"But the food tastes really good. Trust me, you won't regret it," Vivian added with a bright smile.
Ted and Marianne exchanged a glance. They felt that this waitress was just like the restaurant—weird as hell.
But, they were already here...
Ted nodded at Vivian. "Alright, we'll try it."
A few moments later, Ted and Marianne finished ordering.
Vivian asked out of habit, "Would you like to order the fruit platter?"
Ted asked for the price, and then... "????"
"No. No, thank you."
The price was outrageous. It was practically robbery.
Vivian didn't mind. She turned around to take orders from the next table.
Once Vivian was out of earshot, Ted and Marianne couldn't help but whisper frantically to each other.
"Are you sure this is the place?" Ted asked Marianne.
Marianne nodded. "I'm sure. 'Dex Restaurant.' This has to be it."
Ted: "..."
Both of them were muttering complaints, but at the same time, they were even more eager to see this Dexter character.
About twenty minutes later.
Dexter stepped out of the kitchen to get some fresh air and grab a glass of water. He glanced around casually and... "????"
Although Bianca's parents had only appeared once in the original show, Dexter recognized them immediately.
Side note: Bianca's sister was pretty hot, too.
Dexter was slightly surprised and a bit puzzled.
Why are these two here? Did they just happen to come for lunch?
While it was possible, Dexter felt the odds were astronomically low.
So, they came to find me?
Dexter muttered silently. Then, his thoughts shifted, and a mischievous idea formed. Under the pretense of drinking water, he quietly pulled out his phone.
Click. He snapped a photo.
After checking that the picture was clear, Dexter turned around and ducked back into the kitchen, having absolutely no intention of making unnecessary contact with Bianca's parents.
He hated that kind of stuff. Parents, guardians, relatives—they were all a pain in the ass.
Back in the kitchen.
Dexter quickly texted the photo to Bianca, pretending he didn't know who they were.
[Don't you think this woman in the photo looks a lot like you?]
At the hospital.
Bianca happened to be on a break. She felt her phone vibrate and took it out.
Instantly.
Bianca's pupils dilated. "!!!"
The next second.
"Those two! What do they think they're doing?!" Bianca panicked. She hurriedly typed a reply.
[She doesn't look like me at all. Don't talk to them. They don't look like good people. They might try to scam you.]
Dexter saw the text.
Haha.
Bianca... truly, "Daughter of the Year."
Dexter was cracking up. He thought for a moment and replied: [Really? I didn't notice. They look pretty kind and gentle to me.]
Bianca replied instantly: [Your instincts are wrong! Trust me! They look like trouble. Stay away from them.]
Dexter was amused beyond belief. He didn't hesitate to save these texts. He'd show them to Bianca's parents someday.
[Yes, ma'am.]
Bianca finally let out a small sigh of relief. Her first instinct was to call her dad, but she quickly realized that wouldn't work. Talking wouldn't stop them; it would just make things messier.
She had a headache. She thought about rushing over to the restaurant to drag her mom and dad out.
Unfortunately, she couldn't do that either.
Because if she went, Dexter would have to come out.
Then it would turn into "Meeting the Parents."
"Two old troublemakers," Bianca groaned, rubbing her temples helplessly.
---
The Gallagher House.
Fiona was asleep upstairs.
Lip and Ian weren't home.
Frank was still in pain, popping pills and smoking weed, basically fused to the sofa.
On the empty lot next to the house.
Debbie, wearing a sour face, was silently cleaning the above-ground pool.
Without the daycare, and with Fiona ordering her not to run around lately, plus Carl being gone... Debbie felt empty. She had nothing to play with. After thinking about it, the only thing she could come up with was cleaning the pool to go for a swim and kill time.
By now, the pool was basically clean. All she had to do was hook up the hose and fill it.
Thinking about the joy of soaking in the water, Debbie managed a small smile.
Suddenly.
Several trucks drove up to the curb and stopped one after another. It was a lot of commotion.
Debbie heard it, climbed up to the edge of the pool, and looked toward the noise in confusion.
Tommy got out of his truck with his son, walking toward the empty lot. Behind him, a group of undocumented workers began unloading tools.
Debbie was bewildered. She didn't understand what was happening.
Tommy saw Debbie and the pool she was standing in. He smiled. "Debbie Gallagher. Is that pool yours?"
Debbie nodded blankly. "Yeah. Why? What are you guys doing?"
"Dexter bought this land. He hired us to build a house here. You need to move the pool," Tommy replied with a grin.
Debbie understood, and her expression changed instantly.
It was a huge pool, and not an inflatable one. How was she supposed to move it? And move it where?
And... there was going to be a house here soon?
For as long as she could remember, this lot had been like no man's land... Debbie liked it that way. She didn't like change.
Now, everything was changing, just like the Gallagher family...
Debbie couldn't stop the sadness from welling up. The word heartbreak was practically written on her face.
Tommy saw it. Considering Debbie was just a kid, he thought for a moment and added, "We aren't breaking ground today. Just get the pool moved by tomorrow. No huge rush... but it has to be gone by tomorrow at the latest. No delays."
"Oh..." Debbie replied. Then, overcome with sadness, she scrambled out of the pool and ran toward the Gallagher house to find Fiona.
Tommy turned his head to look at the dilapidated Gallagher shack, grinned, and muttered to himself, "Dexter owns all three of these lots now. He could easily combine them and build a massive villa."
---
Inside the Gallagher House.
Debbie ran into the house, didn't stop, and sprinted up the stairs. She burst into Fiona's room and shoved Fiona awake with force.
Fiona was in the middle of a good dream. Being shaken awake so violently, she pulled off her sleep mask impatiently. "What is it?"
Debbie frantically explained the situation.
Listening to her, Fiona became more and more awake.
By the time Debbie finished, Fiona wasn't sleepy at all.
Dexter buying the empty lot and building a house... in itself, that wasn't a crime.
But, because she already disliked—or even hated—Dexter, Fiona felt like the Gallagher house was being surrounded by him. It pissed her off.
"Damn rich people!" fueled by annoyance, Fiona cursed. Then, she said to Debbie, "Don't worry. When Lip and Ian get back tonight, we'll move the pool to the backyard. You can play in the backyard from now on."
Debbie's face fell. She couldn't accept the change. She threw herself into Fiona's arms. "Why does that Dexter guy have to build a house there? Doesn't he already have the house next door?"
"Because he's a filthy rich asshole. That's how rich people are. They always want more. They're greedy as hell!" Fiona said with hateful conviction.