Chapter Two pt. four

please see writer's note at the end.

 

“I’m so sorry. I didn’t know. I’ve never had cold soup before. I thought it was a mistake, like they forgot to warm my bowl up or something. I’m really sorry. It won’t happen again.”    Maggie lowered her eyes in shame, and just knew that if her mother found out, there would be hell to pay. To add insult to injury, she was looking straight at him and had forgotten his name. 

She swallowed hard and asked “What is your name again?”

His eyes were as cold as ice, but a smile came across his face that could melt butter.  

“My name is Damiano, but you can call me Damian if it pleases you. Please, do not worry about the soup, I should have warned you that it was a cold soup. Please, continue to enjoy the rest of your meal.”

With perfect timing, the waiter returned with the main course. 

Maggie ate her main course without incident.  It was Bolognese sauce with angel hair pasta, and she thought it was the most delicious spaghetti she'd ever had.  She was so full, that when she was offered the chance to eat dessert, she declined.  He raised his finger to get the waiter's attention, and before she knew it the waiter was giving Damian the check.

As they walked out of the restaurant, she felt compelled to apologize one more time for her behavior earlier. 

"Thank you for dinner, it was delicious."

Damian looked at her with those cold eyes again and responded "You're very welcome Maggie.  It was my pleasure."

"I'm really sorry about that whole soup thing.  I've never really had anything besides country food.  You know… meat and potatoes kind of stuff."  

"Think nothing more of it," he quipped.  She saw that strange look on his face again.  His eyebrows were furrowed and he was looking straight ahead.

"Maggie, if you will excuse me for just a moment, I have to make a very quick, but very private phone call.  Please go to the car and my chauffeur will seat you.  I won't be long.  I promise."

As Maggie walked toward the car, she could hear Damian speaking in Italian, and he sounded angry.  She didn't understand the language, but she certainly understood tone inflections of the voice.  She kicked herself, mentally, for being so stupid, and hoped that when her mother heard about it, the punishment wouldn't be as bad as she feared.  Her mother had a stern rule about the importance of keeping up appearances.  

Maggie was inside the car looking out the back window when the car door opened and Damian sat down next to her.  He was behind the driver's seat and gave the driver instructions in Italian. 

"Unità di spiaggia. Ti ho dato le indicazioni precedenti."

The driver nodded and drove the car out of the parking lot.

Damian looked at Maggie and said very sweetly "I have arranged for us to take a walk along the beach.  I hope you don't mind.  The beach is so beautiful this time of night, and I find that it is not as, how do you say, occupied."

Maggie felt panic rise up in her throat.  She knew that she still had to put the finishing touches on her biology report before going to bed.  It was due tomorrow and she knew that she would not have enough time before class to complete the report and study for her test.  She did not want to add insult to injury after her faux pas at dinner, but she also did not want to jeopardize her chances of going to Hawaii.  She cleared her throat and spoke as calmly as she could.

"Damian, I had a wonderful time tonight.  I really did.  Even though I made a fuss about the soup, dinner was really nice.  If you don't mind, though, I really have a lot of homework to do, and I should be getting home.  Would you mind just taking me home, please?"

For a fleeting moment, the look that came across Damian's face showed something more than anger.  Rage, perhaps.  He softened his expression, turned to Maggie and spoke softly.  

"I understand, my dear.  However, the evening is still young, and the beach is such a wonderful way to top off the evening.  Please, if you don't mind, indulge this old man's whims just a little while longer."

Maggie thought about how embarrassed he must have been during dinner, and he was right that the evening was still early.  She thought about it for a moment and turned to the side to face him.

"I suppose it wouldn't be so bad.  I love the beach.  It's my favorite place to be.  I guess we could go if you promise that we won't be there too long.  I still have some research to do."

He closed his eyes slowly and responded in a cool tone.  "Thank you.  We won't stay long."

The drive took longer than Maggie expected.  She thought she knew the route to all the public beaches, but it seemed to take an especially long time.  Just as that thought occurred to her, the car slowed down, and they came to what looked like a private gate to a home.   The gate opened slowly and the driver pulled the car around the side of a large, multi-leveled house, and continued down a curvy driveway until it stopped by a short wall with a gate.  Maggie could hear the waves crashing and the familiar smell of the ocean breeze permeated the car as it came to a full on stop.

The chauffeur got out of the car and opened Maggie's car door offering his hand to help her out.  Maggie took his hand and got out of the car.

"Where are we?  I thought we were going to the beach."  She said as fear rose up into her throat. 

Reviews

[Arthur Henn]

Smiling upon her and the reaction of the waiter as he approaches her. The reality of your writing bringing these characters to life. I'm really liking Maggie.

Damiano, I'm sensing a snake like character

[Ken Simm.]

I suppose she wanted her Steak Tartare well done as well. Excellent bit of humour, (or humor) inserted at a critical moment.

[Dezaraye]

Lol, I had to laugh at the cold soup incident. It's very realistic ... I wouldn't have known either.

This is moving along very nicely. You've made me want to taste that soup just to see what it's like. I love the personality of the waiter and that he was so discreet and kind to her. Such the gentleman.