Convenience

Part 97

Robert smiled at Hayley, "Would be nagging all through the meal!" Robert said, "It's not as if Michaela or Conor would have missed us, they would be fast asleep, and if there was an emergency, she would get in touch with us, as I will have my phone, and she has that number." He looked down at his wife. "Except I wouldn't be phoning them every few seconds! Would I, love?" He grinned at Hayley. She pouted. "We had only just exited the lift, and she was so worried, I offered to go and get her phone from our room, otherwise we wouldn't have enjoyed our dinner. Worry, worry, worry, for the whole of our date!"

Hayley feigned a scowl at her husband. "You are exaggerating."

As if it was normally, to have this conversation with a complete stranger, Robert reminded Hayley, "The only point of us coming here, spending time with each other, staying over for just one night, without the kids, and...."

"And we are ruining their dinner!" Hayley interrupted him with a pout. "David and Beatrice are here to spend this time with each other, not with us! Certainly not listening to your whinging about me!"

Robert winced. He nodded. "My fault." He looked at David and then looked across to Beatrice. "Sorry Beatrice. Didn't mean to interrupt your evening."

David thought about inviting them to join them. But he wasn't about to do that, just in case Beatrice accused him of engineering this situation.

Beatrice was caught between a rock and hard place. If she invited them to have their meal with us, she and David would not be able to talk about the divorce or the trust. And if she didn't invite them to stay, she would look like a scrooge and unsociable.

David looked at Beatrice, a silent message. Robert and Hayley saw that message.

Beatrice said with a smile, "You are welcome to join us. We have just ordered."

This time it was Robert and Hayley. They exchanged a message.

"That is kind. But, how about if we stayed for drinks, and move for our dinner when you get your meals?" Robert suggested, looking at David and then Beatrice. "No offence."

Hayley admitted candidly, "It is just that we wanted a romantic night?" She said, "We don't often have time. What with the kids, and the farm, and...?" She petered out.

"Which is why we came to Auckland for a date night!" Robert smiled, "Took advantage of Aileen. We could have stayed with her, but we thought we could have a night way."

"You know, the whole thing, time for each other, romantic dinner, an evening stroll around the harbour...

"Not that she stopped worry about the kids, hence the phone issue!" Robert smiled at her.

David looked at Beatrice. Their eyes met and held. She nodded. David gestured at the waiter. Beatrice gestured at the chairs. Robert and Hayley took their seat. The waiter arrived at the table and they gave him a drink order.

Beatrice watched his hair fall back into its well-cut, layered style as she watched him settled in his chair. And Robert watched Beatrice. He had known David for years, and he knew that Beatrice and David lead separate lives in private. In fact, Robert hadn't seen David and Beatrice together in public, in newspapers, for over five years. He was tempted to ask why they were here? Together? Robert was pretty sure that Hayley had the same thoughts: what was going on here?

Time to find out. "So, David, any reason for this dinner?"

"Do you need a reason to go out with your wife?" David's lips quirked.

Robert was tempted to say, that David had never taken his wife out! Let alone a reason not to go out with his wife! "Nope. Just time with us. Finding time is hard. Between the farm and the kids"

Hayley nodded. "So we agreed that we would need a date night every month. We plan to use our parents and my sister."

Robert stated, "This is our first time leaving the kids!" He looked over at Hayley. "I mean, we have left the kids with our parents, babysitting, often. But not overnight."

Hayley nodded. "Today we dropped Michaela and Conor at Aileen's, she got the short straw. For our experiment. So we came to Auckland."

But before Robert could ask Beatrice, about her reasons to be here, Hayley kicked him under the table. Robert widened his eyes and scowled at Hayley. "I was just going to ask Beatrice why she was here?"

Hayley rolled her eyes. Obviously her kick was hard enough! So she went for blunt, "But you aren't here, at her table, to question her!" Hayley narrowed her eyes.

"Asking about her being here is not a national secret!" Robert scowled.

Carefully,Beatrice watched the threepeople. She couldn't make sense of the interactions. No animosity. Just banter,and gentle teasing