Malcolm couldn't help breathing some relief as Raylan opened the bottle, tension easing out of his frame as he sat. He was trying to dispel the notion that he could ruin this with a misstep; by saying the wrong thing or by saying too much. His limbic system hadn't completely bought into it yet.

Raylan's easy smile laid the rest of his internal bracing to rest and he firmly nodded his answer to the first question. At the next he looked down into the bowl. "Vegetable," he concluded, dipping his spoon in for a tentative bite. He watched Raylan for a second while he swallowed it, his spoon hovering over the bowl.

"You're not mad at me?"