14
Elijah
Going to a new restaurant with a guide dog was always an unnecessary hassle, which was why I settled on The Bistro instead of somewhere novel. Though it used to be a frequent haunt of mine, I didn’t visit the restaurant as much as I used to before my vision changed, but when I called to arrange the reservations, I was pleased to find out the manager recognized my voice and reassured me her staff was up-to-date on disability laws.
Good,I thought.The last thing I want to deal with on a nice dinner date with Felix is another scene.
After Felix returned home from his shift, he showered up while I got River ready. As soon as the harness slipped over his head, he was in full work-mode and nothing would distract him from his duty.
The chauffeur dropped us off at The Bistro’s bustling curb. I stifled a smirk and wished everyone outside good luck getting in without a reservation on a Friday night.
“Shall we?” I said to Felix, who took my arm without hesitation.
“Let’s.”
There was an edge of nervousness in his voice. I knew he wasn’t too big on fancy dining-- I figured it was either part of his poor childhood, or negative experiences with Larry.
Either way, I was determined to make this night special. It was the first real date we’d been on since he moved in--as in, suits and reservations instead of chilling with bowls of ice cream on the couch.
With Felix in one arm and my other holding River’s harness, we made our way through the crowd and through the front doors of The Bistro.
“Welcome, gentlemen,” the man at the front desk said politely. “Do you have a reservation with us tonight?”
“Yes. Cortez for two at seven.”
“Excellent. Right this way, gentlemen.”
I remembered the layout and decor of the restaurant back from my sighted days well. Bare lightbulbs hung above refurbished raw wood tables, which were adorned with small linen tablecloths to soften the industrial vibe. The floors were dark, polished wood that felt almost too smooth beneath my feet. The entire atmosphere was modern without feeling too stuffy. I hoped Felix liked it.
The server guided us to our table and we took our seats. River automatically settled by my feet without a command.
“This place is amazing, Eli,” Felix said in awe. With a hesitant laugh he added, “It feels like I shouldn’t be here.”
I crossed my arms on the table. “Why do you say that?”
“I don’t know. It seems so high-end, and I’m so . . .not.”
I smiled gently at him. “You’remyboyfriend, which means you’re nothing less than perfect. Isn’t that right, boy?”
A tiny sound of surprise left his lips. He must have been blushing hard already, even from just a single teasing comment.
“All right,” he murmured.
“Good.” I leaned back and pushed the menu towards him. “Now that that’s settled, let’s order. I already know what I like here, so go ahead and peruse at your leisure.”
Felix slid the menu closer. “Okay . . .Geez, everything looks good.” He sighed. “And expensive.”
I clicked my tongue, like I was lightly disciplining a dog. “No mention of that. You pick what you’ll enjoy the most, all right?”
Felix sounded apologetic but amused. “Sorry. I will.”
I heard thetap tap tapof heeled steps approaching before the person paused by our table and a familiar feminine voice spoke.
“Good evening, gentlemen. Ah, it’s good to see you, Elijah. Thank you for joining us again.”
I smiled and reached out to shake her hand. “Martha. It’s good to hear your voice. Sorry I haven’t dropped by in a while.”
“The pleasure is all ours.” She shook my hand with a firm grip--one of a fellow alpha. Then she said, “I see you have company tonight.”
