Not A Mate

The Dinner Date

  After an hour and a half drive to the restaurant, the limo pulls up in front of a brick faced highly decorated building with period lighting at the entrance. I felt like I was looking at one of the dresses that had made Brenda look like spun sugar, there was ginger breading on the awning for the entrance and lots of brass accents. If a building could be a fancy and lacy dress this one would be it.

As we pull up I see Jake approach the limo in a well tailored suit, it was a dark navy blue that made you think it was black in color. I have to admit, it looked very nice on him. He steps up and opens the door waiting for me to step out and I do so.

We walk to the door and the man standing (guard) next to it looks at me with his eyes squinting, and makes a disgusted noise. He turns to Jake, "ah Mr Hedgeflower. Good to see you again sir, are you and your, erm; guest dinning here tonight?" Jake looks up at the man, "yes; we are dining here tonight. Why do you ask?" I felt that to Jake the door man talking was an oddity, he continues. "I did call a week in advance for tonight, is there something going on?" The doorman shakes his head and gives me a look that could melt steel and I glare back at him, making him do a double take.

The doorman bows to Jake and opens the door for us and Jake leads me inside the doorman still giving me a look telling me I had no business there. We step inside the door to a small waiting area where there are comfortable chairs, that look as if no one ever sat on them. At the end of the waiting area was the host for the restaurant standing behind a podium looking over something. He looks up hearing the door open and when he sees Jake his smile widens, then his eyes travel over to me and he has a look of disgust.

The man looks down at his podium and I see him note something and then I see his eyes roll. So it was noted that Jake was bringing a shifter, I wondered if they had told anyone but the kitchen staff who the shifter was. The host looks back up again and speaks to Jake ignoring me completely, "Mr Hedgeflower. We have your table ready, this way please." I see the man straighten stiffly before turning around to lead us to our table.

I wonder about the placement as the host approaches the table, it was set in the exact center of the dining room. Every other table in the restaurant had a clear view of it, and the place was about half full of customers and I could her the chatter from some of them as we walk into the room. "Oh it's that lovely Hedgeflower boy, pity about his father. What did he bring in here? Is that an animal? I thought this was a respectable place. What can you expect he was raised by his human father. The boy probably thinks animals are good company after living with humans. Remind me to have him come over to our house next week to introduce him to your niece, she's about his age."

I guessed that Jake couldn't hear them as I could with my better than average hearing. I did notice that there was two tables that did not comment on my entrance. At one I caught a whiff of brimstone, but the person appeared human. The other was a female gargoyle, and that was odd. In their species there are very few females and most have skin made from precious metals. Which is why they are rare, in the old days they were killed for the contents of their bodies. This one even among that was an oddity. I could tell she had skin made out of quartz crystals, she gives me a curious look but then returns to her meal.

After Jake helps me sit and he sits down the host looks to Jake and asks, "sir would you like your regular beverage?" Jake nods his head and when the host goes to leave Jake asks with a question in his voice, "Aren't you going to ask Nancy what she wants?" The host freezes and I see him schooling his expression, I get the feeling he does not want to annoy Jake. I could hear at least one voice commenting at their table, "he expects the animal to eat with him." As the host turns around I slide my shawl off and fold it into my lap. I hear a collective gulp from every male in the restaurant when they see my top. The hosts eyes glaze a moment as he collects his thoughts, the women in the room start giving me looks like daggers. Except for the gargoyle who looks amused, and I get the feeling the man with the demonic energy is now observing me.