treating RICH to dinner

[annabelle nicole de fiamma]

Even though Anna knew how much Rich loved to cool, she wanted to treat him to dinner he did not have to slave over. She wrote him a note and posted it on the fridge. Her curly script told him to meet Anna at this small Italian resturant that actually came close to real Italian food. Lots of meat and pasta with just enough sauce to add flavor and not take over. That was food in her mind, balanced flavor, she grinned just thinking about it. The resturant was happened upon when she was shopping one day. She wanted a snack and well Little Italy sounded promising. It was a bit of a wonder to as how Anna was able to keep her figure, but where she came from it was no secret.

The resturant was casual, she mentioned it in her note, she was not about to make one of the closest people she had uncomfortable, and went digging in her closet. Normally the girl dressed like she was headed out to a party. Nice dress, shoes, and perfect hair and make up. This time she tried a lazy, relaxed look. Anna grabbed some jeans. They had a couple of rips in them and she matched with a red off the shoulder top. She finished it all off with a white trench coat and manage to leave her hair in messy waves. She settle for the light make up she assembled in the morning and before she knew it she was ready to go.

The brunette grabbed the keys to her 2004 Jeep Wrangler and left her house. She was not sure if Richard would stop by the house, but incase he did, he would be informed. Anna took her time driving to the little place. They did not require reservations and it was basically a walk in place. Just pick a table and you were set. Once Anna arrived there, she picked a table with a booth and ordered a cup of coffee. It was rude to order without the person you intended to dine with and just having a cup of coffee did not leave her looking lost. The waiter came back with her beverage and she lightly blew on it until she took a sip.

[richard garrett matthews]

Walking casually to the cozy looking Italian restaurant that Anna had invited him to, Rich couldn’t help but think that he probably couldn’t afford eating at this place. He had pride, even though he had little else, and he always hated it when someone paid for him. Receiving money really didn’t appeal to him. Gifts, food, and even a room when times were very hard; these gifts were okay. But cold hard cash? No thanks, keep it. Still, he tried to be happy. After all, he’d get to spend some time with Anna, a kind woman, a little sister almost, and well, a small part of him thought that eating out was a welcome break from having to cook all the time.

Thankfully, the setting was casual, because he had no clothes that could be considered formal. He only had jeans and shirts, and that’s what he wore now; nothing too stylish, or fancy. He had more important things to worry about than looking fashionable. He went in the restaurant, keeping his head down rather shyly. He was new to this part of town. Well, not exactly. He just had never eaten here before. He looked around, and spotted Anna quickly, even though the restaurant was rather busy. It was easy to see her, after all, despite looking perfectly casual, she still managed to get the spotlight. Ah, the naturally beautiful people.

Rich walked to her and called her name. “Hello Anna.” He smiled warmly, not taking a seat yet. He was more used to being a server rather than diner, actually, and he still had waiter-like tendencies. “You look great.” He said, not being particularly flirtatious, just handing out the casual compliment. “Thanks for inviting me.” He said, even though he had his reservations about his meals being paid for, and it showed on his face. He always wanted to be able to pay people back in some way, even if he was dirt poor. Ugh, lighten up will you? He reprimanded himself, allowing a small smile to appear on his face.

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[annabelle nicole de fiamma]

After she tasted her coffee she smiled and slipped off her coat quite satisfied with what they gave her. She lightly floated her coat and put it behind her before she took a spoon and made small circles in her coffee. It was not long until Richard showed up. He still looked a bit uncomfortable and she could guess why, it was kind of amusing, but she felt a bit bad for putting him through this, next time they could pick Subway or something she has yet to try. "Richard! 'Ello" she grinned when he showed up. She stood up like she would at any dinner, but here she gave him a hug. "Tank you." she loved compliments and she loved giving them, "And you as well, like always." she smiled before sitting down and offering him a seat beside her.

