After.., Part 11: A young child eyed the pastry case as his parents ushered him toward a booth further down the thi aisle.

Doyle, Jr. was deciding on either the chocolate cake or the custard pie, and maybe some cookies on the side.  Some moments later, the family seated, the boy took a sip of his soda; his parents read off one of the two menu-copies, while enjoying their coffee, they'd be given by the waitstaff person.  The other copy lay unopened.  The boy already knew what he wanted.  

The staff-person appeared with an electronic tablet in one hand, and a pot of real coffee in the other.  Both parents wanted basically the same thing, roast beef - one with fries, the other with rice.  "And what would you like?"  The staffer, smiled at the boy?  

"Custard cake," the boy announced, with anticipation.  Whatever item within the case that was, needless to say, both Cowboy and his Mrs, both rolled their eyes.  "Honey, food before sweets," his mother's soft gentle voice then voiced a hot sandwich and a side from the regular menu - mammabear didn't generally care for kiddie-menu selections.  She just didn't.  

The meal was followed up with another round of coffee, a glass of milk for Jr.   While the parents conversed over a shared slice of key lime pie, their son enjoyed an ice-cream cone.  

Seated a few tables over, a smartly dressed, slender woman, in her early 50s stirred a plateful of fruit, laying in a bed of greens.  She glowered at the family.   That man...! Daggers shot out from the woman's eyes directly at the lard-arse he was sitting close beside. Ellen was livid.  She had spent good money on that pic she'd sent - twice.