Chapter 16

Michael stopped. The back view looked familiar but the dress? Unless she had gone back to have a change of dress. Mitchell!!! There was no mistake. Though he had only seen her once but in his head, he had seen her over a hundred times that he would certainly be able to recognize and pick her out among a thousand people. But she had left with Daniel. So where was he? He looked around, there was no sign of him. The cups in front of her tells she d had company. Michael cleared his throat, hoping she would look up but she was so absorbed in whatever she was doing with her phone. Michael noticed this particular lady hadn t as much as stirred in her seat since they had entered. It has to be Mitchell. He concluded. Moving to hold out the seat for Alexia, Michael secretly stole a look at the lady, still, he wasn t able to see her face. "Thank you," Alexia said, smiling, paying no attention to the lady in front of her. "My pleasure," he answered, moving back to take his seat. His back to the lady. Michael signaled the waitress. "Welcome to Blue Restaurant," she said, all her attention on Michael. Alexia spoke up, diverting the waitress s attention to her. "The menu," She asked almost coldly. The waitress, slightly embarrassed, handed out the menu to both of them and then took her leave. Michael smiled. Alexia was jealous of another lady admiring him and was putting no effort into hiding that. He doesn t care, just as much as he doesn t care about the menu he was holding pretending to read. His thought wandered back to the lady behind him, he wondered what could be so interesting on her phone to have all her attention. Michael, noticing Alexia was deep into the menu, turned back to look at the lady behind him once again. She still has her nose deep into her phone. Somehow it irritated him. How dare she ignore him? "Michael?" Alexia called, This jolted him back to the present, realizing she was talking to him and that another waitress was back to take their order. The former was probably too embarrassed to show up again. Michael pretended to go through his menu, then closed it. "I will have whatever the lady is having," he said, hoping Alexia had ordered something he would at least enjoy. He hadn t heard her when she gave her orders. His thoughts were with the lady behind him and he couldn t bring himself to concentrate on the menu. The waitress. A few minutes later she was back with the cart containing their orders. Alexia had ordered Ni?oise salad with an exotic wine to go with it. The waitress set the table and poured their wine. "Bon appetite," she said. And took her leave. As Michael was about to start eating his food, he heard Daniel s voice. "Honey," Daniel said. "I am sorry. I hope I didn t take too long?" He asked with an apologetic smile on his face for Mitchell. Before placing a kiss on her forehead. "No. This phone had kept me busy. I didn't even notice your absence" Mitchell replied with laughter in her voice. Daniel placed his hand on his chest where his heart was and made the face of someone who has been hurt. "What is it?" Mitchell asked innocently though well aware of what he was playing at. "Mitch!!" he said. You just hurt my feelings. "Oh, you have one?" "Of course, Mitch. Who doesn t?" "Well," She smiled. Isn t that amazing?" "Yes, it is amazing" "Isn t it interesting?" "Yes, it is interesting" And they both burst out laughing merrily. "Now Mitch tell me you don t miss me" Daniel demanded, sounding serious. "Of course, I do. I was about to get bored here" She laughed. Michael listened to the conversation closely, barely paying attention to what Alexia was saying to him. Mitch!!! He thought. He even has a nickname for her. How sweet. Daniel took his seat in front of Mitchell. "Did you order desse...?" he stopped when he noticed his boss sitting across from them. He hadn t seen him when he entered. "What is it?" Mitchell asked as Daniel stood up. Mitchell turned and saw Daniel s boss. Her face registered surprise before she politely curtsied to him in greeting and also gave his date a polite curtsey nod. She turned back to pressing her phone while waiting for Daniel who had gone to greet them to rejoin her. A few moments later, Daniel was back in his seat and just as he was settling into his seat, their dessert arrived. Mitchell thanked the waitress and busied herself with enjoying her dessert. She took a spoonful of her vanilla pudding and closed her eyes to savor the sweet taste.