres looked miserable. He’d meant to be a friend but set off a bomb in the apartment instead. “She asked…I was just trying to help.”

“I know,” said Kayla. “Please don’t worry. I’ll let you know when the next batch comes around.”

Andres didn’t look too happy at that prospect, but he was devoted to his friend Kayla. “Sure, of course. Talk to you soon.”