The doors to the diner slid smoothly open and slid shut again.
"Thud, thud!"
A few heads turned as the crisp thudding of the heels were heard, moments later, the enchanting smell of her French perfume wafted in ahead of her making everyone feel lightheaded. Lips drooled in fantasy, everyone was astonished by the sight that greeted them.
A sleek, elegant looking young lady just walked in, maybe it would be more apt to describe her simply as a fallen angel, that would save them all the words they were thinking of. Hair fluttering wildly in the wind, she was slender and brimming with youthful exuberance with long and cascading silky, jet black hair that ran down her back and stopped at her smiling sapphire eyes that danced in their sockets like raging blue flames, a perfectly etched nose and perfectly coated lips that shimmered as the chandeliers hanging overhead cast its gentle glow on her.
She stood out even in the dimly lit room, the lights, the background music all blurred and for that second she stepped beyond the gates, everything else paled miserably in comparison.
Her deeply dimpled cheeks were a mesmerizing sight, and her smile could melt the stoniest of hearts. A truly mesmerizing sight.
As everyone wandered who the lucky bastard that had warranted the descent of such an otherworldly being was, she walked towards the far corner of the restaurant, heads still followed her every movement till oshe sat across from a man who looked to be in his late forties.
Angry murmurs arose, "shameless buffoon, why don't you try to woo someone as old and outdated as you?" A haggard looking man whispered under his breath.
He could have sworn with his life on the line that even someone sitting right across from him wouldn't have heard him, and here the man in question was, over two hundred meters away, brief stare that washed over him like a bucket of icy cold water. He shuddered, and looked away.
It couldn't have been a coincidence, two icy suns dancing in their sockets, his eyes were icy cold, eerie and had you thinking he could stare at the deepest parts of your soul. Despite his captivating smile, the haggard man felt beads of sweat gather on his forehead, a tiny bead even went down his spine, he swallowed hard and looked away.
The girl looked to be in her teens, seventeen at most, wearing a floral dress that hang loosely on her, her rosy red lips parted in a breathtaking smile as she sat across from the man.
"I can't believe people still think we're lovers, Dad!" The girl said with a sweet smile and her Dad laughed.
Just then, another captivating figure entered, she looked to be in her thirties, she had a tight fitting red dress that failed to hide her perfect body. Everyone gasped, if the First Lady was an Angel, it will only be apt to describe this as the mother of angels. Hauntingly and unapologetically beautiful, her hair was tied in a ponytail behind her and she had a silver purse that reflected blinding spectral light in the room. She walked confidently, nothing short of a model, she was a true Mesmer, her presence alone could make you forget to breathe.
As everyone wondered how two angels could descend into the midst of sinful and lustful men with avaricious eyes in a restaurant im such quick succession, she walked to the same table with the man and the young lady!
"Okay, now the whole family is gathered, it's our final dinner here with Iris for the next, three years. off to Ghana for Iris' high school." The man said in a booming voice. To which both the little girl, whom onlookers and eavesdroppers have found out to be I wish I could accompany you both to the airport at least, see you off but you know me. Crystal and her daughter had both giggled and high-fived each other.
Crystal continued in a singsong voice, "C'mon Jake, you're so dramatic, adding extravagance and gravitas to everything. Your words always drip with sweetness." To this Jake smiled and said, "one of the reasons why I could woo someone as off limits as you don't you think?"
Crystal patted him on the back playfully and leaned in for a kiss, Jake leaned in as well but before their lips could lock, Iris, who had been watching, embarrassingly took the menu card between her middle and index finger, flicked it at them without overthinking it, it got sandwiched between their lips perfectly.
They were both surprised, Iris herself was as well, but she shrugged it off and delivered her message, "shall we please save this for when you're alone in your room? I'm starving, no need to give this onlookers any more of a Shakespeare show." She said while pouting her cherry red lips. Her parents were visibly flustered.
"Okay, okay! You got me, what would y'all like to have?" Julius offered after opening the menu book, the front cover had been lipstick stamped, courtesy of Crystal, her wife. He smiled and said, "anyone else thinking the restaurant to my doesn't deserve this back?" They all burst out laughing, by then the onlookers got bored and decided to mind their respective businesses. The restaurant went back to its normal routine.
