chapter 7

Mort's restaurant was lavishly decorated for its grand opening. It was packed, but when Martin and Gwen arrived, the waiter Diego --a chiseled, cinnamon-coloured Ken doll of a man, and one of Mort's current boyfriends--showed them to a table that Mort had reserved for them in advance.

"He telling me chu back in town, Marty," Diego said in his bossy Spanish accent, as Martin and Gwen slid into either side of the booth seat.

"Wow, this place looks amazing," said Martin, gazing around at everything.

"Tank chu, I be doing the decoration," Diego said happily.

"Oh you're here!" a familiar voice exclaimed; and Mort appeared, giving Diego an affectionate squeeze as he beamed at Martin and Gwen. "Now, the prices don't exist for you, darling; both of you--order whatever you please."

Minutes ago, Martin had still been feeling full from that afternoon, but the sight of the menu instantly made his stomach rumble in anticipation.

"Wow... everything looks so good. I think I'll start with a herb bread and some of those corn fritters. Then, um, the steak burger- oh and can I get a side of wedges with that? Annnndddd maybe just the salted corn on the cob as well. And I'll grab the mousse for dessert -oh and some of the rhubarb crumble too, thanks."

"OK," said Diego, scribbling on his note pad. He snatched both menus away before Gwen could make her order.

"Oi!" Gwen said indignantly. "I want dinner too."

"Oh I sorry," Diego said superciliously; "I thinking Marty be ordering for the both of chu."

Martin blushed. Beside Diego, Mort began to smirk; he had noticed that something had changed since he had last spoken to Martin.

*

Gwen had not expected Martin to eat all that food, but he made an astounding effort. He demolished both entrees and the main, but could not finish the side of wedges, and had to ask for the crumble take-away. After finishing the light, fluffy but fattening mousse, he leant back in a food coma, so full that even his old 'fat' jeans were feeling snug.

"I can't move," he grunted, rubbing his belly.

"If we had to pay for this, this is the point I'd do a runner and leave you to get the bill," Gwen teased.
"Oh ha ha," said Martin, rolling his eyes.

On the other side of the room was a make-shift stage, where a band was now setting up. "Can we stay for the music, Gweny? I need to... mmm.. just digest a little. That was so good, I just couldn't stop eating."

"Sure, we can stay a bit," said Gwen. "Be right back--ladies."

The nearest bathroom was in the pub across the street behind the restaurant. Gwen fixed her makeup in the mirror, before returning.

Mort was standing by the back door of the restaurant, having a cigarette after closing the kitchen for the night.

"Hey," said Gwen. "So the place is a success. As far as Martin's concerned, anyway."

"I'm pleased to see you're taking good care of the dear boy, Gwen," said Mort, smirking. "What on earth did you say to him to convince him to end that dastardly diet?"

"Nothing! Just that he should do what he wants.. and eat what he wants. Just for one month."

Mort's hazel eyes glittered maliciously. "Oh don't you have a silver tongue. You know, I might just need a 'taste tester' here in the restaurant... Diego's a darling boy, of course, but he doesn't understand these things. Perhaps you and I are more alike than we thought..."

"I don't think so, Mort," said Gwen, frowning. "Martin told me you wanted him to be fat. I just want him to be happy."

At this, Mort laughed. "Oh honey, you know I love Marty whatever he looks like; I assure you, I only ever enjoyed what was already there... I merely... twisted his rubber arm from time to time. Besides, we both know that a happy Martin is a fat Martin, whatever he tries to tell us to the contrary. Our dear boy is simply a feeder's dream. But you already know that, I'm sure." His eyes glinted.

Gwen did not know what a feeder was, but felt nettled to think that Mort was objectifying her friend.

"I'm not oh so bad, you know," Mort went on, drawing on his cigarette and exhaling smoke from his nostrils. "Just because I don't want to tie the slipknot. But I love him very much." He said the last quietly and sincerely.

Gwen softened a little.
"Yeah. I know," she said shortly. "But he wants commitment... he wants a real relationship."

Mort smiled, in a way that made Gwen feel slightly uncomfortable. "Well. We all want the best of both worlds, don't we?"

"Thanks for the meal," said Gwen, before slipping quickly back inside.

Martin wanted commitment. She, Gwen, wanted commitment--though Martin was not interested in women, and certainly not interested in her. He was only interested in Mort. She snorted angrily at the unfairness of it all. Yet when she returned to the table, and gazed across at Martin, who smiled at her in a warm, sleepy way, she knew that, maybe, she and Mort really did not want such different things after all.