The Beast of Fox Hill

Fifty One

We were seated at the small Italian restaurant at a dimly lit booth. I'm sure the waitress probably thought we were on a date, and it was an understandable misconception. 

"What are you going to get?" Axel asks, a menu in his hand as his eyes flickered across the pages. 

"Pasta," I answer sarcastically, my eyes peeking up to see Axel's response. As expected, he glares over the top of his menu momentarily before going back to the pages of food before him. 

"You're an ass."

"I would be offended but the list of pasta in front of me is taking too much of my brain space at the moment," I say and Axel lets out a hearty laugh. 

"You're something else," he says with a shake of his head. 

A moment later, a waitress who appeared to be the same age as us approaches our table. 

"Hello! My name is Vanessa and I'm going to be your server today," she starts cheerfully. "What can I get you to drink?" she asks looking at me. Her hair is cut to her jawline and is a dark ginger color. Her fair skin is covered in small brown freckles and her eyes are a beautiful shade of blue. 

"I'll take a water, please," I say. She nods before looking to Axel. 

"I'll have a water as well," he answers, not really taking a second glance up at the woman. 

"I'll be back in just a second with those," the waitress said before walking away. 

"Did you see the white lasagna? It looks really good," Axel says. 

"I think I'm going to get the sirloin alfredo."

"That's a good one. If I get breadsticks and alfredo for an appetizer will you share it with me?" 

"Do you even know me?" I ask him, shocked that he'd even ask me a question with such an obvious answer. He laughs at me just as the waitress returns with our glasses of water. 

"Are you two ready to order?" she asks as she sets a glass in front of each of us. 

"Yes please," I say. 

"Alright. What will it be?" she asks, pulling her small black notepad out and a pen of the same color.

"I'll have the sirloin alfredo and could I get extra sauce on that?"

"Absolutely. And for you sir?" 

"I'll take the breadsticks and alfredo to start and white lasagna for my meal," Axel says as he takes my menu from my hand and stacks it with his. He hands the two menus to the waitress and she smiles as she places her pen and pad back into her apron and takes the menus. 

"Sounds good. I'll have those to you as soon as they're ready," the waitress says before leaving Axel and I alone. 

"So can I know anything about what you've been so wrapped up in thinking about?" Axel questions, his face of concern returning. 

"It's kind of a lot. I told you, I'll tell you as much as I can figure out in my own head later, but let's just say I'm questioning a lot about my life these days."

"I understand. I can't imagine what is going on in your head since finding out about all of this." 

"Honestly, that's the easy part. Coming to terms with the existence of things wasn't the part I ever had issues with. It's all of the emotional stuff, honestly."

"Also understandable," Axel says but just then the smell of fresh garlic butter covered breadsticks filled our noses and the waitress reappears. 

"Here's your breadsticks. Is there anything else I can do while you wait for your meals?"