TIFFIN 2

20

Hey everyone. I know this chapter is a bit short but I have a pretty bad eye infection. I tried updating the best I could for you all. 💗
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As Hero pulled out a chair for both of us, Diedre looked at a menu. 

"Shall we make orders?"

"We only just got here," Hero spoke in a hushed voice, looking down at the table. 

"So it appears," Diedre replied, setting the menu back down, "Hero, why don't you sit by me? I've missed you so..."

"No," He murmured shakily, quickly grabbing onto my hand under the table. 

Diedre seemed offended, straightening in her chair. "Excuse me?"

"I said no," Hero said more firmly, now looking her in her callous eyes, "I want to sit next to my girlfriend."

Diedre didn't look so threatening with her slick hair and body-hugging leather.

She now looked like the odd one out, no matter how poised she wanted to be. 

"Fine, we'll play this game today," She sneered, "I don't see why you're being like this; we saw each other not too long ago."

I didn't feel comfortable with this, but when I saw that Hero had a neutral expression, I let it go. Maybe Diedre was trying to get under my skin. 

"Kristina," she went on, "I must ask; how was your hospital stay? I heard the waiter had been quite... regretful..."

I clenched my teeth together. She knew what she was doing. 

"I don't know. I didn't have a chance to speak to him. I was grateful Dorinda helped aid me. If it weren't for her, I probably would have suffered more severe burns."

Dorinda looked my way. She didn't look upset. Quite the opposite. She seemed shocked.

Diedre on the other hand looked pissed, pursing her lips.

"Did she now?"

My comment seemed to have summoned courage within Dorinda. 

"I sure did, mother. It seems someone might have tipped the boy into spilling the water."

Diedre's confident expression slipped for a moment, then was quickly replaced by a smile. 

"Ah, yes. The waiter did seem quite clumsy, didn't he?"

Before I had time to think about what I wanted amidst the conversation, a waiter appeared, making me nervous. Despite my fear, he smiled wholeheartedly.

So Diedre hadn't paid this one.

I immediately ordered a burger and fries, while I waited for everyone to finish ordering. Hero gave me glances during this, as if silently trying to apologize for his grandmother's behavior.

We shared a moment of peace, gazing into each other's eyes. When we pulled away, Diedre was staring blatantly at us, looking her appropriate age. She didn't look so young now.

When the waiter had disappeared, Diedre continued on with her incessant questions. 

"How did your meeting with the cops go?"

This made my head snap up. 

What did she just say? 

"I'm sorry?" I demanded, narrowing my eyes. 

"The cops," she repeated, the corners of her lips curling, "I heard they visited your work not so long ago. The article was in the papers about a college girl having her body flashed across campus."

"Well, they-"

"On probation, I dare say?"

Where was all her nerve coming from?

I glowered. "I haven't heard anything from them yet. They said it might go on my permanent record-"

Dorinda looked between the both of us, utterly lost. Diedre, however, went on. 

"Finding out that your parents never loved you as their own must have been hard."

I felt the need to cry after hearing this. That should have been confidential. How did she know?

"Yes," Diedre grinned, "When my dear old grandson came to visit me when you two were on bad terms, he mentioned the fact that your birth mother came to visit. What an awkward situation."

I looked over at Hero. Betrayal. That was all I felt. Even in our worst moments, how could he slander me like that? With her? 

"He did?"

It seemed the entire restaurant went quiet as I let this all sink in.

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