be a surprise if I’m eating in the dark?”
“Well,
yes, but it all depends how surprised you want to be.” The woman’s eyes
glittered with amusement.
“I guess
I’ll have the chef’s surprise. Might as well go all in, right?”
“Might
as well,” the receptionist agreed, grin widening. “Okay, so here’s how this
works. You’ll go into the bar and be asked to hand over your phone, lighter or
anything that has a light. We’ve got secure lockers for you to put your phone
in. Normally you could stop to have a drink but seeing as your…uh…date is already
in the dining room, you’ll be taken straight through by our guide.”
“Right.
Got it. Thanks.”
“This
way then.” The woman pulled back the curtain behind her and ushered her
through, signalling to a waitress as she did so. “Please take Ms. Winters to
table four.”
The
young waitress nodded and motioned for Belle to follow her past the modern bar.
Several well-dressed diners sat on clear plastic stools. Obviously they weren’t worried about soiling their clothes. But they were probably less clumsy
than Belle.
The
waitress turned to her. “My name is Ali. If you need anything, you only need to
call my name. If I could just take your coat, phone and handbag…” Belle handed
them all over and watched as Ali placed them in a locker behind the bar before
coming to stand in front of her once more. “Please put your hand on my
shoulder, Ms. Winters, and only follow me. We ask that you don’t move out of
your chair in the dining room.”
“Oh,
okay.” Belle placed her hand on the waitress’s shoulder and shadowed her steps
as she led her through a curtain into a dim corridor, then through a door.
Complete darkness swallowed her.
“Shit.”
The
waitress giggled. “Please just follow me. You will find your eyes won’t adjust
but it will completely add to the experience,” she assured and then stopped.
“Okay, here is your seat. Just put your left hand out.”
Belle
did as she was told and curled it around the back of what had to be a chair.
Her eyes felt ridiculously wide and her heart hammered. People chatted and
cutlery scraped against porcelain but her date had remained silent. She knew he
couldn’t see her but she still felt self-conscious.
The
waitress guided her onto the chair and she sat gingerly, feeling for the table
edge.
“Your meals
will be with you soon. There’s a glass of wine just in front of you. Enjoy!”
Belle
fumbled for her wine and took a large, shaky gulp.
“I’m
glad you made it, Belle,” a gruff voice came across the table.
Belle
coughed and spluttered. Even though she knew he was there, he still startled
her. She coughed again to remove the white wine lodged in her throat. “Ah… yes,
of course. Nice to…uh… meet you, Mr… uh…”
He
laughed. “Call me Nicholas.”
“Is your
name really Nicholas?”
“Is your
name really Belle?” he countered.
“Of
course.”
“Mine’s
Nicholas,” the gruff voice confirmed.
“Not
Nick then? My flatmate is Nick.”
“Belle
is a beautiful name. It means, beauty doesn’t it?”
Why did
it feel like her date has just skirted her question? Had she offended him by
trying to shorten his name? Belle shrugged. “I suppose. My mother spent a lot
of time in France so I think she got it from there. Of course, everyone thinks
of the Disney film where they hear it. Drives me crazy.” She was
waffling but it was so alien, sitting opposite a stranger—who had paid a
fortune to be with her—in the pitch dark.
“Well
you match up to your name, Belle, but I guess I can understand that having an
unusual name isn’t easy when you’re young.”
She took
another smaller sip of wine, feeling the warmth begin to relax her. Maybe this
evening wouldn’t be so bad? He seemed keen to make conversation. How old was
he? His voice sounded kind of ancient. But then as long as he was good company,
what did it matter?
“It
wasn’t much fun, I’ll admit, but
“Well,
yes, but it all depends how surprised you want to be.” The woman’s eyes
glittered with amusement.
“I guess
I’ll have the chef’s surprise. Might as well go all in, right?”
“Might
as well,” the receptionist agreed, grin widening. “Okay, so here’s how this
works. You’ll go into the bar and be asked to hand over your phone, lighter or
anything that has a light. We’ve got secure lockers for you to put your phone
in. Normally you could stop to have a drink but seeing as your…uh…date is already
in the dining room, you’ll be taken straight through by our guide.”
“Right.
Got it. Thanks.”
“This
way then.” The woman pulled back the curtain behind her and ushered her
through, signalling to a waitress as she did so. “Please take Ms. Winters to
table four.”
The
young waitress nodded and motioned for Belle to follow her past the modern bar.
Several well-dressed diners sat on clear plastic stools. Obviously they weren’t worried about soiling their clothes. But they were probably less clumsy
than Belle.
The
waitress turned to her. “My name is Ali. If you need anything, you only need to
call my name. If I could just take your coat, phone and handbag…” Belle handed
them all over and watched as Ali placed them in a locker behind the bar before
coming to stand in front of her once more. “Please put your hand on my
shoulder, Ms. Winters, and only follow me. We ask that you don’t move out of
your chair in the dining room.”
“Oh,
okay.” Belle placed her hand on the waitress’s shoulder and shadowed her steps
as she led her through a curtain into a dim corridor, then through a door.
Complete darkness swallowed her.
“Shit.”
The
waitress giggled. “Please just follow me. You will find your eyes won’t adjust
but it will completely add to the experience,” she assured and then stopped.
“Okay, here is your seat. Just put your left hand out.”
Belle
did as she was told and curled it around the back of what had to be a chair.
Her eyes felt ridiculously wide and her heart hammered. People chatted and
cutlery scraped against porcelain but her date had remained silent. She knew he
couldn’t see her but she still felt self-conscious.
The
waitress guided her onto the chair and she sat gingerly, feeling for the table
edge.
“Your meals
will be with you soon. There’s a glass of wine just in front of you. Enjoy!”
Belle
fumbled for her wine and took a large, shaky gulp.
“I’m
glad you made it, Belle,” a gruff voice came across the table.
Belle
coughed and spluttered. Even though she knew he was there, he still startled
her. She coughed again to remove the white wine lodged in her throat. “Ah… yes,
of course. Nice to…uh… meet you, Mr… uh…”
He
laughed. “Call me Nicholas.”
“Is your
name really Nicholas?”
“Is your
name really Belle?” he countered.
“Of
course.”
“Mine’s
Nicholas,” the gruff voice confirmed.
“Not
Nick then? My flatmate is Nick.”
“Belle
is a beautiful name. It means, beauty doesn’t it?”
Why did
it feel like her date has just skirted her question? Had she offended him by
trying to shorten his name? Belle shrugged. “I suppose. My mother spent a lot
of time in France so I think she got it from there. Of course, everyone thinks
of the Disney film where they hear it. Drives me crazy.” She was
waffling but it was so alien, sitting opposite a stranger—who had paid a
fortune to be with her—in the pitch dark.
“Well
you match up to your name, Belle, but I guess I can understand that having an
unusual name isn’t easy when you’re young.”
She took
another smaller sip of wine, feeling the warmth begin to relax her. Maybe this
evening wouldn’t be so bad? He seemed keen to make conversation. How old was
he? His voice sounded kind of ancient. But then as long as he was good company,
what did it matter?
“It
wasn’t much fun, I’ll admit, but
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