I tied up to the dock and offered a hand to both of them and we made our way up the boat ramp to my driveway. I forced myself not to look toward Priya’s house. I could feel them watching us walk by.
At the restaurant, we were promptly seated at a table on the back wall of glass looking out through the trees to a different lake. A big pine lay uprooted to our right and workers in neon stripped vests and hardhats were cutting it up with chain-saws.
Everyone in the restaurant was checking out Beverly and Eva. They stuck out like beacons dressed the way they were. In the city, every woman dressed that way so it was no big deal. It was not true here. Beverly leaned forward and whispered, “Everyone is looking at us.”
I leaned forward and whispered, “People here aren’t used to seeing women at beautiful as you two.” Beverly grinned and blushed a little. Eva looked back at the gawking men seated a couple tables away and pursed her lips and threw them an air-kiss. They immediately looked away and went back to their dinner.
I looked around the room. It accommodated about ten tables. I noticed above the front door when we came in the numbers 1766 and I assumed that was the year this private house had been built. Half the tables were vacant. A waitress was delivering meals to one table and I noticed that she was wearing an outfit consistent with what I figured Quakers wore back in 1766, maybe even today for all I knew.
We didn’t have to wait long before our waitress appeared. I was more than surprised to see it was Donna. She smiled at me and said, “Good evening Jack,” and then checked out Beverly and Eva. As Donna took our drink orders, Beverly and Eva were checking Donna out. I could almost feel the tension. Cat claws and fangs were out. When Donna walked back toward the bar, Eva sat forward and whispered in almost a hiss, “You said you’d never been here before. How do you know her?”
Beverly sat forward and whispered, “She very pretty Jack. It’s obvious that she likes you.”
I smiled at Beverly and turned to answer Eva’s question. “Donna is a waitress at a local breakfast and lunch restaurant that I frequent. I didn’t know she worked here at night.” Eva visibly relaxed. Beverly gave her a look that I read as, ‘What’s wrong with you anyway.’
Donna carried our drinks in on a tray and smiled at me. When Beverly and Eva weren’t looking at her she gave me the same look that Beverly had given Eva moments ago. I read it the same way, ‘What’s wrong with you anyway.’ I mouthed the word, “What?” Donna put the drinks on coasters and quickly disappeared. None of us had picked up our menu yet so she had correctly determined that we weren’t ready to order yet.
I had to use the restroom so I excused myself and asked one of the wait-staff for directions. She pointed up the long circular staircase. I looked where she was pointing and noticed the signs. At the top of the stairs each door leading off the hall had a sign – Office – Meeting Room – Employees Only and finally – Ladies Room and then Men’s Room. I pushed open the Men’s Room door and a light automatically came on. I figured there would be a toilet and a sink but there was a urinal, two stalls and a double sink and counter. It was immaculately maintained. I walked past the double sink unzipping my pants as I headed for the urinal.