Blood Beginnings

Chapter 9)

The Restaurant looks very modern. There is a jazz band complete with a trombone, alto sax, trumpet, drums, tenor sax, baritone sax, and piano. The seats are black leather next to mahogany tables. The lighting is low, and the bar is in the far end of the building, and isn't separated from the rest. The mood seemed to say, romantic dinner. 

The hostest grabbed four menus and asked "Four?" 

"Yes" Dimitri and I answered in unison. 

"Table or booth?"

"Um I think a booth will be suffice. Does everyone agree?" I responded.

My parents and Dimitri nodded their approvals. And to that the hostess led us away to our table. We were seated near the band. Close enough to appreciate it, but far enough to have conversations

"This is nice." Abe observed as we sat down on the plush booth, my parents across from Dimi and I. 

"Yeah." The rest of us agreed, staggered. 

Everyone glanced at their menus deciding what to eat, silence erupting throughout the table.

The waitress strolled on up to our table, and set down a plate with bread and dip "What would you guys like to drink?" She motioned to me, expecting me to answer first.

"I'll have a coke" I said. Then my mom and Dimitri ordered water. Abe ordered a glass of wine.

"Are you guys ready to order?" Our waitress asked. 

"Yeah, I think we are." I said. Then everyone ordered their food.

"So how have you guys been?" I asked my parents.

Abe looked at Janine clearly expecting her to answer first, she took the hint. "Well I've been fine, I love guarding at court cause you don't have as long of schedules to guard, and I've been getting lots of rest." She said then looked at my dad.

"Oh uh, I've been great. I would tell you what I have been doing lately but uh . . ."

"Ah Zmey, you always are doing something illegal aren't you?" My mother said, the affection clear in her voice.

"And you guys, how have you been?" Abe asked.

"We have been awesome, and very in love. Dimitri, well he asked me to marry him, and I said yes!" I told them.

 My mother, who happened to be drinking at the time managed to do a whole spit take. "You what?" She asked in the squeakiest voice I have heard. Abe put an arm around my mom, and whispered something in her ear, that no one else could hear. Whatever he said must have been reassuring, because she relaxed and looked much more calm. 

I nudged Dimitri, urging him to continue. "We have decided to get married. I love your daughter ..."

I interrupted him "And I love him, as much or more ..." 

Dimitri smiled, and I returned a smile to him, "So it made a whole bunch of sense to me, for us to get married. Also, we thought we would go to Russia and tell my parents the good news, with the consent of Lissa and Christian of course. And they both said they didn't mind."

My dad was the first to speak "Wow, um congratulations, I'm so happy for you guys!"

"I am proud too, but you guys are absolutely ready for marriage? You are kinda young, and you haven't known each other that long ..." My moms voice trailed off. It's so irritating that my mom can't figure out that I am old enough to make my own decisions. I can take care of myself, I have for the last 18 years, what makes this any different? All of the sudden she decided that she needs to take care of me now? WTF? If anything, she should trust me more now, and should have been there for me when I was a child, not now I am an adult, and it's time she treats me like one. Dimitri squeezed my hand, immediately making my thoughts clearer. He must have known I was getting mad. "Not to mention the fact that you are abandoning your jobs as guardians of the queen and her boyfriend. I would have thought you two would be more responsible." 

"I understand your concern. Believe me, more than you would ever be able to comprehend -" I received a smirk at that comment. She still thinks that I am an irresponsible child with no understanding of what it means to be a guardian. "We thought about it, and since Lissa and Christian are going to be in court for at the very least this next month. Court is a heavily guarded moroi sanctuary, and she is the queen. Even if something happened at court that could potentially endanger her, which is highly unlikely, most of the guardians would rush to her side. Oh and we could never be more ready for marriage."

That seemed to shut her up. After my mother seemed to regain her wits she asked. "When and where is the wedding?"

"Um, we don't know that yet." I answered her question.

The waitress came back hot food in hand, it looks so yummy. The rest of our evening was spent in silence each of us engrossed in this amazing food.