You See But Do Not Observe

DINNER

CHAPTER SEVEN : DINNER

"French?" Sherlock sounded offended.

"France is the country of good food." John said as they entered the café.

Sherlock still didn't look entirely happy, but Serena ignored him as they sat down.

Her and John kept talking while Sherlock sat in silence. They talked about normal things, the weather, London, hobbies. Neither of them brought up the case. It was a mutual understanding that work had no place here.

Sherlock looked lonely, sitting on the opposite side of the table, no food and no drink. So Serena asked him a question when she saw him look at their waitress for a few milliseconds.

"Do you deduce everyone?" She asked him. It took him a couple seconds to look at her.

"When I'm bored." He said.

"What do you get out of it?" Serena asked.

"Oh, nothing. It's completely useless."

"I thought you didn't clutter up your brain with unnecessary information.

"I delete it immediately."

A phone began to ring, and Serena glanced at John.

"Excuse me." He said, and he hurried away.

Serena watched as he exited the restaurant.

"Have you ever considered," Serena paused as she tried to think of a tactful way to say what she wanted to say, "Maybe, trying to get to know someone in a more personal way."

Sherlock looked at her like she was speaking a foreign language. "Personal?"

"You know, asking questions, being conversational." Sherlock heaved a sigh, and Serena resisted the temptation to roll her eyes.

"How dreadfully inefficient." He said.

"But you find out more about a person." Serena said.

"Only with people like you."

Serena hid her disbelief. "What does that mean?"

"Oh, nothing." Their waitress came back, and Sherlock looked out the window.

It seemed like she had come back awfully quickly. And was she wearing lipstick now? Serena saw their waitress's brown eyes wandering carelessly over Sherlock's unaware face. Serena knew that look, and she smiled down at her lap.

"Why are you smiling?" Sherlock asked her.

Serena peeked over her shoulder at the back of the woman.

"She likes you." She said calmly.

"Who?"

"Our waitress."

"I would have noticed."

"You would have, if you weren't so busy looking out there." Serena leaned her head toward the window.

"She only glances over here every five seconds." Serena said. "She could be a bit more subtle about it."

Sherlock looked at the woman through his eyelashes.

"Don't be obvious." Serena said. "She'll think you like her back." She heard the click of heels behind her and sighed.

"Now you've done it." She murmured as the waitress stepped beside their table and set down the receipt.

"Have a nice day." She said to Sherlock with a winning smile, and Serena grabbed the receipt and Sherlock's card. Another slip of paper fell onto her lap, and she picked it up.