Page 18 of The Final Straw

Olivia shakes her head. “No. I loved it. I like talking to you two.”

The car stops and I look out the window, seeing we’re here. Ollie leans over me, her eyes widening as she peeks out, and a high-pitched squeal escapes her lips when she sees we’re in front of Thumka’s.

“Oh, my gosh, I love Indian food!”

“Good. It's one of our favorites too." I smile as I open the door.

“We were a little worried you wouldn’t like it, but you seem open to trying new things,” Kipp says as he follows Olivia and me, scooting out of the car.

I take her hand, feeling the warmth of her skin, and lead her inside the restaurant. As soon as we step through the doors, the mouth-watering aroma of curry and coriander greets us. Thumka’s is a seat yourself, so I guide Ollie through the wood tables until we get to an empty one toward the back.

Kipp pulls out her chair, making sure she is seated comfortably, before doing the same for me. I nod, flashing him a smile.

Olivia's gaze wanders from one decoration to another, as she soaks in the vibrant colors and intricate designs. The walls are a dark forest green with gold accents, but the real show-stopper is their ceilings. A colorful collage of what appears to be paper lanterns creates a vibrant rainbow.

“Have you not been here before, Olivia?” Kipp asks.

“No, I didn’t even know this place existed. I always go to KHANA KHAZANA. They have my absolute favorite chicken curry. I can’t wait to see if this place is better.” She reaches for a menu, unfolding it carefully as she peruses the choices inside.

A smile lights up the face of a young man as he comes up to the table. “Good evening. My name is Kabir and I'll be taking care of you tonight. Please let me know if you have any questions or need recommendations. Can I get you started with some drinks?”

Kipp and I both turn our attention to Olivia, giving her the chance to go first.

“Ummm, I’ll try the Mango Lassi With Kaffir Lime, please.”

“Miss, would you mind showing me your ID, please?” Olivia blushes as Kabir speaks, reaching into her purse to retrieve her ID and offering it to him.

As he takes it from her, he quickly glances at her birthday, then promptly hands it back. “Thank you.” Kabir writes her order down and then looks at me. “I’ll take a Jaljeera Mojito and my partner will have a Watermelon Mojito.”

“Okay. I’ll be right back with those and then you can order entrees.” He turns to leave and I look at Kipp.

“Guess we should get used to our girl being carded, huh?” I try to lighten the situation with a joke, hoping to ease Olivia's embarrassment.

“Sorry,” she whispers.

“Baby, it’s nothing to be embarrassed about. So you got carded, no big deal,” I assure her, rubbing her back with my right hand.

"I guess," she replies with a hint of uncertainty. “Being with you guys makes everything feel different, and that kinda makes me feel out of place. Like a child among adults.”

“You are far from a child,” Kipp growls. “We don’t want to be here with anyone else. It’s not about your age, Olivia. We have a connection. That’s all this is about, nothing else. Do you understand me?”

"Yes," she says, looking up at him with a mischievous smirk.

“Good girl.”

Kabir returns with our drinks and we order our entrees before he’s gone again, headed to the kitchen.

“So Ollie. We know you’re a photographer but what do you photograph?” Taking a sip of my mojito, I relish the burst of flavors on my tongue, the refreshing mint, and the hint of cumin.

With each sip, Olivia's eyes roll into the back of her head, a clear sign of her enjoyment. “Shit, this is delicious. You’d never know there was yogurt in it. All you can taste is the mango and lime.” She laughs. “Sorry. I shoot all kinds of events, but my specialty is weddings and boudoirs.”

“That’s amazing,” Kipp tells her.

“Thank you. It’s been my passion ever since I can remember, so I’m glad I could make it my career. It’s where I was when my ex cheated. I was at a wedding out of state, working.”

“So if you get hired to do an out-of-state wedding like that, do the bride and groom pay your travel expenses?” I ask, curious about how that works.

“Yeah. I include it in my proposal when we meet to go over what they want, along with the charges for flight, hotel, and three meals a day for myself. Anything else I cover and if I need a second shooter, they’ll pay for that, but then I just pay my second by the hour.”

---