-
Delphine indeed put on a smile just as fake as his own at his request, but couldn't seem to accept that what he told her was true, that the soulmate she dreamed about wasn't work finding, that she was better off just playing the part with him instead, much less thank him for the privelidge. He let the lack of answer slide though, for now, only recognizing it with the barest suggestion of a frown for he was back to that feigned smile.
Their food was set before them, along with an assortment of utensils, and while they'd hardly been touched but for a nibble here or there, the tray of breads and cheeses was taken off and replaced with a fresh loaf of Foccacia di Recco, a flatbread baked with cheese and seasoned with butter and garlic, Delphine's salad was taken away and both their glasses replaced with new ones filled with a specially-chosen 'table wine' suited to pair well with their dish choices. Darien nodded respectfully to Amadeo, who had accompanied their food to the table and shared some pleasantries in rapid Italian while he waited, watching first Darien carefully divided his tender-looking, savory cutlet with his knife and fork and take a bite, and follow it with a sip of the wine provided, complimenting both. The chef then turned to watch Delphine, with some excitement to see how she reacted to her meal, not leaving until she had tasted everything and approved.
Which of course she did, regardless of what she thought of the food, Delphine wasn't one to insult anything a person had put so much work into. Darien spoke again only once he was finished with his first piece and had wiped his mouth with the provided cloth napkin in a gentler tone.
"Delicious, reminds me of childhood, and family. It's comforting. I do hope you enjoy it, Delphine, it took me half a year to convince Amadeo to immigrate and another half getting the resturant up to his standards. Worth it, though, in the long run. There's so little traditional Sicilian cooking on this side of the ocean." He stated calmly, without any sign of the previous intensity of his quiet 'outburst', making small talk that sounded only somewhat forced as his mind wandered elsewhere, into the past.
It was a shame so little of what Darien had to say was about anything but people who were dead now, but most people he had ever known well were no longer with them. Finding new topics of conversation as something he would need to do now that he had Delphine....she didn't want to know anything but the most superficial details of his work, and besides his work and his past, Darien had very little left in life worth mentioning.
-
Even though the conversation had passed, the tense air between them remained. Though, thankfully, it wasn't completely silent. Amadeo approached their table with a burst of Italian and made light conversation with Darien as their plates of food were exchanged for different plates of food. When the table was reset, the waiters scurried off. Amadeo, however, remained.
He turned to Delphine and, with excited eyes, waited for the young redhead to try everything on her plate. And she did. She took little bites of everything that was in front of her, and with each thing that she tried, she complimented the chef. When all had been tried, Amadeo finally left their table. Not that Delphine had wanted him to--his joyful presence with very much needed after her tense conversation with Darien.
Delphine nibbled here and there on her food, only pausing when Darien broke their somewhat awkward silence. And, unsurprisingly, he sounded as if their previous conversation hadn't happened. She forced a smile and nodded along with what he said. "It is all very delicious--" well, that was true. It was very delicious. But Delphine couldn't completely enjoy it with their conversation still ringing in her ears.
"Amadeo is a very talented cook. I feel like this is the first time I'm having Italian food," she added before taking another bite from her plate. If Darien could so easily drop a conversation and pretend it never happened, then Delphine should do the same. She had to remind herself that what was done, was done. She was to be in a fake relationship with Darien for her life, and that was all that there was to it. No point in getting upset about it or the details of it.
-
Delphine was very good at playing her part, Darien noted, not for the first time. She said everything Amadeo wanted to hear, and when they were left alone, she took his cues to leave what was said before in the past...that was kind of her, though he got the feeling that it could be more out of self-concern than kindness....he supposed either would do.
They continued to eat their meals in a subdued semi-silence, broken up by only the safest and most idle of conversations, about the quality of the food, the weather, and their surroundings...Darien seemed to know the owner of every business lining the square, and the history of each and every building in this corner of the city, and told Delphine whatever she wanted to know.
For instance, the church, St. Emilia's Cathedral, actually predated nearly everything else that had sprung up around it,immigrants who hardly knew the language or culture flocking to the one place that reminded them of home. There was some darkness in that history as well that would resonate with the both of them, as well...the Italian and the Irish gangs had feuded bitterly in those early days, over what little money there was to be made in the slums. Stabbings and gunfights had been common here, earning the place the macabre nickname 'Murder Avenue'...a well-earned one, as the place couldn't go a week without blood being spilled on one side or the other until the late thirties when, clearly, the Italians had won out. It was in this story he found opportunity to tell Delphine something she'd need to know, once their relationship became public knowledge.
"There's still a bit of resentment from those days, I'm afraid. Dead fathers and brothers breed grudges that are hard to settle...you might hear of things, hurtful things being whispered about you, outside my hearing, all for such a simple thing as having red hair and a last name with an 'O' before it. Men like Amadeo, recent immigrants...their smiles are real. The same cannot be said of those who have been here longer. Ignore them if you can, tell me if you can't...I'll handle it." Darien explained in an even tone that did little to betray his disappointment at that...such resentment, the petty racism had been instrumental in ensuring that he and Delilah could never live they life they would have liked, and contributed to it's abrupt end, albeit indirectly. Darien's family wasn't the only one with secrets and skeletons buried in it's past...hers had as well, though he didn't know if Delphine had ever even known about that side of her girlhood friend's life...to Delilah McIntyre, Louise's Garden and the O'neill household had been an escape.
