Please Mind The Gap #1

17: Please mind the Venezia

17: Please mind the Venezia

--- The Venezia in the media section ---

"So what are you getting?" Nathan asked, perusing through the Venezia menu, the Italian restaurant they were in for dinner. It was quite near the Wren house, so they merely had to walk for a good ten minutes or so. Nathan had suggested the Venezia as their first official date place, best Italian food on the block.

The place was very warm and sophisticated, with posh cushioned seats and polished wine glasses. The floor was carpeted and the candlelight cast a warm glow on the restaurant, creating an enchanting atmosphere.

They were both dressed nicely enough, Nathan wasn't wearing shorts and a Hawaiian shirt at least, and Teddy was in a black dress that flowed to mid thigh.

"Oh, I don't know," Teddy mused, flipping through her own menu. "I want wine."

"Yeah, let's get a wine and... I dunno... you want to get the chicken marsala and risotto?"

"Let's just share two dishes in the middle," Teddy agreed. "The chicken and how about spaghetti bolognese?"

"The spaghetti's what we came here for," Nathan complied, closing his menu. "Waiter please!"

A smart-dressed waiter came and nodded his head. "Good evening. What can I get for you two?" he said in a polite and efficient voice.

"We'll have the chicken marsala and risotto, the spaghetti bolognese, and a Barolo, please," Nathan said. "Oh, and two glasses of water as well."

"Alright, I'll be back with your orders. Grazie mille, Signore," the waiter said and disappeared into the kitchen after taking their menus.

"Nice place," Teddy said appreciatively when the waiter left. "Very classy."

"The Venezia beats tea with Tsakorov in Waves any day," Nathan grinned, pleased to hear she was happy. "Plus the Barolo. Besides, Waves is getting old. They're not updating their drinks anymore. And the only pastries they serve are just two kinds of muffins."

Teddy smiled. "Very true." She fidgeted with her wine glass. "Although the Venezia would suck if you weren't with me, no matter how good the place is."

"I knew I'd grow on you," Nathan said confidently. Teddy laughed.

"Like a mold on bread," she clarified.

"No," Nathan said, pretending to be hurt.

"Like a weed in a garden," she said.

"Still no," Nathan said. Daring himself, he reached out and gently took Teddy's hand in his own. He saw Teddy's eyes widen a little and felt her steady pulse beat through her wrist, as steady as the way he felt for her.

He held his breath nervously. What if she pulled away. What if she stiffened and told him not to do that? What if-

His worries were interrupted when Teddy smiled at him from across the table, gripping his hand tighter in hers, embracing his fingers with her own.

"Like a star in the night sky," Teddy said to him, running her thumb across the back of his hand. "Like an oasis in the desert."

Nathan smirked. "Didn't know you were poetic," he said, playing lightly with her fingers.

"Anyone can be like Shakespeare," Teddy said. "You just have to sound fancy. Like, 'Shall I compare thee to a fine summer day?'" Teddy rolled her eyes. "Or something like that."

They talked further, the conversation leading into tennis.

"Did you see that serve?" Teddy said enthusiastically. "It was so precise, I swear."

"I've been practicing my backhand more, I dunno, my backhand is absolute rubbish."

After which, the conversation shifted to their homes, and this led to a content silence while waiting for the food.

"Hey Nathan," she said cautiously, breaking the quiet. "I was thinking about what we were talking about yesterday until it was interrupted..."

He paused and hesitantly said, "And?" He sounded anxious.

"Well, I just keep wondering what's happening. What's actually going on-"

"Signore and Signora, your chicken marsala with four cheese risotto and spaghetti bolognese." The waiter arrived and set down their meal. "And the Barolo, of course."

They released each other's hands and smiled hastily at the waiter. The waiter poured them each some crimson wine and laid the glass bottle beside their plates.

"Buon appetito," the waiter said graciously.

"Grazie," Nathan said in a a horrible Italian accent, wincing at himself. Teddy snorted softly, slightly frustrated that they were interrupted once more.

The waiter laughed. "Prego, Signore."

They tucked into their food. Nathan got a bite of the spaghetti. Delicious. A salty, savory, rich tomato sauce and slightly spicy meatballs over the tender pasta made the Italian dish a piece of heaven.

"This is good," Teddy voiced out his thoughts. "Try the chicken."

He did and it was just as delectable as the pasta.

"I have a joke," Nathan announced as they ate their way through the food.

"Go on."

"What did people say when the Italian chef died?"

Teddy glared suspiciously at him. "What?"

"He PASTAway!"

She groaned and buried her head in her napkin. "Oh my God, Nathan." She held her wine glass and swirled its contents around for a bit. "Cheers to your horrible humor."

He picked his own wine glass up and winked at her. "Cheers to our first date."

Glasses clinked and they each took a sip. The carmine wine was sweet with the perfect touch of bitterness, a satisfying accompaniment with the meal.

"So," Teddy began, as they finished off the last of the spaghetti and the risotto. "What's your dark secret?"

He tensed at the mention of the topic he hated so much. "Let's talk about it outside. I'll pay first." They polished off their plates and finished the bottle of Barolo.

The two waited in some sort of trepidation. Nathan's heart was pounding hard as the bill arrived and he reached into his jacket to retrieve his wallet. He laid the money onto the little tray and the waiter went to get the change.

Was he really ready to reveal the past? Could he talk about it to her, to Teddy, the girl he liked. The girl as stubborn as he was, the girl who might slip away if she knew. If she knew what he was; how his sister took the hurt, and how his sister suffered because of him.

She had to know. Teddy would understand. He was ready to tell her.

He pushed back his chair and stood up, Teddy following suit.

"Come on," he murmured. He slipped his hand into hers, feeling its comforting warmth on his skin. "It's time I told you the truth."

----

Watch out for the next chapter 18: Please mind the truth. Don't worry, it won't be the last chapter. *wiggles eyebrows* More intense moments to come... brace yourselves ;)

Thanks for reading:) Follow, comment, vote!

-K