The brunette looked at his face and shook her head, "Tis is a tank you for all te delicious food you cooked me, and tough I cannot cook, I know good food. So relax and enjoy tonight." Anna pushed the coffee off to the side, still steaming, and opened the menu. She looked throuhh all the different foods trying to figure out what she would like to try. She rested her head on her hand as she looked through the lists. "'Ow was your day? Anyting interesting 'appen?" she said taking her brown eyes on the menu to look at him. She then looked back at the meals and finally decided on what she wanted. Anna closed the plastic paper and set it down in front of her. Her full attention then went on the man in front of her.

Anna could not quite pin when she met Richard, but these two hit it off pretty well? They had traveling in common, but their means or travel were completely different. Actually both were completely different but what really got them closer was food. She liked eating like no other, and he loved to cook. After hitting it off and getting to know each other, Anna offered him one of the extra rooms in her house, anyone he wanted, she just left him a key and hope he liked the accomidations. Since then Richard would cook for her out of nowhere, and well felt like she needed to repay him, she did not mind at all though.

[richard garrett matthews]

Oh. Friendly, a hug. Just like the times when he’d cook for her. Still, Rich just smiled when she returned his complement, though he wondered if she was doing it only to be polite. No, of course not, Anna’s not fake and pretentious. In his opinion, he looked fine, clean and neat, though he was very far from her refined look. He did sit down next to her, finally, when she offered the seat. Huh. He was sure he looked like some server boy who was getting treated because it was a special occasion, like a birthday or something. Oh, stop thinking like that, will you? “I’m nowhere near you though.” Was all he said, referring to their clothes and overall look.

Anna seemed to realize that he was feeling uncomfortable; out of his depth, and she did her best to try and relax him. Rich smiled at the attempt; it did help. “Well, that’s all I can do to thank you for letting me stay when I need it.” He said, knowing that he cooked well and it was almost the only thing that he could do. That, and house chores. He’d make a great man-wife someday, he thought with a chuckle. He watched her open the menu, and he got one as well, immediately looking at both the food, and more importantly, the prices. Ah, they weren’t so bad, but he still needed to save up a bit if he ever wanted to eat here. “Well, I’ve been working at Mel’s…” He said, replying to her question. “Nothing interesting really happened. What about you Anna?” He asked, keeping up the conversation as he kept reading the menu. He supposed that she should older for them, and if she insisted that he pick his own meal, he’ll pick the cheapest one.

Rich is, of course, extremely grateful that Anna had decided to let him stay at her house if he ever needed it. She had even trusted him with a key to her home, which was luxurious, on the North side of Key West, where the rich lived. It was a far cry from his dumpy apartment on the East side. So to make up for it all, he just cooked, and so far, Anna had never complained about his cooking, which he was rather confident in. And that brought him back to the current time, where they, namely Anna, would be choosing what to eat. “So, what’ll you be having?” He asked, implying that she’ll have to order for the both of them.

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[annabelle nicole de fiamma]

Sadly Anna's mother never taught the girl to speak her mind, she actually wanted the brunette to do the exact opposite and become a perfect little house wife. Yet it never became apparent to Anna and her mother had to let the dream die until Anna began ballet, then some hope filled in. So since she could talk she spoke her mind and hardly ever lied, which was hard not to do, she was such a sweetheart. "And I am 'appy for tat. You look so comfortable, I pretty much envy you." She grinned, it was the truth. Everything she wore was picked out and matched. Then ironed and worn, she was that of a perfectionist, and sometimes it annoyed her, it was sometimes added stess.

She rolled her eyes. "You are welcomed anytime. You have 'elped me more tan you know it." she nodded. The girl was a bit lost at the start until she met a few friends and found her cousin. But Richard ended up being the most help. She then rewarded him with what she had to offered at the time. But it was honestly no trouble. Mel? Anna was not sure if she knew her, or him. "Inform of tis Mel, I don't tink I know Mel." she rather hear him talked than hear herself mess up his language. But she had to answer his question. "Found out my parents won't be 'ome for te 'olisays, so I am attending 'insley's bash. But as for excitment, none in my life." she shrugged circling the spoon in her coffee once more. It was quite warm now and she decided to drink some more.

