23- Longing

"Please get this mess cleared," Joseph ordered someone and turned to her, "It's ok ma'am. Please don't feel disheartened."

He took a slow lingering look around the room especially at all the dishes on the long table, "If all your food has fallen on the floor, we can give you a second chance."

Joseph didn't give her any choice to speak or to express that she knew him, and they had already met.

"Beef Fajita and Baklava are safe, sir," She tried to convey to him in a clipped tone and gave a hard stare to the blond responsible for this mess.

She was blowing on her nails as if trying to blow dry the nail color. She just raised her eyes for a moment to meet Marissa's gaze and then moved away to talk to someone standing close to her.

The rest of the participants were still standing in a shocked state.