She hasn’t seen this side of him before. “I’ll have the meat loaf meal, with extra gravy. Oh, and a Coke.” She quickly writes it down and then turns to Kallos.
“Um, the same thing please.” She nods and writes it down.
“I’ll be right back with your drinks.” She is almost running away, and Kallos looks back at Ian.
“She seems scared of you.” Kallos observes, and he looks in the area where the waitress vanished.
“The workers here know what my family is. Some think its cool, and others are scared. Cindy is scared to death, and if she didn’t need this job, I’m sure she wouldn’t work here.” Ian looks down at the table, and Kallos reaches across to his hand.
“She has no reason to be scared of you. You are the sweetest man I know. You would never hurt anyone.” He squeezes her hand.
“I did yesterday,” Ian murmurs so low that Kallos almost doesn’t hear him.
“We have talked about this. That wasn’t the real you, and you need to forget about it. I am here, and that is all that matters.” He nods but still looks miserable. Cindy comes back with their drinks; she sets Ian’s down first and then hers. Kallos smiles at her, “Thank you.” But Cindy doesn’t stay long enough to respond.
“Thank you, Ian, for today; it was a lot of fun.” He smiles at her.
“For your first date you mean?”
“No, just being with you. And, for a first date, it isn’t too bad.” Ian starts to laugh, and Kallos sees Cindy bringing their food. Cindy stops moving when she hears him laughing. Ian stops and looks behind him; then he sees what she is looking at. She is moving again and coming toward them. Once again, she set his food down first and then Kallos’. She doesn’t ask if they need anything; she just leaves. The smell from the meat loaf is amazing. Kallos’ mouth is watering, and she looks at Ian who is already eating. He looks at her and grins. The flavor is so good; she can’t explain it, but it's nothing like she has ever tasted before.
“So, it’s a good guess that you like it.” Kallos looks up and glares at him. She has to swallow quickly so she can talk.
“Better than good; it’s amazing.” The meat loaf came with gravy, mashed potatoes, and corn. Everything tasted remarkable, and she wanted more. An older woman stops at their table and Ian lights up. She is taller than Kallos and almost as tall as Ian. She has jet-black hair and baby blue eyes. She is wearing faded jeans and a white shirt that says Mamma’s on the left breast. Kallos has only seen Ian light up like this with her, so she wonders who this is. Ian jumps up and Kallos rises next to her chair.
“Grams! What are you doing here?” Ian asks as he is hugging her. She laughs and hugs him back.
“Ian, this is my restaurant. The real question is ‘Who is this beautiful girl you are with?’” She let’s go of Ian and looks at Kallos.
“Gram, this is Kallos. You have seen pictures of her for years.” Gram walks over to where Kallos is standing. She looks Kallos up and down, and then a smile spreads across her face. She pulls Kallos into one of the tightest hugs Kallos has ever had.
“Pictures do not do you justice, Kallos. You are more beautiful in person.” Grams pulls away enough so that she and Kallos could look at one another. It’s still a little weird that Ian and Sean’s family know her so well, and she doesn’t know them at all. “So how did you like my food?” Gram nods her head toward Kallos' empty plate.
“It is amazing Ma'am.” Kallos says and is proud of herself for keeping an even tone.
Ian's grandmother rolls her eyes at Kallos and shakes her head and pointer finger at the same time. “That will not do. You call me Gram. You ARE family.” Then Gram smiles at Kallos and turns around to walk to Ian. “Now, I better get going. I’m going to go see your parents.” She leans in, and Ian kisses her cheek.
“See you later Gram,” he says as she walks away. He looks at Kallos and smiles. “So, now you have met the whole family.” She gives him a little smile and sits back down.
“So I have. And I take it that they all know me.”
“Yes, but we’ve been waiting for you forever.” They