Rialoves2cook: My final creation this round is tom kha gai, the first dish I tried in Thailand. I've fallen in love with the food here. While I need more practice to achieve that perfect Thai flavour, it turned out well, and the oyster mushrooms are a fun addition. I'm looking forward to perfecting it during my stay. Things have been tough, and your messages mean the world to me as I navigate a new career and country. I want to shout out a million 'thank you's in case this is my last contest post. Good luck to everyone!

A big thanks to my coworkers who gave up their Halloween plans to help make this recipe happen. You're the best!

#goodvibes #FromThailandwithlove #soupforthesoul #hopefullynotgoodbye

Posted Oct 31, 9:50 PM

***

In the staffroom, Maria stared down a tower of English workbooks on her desk. Marking them all tonight would be as enjoyable as blistering sunburn.

"They don't bite hard," Tom joked. Maria jumped and spun around in her desk chair. He frowned. "Sorry."

She slowed her breathing. Next to her, Emma grinned as she worked on their shoe-box dioramas for science class.

"How's the first week in grade fours treating you?" Tom asked.

While leaning back, Maria threaded her fingers through her tangled hair. Most days, she fought the desire to cry at the out-of-control nature of her classes. She kept expecting the administration to review the CCTV footage of her class and fire her, or for kids to complain and for the parents to petition for her removal. Despite her struggles, she wouldn't unload her mess of emotions onto a pleasant, unsuspecting co-worker.

"It's fine."

"Fine? That's great."

Tom's expectant smile made her long for quiet time to finish her work or better yet, her apartment where she didn't have to pretend she could handle this. Maybe returning his grin would send him on his way.

"Are you heading to RCA tonight?" Tom asked.

Maria sighed. Emma had mentioned the Royal City Avenue clubbing street, but Maria lacked the energy to get dolled up or deal with crowds, plus she had the final recipe to prepare for the contest. "I'm thinking of calling it a night after this marking."

"At least come to Proud Market for supper." Emma rolled a ball of peach clay into an ear. "Great snacks, shopping, and you might catch people lurking in costume."

With work today, Maria had forgotten it was Halloween. She gave Emma a faint smile. "I'm a little tight on cash this month." Not to mention her corrections would take forever since she kept procrastinating.

"I got you covered," Emma said.

"I appreciate the offer, but I have enough to feed myself." Maria opened a grammar workbook and groaned. "Is it me or does this not even resemble English?"

Emma took the book and squinted at the page. "They're trying, but questions eleven through twenty are gibberish. What is the next one like?"

After Maria passed her two more, Emma shook her head. "They didn't understand this assignment. Why don't you review it with them tomorrow, and they can copy the answers? Then you'll have nothing to mark."

Maria looked from Tom to Emma with wide eyes. "Can I do that?"

He nodded. "Sounds more engaging than scribbling red on their books."

Maria returned the workbooks to her tower. That freed up her evening and was one less period to plan for tomorrow. If she could get most kids to listen, Emma's idea was genius. Maria's hands fidgeted as she recalled the challenge of getting them on task today.

"I guess I'm free for supper." Her tone was as uncertain as she felt about socializing while stressed. Emma countered it with a shout of excitement.

"Now for costumes, I was thinking sexy, maybe a firefighter for you," Emma suggested. As she drew out her phone to show Tom, Maria's buzzed in her skirt pocket.

Adrian: Happy Halloween, gorgeous! Wish we could spend it together like last year.

He attached a picture of her sitting in his lap with her arms wrapped around his neck. She could almost feel his phantom hands on her skin, warming her against the staff room's icy air-conditioning.

Adrian: How was work today?

Maria sunk further into the chair cushions. He'd been asking her every day since Monday, not because he was keeping tabs on her as Emma said, but because she'd dissolved into tears during their video chat. He knew she needed support. It warmed her heart to matter to him this much, even if the situation with Kelsey wasn't ideal.

Maria: Not great.

Adrian: Was it better than yesterday?

Maria: A little.

