Worth the wait.

“I said it’s a shame you two couldn’t make it to my 18th.” Michael’s slightly raised voice brought Emma back to the conversation she’d been slipping in and out off.

“Huh? Sorry I missed that,” she confessed.

“That’s alright,” Michael said with a laugh. “You haven’t heard a thing I’ve said since I ordered. And you keep taking sideways glances at the kitchen! You must be starving.”

“No, I was listening,” Emma said with a smile. “You had your 18th in your Dads shearing shed and you brother cooked a spit. I’m just wondering what’s taking them so long?”

The wait as Emma put it hadn’t even reached 15 minutes yet but to her empty stomach it might as well have been hours. She put her pint glass down from a large swig that left just the bottom third remaining. Michael by comparison had only just breached the top quarter.

Just then they were saved from starvation by the arrival of an older lady in an apron and hair net setting down two plates and a basket full of garlic bread. The chicken parmigiana was enormous! Taking up nearly the entire generously sized plate. As well as being propped up on one side by a healthy serves of chips. Michaels meal was a much more standard sized serving but came with chips and a side salad also.

“Oh my God, thank you,” Emma told the chef with glee as she snatched up a piping hot piece of garlic bread.

“Wow! That is huge,” Michael exclamined at the size of the cheese and sauce encrusted chicken in front of them. “You going to be able to finish that?”

“Just you watch me,” Emma said relishing the challenge.

The next half an hour was filled with culinary bliss as Michael watched Emma devour every single piece of chicken, chip and garlic bread placed in front of her. As well as two more pints to help Emma wash it all down with. They enjoyed their lunch date immensely with Emma chatting attentively. Now that she’d had something to eat she was able to keep up her side of the conversational easily.

Driving back though might be another problem.

“Umm I think those three pints might have put me over the limit. Would you mind driving us back?” She said as she tossed Michael her keys as they made their way out to the car.