Since it was neither a holiday nor a peak time, the restaurant was not very crowded. Sasha entered first, then later Aaric came behind her. He tossed the car keys to the parking valet and accompanied her inside.
They both took a corner seat and Aaric helped Sasha to first settle down. Sasha was confused when he suddenly started helping her. Later, when she realised, she gave him a warm smile with a slight nod, thanking his gentleman behaviour.
Aaric signalled to one of the waiters, and he came forward to serve two glasses of water and a menu. When the waiter was handing the menu card to Aaric, the latter stopped him and asked to give it to the person sitting opposite to him. Sasha was already feeling distant to him, and now with these slight caring and loving gestures and actions from him, made her feel guilty. When she heard Aaric asking the waiter, she felt even more guilty. Since the time she came out from coma, he has been showing his love towards her, and on the other hand, she questioned him 'who is he?'.
"Please, you order. I don't know what you might like. And I am not the one paying…" Sasha's last sentence was so inaudible to hear, but Aaric who knew lip reading understood what she just spoke right now. He gestured to the waiter to wait for a while and then the waiter left.
His face had already darkened when he read that line but still from inside he could understand her state. He calmed down and said to her in a very gentle voice.
"I want everything to be the same as earlier. In the past whenever we used to go out for dinner or anything, you always used to order. And don't worry about my likings, I will like those which you will prefer to eat. Also, everything which I have is yours. Though you don't have your memories right now, in the future you will regain them back. I don't want you to have any kind of bad memories of this phase of your life. I want you to remember that in your worst times I was there by your side and I will forever be. Okay?"
"But why do you want to do everything for me? Why not somebody else?"
"Because in my every lifetime, only you deserve. You are the only one whom I will love."
Up to now, Sasha's eyes have already turned red. She kept her head lowered. Not for once, she lifted her head to look towards him. Aaric thought that he spoke enough to let her know about his feelings. To make her feel at ease he thought of something and then asked her.
"Okay, till the time you get your memories back, let's be good friends. What do you say?"
Aaric's sudden question startled her but soon she realised the purpose behind this question. He wanted her to feel comfortable around her. His consideration made her feel warm from inside. Without having other thoughts or thinking for a while, she replied without hesitation.
"Alright. Then friends?" Looking at her extended her hand, he smiled a bit and extended his hand too to shake her hand.
"Okay now. Let's order to fill our stomach." After saying this to her, he looked at the waiters and gestured to them to come forward to take their order.
Sasha took the menu and glanced at the food list. She thought for a while and pointed out a few of the dishes.
"Let's order Scotch egg, roasted Brussels sprouts and Scones. Will these be fine?"
"Mmm.. Okay. Add a platter of roasted shellfish too." Aaric took back the menu from Sasha and handed it back to the waiter after ordering dishes.
"Has your friend reached there?"
"You talking about Alleyn?"
"Yeah, the one who came yesterday. His name is Alleyn?"
"Yes. Remember I told you about his wife Della?"
"You told me...?" Looking at her confused face, Aaric understood that she doesn't remember their morning conversation. Although from inside he could not find a possible reason but still he thought that he would ask Alleyn about this once they reached the ressort.
"Ohh… then I must have forgotten to tell you. No problem! When we will reach there, I will introduce you to them."
"Okay!"
Soon their food was served and they started digging into it.
Unbeknownst to them, a person who was not sitting too far from them was constantly observing the couple. That old man with white beard was shocked when Sasha entered the restaurant earlier. He thought it might be an illusion but soon he realised that whatever he was seeing was not an illusion but a real living person. He clicked a few pictures of them and sent it to an unknown number with a caption, 'She is still alive!'.