Damien
The restaurant where we met Deb and Stewart was upscale. Busy. We got caught in traffic, so they arrived just as we did, and I greeted Deb then shook hands with Stewart. His grip was firm. Too firm, as if he were trying to prove something. I brushed it off but didn’t like the way he stepped forward as if to kiss Raven hello. She held out her hand and he shook it as if nothing was wrong, but I saw the flash of annoyance cross his face. I tucked her closer to my side and pressed a kiss to her hair. We were shown to a booth, and I let Raven slide in first. Deb began to slip in across from her when Stewart stopped her, tapping his ear.
“Oh, right,” she said.
At my confusion, she smiled. “Stewart is deaf in his left ear.”
“If I sit on the outside on this side of the booth, I’ll be asking you to repeat yourself all night,” he explained.
“We can trade sides so you can have the outside,” I offered.
He slid in, shaking his head. “I’m fine.”
Deb sat beside him, nudging his shoulder. “Let’s hope we don’t get attacked. You won’t be able to defend me.”
He laughed, the sound unusual. High-pitched compared to his somewhat low, gravelly voice. “I doubt there will be any perps around here. If there are, my friend Damien here owns a security firm. You carrying?” he asked.
I was caught off guard by his casual term “friend.” I was also surprised by his question, his use of the words “perp” and “carrying.” He obviously watched too much TV. “No, I don’t carry a gun.”
“Ever?” he asked. “Even when you’re on the job?”
On the job?
Yep. Definitely too many police TV shows.
“No.”
“Hmm. Interesting.”
It was another unusual remark, but before I could respond, Deb spoke.
“This place is so amazing,” she enthused. “I heard reservations are hard to come by.”
“The owner is a client. I called in a favor,” Stewart said. “You have a financial plan, Damien?”
“I do.”
“Good man. You can never start too early. What about you, young lady?” he asked Raven.
“Um, no.”
“You come and see me. I can help you start one.”
Deb slapped his arm. “This isn’t a business dinner, Stew. Stop it.”
He winked. “I just talked business. Now it’s an expense. I guess dinner’s on me.” Then he laughed. The sound grated on my nerves, and I felt Raven shiver beside me. Stew, however, thought he was hilarious, and Deb seemed to agree. I reached under the table and found Raven’s hand, squeezing it. The waitress came over and asked about drinks. I decided to have one. I had a feeling I was going to need it.
The drinks didn’t help.
Stewart was cordial, affable, friendly.
And it felt like an act to me. Forced. He name-dropped. Offered unsolicited advice. Knew something about everything. Talked money a lot. The whole time laughing. Every time he did, Raven stiffened. Deb hung on his every word. He liked to talk. He also liked to stare at other tables often, and he tapped his deaf ear a lot. It was disconcerting. I noticed a device in the ear and asked him about it. He tapped it again.
“Oh, the affliction left me with no hearing, but a ringing in my ear. This helps stop it. A little tap sends a signal that cancels out the ringing. Lifesaver, I tell you. I would go crazy otherwise.”
“Ah.”
Despite my unease with him, he seemed enthralled with Deb. He was courteous, affectionate, and playful. Yet, something still bothered me. I couldn’t put my finger on it, although I thought at times he stared at Raven a beat too long. Listened too intently to her when she spoke. But it was probably the jealous caveman inside me more than reality. He was probably concentrating on her voice since it was soft and modulated. I noticed Deb spoke louder on his behalf, and I tried to do the same.