Chapter 104: Debbie III—The Dinner
Debbie was in a fairly pleasant mood as she and Joe sat down at the table, with Alex and Jonathan. How nice of Alex to take in Jonathan for a night! Most young guys would find a kid a drag to have around but Alex was always a nice boy.
"Oooh can I try a sip of that?" Jonathan asked, eyeing Joe’s wine.
Debbie almost laughed; the boy was always a handful. He looked like he had been pouting a lot during the day too. He had been that morning when she had seen him with Michele.
Joe glanced at Jonathan. "Your father doesn’t let you does he?"
"Nope," Jonathan said and then he grinned. "But you’re cool!"
"Nope," Joe answered, "I’m not."
Jonathan shrugged and sucked his soft drink through a straw. His silly eyelid was fluttering again.
"So Jonathan," Debbie said, making eye contact with him, "How fun to be spending some time with Alex, hmm?"
Jonathan rolled his eyes and pulled out the cherry from his pop. "Alex is great," he said. "But it’s not like I wanted to be kicked out of the house."
"Kicked out?" Debbie said. "What?"
Jonathan shrugged. "Because of..." The boy jumped suddenly in his seat and then glared at Alex. "Ow!"
"I’m sorry," Debbie said. "I shouldn’t have..."
"Debbie! So lovely to see you here!"
Debbie and the whole table looked up to see the Trepaniers smiling and radiant. Debbie smiled back and waved at them, motioning them to their table. Debbie’s spirits lifted even more, the Trepaniers were one of those couples that were entirely charismatic and adorable to watch. Debbie had commented to Michele just that morning how charming she found it that the Trepaniers seemed to be constantly within the first blush of love. Michele had merely brushed it off with a roll of her eyes and a comment to the effect of them being little snakes. Of course that could have just been her late troubles with Jonathan speaking.
"Hello!" she said.
"Hello," Mrs. Trepanier smiled back, her eyes sparkling. "Pascal was just saying how Monsieur Sakic recommended this restaurant. And here you are!"
"Why don’t you join us?" Joe said, "They really gave us too big of a table."
"Merci," Pascal said with a perennial grin, "My love?"
Debbie looked back at Mrs. Trepanier who winked. "Why not? Such a lovely offer."
Debbie pulled out the chair next to her for her to sit in while Joe leaned back and motioned for their waiter. Pascal and Alex began to speak in French and Mrs. Trepanier lit up as she skittered to Jonathan. "Oooh little one!" she said, "And what are you doing here?"
Jonathan yawned and shrugged. "Tagging along, being useless." Debbie held back a sigh. The boy was still acting sulky. Was it just a normal thing for a growing child? Perhaps it was a transition stage of some sort.
"Useless?" she exclaimed. "Psssh, a sweet one like you? Smile and don’t look so sulky. Eh? What are you doing with such messy hair?" She then ran her hand over Jonathan’s tousled, ashy hair before the boy laughed and swatted her away. Debbie raised her eyebrows in a smile as she sat down next to her. "You’ve got to tease the sulky ones eh?" she said. "It gives them attention and makes everyone smile. Good advice for you when your little one gets bigger."
"Thanks," Debbie said. "I’ll remember that."
"I’m still sulking!" Jonathan said with a twinkle in his eye.
The table laughed and Mrs. Trepanier held up her hand. "See! Like a charm no?"
"So are we the breadth of the party?" Pascal asked Joe.
"Naw," Joe said. "Peter and Josefina were our original guests but now they’re later than all of you."
"I can imagine why," Pascal said cheerfully. "He is nothing but late these days."
"OK everyone seems obsessed with that!" Jonathan snipped. "Jeez get a life people!"
Debbie shook her head, again wanting to laugh in surprise.
Pascal sniffed and said something to Jonathan in French, Debbie was too rusty in her French to understand the exchange between the two until Alex snapped at both of them in French. All the while Mrs. Trepanier was laughing.
