Catherine Ch. 13

"And?" Waiting for it.

"I have thoroughly enjoyed your..., up close and very personal inspections," she says.

"Lady, you have no idea how much I've enjoyed those inspections too! It's been a privilege and honor to know you..., in every way!"

"Thank you Mister Swaggart!"

Dinner is amazing!

It arrives with George carrying a large tray where he sets it on a fold out stand carried by another waiter. Where he begins setting it out in front of us, not only the main course, but several other plates, and side dishes. Looking across the table at Catherine, who's only reaction is a smile with a nod towards me at what's being laid out on the table as if, "I told you so!"

After George finishes with his presentation he looks to me then to Catherine, "Is there anything else I can get for you Mrs Parker..., Mr. Swaggart," he ask.

Its,"no" from Catherine, an, "yes," from me," telling George.

"An sir, that would be," he ask.

"A fork lift George, to carry me out of here if I eat all of this!"

"Very well sir, I'll order one now," he says, has both Catherine and I laughing at George's reply.

With George leaving us it's my look over at Catherine, but this time its, "You order this every time you bring someone here?"

"Yes, pretty impressive, don't you think," she says.

"You eat all of this too..., Catherine?"

"Oh No," she says. "An Bobby, don't feel bad if you can't eat everything -- they feel insulted if you don't take your leftovers home," she says. "My house keeper Maria, does wonders with the leftovers; she feeds the two of us for two days."

"Well then, I will do my best to avoid insulting anyone, especially myself. Marines are known for their appetites Catherine."

Thirty-five minutes later after almost non-stop comments about how delicious this, or that, or something else is, its putting my fork down, slumping back in the booth.

"Catherine..., it's been ingrained in Marine Recon, that surrender is never an option. But in this battle Catherine, I have to wave the white flag -- it's embarrassing getting bitch slapped by steak and potatoes."

Catherine, red in the face from laughing at my being 'bitch slapped by steak and potatoes.' "Bobby," she says. "I raised the flag twenty minutes after we started!"

"Swaggart...," Catherine going on. "You fought a gallant fight, I am impressed," she tells me.

"Thank you Catherine, I guess I'm still a growing boy."

"Swaggart..., she says. "I've been very impressed by how well you grow," her nodding her head up and down confirming what she said.

"Catherine, you certainly are a growth inspiration," staring back into those beautiful eyes.

"So then Catherine..., giving up so early you were saving room for dessert," asking her.

"No," she sys."I'm the dessert!"

"Catherine..., you're killing me girl," saying it for the hundredth or more time.

"No Swaggart," she says. "You're a fighter, plus, you must know, I've thoroughly enjoyed my battles with you, even though, I've lost every single one," she says, with a great big unabashed smile.

"Thank you Catherine, but like I've said..., you're inspiring, and definitely challenging..., at times," telling her.

George coming back, looks at the table, "Should I box every thing up for you to take home, Mrs Parker..., Mr. Swaggart?"

"Yes, please George," Catherine's answer.

"And for you sir," he's asking me.

"Yes, the same for me too please."

"Very well and should I make two separate, or just one take away," as he looks from me to Catherine.

"One should do it George, Mrs Parker will be returning to my house tonight." Jumping in ahead of what ever Catherine was going to tell George.

Catherine, the look on her face, her mouth open -- a repeat of this mornings expression with my cell phone trick I played on her.

George, now just as nonchalant as can be, "Very good sir," he says. "It will only take a few minutes to have everything ready." "But in the mean time sir, would you both like to see the dessert selections?"

Jumping in ahead of Catherine again, "Well George, I know I can speak for Mrs Parker..., because I'll be taking her home for dessert." Where I'm looking across the table at her.

Catherine's eyes going from me, to George then back to me several times, her face cheeks turning several shades of pink, her mouth moving but nothing coming out, until recovering with, "You wish!" Her very sharp reply.

"Well George..., I guess the answer is no to the dessert."

"George, looking right at me now, "I'm sorry to hear about the..., no dessert sir," he says. "I'll have everything else ready shortly."

"Thank You George." My telling him

Not two seconds after George leaves to prepare our leftovers, it's Catherine, "What the hell! What do you think you're doing saying you're taking me home for dessert.., he knows me," she saying.

"Catherine, it was an innocent comment; I am taking you home, just not to your home. And the dessert..., it could be anything we could be picking up on the way home, or something already there," telling her.

"But you Catherine with that, 'You wish!' Could have left him with the impression that you in fact -- was what I was having for my dessert."

"Go to hell Swaggart," she tells me. "He knew exactly what you meant when you said, 'taking me home for dessert!'

