The End of the Littlest One [Completed]

20. Sounds like a detective duo

The man turned around and spotted Olivia. He took his hands out of his pockets and straightened the end of the sleeves. After he scraped his throat, he responded.

'Good evening,' he said.

'How can I help you?' Olivia asked. 'Would you like to rent a room?'

'I'm here meeting a friend, actually. I was wondering if he had already arrived.'

Olivia remembered what Jamie had said, earlier that day. He, too, was meeting a friend.

This must be the friend, then.

'Are you here to meet up with a young man named Jamie?' Olivia asked, just to be sure.

To be honest, the area she lived in was thinly populated. Olivia knew many people by name, or at least their face. If she didn't, they came from relatively far away. How big was the chance this guy wasn't looking for Jamie? Olivia estimated very small.

However, the man in front of her didn't immediately respond to her question. He seemed to think before he said anything in return.

'I believe so, yes,' he said.

'Alright, come along with me please.'

Olivia thought it was strange he had to think about what his friend's name was, but she'd seen weirder things in her life. Besides, if Jamie wasn't the friend he was looking for, she'd know soon enough.

'What's your name, if I may ask?' Olivia asked the man.

'Danny.'

Danny and Jamie. Sounds like a detective duo.

After walking through the long hall, they entered the dining room. Olivia stopped, and Danny stood still next to her. She pointed towards table two.

'Is that who you're looking for?' she asked.

Upon seeing Jamie, the man nodded.

'It is, thank you.'

'You're welcome,' Olivia said. 'I hope you enjoy your evening,'

Right after, Sheppard entered the hallway.

'Liv, a little help, please,' he almost pleaded.

'Sure,' she said, and to Danny, 'Excuse me.'

Dante nodded, and entered the dining room after Olivia left him.

The dining room was way too crowded for his liking. He didn't know any of these people. It made him uncomfortable. Nonetheless, when he saw Benjamin, it didn't seem to matter. He finally saw him again.

Sure, usually they'd meet once a week. Between that day and the last time they spoke, it had only been two days. He'd been looking forward to it, though. This meant those two days felt like two years. Two incredibly long years.

As soon as Benjamin saw Dante walking up to him, his face lit up. He put down his cutlery and waved at him. Dante soon joined him at his table by sitting on the chair on the opposite side of the table.

'Long time no see, stranger,' Benjamin said.

'It's been way too long,' Dante responded. 'How are you?'

'I'm good. A little nervous, but that's fine. You?'

'Also good. Also a little nervous.'

'That's alright. I'll be with you the entire time.'

Dante smiled.

'I had already assumed, so. But nonetheless, thank you,' he said.

'I'll make sure I'll watch you every movement. I'll write down every breath you take.'

Dante caught onto the joke.

'All. The. Time.'

'Great,' Dante said.

'You're not excited about spending every single second of every single day with me?' Benjamin chuckled.

Dante just laughed in response.

They looked at each other, knowing they were both incredibly nervous. Benjamin was hiding it with jokes. However, Dante wasn't sure what to say or do. He had never tried to flee the country with anyone. Do you keep it light by making jokes like Benjamin did? Or do you go over the plan one more time?

Benjamin felt a little awkward as well. Right when he was about to say something stupid, he saw Olivia walking into the dining room with two steaming plates of some sort of fish.

'Do you want to eat? You must be hungry,' Benjamin said to Dante.

'I guess I should eat something.'

When Olivia went on her way back to the hall leading to the kitchen, Benjamin called her over. She approached their table.

'One more pasta dish for my friend here,' Benjamin told her.

'Coming right up,' Olivia exhaustedly smiled. 'Anything else?'

'No, thanks.'

After a good twenty minutes of slightly awkward conversation, Olivia re-entered the dining room with a plate of pasta in her hands. Meanwhile, at least half of the people of the dinner party had left. The room had become less noisy, and Benjamin and Dante didn't have to shout at each other anymore.

'Here you go,' Olivia said, putting down the plate in front of Dante.

'Thank you.'

Olivia noticed people had left.

'Finally, a bit of peace,' she said.

'Don't talk too soon,' Benjamin said. 'Not everyone left yet. They might come back for an afterparty.'

Olivia laughed, and let out a sigh right after.

'Let's hope not,' she said. 'What about you two? I know you just started to eat dinner, Danny, but are you planning on spending the night here?'

Both men nodded. Benjamin looked at Dante, trying to hold in his laughter.

Danny? He mouthed.

Dante gave him a look, his eyes saying shut up.

'Yes. Is it too late to book a room?' Dante asked.

'No, not at all,' Olivia said. 'It could even wait until after your dinner. Just wait at the front desk for someone to help you.'

'Great,' Benjamin said.

'Also, a little advice here. A room with two beds is cheaper than two rooms with one bed. So, if you're comfortable enough around each other, you could save quite a bit of money. I thought you could use that information, considering you're traveling to another country.'

Dante looked at Benjamin. What did you tell her? he tried to communicate with his eyes. Benjamin continued their conversation with Olivia, ignoring Dante's furious eyes.

'We'll definitely be taking advantage of that, thank you,' Benjamin said.

'Alright. I need to get back to the kitchen,' Olivia said. She then turned towards Dante. 'Enjoy your meal.'

'I will, thank you.'

Olivia smiled at the two one last time, then turned around and walked into the hall.

When passing the open door towards the front desk, she saw someone standing there. She was about to walk up to them when she recognized who it was. The scar at his left ear told her everything she needed to know. She continued her walk to the kitchen.