Page 8 of Midnight in the Garden of Okay and Meh
“And since you aren’t a child, I have agreed that you can have unsupervised time with Brom,” Karma said with what I imagined was much restraint. I reminded myself that she had been a foster mother for only a year, and sent her a sympathetic look. “Which you have. I’m sorry that the ladies’ room is in the same general area as you inhabit, but there’s not much we can do about that.”
“But they were just in the bathroom,” Pixie said, alternately looking indignant and somewhat guilty as she nodded toward Ysolde and me. “You can’t possibly have to go again so soon! And why are you all here at the same time?”
“Women always travel to the bathroom in packs,” Ysolde murmured.
“It’s safer that way,” May said, nodding.
“And we usually have things to say to each other that we prefer not to say in front of the men,” Allie added.
I pointed at her. “She speaks the way of women.”
“OK, but you were just here an hour ago! Do you all have UTIs or something?” Pixie asked.
“Adults,” Karma said in the same mild tone that I kept for my kids when they were their most dragon-like, emotionally, “do not comment on the urinary habits of others, especially those significantly older. Although concern for others is commendable, in general, it’s best to wait until you know it’s appropriate to offer it.”
Pixie sputtered for a few seconds before saying, with a few broad hand waves, “Fine! I’m sorry! But it’s suspicious when everyone keeps parading past us.”
May turned away to fuss with her perfect flapper bob.
Allie coughed a cough that started as a giggle.
Ysolde did the unthinkable. She smiled at Pixie. “All is forgiven, but really, I think you’d better get back out there if you want any of the dinner you ordered. Brom has two hollow legs, and is likely to take your absence as tacit approval of him consuming everything within reach, and possibly one or two dishes that aren’t.”
To my surprise, Pixie’s expression changed from antagonism to humor. She even cracked a small smile when she admitted, “He’s been trying so hard to let me have the tofu wings because I said I loved them, but he keeps looking at them as if they are made of gold.”
All the dragon mates straightened up at the mention of gold, May giving a little shiver at the word.
“I can reassure you he won’t fall over in the throes of starvation if he doesn’t eat tofu wings.” Ysolde waited until Pixie, with one last pointed look at Karma, left the bathroom before she hopped off the counter and added, “To be honest, I’m surprised Brom even knows what tofu is, since dragons are notoriously carnivorous. Ah well, that’s what love—or the teen version of it—does to you. Is everyone finished? I, for one, want to hear more about Jim’s father. Do you think he’s really still alive? And what on earth is the Lake of Upside-Down Sinners?”
“Beats me,” Karma said with a wan smile. “Polters don’t mix much with demigods, although I, too, will be very interested to hear about your demon’s parents.”
When we made it back to the table, I was pleased to see that Drake had returned from taking Jim for its walkies, although the air was now filled with a sort of static intensity. I looked from Drake to Gabriel, Baltic, Adam, then Christian.
“Much though I’d like to say the four of you can have a free-for-all, I doubt if Bastian would appreciate it,” Ysolde said, obviously picking up on the same tension.
Baltic instantly looked happy at the thought of one of the bare-knuckle bouts the men occasionally indulged in, the last one having taken place a year ago at the airport where we’d met the vampires and polters. “Teams of two, or one-on-one? We have an odd number. Brom could—”
“Brom is currently wooing the eccentric, but delightful, Pixie,” Ysolde told him, sitting down.
“Besides,” I said, leaning in to give Drake’s leg another fondle. He shot me a look so smoldering, the tips of my fingers lit on fire again. I blew them out one by one while maintaining eye contact. “Bastian would be sure to object.”
“Object? To what?” The voice that spoke had an Italian accent I secretly found sexy, although admittedly, it didn’t come close to the Hungarian accent that Drake sported. Bastian appeared from the other side of the restaurant, causing the wyverns to all stand in greeting. “No, please sit and enjoy your meal. I’m not staying. Phyllida and her scribe are waiting for me so that we can fly back to Oregon tonight. I thought I’d check in quickly before we return home. Is everything good? From what I could glimpse from the corner of my eyes, the date appeared to be going well. The young lady was speaking most animatedly, while Brom looked suitably starry-eyed. But what is it that I would object to?”
“Fisticuffs,” Baltic said with satisfaction, removing his cuff links and suit jacket. “With you here, we can do three teams.”
“There is no way Bastian wants anyone fighting in his nice restaurant—” I started to say, but to my horror, Bastian immediately whipped out his phone, tapping madly on it.
“How long will it take? Shall we say half an hour? I will tell Phyllida that I have been delayed a short while,” he said while simultaneously trying to roll up the sleeves of his shirt.
“Oh, for Pete’s sake. Drake! We are here to help our friends, not beat the tar out of them!” I protested when the love of my life briskly shucked his suit coat, tie, cuff links, and, after a moment’s narrowed eyes at Baltic, the signet ring I’d given him for our last anniversary.
“You can’t possibly think of fighting here,” May told Gabriel, who, like the other wyverns, was divesting himself of constraining clothing and any jewelry that might be damaged. Adam and Christian exchanged glances, then both stood and did the same. “This is a restaurant!”
“We’ll go out to the garden,” Bastian said. “It’s too cold to seat people out there at this time of the year, so we’ll have it to ourselves. Drake, shall we?”
“I am not pairing up with Baltic again,” Gabriel said abruptly, and nodded toward Christian. “If you would care to be a team?”
“Certainly,” Christian agreed, which made Allie roll her eyes.
