I was surprised to see that we would be riding in her limo, instead of taking the portal. Instead of the skittish chauffeur that had driven me to the mansion, a nervous Mr. Screech sat behind the wheel. He looked a lot like he did the last time I had seen him, accept, instead of just a large beak-like nose, an actual beak grew from the center of his face. For some reason, I just wasn't very surprised.
Cordelia sat down beside me in the back after giving Mr. Screech directions to the mystery place we were going. She reached into her chic purse and pulled out a smaller baggie full of makeup. She handed me the bag, which took me by surprise. “You may want to fix up your makeup. Though the light makeup you applied this morning was school appropriate, you may that most of it has faded. I highly suggest a more dramatic amount than what you are wearing right now for the events we were attending. Would you like help?” she asked. I raised my eyebrows at her, and wondered where the heck we were going.
I didn't know what to say. But, I decided that since I didn't know where she was dragging me to, that I should just let her do my makeup, or at least help me with it. “I guess I could use some help,” I said reluctantly. Cordelia nodded and began shoveling through the bag. She didn't say anything, she just applied. When she was done, she handed me the compact with the mirror.
“Tell me what you think,” she said, smiling elusively. I nodded, and opened the compact. I must admit, she did a great job with the makeup. I was impressed with the details on the eyeshadow, and how the pink lip gloss didn't overpower the rest of the makeup like it did every time I did my own.
“Whoa! Cool. Thanks,” I said, trying to sound as genuine as I felt.
“No problem,” she said, as the limo came to a stop.
“We have reached our destination, madame,” Mr. Screech fumbled from the front of the limo.
“Very well! Now, be a dear and drop Aurelia and I off at the entrance, like a good chauffeur, and park the limousine around back. You may meander around town for an hour, but I do expect to see you back here in no less time than that. Unless you would like to not see any pay for the next week or so. Now, hurry on, my pet, we haven't time to waste” her words were lilting and sugary, but I could feel the power beneath them.
Mr. Screech drove us to the front of an ordinary-looking restaurant, with a foreign name I couldn't read, much less pronounce. I think it was Italian, though, because of the flag behind the sprawling black lettering. As we stepped from the limo, Cordelia smiled endearingly. Mr. Screech hurriedly scurried from the limo, and ran to open the door for Cordelia and me.
“Thanks, doll,” Cordelia said in an overly chipper tone. Mr. Screech nodded, the sparse blackish gray feathers surrounding the curved beak sprouting from his face bobbing in time with his head. “Aurelia, dear! This is my favorite Italian restaurant! Isn't this building just so cute?” she gushed, nodding to the little, but highly ornamented, white brick building.
“Yeah,” I said, glancing at the building warily. The double-doors that nestled in the front of the building were opened in welcome, revealing a sparsely lit room cluttered with candle-lit wooden tables, adorned with vases of flowers and decorative tablecloths. The scent of cooking food wafted into the air outside, causing my mouth to water. “What's this place called?” I asked, my gaze shifting to Cordelia.
“It's called Griglia Italiano,” she said, pausing dramatically. When I just stared at her, with my eyes narrowed in confusion, she rolled her eyes and put her impeccably manicured hand on her hip. “That means Italian Grill, in Italian. Don't the young know anything?” she said, sighing dramatically. Even though I couldn't see her eyes through her dense black sunglasses, I'm sure she was rolling them. She turned around and marched impatiently into the open doors of Griglia Italiano.
