Perfect Impurrfections

Backup Plans

Chapter 23

Crystal arrived at the restaurant with no incidents for a change. Lewis himself had decided to drive her there since he was heading back into the office to do some last-minute work. Anna was watching B.B. again and was patiently waiting to find out how the night went. Crystal walked into the restaurant doing last minute touch ups in the mirror next to the hostess stand. The woman tolerantly waited while she fixed herself before leading her to her table.

As they crossed the dinning area Crystal glanced around at the other patrons silently thankful that she didn't see Casey and his girlfriend in attendance that night. Her dates lately tended to be disastrous and if this one turned out that way, she definitely didn't want Casey's girlfriend to see the show. As they passed a table with an older gentleman seated at it, he smiled warmly at her. Not wanting to be unfriendly Crystal returned his smile before following the hostess to her table. She absently wondered if he was waiting on his wife or if he was a widow that was eating alone. She turned her thoughts away from the older man and back on the reason she was there in the first place. The hostess led her to a table were a couple were already seated. Well not a couple exactly as the woman was much older than the man. They both sat on one side facing the lone chair across from them. As Crystal was led closer to the table, she started to get a bad feeling. That impression was only confirmed when the hostess stopped next to their table and motioned her over to the single chair. Nervously she walked up to the table trying to give her best smile but knowing she failed miserably. The hostess took her drink order before moving away leaving Crystal to seat herself. She watched the woman go, idlily thinking that she had seemed to want to get away as desperately as Crystal did. The woman cleared her throat thoroughly annoyed that they were being ignored. Crystal took her seat while looking the pair over.

The man, whom she guessed was her date Roger, was very plain and unassuming. His looks, while clean cut, were average in standard. His suit was a dull brown in color. The look on his face was stoic and impassive giving nothing away to what he was thinking. If Crystal had met him on the street, she would have passed him by without a second thought. There was absolutely nothing about him that drew the eye. Not in looks, not in personality, not in dress. The man just didn't stand out at all. That wasn't a problem for Crystal, however. She rather enjoyed average herself. When you were a woman that was built a bit like an amazon, average became more of a novelty. She thought she might rather have liked him if it wasn't for the woman sitting next to him. She was no beauty either, but it was clear that what Roger lacked in personality the woman more than made up for it.

"If you are done gawking maybe we could get down to business?" The woman bit out waspishly. Crystal raised an eyebrow at her attitude but kept calm. It was her fault that he had been stood up last night and she was determined to show a better side of herself.

"Business?" She asked lightly instead. The woman dabbed at her mouth with a cloth napkin before purposely tossing it onto her empty plate. Crystal noted that they both had dirty dishes sitting in front of them making it clear that they had already eaten. Crystal was sure she had gotten the time right and had thought it rude for them to decide to come early without telling her of the change in plans.

"If you think I'm going to let my son be with a criminal you have another thing coming. We waited patiently for you last night before we got the call from your friend that you had been detained by the police. My son has an image to uphold you know. I will not condone you having a relationship with him." Crystal sat in shock as she listened while glancing at the completely unfazed Roger.