The Heart's Content

Chapter 22

The restaurant they went to for lunch wasn't anything really expensive or extravagant, just a quaint little area outside by the docks. Charlie thought it was adorable but when she was reading the menu she became very confused by some of the meals offered.

"What in the seven seas is a shrimp burger?" She asked. "Well I know what shrimp are but not so much the burger."

"You don't know what a burger is?" Alastor responded.

"No. Is it a type of freshwater fish?"

"No it's cow meat."

"So it's basically manatee?"

"Manatee? I hate to belittle your intelligence my dear but how does a cow bring manatee to your mind?"

"Silly, don't you know that sea-cow is another name for manatee?" Charlie giggled.

"Oh...That's what you meant. Well yes I knew that but there is a land cow and that's what a burger is made of. Wait, how could you not know about land cows? I know communes tend to remain oblivious to certain aspects of information but cattle is pretty much a given."

"Um...Uh..." Poor Charlie didn't know how to respond to that.

"Oh wait I think I know why."

"You do?" She asked nervously.

"You're probably from one of those vegan communes. I knew they were hardcore about not eating animals but I never thought it would be at the point of keeping them in the dark about the act of it."

"Well you're sort of right. We don't eat land food very much. We're on a sea food diet."

"What a coincidence, so am I. I see food, I eat it. Ha-ha!"

Charlie laughed and it was like the shimmer of the wind upon the water or the twinkling of bubbles that formed on the surface. He was surprised by her amusement, normally no one found his jokes funny. Not even his sister. This young woman certainly was one of a kind. He was sure that he had never seen anyone else like her in his entire life. Well almost sure.

He didn't know why, but ever since he met Charlie he had a teasing feeling that he already knew her. That they had made each other's acquaintance some time ago. It was her eyes that teased him. Those unusual but lovely eyes that didn't seem to want to stay one color. He knew he had seen eyes like that at another time. Eyes that were attached to a face that was just as sweet as hers. But each time he searched his brain for any memory of those eyes and that face, it came up blank.

"Charlie." He said.

"Yes?"

"Is it possible that we've met before? You seem vaguely familiar to me."

"Uh-oh." Charlie thought. "He's probably referring to the other night when I saved him. Okay, be cool. Don't panic."

"No I don't believe we have." She fibbed.

"I figured we most likely hadn't. I've never gone anywhere near a commune in my entire life and I wouldn't want to." He chuckled.

He looked down briefly and caught sight of her necklace. There was something about that pendent and chain that made the bell ring even louder. Had he seen it on display at a store perhaps?