Page 59 of Dark Gambit: The Play
"Shall we?" Kian put Allegra down on her play mat.
"Da-da?" She looked at him with questioning eyes.
"Dada and Mommy are going to Aunt Callie's new restaurant, and you are going to have fun with Aunt Vivian and Evie until we come back."
Allegra cast Evie a resigned glance and then looked at Vivian and smiled. "Da-da," she said, making it sound likeokay, you can stay.
"It's amazing how well she can express herself just by changing her tone." Kian straightened his tie. "Thank you, Vivian. Call us if they give you any trouble."
"They won't." Vivian sat on the floor next to Allegra. "They are both wonderful little girls."
"It's a little chilly outside." Okidu handed Syssi a shawl as she stepped out the door.
"Thank you." She draped it around her shoulders.
The restaurant was only a few minutes’ walk away, and the warmth coming off Kian's body as he wrapped his arm around her was enough to keep the chill away, but the shawl complemented her dress and made her feel more dressed up.
"How many people did Callie invite to her opening night?" Dalhu asked.
"Thirty-six," Syssi said. "She can't handle more than that until she can get more people to work for her. For the opening night, she invited the council members and their mates, Toven and Mia, and Jackie and Kalugal."
"Are they coming?" Dalhu asked. "I was told that they were isolating themselves to protect the baby."
"Bridget talked some sense into Kalugal," Kian said. "She told him that they were doing the baby a huge disservice by isolating him from human germs. Darius will remain human until puberty, and they can't keep him in a bubble until he transitions. They need to expose him to germs so he can build up his immune system. Once his human body is infected by a specific virus, it will learn how to make antibodies to fight it. The next time he's exposed to the same virus, his body will fight it off without getting infected."
"I hope he listened," Syssi said. "I spoke with Jacki yesterday, and she wasn't sure whether they were coming."
"Who is babysitting for them?" Amanda asked.
"Shamash." Kian chuckled. "I have no idea what the guy knows about babies, but if Kalugal trusts him with his son, who am I to say anything?"
44
KIAN
"Welcome." Callie looked nervous as she addressed the small gathering. "Thank you for being my first guests. I hope you enjoy tonight's menu."
They were all seated in individual two-person tables, which felt weird given how well they all knew each other. Callie had designed her restaurant for romantic evenings, but the opening night was different, and Kian had the urge to get up and start combining the small rectangular tables into one long banquet table.
"Say hello to your servers." She motioned for Lisa, Parker, and Cheryl to come forward. "I'm glad that they agreed to work in my restaurant in the evenings and save me from having to do everything myself."
The three took a coordinated bow that elicited a few chuckles and some applause.
"As I explained in the invitation, the menu for tonight is set. It's a five-course meal." She looked at Kian. "Your, Syssi, and Amanda's menus are slightly different to accommodate your vegan and vegetarian preferences."
Amanda chuckled. "The problem kids."
"I can't wait to sample your cooking," Onegus said. "I’ve heard so much about it."
"Good things, I hope."
"The best." Cassandra adjusted her napkin over her lap.
Annani rose to her feet. "Congratulations on your new restaurant, Callie. I would like to make just one suggestion for tonight." She put her hand on Brandon's shoulder. As the only two singles, they were seated together at the same table. "As much as I love your company, I would love to enjoy everyone's. Can we combine the tables?"
"Great idea." Kian jumped to his feet. "I was thinking the same thing."
As everyone rose to their feet and started moving the tables together, Callie wrung her hands. "I'm sorry. I should have realized that the regular setup wouldn't work tonight. I just wanted everyone to enjoy the place as I envisioned it."