A Blind Fall

chapter fourteen

Chocolate... Vanilla... Chocolate... Vanilla...

"Both!" Gabrielle squealed, clapping her hands together like an excited, little girl. The glimmer in her eyes sure enough authenticated she felt like one. She'd eaten so much, trying everything the chef brought to the table with eagerness.

At first, she'd hesitated, alarmed her date -not really date but the man that'd brought her to this splendid restaurant with sumptuous delicacies- might have been testing her level gluttony. Of course she didn't need to be told she ate like a dozen pigs but that didn't matter when her date kept eating like two dozen pigs. All the way from their appetizers to the impending dessert, Gabrielle kept wondering how he still managed to resemble a marbled sculpture of Adonis when he actually beat Gabrielle's record of world most gluttonous human.

She'd been afraid of being seen with a French big shot, gobbling down food like a deprived pauper but had began to relax when the restaurant seemed to be lacking customers. Was it that expensive or too ordinary for the rich folk? Gabrielle couldn't tell but the customers didn't seem to fancy the restaurant. Which was a pity since it's awesomeness was indescribable and their food was just out of this world. And the wine, the wine was exquisite. They had already cleared one of the oldest and most expensive bottles the Marcellos had in the cellar.

The restaurant was an impressively striking building whose exterior Gabrielle recalled to be painted a white and magenta. The inside was rather colourful, with different shades on the velvet chairs and table cloths. The floors were tiled with enchanting patterns of white and magenta, the ceiling a pure white with crystal chandeliers every three metres or so. The walls were made of sparkly glass that enabled insiders to see the nocturnal activities of Paris and the romantic lights all over. It was simply breathtaking.

The clutter of glassware brought her from her daze and she diverted her attention back to the realm of reality in time to catch the smiling waitress place huge, triangular pieces of cakes on the table. Two were overflowing with chocolate goodness and grapes that made Gabrielle's teeth cringe but her heart soar. The other two had pinkish cream topped with diced strawberries. A moan escaped her lips before she could intercept it, earning laughter from her date.

Pouting, she sent him a glower. "Oh, please. As if you don't find these heavenly."

"Cake?" He snorted.

Gabrielle tried to explain that it was more than just mere cake. That it was pure heaven on earth, a paradise uncharted. Simply heaven. "It's not what it simply looks like_"

He brushed her off. "Wheat, eggs, milk, butter. Nothing special."

The scowl on Gabrielle's face made her face ache. She was truly, deeply offended. How could he disrespect what had managed to be her antidepressants since time immemorial? Totally life-saving. Angry enough to explore and bring unsalvageable damage to the wonderful restaurant, she reached out and brought all four pieces to her side of the table.

Not uttering a single word, she dove for the scrumptious cakes and unabashedly did them the justice they deserved. If Gordon felt so unkind of them, there wasn't need for him to taste their wonder.  About an hour later, sweaty and panting, she finally looked up ready for the judgemental and disgusted look on his face. She searched, scrutinized carefully. Still, nothing. Instead of her expectations, she saw his face contort queerly. His thick, dark brows were scrunched together, his plump, pink lips were tightly pressed together and his blue-grey eyes seemed to glisten. She suspiciously leaned closer to investigate in depth.

Now she recognized that glint. Amusement and, and something else... Mirth! Oh, the swine was laughing at her. Or wanted to. "What's so funny?" She demanded, her perky nose stabbing the air.