Debutante
Ghalia al Ghul, a debutante of a different sort.
Dinner
Hannah Wilson, Robert Williamson, and Ghalia Williamson were at a private table in the back of Greene’s Tex-Mex restaurant. To all the eyes that had watched them enter into the establishment, they looked like a youngish woman, a middle-aged man, and an even younger woman. Only the three and a handful of others knew what they truly were. Well, what one of them truly was.
Dr. Williamson had ordered two bottles of Red’s Muscadine II from a certain local vineyard. He refilled his and Ghalia’s glasses (Dr. Wilson did not drink alcohol but typically enjoyed a virgin whiskey sour) and said, “This is a toast for Ghalia, for her recent work in security and her decision to become a student at Mackenson Institute. What do you think, Dr. Wilson? Is she ready to join us on the dark roads we often find ourselves walking?”
“Absolutely,” said Hannah Wilson. “And I hope you enjoy your time as a student. I know I did. Also, I hope we don’t have to walk too many dark roads together. If we do, I’ll be glad to have your company.”
“Amen to that,” said Robert Williamson. They all clinked their glasses.
“Thank you both,” said Ghalia. “I think I’ve had good fortune so far in my life. That’s mostly thanks to you, father. I want you both to be the first to know that I was seriously thinking about using what must have been my birth name. Strictly speaking, my name is Ghalia Al-Ghul. From now on, permanently, I shall be called Ghalia Williamson. I have a message for those who would pull us down dark roads. They should pray to their gods for deliverance, for I shall protect my own and rain down destruction upon our enemies.”
Just then, Mia, the waitress, appeared with a platter piled high with steaks, potatoes, and various other vegetables and soups. “Here you go,” said Mia, as she sat the dishes in front of the trio. She then cleared the table of an already empty wine bottle. “Anything else? No? Well, I’ll be around occasionally to see if you need anything, and I’ll bring another bottle in a few minutes.” She half-bowed and disappeared.
“Very nice lady,” remarked Dr. Williamson.
“Longtime friend of mine,” said Dr. Wilson.
“She is very nice,” Ghalia agreed. “Now, let’s eat!”
The End.
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