The tables in the restaurant had been arranged in a giant U with the guests seated along the outside. The staff moved around in the center filling wine glasses with practiced ease. It was obvious by the arrangement of tables that this was more than just a little field trip by the students from the culinary school.
Across the room from where Molly was seated, a woman and a young man were seated side by side. The young woman moved awkwardly in her chair for a second and then sat up straight. She handed something to the young man seated beside her. Unable to believe what she had just observed, Ellen asked, "Did that woman just hand her panties to that man over there?"
"Probably," Molly answered. She looked across the room at the young man who was now glowing bright red.
Watching the young man looking at the present from the rather aggressive woman, Ellen said, "He's got the same haunted expression on his face that you have."
"He does look like I feel," Molly said. She glanced around the room nervously.
Ellen leaned forward and watched the couple with open interest. She had never observed anything like it in her life. The woman's hand snaked under the table. Ellen sat back and said, "I swear she's got her hand in his pants."
"It wouldn't surprise me," Molly said. She continued to watch every corner of the room nervously.
The attractive woman stood up and took the hand of the man with her. She pulled him out of his chair and led him out of the room. Ellen said, "I wonder where they are going."
"The coat room," Tony answered in a matter of fact voice.
"Why would they go there?" Ellen asked. She noticed that the man's fly was open.
"Think about it," Tony answered.
"Oh."
Molly was afraid to relax despite the fact that Mark was nowhere around. There was an empty chair beside her and the Senator was chasing off anyone who even approached the seat. She muttered, "Where is he?"
"Who?" Ellen asked still staring at the door where the couple had exited.
"Mark O'Toole."
"I don't know. Why did you ride here with him?" Ellen asked. She had been waiting for Molly by one of the limousines and had been surprised to see her get into the car with Mark.
"I don't know," Molly answered with a whimper.
Tony said, "It is the O'Toole charm."
Tony's wife, Maria, said, "Resistance is futile."
Molly said, "I want to go home."
"We're at the Dirty Skillet of New Orleans. It is a five star restaurant and serves some of the best food in the world. Relax and enjoy the meal," Ellen said trying to cheer up her partner.
"Half of the people in the room are related to him," Molly said looking around. She now had the business cards of a nutritionist, general practitioner, and a gynecologist in her purse. The discussion with the gynecologist was particularly unsettling. The woman had talked about how much fun Molly would have as the mother of a dozen O'Toole children.
"Really?"
"Yes," Molly said. "Victoria tried to warn me."
"About what?" Ellen asked.
"Once a member of the family decides on a person, the whole family moves in to make it happen," Molly said.
"Who is that woman feeding Chef Rupert and what is it that she's feeding him?" Ellen asked watching the action taking place across the room.
"I believe that's Chef Mary O'Toole and I have no idea what she is feeding him," Molly said after looking in the direction Ellen had pointed.
"Look at the expression on his face. It must taste like heaven," Ellen said watching the action with fascination. She had never seen anything so sexy in her life.
"Where is he?" Molly growled while glaring at the empty chair.
"Who?" Ellen asked.
"Mark O'Toole," Molly answered.
"Missing him?" Ellen asked in surprise that Molly was concerned about Mark.
"The suspense is killing me," Molly said. She looked around carefully before taking a sip of her water. The last thing she wanted was to be surprised while taking a sip. She said, "This is like sitting at a theater watching a horror movie. The music keeps getting louder and more threatening, but the monster doesn't show up. The tension just builds and builds until you are ready to snap. Then all of a sudden the monster bursts onto the screen and you scream."
"They are playing Mozart. Cassation No. 2 in B Major if I'm not mistaken," Ellen said after listening to the background music for a moment. It wasn't exactly the kind of background music for a horror film.
"I'm waiting for the monster to arrive," Molly said ignoring the comment about the background music.
"You're letting this get to you," Ellen said.
"I don't want to scream," Molly said. She picked up a fork and polished it her napkin.
"What are you doing?" Ellen asked.
"I'm cleaning. I always clean when I get nervous," Molly said. Her eyes were locked on the door to the kitchen.
"I noticed that you also clean when you get angry."
Molly said, "I feel like a sacrificial virgin about to have my heart cut out of my chest and fed to an angry volcano god."
"You're a virgin?" Ellen asked.
In a louder voice then she intended, she said, "I said that I felt like I was a virgin sacrifice; not that I was a virgin."
Tony leaned over and said, "I'm sure that Mark will be very cooperative when it comes time to sacrifice your virginity."
