“Caviar, smoked salmon tartar, sturgeon caviar, and potato foam.”
“Oh, okay.” I look down at my plate again. “Great. Awesome.”
I pick up the weird fork with the three prongs and poke around on my plate a little bit. Catching one of the black balls, now known as caviar, on the tip of a prong, I bring it to my mouth. Using my tongue, I swipe it off the tip of the tine and bite into it. Oh. My. God. Who eats this shit? I want to spit it out but I can’t. Gabriel would probably hog tie me and drag me out the door. Heck, after seeing the first course, maybe I want him to do that.
I quickly grab a slice of bread and slather on some butter. Biting into it I moan. “Mmm, French bread is da bomb.”
“You should really watch your carbs, Leslie.”
“I am. I’m watching them as I eat them,” I snicker. I look up at Gabriel and see that stupid scowl again. Note to self. Stop looking at Gabriel.
When the next course arrives, I see it’s soup with another glass of white wine. This wine is different than the one that came with the caviar. I sip it and wince. It’s bitter. Setting that glass back down I stare at the soup. I place my spoon into the beige concoction and stir it to see if anything with legs pops up. “It’s wild mushroom soup with truffle foam,” Gabriel says, anticipating my question.
“Oh, okay.” I dip my spoon into it and bring it to my nose. Sniffing it, I decide it’s safe. I lick the tip of the spoon and let the flavor move over my tongue. “It’s good,” I say smiling.
“Wonderful,” Gabriel deadpans.
I ignore him and peak over at Tanya’s plate. She’s got a yummy salad with nuts and cheese on top. Lucky duck.
I only get one or two sips of soup before our waiter is back to take the dishes away. I want to grab the edge of the bowl and pull it back, but I refrain. God I’m hungry. We seem to wait forever for the next dish. So much so I wonder if we’re actually finished. That is until a new plate of food is placed in front of me, and a glass of reddish-pink wine next to it. I sip my wine as I look down at my plate. Before I can even move, Gabriel says, “Veal and lamb loin with lamb au jus and vegetables.”
“Veal?” I gulp. “And lamb?”
“Yes. Veal and lamb. Now, eat up. It’s delicious.”
“I can’t eat veal or lamb?”
“Why not?”
“Well, because. They’re babies. Plus they treat those poor animals terribly.”
“How so?” asks Tanya.
“Well, they keep the little calves in boxes, dark boxes, so they can’t move or see. It keeps them from developing muscles that would make their meat tough. Then they butcher them. They have no life. They’re born, shoved in a box, and killed. And lamb? It’s just a baby.”
“Wow,” she says as she bites into her veal. “Sounds awful.” She smirks as she emphasizes her next bite of the poor little calf’s meat.
“Lexie, just eat.” Gabriel looks like he’s losing patience with me. I can see his eyebrow twitch a little bit as he arches a brow.
“I can’t eat this, but that’s fine.” Damn, I wish I could have my soup back.
“Lexie. All animals we eat are killed. Are you a vegan?” asks Bill.
“No.”
“A vegetarian?” Bill again.
“No.”
“Then I don't understand your argument.”
“It’s just extra cruel.”
“Butchering any animal is cruel.” Bill smirks then adds, “But delicious.”
I watch him as he takes a huge bite of his lamb. What the heck? Everyone ordered the lamb and veal? I push my plate away slightly and sip my water. Damn, I wish I had another whiskey.