She looked at him before her smile soften, "I am quite fond of the four cheese raviolis wit the white shrimp sauce, would you enjoy that? Or is tere someting else tat would tickle your fancy?" she asked wondring if he chose anything for himself or just was going to have what she was having. It did not bother her at all, she was treating him, she wanted him to have fun and relax. "Oh would you like coffee or white wine? I was planning on ordering some wine to go with the meal." she added. Anna was not sure if he drank or even liked wine. The brunette slowly sank into the booth seat and looked at her good friend. "Do you have any stories for me today?" she just loved his stories until he would edit them, then she would have to call him on it and then complain about not being a child and she could handle it like any other adult.

[richard garrett matthews]

This was what he liked about Anna; she always managed to find ways to ease him into things he wasn’t used to. Like right now for example, Anna managed to give him a reason to smile about his clothes. She wasn’t lying or being fake either. “Thank you.” He said simply, the thanks not only for the compliment but for everything else as well. “Don’t worry, I may be comfortable, but I’m in no way stylish.” He continued, though he didn’t particularly mind anymore that he looked and felt relatively out of his depth. Anna was here to help him get over it anyway.

Yeah, they’ve had this discussion before, but Rich could never hold in his discomfort at always getting free things. But he decided not to think about it anymore, at least for now. He simply decided to believe that indeed, he had helped Anna greatly. “Same to you.” He said, but he secretly hoped that he was able to offer her something more than his cooking skills. “Oh, ‘Mel’s’ is not a person.” He began, chuckling slightly as she seemed to misunderstand. Indeed, Mel’s was a restaurant, it was called Mel’s Diner. Cheap but tasty eats, if he could say so himself. “It’s a diner. I cook there.” He cleared up. “Though I’m not surprised you don’t know it. It’s not…” He faltered, trying to find the right words. “It’s not like this.” He said simply, meaning that it was a lot more… grimy? than this, and this restaurant was pretty casual already.


“I’m going there too.” Rich said, nodding once he discovered that Anna would be going too. He wasn’t surprised, it was a party open to everyone. He didn’t usually come to those, but Tinsley was a friend. “Tins and I, we’re friends.” He had been in her impressive house before, and it was so different from what he was used to. “Maybe you’ll find some there?” He suggested, thinking that the glamorous home would be the perfect place to find some excitement. Then she offered a potential dish, a four cheese ravioli. Sounded fancy, but Rich just nodded. “No, that’s good, I’ll have that as well.” Oh good, he hadn’t been forced to order for himself. “I’ll have wine, if you don’t mind.” He said, smiling, he can’t resist a nice wine while eating.

“Stories eh?” It was one of their pastimes. Rich would recall tales, some a tad… mature, but all were exciting. He racked his memory for a bit, before deciding on a good one. “Have I ever told you the time when I worked as a live-in ‘maid’ for a very rich family in Kansas?” The tale didn’t sound terribly exciting, but it will be, in due time. After all, Rich had been the target of some… inappropriate desires (which he’ll filter out later and make up some less… offensive events during that time). In fact, that was the reason he got the job. Though he didn’t find that out `til much later. Needless to say, the outcome was the same as all his other stories; he ran away to the next town. A nostalgic smile came to his lips, the expression familiar as it always popped up when he shared his stories.

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[annabelle nicole de fiamma]

"Style is something you own 'oney. It does not matter if its expensive or cheap, if you own it, its style." she nodded, she liked her philosophy. Actually the shirt she was currently wearing was on sale for five buck. She may wear high fashion items but she wasn't an idiot. America had so many inexpensive things, it just allowed her more to buy and she loved it. "It does not matter what you say, because I love your way of dressing and I know dressing." she said basically daring him to say something else against it. Anna always had a way of putting people on a throne, she was just friendly and optimistic, she believed in what goes around comes around and well she rather not be treated unfair and met with groups of fakes.