"Alex is right," Joe said in English, "You shouldn’t be talking about that with the boy."
"My apologies," Pascal said. "It seems as if he knows a little too much to begin with."
"Well let’s not encourage it, hmm?" Joe said calmly.
Jonathan sighed and bit into the cherry. "I can’t wait until my ears aren’t considered a liability!"
"What a good vocabulary!" Debbie said, trying to change the subject. "You’re such a smart boy, Jonathan."
Jonathan smiled back at her with his teeth. "I practice!" he said. "Just for you!"
Debbie could feel herself blushing as Joe looked at her and smiled. "Hey," he barked in mock anger. "Are you flirting or just being sarcastic? Either way knock it off kiddo!"
"Anything ya say cap," Jonathan said.
He then looked at Debbie with his large, blue eyes and he whispered purposefully loudly. "I don’t think we should speak anymore! Your husband is becoming suspic... OW!"
Jonathan glared at Alex again and Debbie couldn’t stop laughing with everyone else. "You’re gonna render me useless for my next game," Jonathan muttered, "And then Dad will really get you!"
"Behave then!" Alex said.
"Oh don’t bother," Debbie said. "Jonathan’s being delightful!"
"I certainly think so," Mrs. Trepanier said.
"Woo!" Jonathan exclaimed. "Still a hit with the ladies folks!"
There was some more laughter and Debbie made a point of making some more eye contact with the boy, just to show him that he needn’t feel so down, whatever was bugging him.
It was another few minutes before Peter and Josefina arrived, both of them were gorgeous, beaming, holding hands and disheveled. Debbie could see that every eye in the restaurant had gone to them and there was a palpable hush. It was impossible not look at them and actually feel something akin to pain the chest. She really was hoping that Peter would stay with this one, not just keep her for a few months.
There was a round of hellos as they came to the table and the staff seated them.
"You finally made it," Joe said.
"Yeah," Peter said, "I had some trouble with... Well we..."
"It doesn’t matter," Joe said, "You’re here now."
"Hehe," Jonathan grinned. "It mattered a whole lot to them a minute a...OW!"
Even Debbie gave the kid a quick glare.
"Oh are your parents here?" Jo said to Jonathan and Debbie saw the boy instantly flush crimson. Finally speechless, Jonathan just shook his head and finished off his cherry, staring into his drink, which was all ice cubes by now.
"Josefina!" Mrs. Trepanier exclaimed. "Come sit with Debbie and me, come on, Pascal move!"
Jo looked briefly at Peter before she stood up and almost reluctantly moved into the newly vacant seat next to Mrs. Trepanier. Her thick, glossy hair was pulled back in a knot but as she sat down Debbie could see that it was messed up, and well... tugged at. The Passion of Life. The phrase went through Debbie’s head, and it toyed in her mind, everyone seemed to be caught within it. Other people were just so interesting!
"So where are your little ones?" Mrs.Trepanier asked Debbie.
"At home," Debbie said, "with Cecile."
"Oooh," Mrs. Trepanier said with a little sigh, lowering her voice and leaning close to Debbie. Everyone at the table seemed to be talking to each other. "I couldn’t have children just yet or I would have to give up my delicious life, like the other night I..."
"You what?" Debbie said keeping her voice low as well. She picked up her drink and began to sip from it.
"Oh well," she whispered. "I don’t know how they manage it, but Pascal and I, well we swapped with Patrick and Michele..."
Debbie couldn’t help it, her eyes widened and she spit out her drink. "Jesus Christ!" she yelled.
Of course the entire table quieted and Debbie blushed feeling a vague sense of deja vu.... but she couldn’t pinpoint why.
"Debbie, honey are you OK?" Joe said.
Debbie stood up feeling her legs trembling. "I need to go to the bathroom," she grabbed Mrs. Trepanier by the arm. "Come with me."
"I’ll come with you!" Jo exclaimed as she pushed back from the table and followed them into the bathroom.
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