"Yeah, Catherine, I'm sure he did. An he knew there was more to us five minutes after he first spoke to us. Plus Catherine..., catching, you leaning so far over me, you might as well have been sitting in my lap." telling her.

With her face slowly softening, then breaking into another gorgeous smile. "Your are such a shit Swaggart" she tells me again. "But you're also probably right."

"So then..., are you still going home with me..., Mrs. Parker?"

"I'm beginning think hard about that now. Swaggart," she says. "Oh, an was that, 'dessert,' comment, a gotcha for that cold water this morning," she ask.

"Um maybe or..., a pay ahead for the next one of yours." Gets her napkin flying across the table at me.

"Nice come back..., Mrs. Parker!" Has her laughing with another, "Go to hell," along with a swing and a miss at my shin this time.

"Now lets get out of here Swaggart before I do something more to embarrass us than just sitting in your lap."

An right with her saying that it's George is returning with our take out in something like a department store shopping bag with this restaurants name and logo imprinted on it. Along with a leather folder, setting both on the table.

"Thank you both for stopping in this evening." Its George. And I hope everything was to your satisfaction."

"Thank you George, everything was wonderful," Catherine's telling him. "An if you'll wait a moment I'll give this back to you."

Where she opens her purse, takes out her wallet, removing a black credit card with raised gold letters and numbers, to slip it inside the leather folder handing it back to George.

"Thank you Mrs. Parker, I'll only be a minute and return with your coats," he says.

"That's quite a shopping bag Catherine. It might be easier carrying you than it," looking back across the table at her.

"Bull sh... Swaggart," she says. "That's your dinner tomorrow night."

"Dinner for tomorrow night? Are you staying over to help me eat it; plus my dessert again?" Asking her.

"Bobby I'd like to," she says. "But..., I've been avoiding a phone call; because I'm not sure of my answer yet," she says.

"Okay." My one word reply, not wanting to..., maybe know why.

George, returning with our coats and the leather folder, where Catherine retrieves her credit card to place it back into her wallet. Then writing on the dinner receipt, signing it, returning it to the leather folder.

With both of us standing, it's George handing me my jacket, then proceeds to help Catherine on with her coat.

"Thank you and good night," George is telling us. With Both Catherine and me replying the same. Where Catherine and I make our way to the door, pausing to wave good night to George, then is back out side with the feel of the cold night air in our faces.

Walking along, me with the bag containing our take out carried in my left hand, Catherine on my right until we're almost to the intersection when Catherine loops her left arm around my right, gently nudging me with her shoulder.

"Thank you for accepting my dinner invitation," she says.

"Your welcome! It was delicious and a nice experience, plus a place I never would be able to go to on my own or..., taken you."

"Swaggart, if you don't stop it I'm going to smack you silly! It's a small thing Bobby. So don't make a big deal out of it..., please?"

"No big deal Catherine? When you go into a restaurant and the menu doesn't have any prices listed for the items on it..., it's a big deal," telling her.

"Mine had the prices listed, she says."

"Yours..., why yours Catherine," asking her.

"Because for the reasons I've already told you," she says. "Like friends and people from out of town that are here on business or pleasure. So they know it's me who's taking care of everything," she's telling me.

"For that they must know you go there often," asking her.

"If you want to call frequently, lets say..., well often enough to be making reservations for how ever many will be with me..., then yes. So enough..., okay?"

"Sure Catherine..., I enjoyed it, also a pretty cool place even if there weren't any dead mobsters slumped over the tables, or on the floor to add to the authenticity of its decor," telling her.

"Damn you Swaggart..., see if I take you any place nice again," she says

Dead mobsters..., Swaggart -- you're a sick pup," she calls me, turning to swish her hand playfully past my face.

"I loved it Catherine! But the coolest thing about that place..., was just being there with you."

"Thank you Bobby, that's all I need to know," she tells me.

Which has us suddenly stopping in the middle of the sidewalk where she's throwing her arms around my neck, plants a kiss on me so hard it almost gets me taking a step backward. Where all of a sudden it's car horns blaring, cat calls coming from the open car windows, 'get a room,' 'take it home,' 'fuck her in the alley,' from some jerk, who's part of those blaring horns from cars stopped waiting in the traffic jam up we seem to have caused.

Breaking from the kiss, "I think we better go ourselves Catherine, that alleyway he suggested is looking pretty tempting."

"I have a better idea than the alley," she says, tapping me on the cheek. "It's warmer and a heck of lot more confortable to roll around in! So, you better get me back to your place, or that front seat of your truck is where it will happen instead," she's telling me.

"What ever you say Catherine's!"

"Swaggart will you ple...," The rest is cut off by my mouth crushed onto hers.