"Be quiet," Molly said sinking into her chair.
Ellen asked, "Are you sure you're a Senator?"
"Quite sure," Tony answered with a smile.
Molly jumped when the door to the kitchen opened. Ellen said, "Calm down, Molly. You can handle him."
"That's easy for you to say."
"Here comes the food," Ellen said sitting up straighter in her chair.
"We didn't even order," Molly said. It took the staff just a few minutes to place the appetizers in front of the assembled group. One of the waiters placed a simple plate in front of her. Molly stared at it for a second before she asked, "Is this a joke?"
"Ah, someone spelled out Mark Heart Molly with the sauce," Ellen read. "That's so sweet."
"I'm going to send it back," Molly said pushing the plate away.
"You've got to taste it," Ellen said.
"No."
"This is a five star restaurant. I'm sure that it tastes great," Ellen said eyeing the dish with interest. The plate contained a row of small circles of bread. Each piece of bread was decorated with individual toppings. Below the circles of bread was the message spelled out in a dark sauce of some sort.
"You're probably right," Molly said. She took her fork and drew a line through the heart.
"Ah, you added an arrow pointing from him to you," Ellen said.
Molly snapped, "No, I didn't."
"Yes, you did." Turning attention to her own appetizer, Ellen speared a little of her food on her fork. Taking her time, she slipped the morsel into her mouth.
"How is it?" Molly asked.
"Oh, this is great," Ellen said.
Molly looked over at the appetizer placed in front of Ellen. It was a simple slice of roast duck on endive with cheese. It did look very good. She looked down at the plate in front of her. She wondered how she was going to eat it. She didn't have long to wonder.
A hand slid into view and picked up one of the appetizers. She looked up and saw that Mark was leaning across the table. She hadn't realized that he had been the person who had set the dish in front of her. He smiled at her and said, "Close your eyes and open your mouth. Prepare to taste loneliness."
She said, "Get away from me."
"Close your eyes and open your mouth," Mark said gently.
Molly rolled her eyes before closing them. She opened her mouth and stuck out her tongue. The small slice of bread dropped onto her tongue. She chewed for a moment and then swallowed. Disappointed by the dish, she said, "That was kind of bland."
"I agree. Loneliness is kind of bland." Picking up another one, Mark said, "This is a taste of foreplay. Close your eyes and open your mouth."
Half the women in the room leaned forward to watch while Molly tasted the morsel Mark feed her. It started the same way that the last one had, but a sudden flavor started building in her mouth. She said, "Interesting. I kind of like it."
Picking up another one, Mark said, "This is the taste of building passion."
"Like I believe that," Molly said.
"Close your eyes and open your mouth."
"No."
"Close your eyes and open your mouth."
She closed her eyes and opened her mouth. Mark put the morsel in her mouth. She chewed it. Two indefinable flavors chased each other around her mouth. It was a remarkable sensation that left her desiring more. She said, "Oh, my."
By this point, everyone was watching while Mike held out another little piece of food. He whispered, "This is the taste of the throes of passion."
Not quite trusting him, Molly closed her eyes and accepted the morsel. She took one bite and nearly jumped from the chair. The flavors were balanced but danced on her tongue. The flavors left her mouth and a warm sensation spread across her body. Her cheeks flushed. It took her a minute to calm down enough to say, "Incredible."
Mike held out another little piece of food. He leaned forward so that his mouth was next to her ear. He whispered, "This is taste of orgasm."
"Right," Molly said.
"Close your eyes and open your mouth."
She closed her eyes and opened her mouth. She slowly bit into it. Flavors of incredible intensity rushed out. She savored the taste of it. Her body quivered. When the flavors disappeared, she moaned, "More."
Mike held out the last little appetizers. He said, "This is the afterglow."
Molly closed her eyes and opened her mouth. He dropped the piece into her mouth and stepped back. She chewed and the flavors in her mouth melded into a warm satisfying blend that slid down the throat. An expression of satisfaction settled over her face. She sighed and said, "That was the best sex of my life."
Mike held out a little piece of plain bread. Molly wondered where it had come from. He said, "This is the taste of love. Are you ready for it?"
"Yes," Molly answered breathlessly. She closed her eyes and opened her mouth. Mike tossed away the little piece of bread. He leaned forward and kissed her. He kept kissing her until she pushed him back to catch her breath. The next thing she knew, she was pulling him closer to her. She said, "More."