Her face showed confusion when he said Mel was not a person. She took a sip of her coffee and looked at him. He seemed quite amused and she smiled. "A diner is a resturant, no?" she was still getting use to english, but never backed down from learning more. She looked around and guessed that not many places were like this. "Oh wonderful, I will visit one day, I just love your cooking, so tis place must be amazing." she now wanted to find this place and see the change of scenery which must be complete different from here.

"Oh? What a small world. 'insley is one my closest friends." Anna loved Tinsley, they were pretty close, usually Anna was found in a picture or two with Tinsley, but they hung out a lot more than that. "But i do hope to find more excitement tere." Anna was never bored but then again she was not in awe. The brunette's hand shot into the air when they figured our their choices. A server walked on over and Anna smiled, she asked for the ravioli and for some white wine not to old but nowhere near close to just being bottle.

The girl moved her hair out of her way and let the server take her half finisned coffee away. Anna nodded at Richard. Anna had been some places but they weren't anything he experienced. "Kansas? Tat is here, no?" she asked still unaware of everything in the United States. "Not important, tell me te story." The server came back with the wine and poured them each a glass. Anna waited a bit before taking the wine. But she held back from drinking it, she was to interested in what he was about to tell her.

[richard garrett matthews]

“Alright, if you say so.” Rich said, finally letting up about what he was wearing. So he let himself be convinced that he did look stylish. After all, between the two of them, Anna was the fashionista. “Very well, it seems.” He added, totally agreeing about her knowing style. Of course she did. She only had to strike a pose in her current clothes to prove it. “Yes, it is. But it’s less…” He gestured to everything around them; the lighting, the waiters, the décor. “Less like this.” He said lamely, unable to find the right words. Huh. Guess he needed to work on his English too.

He was rather alarmed when she suggested that she’ll go to it someday and grab a bite. But then he eased himself; it would be a good experience for her. And he also enjoyed cooking for the people he liked. “Alright. It’s not amazing, but I’m sure you’ll like it anyway.” He said, smiling encouragingly. Indeed, it would let her see where he worked and where he was most comfortable in. Small, friendly diners that were noisy and casual.

“Oh yes. I know you two are friends.” He said, recalling a few photos he had seen that had both Anna and Tinsley in them. “I’ve seen you with her on a few pictures.” Rich said, though he didn’t know that they were very close. Then he remained silent as Anna chatted with the server and requested their meal and some white wine to go alone with it. “I admit, I’m getting rather excited about the party too.” He said after the server had left to deliver their orders to the chef. “Maybe we’ll both find some fun there.” He said, being optimistic this time.

Nodding at Anna’s guess that Kansas was in the United States, Rich said, “Yeah, but it’s in the Midwest. So it’s pretty far from here.” Sometimes, it surprised him when he realized how much he had travelled over the years. “But yes, the story.” Taking a small sip of the wine that had just arrived, Rich began to talk. “Well, as you know, I move around a lot.” He began, setting the glass back down. “So one time, I applied for a job as a cook at this big, new mansion. The owners, a rich couple, were only hiring five or six people. And I was up against trained chefs; I was the only one who had no experience serving in hotels or restaurants.” He said, fondly remembering the nervous times he had spent cooking samples, being interviewed and such. “But, surprise, surprise, I was hired.” He continued. “Though it wasn’t for my cooking skills. No, it seemed that the rich lady had taken a liking to me. I had no idea at first, but…” He paused, seeing that this part of the story was one to be filtered out. And even then, it wasn’t nice to discuss it over food. “Well. Later.” He said, winking instead as their server approached.