Adrian: That's progress. Some days it seems like a little, other days will be amazing. It takes time to get there, but you've got this <3

Maria: Thanks <3

Adrian: You've done this for me so many times. It's nice to know you need me.

Maria looked at her arguing coworkers, Tom refuting he wasn't dressing as a sexy devil just because he was a redhead. They were also supportive, but it was hard to share her professional shortcomings without feeling like a fraud. Right now, she needed Adrian, who wouldn't judge her terrible teaching.

Maria: You're the best <3

"Maria, tell him sexy costumes are a great idea."

Tom stood with crossed arms, and his lips pressed together. "They're demeaning and uncreative."

When Tom looked at Maria, she added, "You want people to see you're dependable, not hot."

"Exactly." Tom scrunched his nose, "Well, they could also think I'm attractive."

"That's why I suggested firefighter." Emma threw her palms up.

"That outfit looked like a stripper!" Tom said.

"You can depend on a stripper to give you a show." Emma chuckled.

Tom shook his head. "You are impossible. I will figure out a costume. See you ladies later."

Maria and Emma released the giggles they were holding in as he left their area. Maria needed that after this long week.

"He's so much fun to wind up," Emma said.

***

At Proud Market, near the pad thai vendor's section, the group of foreign teachers overtook most tables sitting in the aisle between the various food vendors. The sky darkened overhead and strings of lights between the tents illuminated the space. Dozens of other culinary options and drink tents lined the corridor. Despite Emma's Halloween enthusiasm, their group was the only one dressed up. The other Thai patrons wore casual clothing. Catwoman Becca insisted the nightclubs inspired the holiday spirit.

Under a nearby tent, the grill sizzled as the cook added a ladle of oil then tossed in rice noodles. Maria's coworkers' voices competed for dominance and laughter roared. As they joked and celebrated their weeks, she didn't add a word.

Mitch and Shawn, dressed as a Muay Thai boxer and a basketball player, bought rounds of beers for everyone. Soon a plate of steaming noodles topped with fresh shrimp, peanuts, bean sprouts, and green onions was ready. They insisted Maria receive the first serving as the newbie. After one prompt, she forwent politeness, picked up the dish from the stand, and dug in. The tamarind, fish sauce, and lime brought the salty, sour, spicy, and sugary meal to life. No wonder Thai food was so delicious; the flavours were so vivid. While she'd been on the fence about overwhelming her contest page with Thai dishes, it was the best way to finish round two since the ingredients were fresh and readily available.

Maria licked her lips after finishing her shrimp. "I was skeptical of market meals for too long."

Tom adjusted the painted water bottles, acting as scuba tanks, on his back. "Way better than anything at home, right?"

Maria grabbed another bunch of noodles with her fork. "Shrimp isn't this good in Edmonton." The fresh stuff lacked that fish scent and had a slight crunch.

"Edmonton?" He faced her with a grin. "We're neighbours; I'm from Calgary."

"Funny, travel halfway across the world, and I still can't escape you guys," Maria teased, nerves bunched in her stomach.

His check-ins, extra smiles, and compliments made her both relax and tense as they grew in frequency. Even if she tried to temper her feeling for Adrian until he left Kelsey, flirting with a coworker could get complicated, especially since she only saw Tom as a friend.

Before she was aware of dropping her fork, she grabbed her phone and scrolled through her recent messages with Adrian. The 'I miss you's, 'hey beautiful's, and 'you're the best part of my day' with hearts warmed her chest.

"Your pad thai will get cold," Emma chided.

Maria stared at the picture Adrian had sent of them together before she tucked her phone away. As she finished her noodles and the laughter from the other tables echoed, the device appeared a few more times, though the photos caused more pain than joy. It was like bringing a person with Celiacs to a regular bakery.

"Mòt gâew!" Mitch yelled.

Everyone at the square tables, including a nearby Thai couple, raised their drinks for cheers.

Maria cocked an eyebrow and leaned towards Emma. "What is he saying?"

Emma's black sheep ears flopped as she turned. "It means 'finish your glass', or cheers."

Maria eyed her freshly opened beer, and Tom laughed, his cookie costume bounding with his chest.

