Johnny was late ...
That is unfortunately nothing new - actually his tendency to be late is one of his few faults. There is always some book or other he just need to read a bit more of or a drawing to draw or a person to talk to or ..
And before our little angel knows he is late and very embarrassed because of it.
One of the few times I have seen Meeps irritated with her darling - she stood waiting for him in the purring rain in the middle of nowhere - she claimed he was always late! So the day he was dead it would make no difference - she was use to him being her late boyfriend!
But when he came a moment later she hugged him fiercely and declared - to his great amazement - that she would kill him if he died anytime soon -o*
He had called the head waiter at the Snake Pit - his and Bacchus´s little nice restaurant - though and told the man in charge they should just serve me dinner and in every way treat me as a very honoured guest.
Our sweet Johnny is like that too *o*
Finally - when I sat sighing and looking at the over flowing dessert cart -Johnny turned up kissing my cheek briefly as an apology and sat himself down heavily at the chair opposite me. And as he produced a rumble cigarette pack and some loose matches and the business part of a match box he said "Do you mind if I smoke - it has been one of those days!"
He had already lit the smoke before he was finished asking and took a long satisfied draw on it but then he suddenly blushed and said shyly "That´s no way to behave, Amy - I´m sorry ... I will extinguish this stinking cancer stick immediately" which he also promptly did.
Then went on "And you were about to eat your dessert too ... I am so very, very sorry! Go right ahead - which one do you choose? And why choose? Just take all you like"
Here I felt like shaking him - severely. Perhaps even in scales! So what if he smoked - I like the smell of his cigarettes *o* And we dragons are no strangers to smoke after all -O*
But telling me to just take as many dessert as I like ... It was all very well for him who never seems to gain an ounce even though he tucks it away like a champion at times. But I am becoming a ... well, to put it frankly - kinda chubby dragon these days. What with living with Yackatoota and being pregnant with our eggs and all ...
Apparently Johnny noticed my flashing eyes and flushing cheeks because he smirked a little charming smile and said "Sorry, Amy. ... why don´t you choose that one over there. Meeps virtually swears by it - when she is not swearing at it for making her fat, that is"
Then he sighed and continued "No matter what I tell that girl she just won´t believe I find her very sexy and attractive just the way she is" Here he started to light the smoke again but stopped just in the nick of time.
"The woman is driving me to drink!" he smiled in mock despair. Then signalled to the before mentioned head waiter who came over and smiled his most charming vampire smile - all big pointed fangs "You called, Sir?" count Vlad Dracula purred. The arch vampire loves Johnny very much which is the only reason why the nobleman has deigned to become one of the three head waiters at the Snake Pit.
"Yes" Johnny said looking thoughtful "Can you recommend a good vintage for ... say - Coca Cola?" Here the count´s bottom jaw dropped and I saw a sight I would have sworn I would never see - an indeed very STUPID looking vampire. Then he coughed a bit to hide a giggle - he has a reputation to maintain, of course - and said in his best English accent "Well, Sir - perhaps I may recommend .. this year´s?"
"A very good choice, I think" Johnny smiled impishly "I would like to have a tall drink of that - not at all shaken and hardly stirred at all on the very cold rocks!" Count Vlad bowed deeply with a small smile and disappeared with a "Right away, Sir!"
Johnny laughed with me when the blushing vampire was out of ear shout and then explained "I have to pull his legs once in a while or he gets so dour and serious he is liable to frighten the costumers away. ... beside perhaps falling back to his old habits and taking a sip out of them too - yikes! Now I am all for Meeps´ idea of rehabilitating some of the charming old bad guys but sometimes they do make me shudder ..."
Here I hurried up and said - trying to take my mind off craving a second dessert - "What about that interview we talked about, Johnny? Will you help rehabilitate this dragon? I am new at this journalism stuff - only agreed to try out this writing business because it isn´t easy being out there fighting knights and wizards in Dungeon and Dragons games when pregnant ... Those young men playing that kind of games doesn´t ask if the big bad dragon is a mother-to-be or not ... And you did said you would help me ... I have been thinking about an interview about how it is to be an invented cutie pie - eh ... character. What do you think about that?"
"Well" Johnny started - and without conscious thought put his long fingered hand to that gorgeous mouth of his again for only the Goddess knows what time - and I admit I actually screamed (scaring quite a number of customers by that) "Will you light that cigarette, Johnny!! ... this is pathetic to watch, sweetie - so go ahead, please. Smoke it! I truly don´t mind"
Johnny looked very happy hearing that and promptly did my bidding.
That is by the way the way to get very obedient puppies ... Just tell them to do what they would have done anyway on their own and then praise them profusely for their sweet nature and you will never have a single protesting "Woof!" ... ever ...
Sorry for going off the subject like that, folks ... It´s just that ... Johnny does at times remind me of the cutest little baby doggie ... Something to do with those big beautiful brown eyes of his, I guess - so ... He *o*
Anyway! ... tshee-hee *O* Back to my interview -o*
Now that Johnny had a warm cigarette and a cold coke he was quite happy.
Or so I thought until he sighed a bit and said "Yes, Amy. I would love to help you - although I strongly foresee some more embarrassment in the future coming from this ... Invented cutie pie, indeed! Tshee *o* But ... The reason I was late today - and I do apologize for that - is that ... Well, Meeps isn´t feeling so well at the moment and ... She kept saying I should go and meet you instead of hanging around her trying to make her feel better by staring at her and - and ... Uh! I do wish I could just cure her!"
Here the coke glass started to do the can-can because Johnny hit the table hard with his fists and I hurried up and got a hold of it before it disappeared over the edge of the table. The count came over to see if anything was wrong but left after Johnny had charmingly apologized for his rude behaviour towards the furniture and cutlery.
"She gets so sad at times" Johnny sighed - still talking about his beloved "baby girlie" - and looked very sad and quite adorable himself. "She says it will pass - and it does ... And - and she also says it is her hormones acting up. ... just that time of the month. ... and that I shouldn´t worry - but I do ... A bit"
Knowing Johnny I thought "No. A whole lot, my sweet boy"
But said out loud "Then you should certainly go back to her. We can do this another day. ... or I can perhaps interview count Dracula here about how it is to work for you lot"
Johnny giggled at the last idea. Then excused himself to answer his mobile. That was quite apparently his darling Meeps to judge from his loving smile and his question "Are you feeling any better now, baby girlie?" Then he listened for a while and clearly loved what he heard because he said happily "Wait a sec while I ask her. I am sure she’ll love it"
I wasn´t so sure. While I do love Meeps - even more than the tease would give me credit for when she wrote about how we met Yacka and all that - she is also the kind of crazy human who can get it into her very silly head that she want to go and ride rodeo style at gigantic millipedes up on the Navel.
And believe me; that is not a sane idea!
The huge millipedes can be very charming people but hate to have any one at their backs - which is of course why people make bets who can stay on the longest. Even the millipedes make bets among themselves - who will most quickly get his rider off, that is *o*
But when Johnny asked - blushing a little - "Would you mind very much if we went home to Meeps - to our house - and talked? She thinks I would feel better ... I mean, she would feel better if we were together! And that way you could still get your interview today. Do you mind?"
I couldn´t help smiling at Johnny´s little mistake. Meeps was probably right. He would feel better if he was near her and able to help her in any little way possible. And Meeps would most probably feel better too.
So I agree to their little change of plan and after saying goodbye to the people at the Snake Pit we went outside where I changed back to my dragon scales and Johnny unrolled his magic carpet, got on it and with a loving pet on her front pattern said "Home, if you please, Fatima!"