Chapter 21 The Rivals' Showdown
Clearing his throat, to take Moriah's attention who was physically present but mentally absent, his objective was realized in an instant as Moriah came back to her senses.
"A - are you telling something?" Her stuttering was an indication of her fluttering heart, a thing that only Shaun and Cindy knew.
Shoving his hands in his pocket, Shaun clenched them. He can't accept the fact that Moriah is somewhat affected by Ethan's presence.
"What do you want to eat?" His gentleness totally discombobulated Moriah.
He was cold and uncaring now and then switched to being warm and caring. She wondered if her husband is bipolar.
"I - I can't decide what to eat," Moriah clenched her hand until her knuckles were white as a sheet. She so hated the fact that Ethan makes her heart flutter like a butterfly by merely looking at her.
"Do you want me to order for you?" He said tucking away the loose tendrils of hair behind her ears.
As if under a spell, unknowingly Moriah leaned her head and raised her shoulder, nearly trapping Ethan's hand between her head and shoulder.
Witnessing the affectionate stare between Ethan and Moriah, the air around Shaun was crackling with tension. He nearly explode like a bomb.
As forward as ever, Zachary said, "You two lovey dovey, stop your PDA and order. The server had been waiting for decades."
He had felt that Shaun was like a ticking bomb about to explode and had to intervene before the explosion happens. Woken from her trance, Moriah looked away from Ethan. Berating herself for not controlling her reaction toward Ethan. "For my wife and I," pausing, Ethan looked at Shaun before continuing, "we'll have fried calamari, Greek salad, garlic mushroom pasta and sauteed shrimp, that's all."
A smirk was etched on Shaun's handsome face as he heard the dishes Ethan ordered.
The server turned to Shaun, "What about you sir?"
"Grilled Chicken Wings, Greek Baked Feta, Tabouli, Toasted Orzo Pasta, Lemon Roasted Broccoli, Spanakopita, Roast Lamb Rack and Spaghetti Aglio e Olio no garlic," the last dish on Shaun's order caught Moriah's attention causing her heart beat to escalate, nervous of what Shaun was planning to do.
"Serve Pinot Noir," Jerome told the server.
"Yes, sir," the server answered before leaving the room.
Jerome initiated the conversation as the room was shrouded by thick silence. He skillfully maneuvered the talk about business to ease up the tension.
Both Moriah and Cindy couldn't understand what they were talking about and got bored. So they had their own chat while the men talked about business.
Without realizing it, Moriah placed her hand on the table near Ethan's hand. Her back straightened as soon as she felt a big warm hand wrapped her small hand. Slowly she turned to look at Ethan but he was looking at Zachary who was talking. She pulled her hand; however, Ethan tightened his hold. She sighed and let him be.
The server came with the wine and served them. When he was about to pour wine for Moriah, Shaun spoke, "She won't have that, she can't hold her alcohol. Bring her a glass of lemonade."
A lump of nameless emotion constricted Moriah's throat, she bit her trembling lips to hold back the tears that threatened to escape. So as not to have any eye contact either with Ethan or Shaun, she looked down at her lap.
Ethan felt he was at a disadvantage knowing nothing about his wife. It was apparent to him that his best friend, no, former best friend, wanted a showdown.
Shaun was making a point that Moriah will never be his. She might be bound to him through marriage but her heart would never belong to him. Moriah would never discard their love for each other which they nurtured for more than a decade.
Ethan felt defeated when Moriah pulled her hand from his grip.
"Give it to her," Shaun ordered the server when he came back with the lemonade.
"Thank you," Moriah said to the server which was misconstrued by Shaun, he thought Moriah directed that 'thank you' to him.
"You're welcome, honey," Shaun smiled at Moriah.
She wanted to correct him but decided against it.
They started eating when the appetizers were served. Moriah took a bite of the calamari and didn't touch it again.
"I ordered this for you," Shaun placed the Grilled Chicken Wing in front of her. "I know you don't like eating calamari, why force yourself if you don't like it?" Shaun motioned at the server and whispered something.
Ethan felt he was being slapped in the face. Gritting his teeth, he looked at his wife. Did she deliberately allow him to pick food for her to give Shaun the opportunity to show him he doesn't know a thing about his wife's likes and dislikes.
Zachary felt a brewing storm inside Ethan, so he thought of diverting their attention and eyed Cindy who ate caring nothing about her surroundings.