"You don't have to take it literally," he said.

She nodded and returned to her phone.

"Hey pineapple girl, the fun's up here," Mitch's voice boomed, mocking her costume.

Since Maria had a yellow dress, creating a green paper hat was the simplest thing she and Emma could create on short notice. Emma had gained the props for her black sheep costume throughout the evening by finishing a beer and mooching a cigarette from a Thai flirt who enjoyed her tight dress.

When a warm limb wrapped around Maria's shoulder, she frowned and tried to shrug off Mitch's arm. He kept it there and reached for her phone with the other. "Smile everyone." After snapping a few photos, he handed it back. "So how amazing is your online world tonight?"

What a prick! Did he need to embarrass and harass her?

Tom scowled. "Mitch—"

Maria cut in, "It's just a habit to check. I'm not the only one."

"You're addicted." Mitch leaned between Tom and Maria. "It's your first month in an incredible country. You should drown in exciting experiences, not obsess over what you're missing at home. Your life can be more impressive than theirs if you try."

Narrowing her eyes, she tucked the phone in her purse. "Would it kill you to mind your own business?"

Mitch smirked and took another drink of beer. She hoped it was awful.

"Where's the fun in that? How about you captivate us with your amazing home life?"

Maria crossed her arms and glared at him. She wasn't here to entertain her playboy neighbour. Why had she come out tonight? The market food was tasty, but not worth the harassment.

"Give Maria a break, we all arrived with baggage," Tom said.

While she smiled faintly at Tom, Mitch took another swig of beer.

"I started teaching in Bangkok last May." Tom met Maria's gaze. "After my fiancée left me for her yoga instructor."

As Maria picked at the bottle's label, her eyes grew watery, then she hid behind strands of hair. Poor Tom. Images of Kelsey and Adrian together were seared in her mind as much as she wanted to forget them.

"We were high school sweethearts, and I couldn't imagine a life without her." Tom had a sad glimmer in his eye before he smiled faintly. "Staying away from social media is the best thing you can do. That and stopping all communication."

"Easier said than done." Maria laughed half-heartedly but left the device alone.

More people filtered through the food section of the market, passing with smoothies, ice creams, and fried treats to settle at the nearby yellow tables.

"What about you, Emma?" Tom asked.

"I finished up my degree in biochemistry two years ago. Since I wasn't ready to be a lab assistant for big Pharma or a hospital, and my ideal jobs needed more school or left me close to the poverty line, I thought, why not Thailand? Life's for living." She held out her beer to cheers with everyone.

Tom raised an eyebrow. "I didn't expect you to have a science background."

Emma chuckled and finished up her drink. "What, I'm too much of a free spirit?"

"Shouldn't you teach Matayom with that education?"

"I did at my last school, but you already have that job. Anyway, my English grammar needs a good polishing, so I learn with the kids." Emma winked.

Tom's eyes widened like the circular lanterns hanging overhead.

"God, Tom, I'm kidding. Lighten up, would ya?" She turned to the arrogant blond with an eager smile. "What about you, Mitch?"

He carried three shots from his table. Instead of sharing, he downed two in quick succession. Maria frowned. What in the man's life required drowning beyond an awkward romantic encounter?

"Shawn said the girls were gorgeous, the beaches were sublime, and the parties never stopped. He was right." When Mitch directed a sleazy smile at Maria, she shook her head. The man was inexhaustible.

He passed Maria a shot of liquid courage, which she examined then drank. As the harsh liquor burned her throat, she grimaced at the paint-thinner-like aftertaste.

"What was that?"

"Sangsom, Thai whiskey."

After sticking out her tongue, she chased the liquor with a sip of beer. He wasn't drinking that for the flavour.

"My sob story is that the man I loved and supported felt we weren't spending enough time together. I cared, and still do, but he didn't understand. We're taking a break, and I came here to—I don't even know—clear my head, to see if distance would help. Does that ever happen to you? Your life is such a swirling mess and you emerge and wonder what happened," Maria said.

Tom nodded.

