Chapter 13

“I’m sorry,” Adam said. “But if you believe that was the best thing for you to do, then you did the right thing.”

“Thanks,” Jojo whispered.

“You’re welcome,” Adam said. He hated that Jojo was down and racked his brain for other words to help Jojo. But he lay there in silence hoping Jojo sensed Adam was in his corner.

* * * *

Adam couldn’t decide what to try. Jojo, Pete, and Roger all sat there in anticipation waiting for Adam to make a move. Adam eyed Jojo’s plate. He had rice noodles, carrots, pea pods, and celery with sprinkled onion. And it was a small plate of vegetable pancit bihon, which he himself had tried numerous times before but with chicken or pork, but Pete and Roger were egging him on to try the dark, chocolate dish made of pork, pigs’ blood, and vinegar that they called dinuguan. He didn’t trust Pete on food. Pete had tricked him to try balut, a salty egg with duck embryo one night after a long shift.

“Come on, try it,” Pete teased.