A uniformed valet opened the door for the little girl.
Annie stepped out of the car, accepting an offered hand for support. She smiled her thanks to the valet and waved Big Sis goodbye. Then she turned to look at the ground floor restaurant that was situated in the heart of the city.
Annie stepped out of the car, accepting an offered hand for support. She smiled her thanks to the valet and waved Big Sis goodbye. Then she turned to look at the ground floor restaurant that was situated in the heart of the city.
She had told her parents that she was going out for dinner with friends. It was not a total lie. It was just that 'out' happened to be at the same place her parents would be. And 'dinner' happened to be her parents' anniversary dinner that she paid for. And 'friends' happened to be the staff of Jean Sheppard's, a few of which she had met the previous week.
Yes, she was there to silently watch over her parent's dinner. True, she could have left it all in the capable hands of the restaurant staff. However, she had the uncertainty that came with allowing her parents to order whatever they wanted for dinner.
They could order over the budget she had set. That was a small concern, though, since she had set aside a large sum. Based on her research, the only ways the budget could be blown were if her parents either ordered enough food to feed a football team, something her Father would not do, or if they asked for a really expensive wine, also something her Father would be against.
Her real worry was if they restricted their order to something modest, something her frugal Father would most certainly do. And something Mother would not.
Her other reason for being here was, well, for the chance to dress up in her red dress. Such a magnificent piece of art deserved to be worn. The girl in her demanded that she show herself to be elegant and refined, to be admired by others.
"Annie?"
Annie turned to see a tall redhead in a purple evening dress. "Connie," she greeted in surprise.
"Hey, it is you!" Connie gave her classmate's outfit a quick appraisal. "That's a beautiful dress!"
"Thanks," Annie accepted the compliment, "Why are you here?"
"Oh, dinner with my family." With a jerk of her head, she indicated a dignified couple in formal wear and a younger boy watching them. "Mother, father, little brat. What about you?"
"Dinner engagement." Annie gestured at the sign of the restaurant in front of her. "Is your dinner at Jean Sheppard's?"
"Oh, no. The corner restaurant," Connie replied. She stepped closer to whisper, "Tell me. Is it a romantic dinner with a secret boyfriend?"
Annie touched a gloved finger to her lips. "Secret," she teased as she withdrew into the safety of Jean Sheppard's. She had got to be in position before her parents arrived.
"Welcome, Ms Billings," the head waiter greeted her at the entrance, "You look lovely."
"Thank you, Paul," Annie replied politely. She knew the man's surname but since his name tag had only his first name, she thought it best to call him by that.
"Everything has been prepared," Paul reported as he invited Annie into the main dining hall with a sweeping gesture.
There were not many customers at that time. The few that were present were dressed as formally as she was. The lights above were dim and each table was lit by a candle, which was nestled within the safety of a glass. The chairs around each table were plain with cushions matching the tablecloth.
On a small stage to one side of the hall was a piano, though it was silent at the moment. Next to the front door was a little man-made waterfall, built with rocks and decorated with plants.
Paul led Annie towards the back, to a room next to the kitchen. Unlike the main dining hall, this barely-lit room was plain. There was a single table, covered with thick tablecloth, and a dining chair. Both the tablecloth and the chair were similar as those that were outside. There was also a rack of menus next to one of the walls. A window beside the table gave a good view of the dining hall, with a partially-closed curtain on the outside to help conceal its presence.
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