"So, I'm on my phone because I can't believe what I did some days and wish my life had turned out differently. My photos bring back better memories, and the messages reassure me I'm not a complete screw-up." She continued peeling away the label on her Singha beer and brushed the pieces into a pile.

Mitch crossed his arms. "You're living a dream in Thailand and acting like it's a prison sentence."

Did that guy have an off button? Maria drew in a deep breath. "Screaming kids, never-ending marking, planning lessons I teach poorly, and having people annoyed that I can't speak Thai because I'm Asian and brown. I'm living a damn dream, right?"

"It'll get easier." Mitch patted her upper back, then returned to his table.

Emma squeezed Maria's shoulder. "We can help you with teaching. We're all in this together. Everyone has bad days."

"You guys have enough to deal with without my crap. I'll manage."

Emma smiled. "Just ask."

"We're here," Tom said. "Even if it's to vent about an awful day."

Maria nodded. "Thanks, Tom, Emma."

Soon after, Tom convinced the two ladies to tour the market with him instead of going clubbing. Maria agreed in a heartbeat, ready to split from Mitch and the party crew. Emma's gaze rested on him and Shawn before drifting to Maria, and she accepted.

The market's mix of eclectic clothing, accessories, and food stalls helped Maria perk up. She and Emma laughed, trying on faux-fruit headbands and posing with goofy t-shirts covered in pictures of celebrities or inappropriate sayings. Maria's smiles evolved from forced to natural.

On the sidewalk edge of the market, they sat at a metal table. The area had less foot traffic than the food corridor, but more vehicles drove by. Tom treated them to coconut ice cream served in a brown half shell. The flavour transported her to her first true taste of Thailand, the coconut milk and chicken soup. She searched her memory for the flavours that stuck with her, the sweetness of the milk, the sourness of lemongrass, and the tender meat.

"Contemplating the meaning of life?" Tom leaned back in his metal chair.

Relaxing her brow, Maria smiled. "Nah, just piecing together a recipe."

Emma tore her eyes from the shirtless man walking by in costume. "Oh yeah, how's your competition going?"

"Great, I have enough supporters for a shot at round three." While she wasn't sure if the contest would fly her from Bangkok to Paris for the grand prize, making it to round three was an ego boost she needed.

Tom grinned. "I recommended the blog to my mom and sister and they love it."

Soft Thai pop music drifted over from a nearby stage, overpowering the traffic noise. As Maria's stomach churned, she looked away. It wouldn't be weird if anyone else did it, but Tom's constant concern and support made her suspect his other motives.

"What's on the contest menu tonight?" Emma asked.

"Chicken coconut soup. Tom something."

"Tom kha gai?" Emma asked.

"Yeah, I had it after I met Tom, so it's fitting."

Tom chuckled. "You figured out tom kha gai on your own? You definitely didn't need my lessons."

"I ran into Mitch and Shawn right after, and they recommended it."

"Mitch?" Something about Tom's tone echoed Adrian's view of Felipe.

She shook away the thought. Just an overreaction. "The jerk has good taste in food."

Emma handed her phone to Maria with a recipe open. "In case your memory fails. I totally want to brag about helping with your winning creation."

"You must have better things to do." Maria glanced up from the phone at Emma. "Your outfit will go to waste."

Emma slung an arm around Maria's shoulder "There will be countless other nights out. This sounds more exciting."

After purchasing the missing ingredients for Maria's recipe, they headed to the apartments. Along the way, Emma's jokes and Tom's stories kept Maria's urge to check her messages at bay.

As Maria stirred the soup in her apartment, aromas of kaffir lime, lemongrass, and galangal root mixed with the coconut milk to re-inspire the joy of exploring the country with fresh eyes. Since then she'd taught kindergarten, survived her first days in grade four, bought ingredients without knowing Thai, and made friends now filling her space with warmth.

While Tom read cooking tips aloud, Emma mocked him in between stories about past Halloweens in Bangkok. Whatever came next, the contest results, the admin taking issue with her teaching, or Adrian's inconsistent feelings, she could handle.