Suddenly, a crisp sound was heard, the palm against cheek kind of crispness,sharp, resounding. Heads turned to a woman in a silver dress, hair hung loosely on her back, she was pretty, and pretty enraged too.She addressed the man across from her, "I'm right in front of you, and yet you don't even notice me, shamelessly devouring someone else's wife right in front of me! Pervert! Shame on you!" She said and turned to leave, as if remembering something, she faced him again.
"I hate you!" She squeezed through clenched teeth, then grabbed the wine glass, emptying it on his face then left.
"You're crazy, you know you're not the most beautiful person on earth, yet that's exactly what you want me to tell you ten times a day, you're insane!" He shot bact at her. She stopped, turned and felt her cheek burn, she but back the urge to strangle him and ultimately decided to leave.
"Calm down, everyone, everything is under control, DJ play the music."
"I must admit that the MC knew his job." And just like that, the magic returned, all the evening's happenstances swept under the rug, forgotten.
A young waiter approached Ken's table, "good evening sir, ma'am, miss." his gaze lingered a bit longer on Iris, too long.
"Mmm mmhm!" Ken had to clear his throat to snap him out of his stupor, "sorry sir." He bowed to him again, hands still clasped behind his back, "what would you like to have please?"
"I would love some pork please." Then he turned to his wife, brow furrowed, the usual? He asked her with a smile and she smiled back, "you know me too well."
"I'd like some grilled chicken please, spicy, peppery, savory, tender, perfect." Iris addressed the waiter with a smug grin. "Honey!" Mother and father addressed her in unison, "we talked about this…you can't have too much spice, it's not good for your health."
"What happened to my yes day?" Iris asked with a childish pout, bottom lip sticking out in defiance, suddenly puppy eyed.
Ken was at a loss for words, his daughter knew how to get her way, "sure, only because it's your yes day." "Yay! Daddy is the best!"
"Waiter, two plates of pork and one plate of grilled chicken, spicy, peppery, savory, tender, perfect, for the princess. And add a bottle of your best French wine, off you go." Mr Ken repeated their order for the waiter. "Sure, two plates of pork for master and mistress, one plate of grilled chicken, for the princess; spicy, peppery, tender, beautiful, gorgeous, elegant and sweet. Did I miss anything?" He addressed Iris with a flirtatious look, to which she rolled her eyes, smiled and looked away."
"Just go already!" Kennedy bellowed. He turned on his heel, scampering away.
"That should teach him." Ken said to Crystal who laughed."
"So, your flight is eight o'clock in the morning, right honey?" "Yes daddy."
There was a long pause, "make sure you don't pick up any fights, be yourself, study hard, be careful, be respectful, no racism too, Ghana is a nice place, you'll find that out yourself." Ken addressed Iris with a serious look, "yes dad! No looking for fights, but I'll beat anyone who comes looking for one, study hard, make new friends, explore, learn all I can about the world so new to me, be the best, come back. No need to worry dad, I'm a good girl, aren't I?" Iris was surprisingly calm about traveling so far, so alone… Her mother looked at her affectionately, and said, "do us proud Iris, I know that's not too much for you to do, you're the best daughter anyone could ever hope to have. We love you." It was an emotional moment, Crystal hugger her daughter, from her seat, Ken, feeling left out as he was across from them, rose from his seat, went and stood behind them both, and squeezed them in a hug, too tight, too protective. A magical moment, no one could break or stop them from having, except…
"Sorry to ruin the magical moment, but your foods are ready."
The same waiter from before, laying the plates on the table in front of their respective owners, then finally the wine, delivered in a miniature bucket, was later placed on the table, in the center, drowning in ice cubes. Then came the wine glasses. No sooner had he lifted the cover off the first plate than the aroma of the grilled chicken wafted into their nostrils, sweet assault, they felt light headed, stomachs growled in anticipation, hunger, yearning. They dug in as soon as the waiter wheeled his trolley away.