back.
“You can’t park here, it’s
for…Oh.” Anne was shocked at herself.”
“Thank you. That’s the
nicest thing you have said to me for ages. Certainly better than your ‘Where’s
your wheelchair’ line.” Ed was enjoying Anne’s mistake.
“I’m an idiot Ed. Take me
home immediately.” Said Anne feeling really stupid.
“Not likely, it’s taken
months of heartache to get you here. I’m not taking you back now.” Ed helped
Anne out of the car and they slowly walked together to the reception area of
the restaurant. It was evident that Ed was a regular and knew the owner,
Felipe. Ed and Anne were given a royal welcome and taken to their table
personally by Felipe.
“You are most welcome Miss
Anne. Ed is one of our honoured customers. It is our honour to have you here
with him. You must meet my wife. I will go and get her.”
“Thank you.” Said Anne,
hardly knowing what else to say. She tried to imagine what Felipe’s wife would
be like. She got it completely wrong.
“Felipe knows my family
and we come here quite often. His ways are a bit quaint and old fashioned but
you wait until you taste the food.” Ed explained. Five minutes later Felipe
introduced his wife Maria to Anne. She was definitely not what Anne was expecting.
She was dark and tall and looked to have the body of an athlete. She was
dressed in a sleek and simple black dress and had bright red high heeled shoes
on. Her hair was long and black and immaculately cut and groomed. She could
have been an Italian model.
“She used to be a model.”
Ed whispered to Anne.
“I am going to love you,
look at you. We could be sisters.” She compared the length of her hair to
Anne’s. Maria’s accent was very thick and strong. Maria seemed to like Anne
right away. She pulled her from her seat and, arm in arm; she showed her the
kitchens and the backrooms of the restaurant. Then they went upstairs to the
private flat, to see some photos of Felipe and Maria and their family in Italy.
They returned after a good ten minutes tour and Anne sat back down with Ed. The
welcome was overwhelming but did serve to put both Ed and Anne at ease. The
restaurant was quite small and Felipe and Maria were now needed to welcome
other diners as they arrived.
“Do you trust me to
order?” Asked Ed.
“I don’t know.” Said Anne.
“You must learn to trust
me.” When Felipe came over to give them the menus, Ed said to him.
“We’ll have your
recommendations Felipe.” Felipe’s face glowed in appreciation of an artist
being allowed free reign with his palette.
“You will not be
disappointed Miss Anne.” Felipe went about his business and finally Ed and Anne
had time to themselves.
“This is quite a place
here.” Said Anne.
“I love coming here. It’s
ridiculously expensive but I always get looked after here. Felipe knew my
father and he has always remembered me because of that.”
“Where is your father
now?” Anne asked.
“Oh, he died a couple of
years ago. He was a lot older than my mum who you met the other day.
“Oh I’m sorry to hear
that.” Anne said the right thing.
“It’s OK. All part of life
really.” This evening Ed had no edge to him. He was very relaxed and easy to
talk to. They talked nonstop for three hours, while being very well looked
after by Felipe and his waiters. It was as if the floodgates had opened and
they had a lifetime of things to talk about. Ed found out about how Sandy and
Paulo had been set up by Anne and Giorgio in the Maldives. He found it very
amusing to imagine Paulo settling down. Ed actually knew both Paulo and Giorgio
very well and it was interesting for Anne to hear about them in the past.
“I’m very upset that
Giorgio was your old boyfriend. That was a bit of a shocker, honestly it was. I
thought you had better taste.” Ed was getting this off his chest.
“Yes, well, we all make
mistakes.” Said Anne in reflective mood.
“Am I going to be a
mistake?” Asked Ed.
“I’ll tell
“You can’t park here, it’s
for…Oh.” Anne was shocked at herself.”
“Thank you. That’s the
nicest thing you have said to me for ages. Certainly better than your ‘Where’s
your wheelchair’ line.” Ed was enjoying Anne’s mistake.
“I’m an idiot Ed. Take me
home immediately.” Said Anne feeling really stupid.
“Not likely, it’s taken
months of heartache to get you here. I’m not taking you back now.” Ed helped
Anne out of the car and they slowly walked together to the reception area of
the restaurant. It was evident that Ed was a regular and knew the owner,
Felipe. Ed and Anne were given a royal welcome and taken to their table
personally by Felipe.
“You are most welcome Miss
Anne. Ed is one of our honoured customers. It is our honour to have you here
with him. You must meet my wife. I will go and get her.”
“Thank you.” Said Anne,
hardly knowing what else to say. She tried to imagine what Felipe’s wife would
be like. She got it completely wrong.
“Felipe knows my family
and we come here quite often. His ways are a bit quaint and old fashioned but
you wait until you taste the food.” Ed explained. Five minutes later Felipe
introduced his wife Maria to Anne. She was definitely not what Anne was expecting.
She was dark and tall and looked to have the body of an athlete. She was
dressed in a sleek and simple black dress and had bright red high heeled shoes
on. Her hair was long and black and immaculately cut and groomed. She could
have been an Italian model.
“She used to be a model.”
Ed whispered to Anne.
“I am going to love you,
look at you. We could be sisters.” She compared the length of her hair to
Anne’s. Maria’s accent was very thick and strong. Maria seemed to like Anne
right away. She pulled her from her seat and, arm in arm; she showed her the
kitchens and the backrooms of the restaurant. Then they went upstairs to the
private flat, to see some photos of Felipe and Maria and their family in Italy.
They returned after a good ten minutes tour and Anne sat back down with Ed. The
welcome was overwhelming but did serve to put both Ed and Anne at ease. The
restaurant was quite small and Felipe and Maria were now needed to welcome
other diners as they arrived.
“Do you trust me to
order?” Asked Ed.
“I don’t know.” Said Anne.
“You must learn to trust
me.” When Felipe came over to give them the menus, Ed said to him.
“We’ll have your
recommendations Felipe.” Felipe’s face glowed in appreciation of an artist
being allowed free reign with his palette.
“You will not be
disappointed Miss Anne.” Felipe went about his business and finally Ed and Anne
had time to themselves.
“This is quite a place
here.” Said Anne.
“I love coming here. It’s
ridiculously expensive but I always get looked after here. Felipe knew my
father and he has always remembered me because of that.”
“Where is your father
now?” Anne asked.
“Oh, he died a couple of
years ago. He was a lot older than my mum who you met the other day.
“Oh I’m sorry to hear
that.” Anne said the right thing.
“It’s OK. All part of life
really.” This evening Ed had no edge to him. He was very relaxed and easy to
talk to. They talked nonstop for three hours, while being very well looked
after by Felipe and his waiters. It was as if the floodgates had opened and
they had a lifetime of things to talk about. Ed found out about how Sandy and
Paulo had been set up by Anne and Giorgio in the Maldives. He found it very
amusing to imagine Paulo settling down. Ed actually knew both Paulo and Giorgio
very well and it was interesting for Anne to hear about them in the past.
“I’m very upset that
Giorgio was your old boyfriend. That was a bit of a shocker, honestly it was. I
thought you had better taste.” Ed was getting this off his chest.
“Yes, well, we all make
mistakes.” Said Anne in reflective mood.
“Am I going to be a
mistake?” Asked Ed.
“I’ll tell
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