-
The two continued to eat their meals, with momentary pauses for idle conversation. When their plates were emptied and their stomachs full, Darien turned their conversation towards the history of his little neighborhood. According to him, the neighborhood was originally filled with a mixture of the Irish and Italians. But, feuds between the two groups eventually led to a neighborhood led entirely by the Italians.
Delphine nodded along with Darien's explanation, occasionally pausing to take a sip of her wine. Then, in a low voice, Darien explained that although the feuds were over, the resentment between the two groups remained. And because Delphine obviously hailed from Irish ancestors, she would more than likely be a target of the lingering hatred people felt towards. Delphine frowned but nodded her in understanding.
If, however, she could not handle what someone said, then all she needed to do was speak to him and he would handle it. She wondered how he would handle such a thing. He probably would have handled it in a way that Delphine would have argued against. The young redhead fiddled with her empty wine glass in quiet thought, before finally speaking. "I'm a strong girl. I have handled much worse than a few cruel words here and there. I think that I can handle them." she declared.
Though, only time would tell if that were true. And if she really couldn't handle all the things that they said about her, then she would find another way to handle them. But the last thing she would do was hand them off to Darien, whose cold words and often business-like manner would end up doing more harm than any good. "In any case, thank you for the delicious lunch. Amadeo has gained another admirer." she smiled.
-
Darien raised an eyebrow when the girl across the table made her bold statement...of all the words he could use to describe her, strong was not near the top of the list, but it was true that Delphine had had her share of difficulties in life, her latest predicament just one in a long string of misfortunes. And so far, at least, she'd weathered each storm with surprising resilience, optimism still burning bright. There was something to be said for that, surely. But while he'd sheltered her from one such storm, it had only to set her right in the eye of his own...hopefully she'd weather it just as well.
Instead of responding immediately, he paused and considered her for a moment, head cocked to one side, blue eyes deep in thought as the regarded her own verdant greens. Normally, Darien found reading people, their fears, hopes, and desires, to be as easy as breathing, and Delphine herself usually wore her heart on her sleeve, but ever since he'd confirmed what she'd been told about his true nature...she was guarded, tense. Whatever she really thought about him now, she kept it well-hidden behind a mask of common courtesy.
Darien finished his meal, washed it down with the last of his wine, and carefully wiped his mouth with a napkin, and set it over the plate, raising a hand for the check, which he paid on card and tipped generously, though if he'd simply wanted to walk out without paying, noone would dare mind. But he paid his debts anyway...everyone had to pay their debts, one way or another. And on that thought, he finally found his tongue again.
"And there we are....I've finally wined and dined you like a proper gentleman should. Was that really such a difficult experience that I had to buy your shop in order to make you agree to it?" He only half-joked, trying to cut through the palpable tension. It didn't work, of course, because there was a rift between them widening by the second as explanations remained unsatisfactory and their terms remained ill-defined at best. That would have to rectified, but...somewhere more discreet.
"Speaking of buying things, how would you like to go shopping? Specifically, there's the matter of clothing...I'm sure by now you've realized your woefully under-dressed for this part of town." He continued amiably, waving one hand through the air to indicate the patrons dining around them, and the people making their way down the thoroughfare. With the exception of a few tourists dressed comfortably for vacation, it was a sea of men in sharp, well-fitted suits like his own, and women displaying ensembles that ranged from soft and elegant to downright provocative, but whatever they wore, it was clearly expensive.
"Personally, I couldn't give a damn what you wear, anythings fine as long as I can take it off you. But there are certain....standards expected me, and that extends to my accompaniment as well. And since it's only something you need because of me, I'll be paying. I actually have just the place in mind, just down the block.." He trailed off as they rose from their seats and readied to leave, taking Delphine's hand in his own as naturally as breathing, that she could hardly notice he was leading her until they were nearly outside The provocative twist at the start of the statement was buried in the rest of it, but showed a subtle reminder that their relationship was about more than just business or kindness.
-
Darien stared at Delphine in quiet contemplation before he pushed his plate away from him and called for the bill. With his food finished and the bill paid for, Darien turned towards Delphine and spoke. She knew that his words were meant to ease the tension that lingered between them, but they did nothing of the sort. If anything, it only made the tension more blindingly visible. Still, she forced a small smile onto her lips to make it seem as if it had worked.
There was a pause before Darien continued, this time to inform Delphine of just how underdressed she was. Well, he certainly wasn't wrong. Delphine's thrift shop ensemble was nothing compared to the dazzling and sophisticated outfits of those that surrounded them. But what could she do, other than admiring everyone else's outfit and hiding the embarrassment she felt for her own?