"Moriah, where did you meet your friend here? She eats like a pig," Zachary spoke loudly that caught Cindy's attention. "Who did you call a pig?" Cindy was fuming that she forgot to wipe her mouth.
Moriah giggled seeing the crumb at the corner of Cindy's mouth. She picked up a tissue and wiped it.
"See, you don't even know that there were crumbs around your mouth," Zachary sneered.
Cindy balled her hands into a fist and imagined them flying and landing into Zachary's face. She smirked as if she really did shove her hand on his face. And then got back on eating.
"Take it easy, don't let your anger make you into a blue whale," Moriah chuckled while patting her friend.
"You have to look gorgeous so he would regret dumping you," she added.
Zachary burst into laughter and said, "You're pathetic, eating like a pig won't get your man back. Moriah is right, you have to look beautiful. Have a makeover," he wiped the tears at the corner of his eyes due to laughing so hard.
"Help her, bring her to where you bring your women for a makeover," Jerome chimed in, patting Zachary's shoulder. Simply to keep the light atmosphere, Moriah said, "Can you please give her a referral for her makeover."
"Sure," Zachary said with a smirk.
"No, I won't have a makeover," Cinfy refused.
"Yes, you will," Moriah raised an eyebrow.
"If you'll have a makeover, I will also have a makeover," Cindy crossed her hand under her breast, a stance saying that she meant it.
"Alright," she said in resignation.
The server came in with more dishes and placed them at the table one by one.
When Ethan put some garlic mushroom pasta and shrimp scampi on her plate, Moriah felt her stomach churning as the smell of the garlic filled her nostrils. Not wanting to dishearten her husband who chose the meal for her, she ate the pasta. Nevertheless, no matter how she tried to swallow it, she couldn't.
She stood up while covering her mouth and refraining from gagging and scampered towards the powder room.
"Is she pregnant?" Zachary asked, his voice undeniably excited.
"No, she isn't. She dislikes the taste of garlic," Cindy said matter of factly.
Ethan turned a few shades paler, embarrassed to have chosen something his wife didn't like.
"Please, replace this plate," Ethan ordered, which the server quickly did.
Moriah returned to their table and drank the lemonade to remove the garlic after taste on her tongue.
"Serve it to her," Shaun said when the server came back with the Spaghetti Aglio e Olio without garlic. He pointed at Moriah using his outstretched hand.
"Why did you force yourself to eat something you didn't like and then end up throwing up later. Don't force yourself to accept something you can't," There was a meaningful note in Shaun's deep voice.
"I have ordered all OUR favorite dishes, things we'd always order each time we come here for our date," Shaun said, his eyes looking tenderly at Moriah.
Ethan's cold eyes swept over Shaun. He couldn't say a word or do anything as he was in a disadvantageous position.
"Thank you, but I want to try what Ethan ordered for me. I'm kinda bored of eating the same thing," Moriah's answer somewhat brightened Ethan's somber mood.
After telling that she scooped from the Garlic Mushroom Pasta but Ethan held her hand.
"Don't force yourself to eat it. I don't want you to throw up again. It's alright for me if you eat what Shaun ordered for you," Ethan smiled at her, assuring her that he was fine.
"Thank you, Ethan," Ethan froze hearing her say his name with a tinged of intimacy for the first time.
"Let me put food on your plate," Ethan stuffed her plate with pasta ordered by Shaun, "this sauteed shrimp will be nice with pasta," he said while he scooped some sauteed shrimp and put it on her plate.
Zachary whistled seeing his iceberg of a friend, serving his wife. Ethan looked over his shoulder, giving Zachary you're a dead meat glare.
"Eat!," Ethan brushed his knuckles to his wife's cheeks, suffused with color.
Moriah started to dig in, she smiled when she had a taste of the pasta and the sauteed shrimp together. Ethan was right, the sauteed shrimp is perfect with the pasta.
After she chewed and swallowed the food that was in her mouth, Moriah looked at Ethan. "You're right, the sauteed shrimp is perfect with the pasta."
Moriah's comment made Ethan proud of himself that he was able to recommend something that his wife would like. He lifted his hand and held her chin, brushed his thumb on her chin.
Moriah felt warmth crept up to her face and neck, she was sure that her face and neck were suffused with color. She tore away her eyes from Ethan and looked at her food then ate.
Shaun also started to dig in his food, but his anger was simmering inside his chest. He was waiting when to strike and launch another attack.