In The Company of Deceit

Chapter 6 - Curiosity Tweaked

They moved as a group toward the front steps leading up to a wide gallery spotted with rocking chairs and small magazine tables under a pale orange light. The driver led the way inside, and they all flowed in behind him. A spindly man with a blue blazer and a white shirt open at the neck, carrying an arm full of menus greeted them and waved a general hand toward the dining room.

For a pit stop this was more in line with what should have been a dinner break.

Muriel was in charge of the pull-along this time and she was quite careful to keep it between her and her mother as Kate joined them in the entry.

"A little ostentatious, no?" Belinda whispered aside to her daughter.

"Beats vending machines and soap-less washrooms." Kate offered, picking up the remark and bringing a flush to Belinda's powdered features. "You should leave that on the bus, he locks it you know. It would make your enjoyment of walking a little more pleasant." Muriel just smiled weakly and Belinda offered an even weaker thanks-but-no-thanks.

The room was empty except for the bus group and the driver announced that they would be taking a full hour for this stop because he had to make a report to his company.

"Guess he has to tell 'em the bus made it this far." Mickey joked.

"We should be thankful it did." Benjamin said and moved off to find a table and make himself comfortable.

Kate and Virginia agreed on a small table by a curtained window, effectively cutting Mickey out of the picture and he frowned, sauntering off to his own table near the door. The mother and daughter selected a place in the centre of the room and immediately cleaned the glasses and the flatware on the napkins.

Kate placed a napkin on her lap, took a sip of water and introduced herself, offering a hand.

"Kate Semple."

"Virginia Stahl. This is rather nice isn't it?"

"Better than most we've stopped at - anything to get off that bus."

"Travelling home?" Virginia asked, appraising Kate's appearance.

Kate laughed softly. "Maybe. Depends. What about you?"

The question prompted a gush of explanation that consumed most of their mealtime and by the end Kate not only learned Virginia's biography but sadly wished she hadn't.

"I guess I went on a bit." Virginia picked up her wine and just swirled it in the glass without drinking.

"It was certainly more than I expected. I'll try and ask for the Reader's Digest version next time." Her laugh took the bite out the comment and Virginia's eyes flared only briefly, like a faulty firework.

"I tend to narrate extensively about my work."

"It certainly sounds interesting... hectic, but interesting, particularly compared to mine." The conversation continued briefly with a thoroughly edited version of Kate's work.

******

"I just used the old, 'report to company' line." Art, the bus driver chuckled as he fondled the plump breast of the hotel family's young daughter.

"Don't they ever question you?" She mewed, leaning into the caress.

"Nah, why would they?"

"'Cause you take the whole hour." She giggled.

"Ah yeah, but that's 'cause you put on all these clothes when you know I'm comin'." He dropped his hand to her waist and expertly slipped open the button on her shorts, lowered the zipper and then eased them down, pausing on the way to check his goal.