Free Healing Inc. by Deneice Tarbox Page A

to come in early so they can go to some concert or something.  I didn’t have the heart to say no.”
     
    Evy decided to suck it up and not to make him wait any longer.  She would be sure to make a bee line to the nearest convenience store as soon as she finished with Tyler.  That stale burrito with her name on it would have to wait for now. 
     
    Gathering her backpack, she made her way to the elevator.  As the elevator rose closer to the top floor that accommodated his office, she started to think that she was losing her mind.  The hallucinogenic scent of her favorite food, Indian cuisine, was infiltrating her senses and growing stronger by the minute.  Stepping off the elevator, her notion was confirmed when her nose pinpointed the aroma coming from his office.
     
    She walked the short distance past the reception area to his office door which stood wide open.  There, on his desk, lay a buffet of some of the most delicious foods known to man, mango lamb, coconut soup and of course, nan  to name a few.  On instinct, her mouth began to water.  She stood in amazement, eyeing the spread, repeatedly swallowing her saliva so that it wouldn’t overflow in an obscene cascade to the floor. 
     
    “Hey there!  A little birdie told me you might be a wee bit hungry,” Tyler said with a sly smile.
     
    “I…I…I’ll be alright.”  With difficulty, she refocused her gaze from the food to him.  She was determined not to let him win their ongoing standoff over him buying her dinner.  “We need to get started so that we don’t hold up your cleaning crew,” she reminded him.
     
    “Oh, I see.  I hope you don’t mind if I go ahead and eat while we’re studying.  Boy, am I starving!  This is the first chance that I’ve gotten to eat all day,” he exclaimed as he sat down rubbing his large hands together.
     
    “Go for it,” she replied, shrugging her back pack off her shoulder and taking the seat across the desk from him.  Attempting to ignore the fare before her, she started pulling items from her back pack in preparation for their study session.
     
    “You know, I’ve never tried Indian cuisine before.  I think I rather like it,” he teased, munching on the savory meat and bread.  “Are you sure you don’t want any?”
     
    “I’m fine!” she fired a little more harshly than she had expected.  Her cheeks heated with embarrassment which was hidden by her deep brown skin color.  She continued to avert her eyes from him and his banquet by pretending to look for something deep within the confines of her back pack.
     
    “Umm-umm! This is some good cooking here!”  He closed his eyes, rolling them heavenward as he scrumptiously mowed down on the cuisine.  “Wow!  You know the smell doesn’t do it justice.  This stuff….”
     
    He was cut off by a loud noise emanating from Evy’s stomach.  Without warning, she reached across the table and snatched the food out of his large cupped hand.  Tyler roared with laughter as he watched her devour it, forgoing any ounce of poise or dignity.
     
    Once finished, she addressed him.  “Oh you fight dirty Mr. Moriatti,” she seethed with narrowed eyes as she licked her fingers clean.  Then she lowered her eyes, addressing her stomach, “You treacherous bastard you!”
     
    Tyler could no longer contain himself.  He laughed so hard it brought him out of his overpriced office chair and onto the carpeted floor.  The fall did nothing to abate his mirth, which went on for another five minutes while Evy fixed a plate, unable to keep from snickering as she did so.  His joy was contagious. 
     
    They finished eating, with Tyler confessing that Nita had clued him in on her missing lunch.  He had hit the redial button to see if Evy wanted to reschedule after hearing that the cleaning crew wanted to come in early.  Nita had just gotten back to the office and informed him that Evy was on her way.  It was then Nita had asked him to pass on that the