Mike ran a finger across her lips and, in a very soft teasing voice, said, "That was just an appetizer. You have to save room for the main dish."
Mike stepped back and headed towards the kitchen. A number of people gave him an ovation. When the door finally closed behind him, Ellen asked, "How was it?"
"Incredible," Molly answered with a sigh.
"You looked like you had an orgasm," Ellen said awed by what she had witnessed.
"I think I did," Molly said. She opened her eyes and looked around the room. She noticed that everyone was watching her. Realizing what she had done, she growled, "I hate him."
"Really? It didn't look that way to me," Ellen said.
"Yes. I just forgot it there for a second," Molly said. She wanted to crawl under the table and hide. She thought about it for a second and started wiping off her mouth. She said, "Ugh, he kissed me."
"It didn't look like you were fighting it," Ellen commented.
"Be quiet," Molly said.
Ellen said, "I wonder what dessert will be like."
"I don't want to think about it," Molly said slumping down in her chair.
"Where's Chef Rupert?" Ellen asked noticing that their instructor was missing. Sometime during the appetizer course he had disappeared.
"I don't know," Molly said. She jumped when the door to the kitchen opened and the staff started bringing out the next dish. She said, "Ah, the salad dish. That should be safe."
Ten minutes later, Molly was staring at her empty plate with glazed eyes. Ellen remarked, "That was amazing."
"Huh?"
"I've never seen anyone feed another person a fruit salad like that. It is like he made love to you with the food."
"Huh?"
"I said that I've never seen anyone feed another person a fruit salad so sexily. He made love to you with the food."
"Huh?"
"Never mind," Ellen said while shaking her head.
Tony remarked, "He's a fine example of an O'Toole."
Tony's wife, Maria, said, "I love watching an O'Toole at work."
"It is amazing what they can do without restraints and a whip," Tony said nodding his head in approval.
"Are you sure you're a Senator?" Ellen asked staring at the couple.
"It is a power thing," Maria said with a knowing smile. She slipped a hand under his suit coat and he jumped in his seat.
Ellen said, "This is definitely going to be an interesting meal."
Three hours later, Molly walked out of the restaurant on shaky legs. She was having difficulty walking and required the help of Ellen and Victoria to make it to the limousine. Victoria said, "She's lucky she wasn't in the kitchen. She would have been naked about midway through the main course."
Pausing to catch Molly when the young woman stumbled, Ellen said, "I'm kind of surprised she didn't end up naked in the dining room during the salad dish."
"If it had just been family there, she might have," Victoria said.
"I've never seen anything like that."
"I have," Victoria said. She sighed and said, "I was in a state of shock for three days when Chuck did that to me."
Molly licked her lips and a shiver ran through her body. She moaned. "I can still taste the desert."
"I know," Victoria said patiently. She sighed and added, "After watching that, I realize just how much I miss Chuck. God that man was a wonder in the kitchen."
"He's a good cook?" Ellen asked.
"That too," Victoria said.
"Oh."
The two women helped Molly into the limousine. When the young woman curled up on the seat, Victoria said, "You'll feel better tomorrow."
Molly mumbled, "Feel fine now."
Mark slipped into the limousine and took a seat next to Molly. He said, "That was nice. It's a shame that I had to work in the kitchen alone. Maybe next time Molly can join me there."
Victoria asked, "What were you doing in the kitchen?"
"I was working. Cousin Mary was busy entertaining Chef Rupert. You should have heard the noises coming out of the pantry."
"Oh."
"They're getting married and we're invited to the wedding," Mark answered with a grin.
"That didn't take long," Ellen said.
"Once an O'Toole makes up his or her mind about a mate, he or she doesn't waste time," Mark said. He put an arm around Molly and pulled her close to him. She snuggled up to him and drifted off to sleep.
"I noticed that," Ellen said. "Is she okay?"
"She's more than okay; she's gorgeous," Mark answered.
"She's fine," Victoria answered. "I think I'll give Chuck a call when we get back to the school."
"Who's Chuck?" Ellen asked.
"He's an O'Toole," Victoria answered.
Looking at the two women in the car with her, Ellen said, "I think I'll sharpen my knives tonight in case there are anymore O'Tooles around."
Mark looked over at Ellen and said, "I like you. I bet you'd be perfect for Cousin Sid."
Thinking about how Mark had turned Molly into a quivering mess, Ellen said, "I'm gay."
"Oh. Then you'd be perfect for Cousin Lucinda," Mark said reaching for his cell phone.
"No!"