Delphine toyed with the end of her skirt as Darien carried on with the conversation, though she froze when he mentioned taking her clothes off. Her cheeks flushed a bright red in embarrassment, and she immediately turned her gaze away from him and towards her lap. She was hardly able to focus on whatever he said next, her mind too focused on what he had said and how he had said it.
Delphine wasn't dumb. She knew that their relationship would include things of a more physical nature. It was just... odd, and incredibly embarrassing to have Darien bring that knowledge into the world. The redhead chewed on the inside of her lip until, suddenly, Darien stood from his seat. She cleared her throat and stood as well, taking his standing as a sign that he was ready to leave.
Before Delphine could do anything else, Darien reached forward and grabbed her by the hand. He pulled the young redhead from the restaurant and into the afternoon sun, though Delphine could only relish its warmth for a minute before Darien was tugging her in the direction of where he wanted to go next. "So, uhm.." Delphine began in a somewhat desperate attempt to distract herself from the thoughts that clouded her mind. "Will I have to change my entire wardrobe?" she questioned.
-
The sly comment he had slipped in had achieved the expected result, as Delphine immediately began to show her shyness again, cheeks flushing red as her eyes darted right down to her lap, hardly able to look him in the eye when he spoke of such things. It made him wonder just how much of an innocent she truly was...going in, he had hardly imagined she was a virgin. While he love life had been woefully sparse of late, owing to work, it hadn't always been so. She'd been through high school and a full semester of college, and she was very pretty. Surely there had been others before.
But if she truly had remained chaste, it raised to question of how she had allowed things to go so far already without a peep of complaint that hadn't been related to who he was and what he did. And there was the kiss to consider....Delphine had accepted that eagerly enough, and that was before there was such a sense of duty and debt to consider. That reaction, at least, had been genuine. Darien waved such thoughts out of his mind...answers would be forthcoming soon enough.
"If you'd like, yes, you could just replace it all with designer brands. But you don't have to, I just have a few items in mind that would be a must, suitable for public appearances...elegant faire to make you look at home in the most distinguished company. Learning the right attitude and manners will take time, but you already have the beauty to pull it off." He explained in answer to her inquiry, setting his mind to the task at hand. If she was going to be his companion, both public and private, she'd need to learn to look and act the part. Everyone he surrounded himself with added or detracted from Darien's reputation, and in his business, reputation and everything. It was all his family had started with when they'd come to this country, the wealth and power had come later.
He led her across the wide thoroughfare in front of the grand cathedral, the sunlight flowing through the stained glass throwing multicolored rainbows around and over them as they walked. It was a majestic sight of his own doing. They passed statues, fountains, and gardens lining the open spaces, and stopped now and again so Delphine could examine them more closely....of course, true to form, it was the gardens that caught her attention most, carefully arranged beds of flowers and bushes with as many colors as the rainbows that fell across them.
-
Darien informed Delphine that, if that was her wish, then she could most definitely change her entire wardrobe. He did not mind. But, that was not what Delphine wanted. Her wardrobe might not have been the most sought after wardrobe, but she loved it nonetheless. Each piece that she wore was something that she had found and paid for all one her own, and she took pride in that. Not only that, but each piece reflected a portion of her personality.
To change that did not feel right. But if Darien wanted her to wear the occasional fancy outfit, then she would do that. She owed it to him after all that he had done for her. The young redhead followed the man through the small neighborhood, taking in the sights and the beauty all the while. Occasionally she would spot a garden or a bundle of flowers and the pair would stop just so she could study them more but for the most part she admired the sights as they passed by them.
On top of studying the sights, she also studied the people that they passed. It was interesting to see their reactions to Darien's presence. The women reacted much like the flower girl that they had interacted with before their dinner--with reddened cheeks and fluttery eyes. The men reacted to him with slight bows of their heads or respectful waves and greetings. It was like everyone knew him, everyone respected him, everyone loved him.
She wondered if their reactions to him were all genuine, or out of fear. Perhaps they were out of a bit of both. Delphine glanced up at the taller man and studied him for a brief moment before her attention returned to the path in front of them.
-
Their meandering walk down the piazza was a short but pleasant one...if it weren't for the difference he was shown by passers by, the looked nearly like a normal couple taking advantage of the cool, sunny autumn afternoon.
Eventually, they reached a row of modern storefronts of glass and chrome that stood apart from the brick and stone that defined the neighborhood. This area was newer, sleeker, and more modern, put in where the old architecture was too unstable to keep.
It was also where the most money congregated. While along the main thoroughfare all classes mingles, these high-class salons and boutiques outpriced the average customer. While there was an Armani storefront and a few other menswear outlets, much of the custom was from rich women in the latest fashions trailing put-upon husband's and boyfriends behind them.
"Ah, here we are..." Darien stated with a grin and a flourish once they reached the place he had been leading them, an impressive boutique with a name so long and in cursive so stylized it may as well have been illegible.
He led Delphine easily by the hand through a set of glass doors that slid open soundlessly to admit them into a word she'd likely never fathomed belonging to.