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[annabelle nicole de fiamma]

She grinned, "Well it sounds charming, this," she looked around, "can some times get a little boring." she shrugged. It was true, she was use to travelling, the same theme over and over never worked too well for the little tourist, even if she had decided to come and live here for the time being. She loved experiencing new things and Mel's seemed to be one of those little things for Anna. The brunette ran a hand through her hair and thought about the diner. When would be a good time to go and all of that stuff, she loved planning these things.

Annabelle just nodded and agreed that she would enjoy the place. She did love knew things. She nodded, "Yes we are in a few pictures, but we are much closer tan tat." she nodded, "She is a doll, and helped me settle in along with my cousin and a few others." she paused "including you." she smiled, "But I too am excited, I tink some fun is needed for tis season." she thought about what kind of fun she could have in a house full of strangers. Maybe she might even drink more than a cup of wine. She was not sure how to have fun in America, but what better way then go to an American party.

She thought about where Kansas would be, but she was drawing a blank, so she stopped thinking about it and just continued to listen to Richard. She nodded to the knowledge that he had the same habit as her, of moving around and finally took a sip of her own wine. Anna listened before she grinned, "Ah, boss lady was not as professional as you were, I got it." she took another sip of her wine as the server came by.

The food was placed out in front of them and the girl smiled. "so did you have a biblical experience? like Joseph and Potifer?" she asked remembering the story of where Joseph was hired and well the wife was not as loyal to her husband. Basically it ended with him running out then thrown in jail. She picked up her fork and knife after placing her cup back on the table. She cut a peice of the pasta and shrimp and ate it. She smiled before placing her knife down to take a sip of the white wine.

[richard garrett matthews]

Well, Mel’s Diner was pretty charming, at least to Rich. There was something about the old walls, the wooden chairs, the hearty food, and the spectacular deck that just appealed to him. So… comforting and welcoming. Like home. Like something he yearned for. “It is nice, in its own way.” He said, a faint smile coming on as he remembered the great view of the ocean one can spot. “The back area, we call it the “deck” is beautiful.” He said, though it would be hard to do justice to the sunshine, the water, and the friendliness of it all with words. It had to be felt, and said. “Really, you should dine there sometime.” He was sure now that it would be a very good idea.

Hmm… Rich didn’t know that. Sure, the people living in the wealthier communities tended to be tightly knit, who would’ve thought that his two friends were close too. “I see…” He said, nodding. “Oh, that does sound like her.” It wasn’t hard to imagine Tins helping a new person in town settle. After all, she had sort of done the same to him. And there was something else she said that piqued his interest. “Cousin? You have a cousin here?” He raised his eyebrow; the idea that a foreign Italian girl would have family in Key West, Florida was an unlikely one to him.

“Exactly. It was… awkward.” Rich said, thankful that she had managed to find another phrase for one like ”She practically dragged me over to her bed.”. “Biblical? Nothing that… epic.” He wasn’t familiar at all with the stories from that book. In fact, he didn’t enjoy reading anything really, other than menus and the odd recipe here and there. “What happened to Joseph and Pettyfer?” He asked, not quite getting the second name right. “Oh, but you already know the ending here.” He said, winking, as most of his stories ended with the same line: ”I ran away to the next town. It was a bit sad really, a grown man running away from every serious problem.

Then the food arrived and Rich fell silent. As usual, he looked at the food first. The presentation of the pasta was classy and it did look delicious. The smell of it also implied that it would be great once it falls into your mouth. So that’s what he tried to do. Carefully, he cut of a piece and ate, chewing slowly. It was good, as expected. “Nice.” He said simply, knowing all too well how difficult it was to describe food with words. That’s why those celebrity chefs had to act all hyper and enthusiastic when describing a dish; it was the only way to inform the watchers about it, though it wasn’t a very effective one. Food was simply another thing that had to be experienced to be understood. Then he took a sip of wine at almost the exact same moment as Anna, making him smile in his glass.

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