“Oh sorry,” she said softly and pulled out a pad. “Not used to seeing the Davies plus one. What can I get you…”

“Spencer.” Spencer finished for her.

“Spencer, okay. What can I get you.” Spencer eyed the chicken platers which both Ashley and Raife were already devouring and then shrugged. “A salad would be nice.”
The waitress smiled and then walked away.

“Spencer, I see that your a woman after my own heart,” Christine said brightly. “As you can see what I’m subjected to every Friday night. I have to beg Ashley to even look at a salad.”

“You guys come here every Friday?” Spencer asked with a glance at Ashley, and Christine noticed.

“Oh its a family tradition. Raife gave his first live performance here twenty-seven years ago. It wasn’t a Hooter’s then of course.”

“Oh, Mr. Davies, are you a musician?” Spencer said looking to the older man.

“Yeah, I’m a part-”

“He was.” Christine interjected and Raife gaped, but then returned to his chicken. “So tell me about you Spencer. Ashley hasn’t mentioned you. How long have you two known each other.”

“Well, officially,” Spencer said thinking hard. “We’ve known each other for about forty-five minutes. But we’ve been working toward it for about three years.” Raife and Christine both glanced up confused. “We ride the same bus,” Spencer offered, and Raife smiled brightly.

“So that’s why you turned down that Benz!” he squealed at Ashley, and she looked at him with angry eyes. “You must be some girl Spencer.” Raife finished, ignoring Ashley.

Christine wasn’t as convinced. “Three years? Just how old are you Spencer?” she said with a forced smile.

“Twenty-three,” Spencer replied comfortably and just as Christine started to reply the waitress reappeared with Spencer’s salad.

“Drinks?” she said smiling dumbly from guest to guest. After they had all ordered their drinks, Raife started talking before Christine could.

“So what do you do, Spencer?” he asked.

“Umm I’m a personal assistant to the Educational Director at the National Museum for Women in the Arts. It pays nothing, but I’m hoping to get an internship soon.”

“Really?” Ashley asked, her eyes wide and the other three guests turned to her somewhat surprised. She hadn’t spoken for quite some time. Spencer answered Ashley with a curt nod, and Ashley swallowed the bit of chicken still in her mouth. “It’s weird how much we don’t know about each other,” Ashley said, oblivious to her parent’s presence now and they took a hint. Christine began fussing with Raife’s hair, smoothing it down with her hands.