Much deserved fun

[a_time_slip]

Instead of popping up in Julian's place uninvited, Janie knocked on his door a few minutes after she got the last note from him.

She knocked, and waited for him to get to the door.

Comments

[a_time_slip]

"I think we'd be here for a while." She began "But that was a joke?"

Janie took a seat, and looked out of the window. "What an amazing view! Julian, you'll have to order for me."

[lostinthefog]

"A joke? Hm, we'll see", he replied, grinning. He didn't look like it, but he usually had a healthy appetite.

Julian sat down, too, and studied the menu. After a while he found what he was hoping for and nodded. "Can do that, if you're okay with that reindeer steak? Or would you like something different?"

[a_time_slip]

"The reindeer steak will do nicely." Janie said "What are you getting? The same?"

She saw a waiter walk by with a salad, and now wanted that too.

"The salad too."

[lostinthefog]

"Yeah, the same. I haven't had any in such a long time."

He looked for the salad on the menu, until he thought he had found the matching description.

"Okay ... and what would you like to drink?"

[a_time_slip]

Wine, but it wasn't an option for her. "Whatever that orange drink is." she pointed to another table "It doesn't look like it has alcohol in it"

[lostinthefog]

"Alright, I'll try."

When a waiter came to their table, Julian ordered both Janie's and his dinner. His Norwegian was obviously quite rusty, but the waiter seemed to understand nevertheless and too polite to even raise an eyebrow. The man took the order and left, and Julian leaned back again, enjoying the view.

"Well, let's see what we'll get."

[a_time_slip]

"I just realized something. ". Janie laughed a little, mostly at herself. "I've got a translator that would have made this much easier. I'm so sorry about that Julian"

She also wondered if the order had been right, since her friend seemed to have trouble with the language "But whatever we get should be good. Thank you. "

[lostinthefog]

Julian looked at her, briefly puzzled because he'd never have thought of that, and laughed.

"We can use it next time. Although I'm pretty sure the man would've understood English, too, but ... I wanted to try. It's been a while since I had the opportunity to. Don't worry, I know the words for 'rotten' and 'fish' and I didn't use them."

[a_time_slip]

"How long has it been since you used the language?". She asked. "I'm glad I didn't use it. Its nice to have someone order for me... I haven't had that in a while. "

[lostinthefog]

"It's been years. Actually, the last time I remember was when I was ... fifteen or so? Friends of my parents visited, they're originally from here, and we talked all evening. I was better at it back then."

He shrugged, giving her an apologetic look.

"And ditto, I haven't ordered for someone else for quite some time."

[a_time_slip]

"That must have been a nice visit. Fifteen? Really? that age seems so long ago. You recall the language very well."

She smiled at him again, reassuringly. She didn't mind that he had a little trouble with the language.

"Next time, I'll have to order for you."

[lostinthefog]

"Thank you." He was thankful for her reassuring words, and made the instant, silent resolution to practice again. "And yes, it's been about nine years, but it feels like ages ago ... in another life."

Which it was, more or less. But he was surprised, that tonight, in this company, it wasn't so bad to talk about it. And the thought of repeating that soon made him smile.

"Oh, I'd love that. Where would we go?"

[a_time_slip]

"Sometimes a week can seem like a lifetime". She said. "And you're welcome. I think we would go... There's a place in the islands that I'd like to take you. Where I used to go with my Father."

Janie was looking forward to taking him there. The night was always beautiful on the tropical island, with fire lamps and moonlight illuminating the tiny village on the shore.

[lostinthefog]

"An island, that sounds great. I think I'd like that, having the sea all around. Is it one of the warmer variety?"

The waiter returned with bread-sticks and their drinks, water for Julian and something orange for Janie. It didn't contain alcohol, and smelled, well, of oranges.
Julian raised his glass, despite it containing only water, and smiled. "Here's to vacations."

[a_time_slip]

"Yes. The environment is tropical... Is that alright?" she asked, eyeing his drink and realizing that it was water.

"Bread-sticks!" Janie grinned "I don't care what else you ordered, these are great. To vacations!'

After a sip of her drink, she smiled, it was tasty.

[lostinthefog]

"Yes, it's great. I'm cold all the time, so I'd really enjoy a place where it's warm, even at night. Maybe even warm enough for a swim in the ocean?"

He took one of the bread-sticks and grinned.
"I can't remember having ordered these."

[a_time_slip]

Janie stopped smiling for a second when Julian mentioned swimming in the ocean, but then remembered that Phoenix helped her with that phobia. "Yes, we'll swim after dinner?"

She hadn't thought to ask for breadsticks, but they were awesome. "I don't mind one bit that you got these. What did you order?"

[lostinthefog]

Julian noticed the brief change in Janie's mood and suddenly remembered. "I'm sorry, I totally forgot ... we don't have to, of course."

He nibbled on his bread-stick and shrugged. "What I tried to order was the reindeer steak and the salad. What I actually did order ... who knows."

[a_time_slip]

"No, Phoenix helped me... I'll be fine." Janie smiled, though she was still a little worried about swimming in the ocean.

"It'll be a surprise!" She really hoped it would be a good surprise.

[lostinthefog]

"Really? Oh, that's good news. You'll see, it's fun." He wondered how Phoenix might have accomplished that, but for now he was glad that it seemed to have worked.

Another waiter came, serving two plates with salad. It wasn't exactly the one Janie had seen before, but in addition to nuts and goat cheese, it at least did contain salad.

[a_time_slip]

"Yes. We- he, um... It's complicated." She wasn't sure how to explain it, what had happened. "He's wonderful."

She looked over the salad, before digging in to it. She was so hungry that she didn't mind that it looked a little unusual.

[lostinthefog]

Julian grinned, content with that explanation. "Yeah, he is."

He eyed and sniffed his own salad suspiciously. Not what he had expected, but it smelled good. "I'm sorry, Janie, I suppose that's not quite what you wanted."

[a_time_slip]

"The greatest." Janie said, smiling and looking a little dreamy.

"No, the salad is fine. It's not bad... Or, I'm really hungry, but it's fine, Julian."

[lostinthefog]

He nodded, fully agreeing with that statement. "Yeah. Maybe he'll join us next time?"

After the first few bites, he realized how hungry he really was. "Good. I just hope the rest of our meal is at least similar to what I ordered. I could eat the whole reindeer."

[a_time_slip]

"Yeah, with candlelight and- no. I mean, no. He's busy." She tried to make it seem like she didn't want Phoenix around. "He's a wanker. Doesn't need to be here at all."

Janie worked on devouring her salad, eating nearly every bite before nodding in agreement. "I think I could too."