42. Overindulgence

We finally pulled ourselves up off the ground and brushed the grass and dirt off each other's shirts. Cayden led me across the rest of the park, and then through a gate. Suddenly it didn't feel like we were in London anymore. There was nothing around us but open field and a highway. We crossed the highway and followed a trail through a large field where people were jogging, kicking around a soccerball (football), and walking their dogs. We passed a small carnival that looked like it was probably hoppin earlier, but we missed the fun.
"And that, that's Blackheath Village," Cayden said as he pointed to the cluster of short buildings at the end of the field.
"They call it that because when people died of the plague, they buried them right here, under our feet. You're walking on dead people," he said.
Creepy.
But the village itself was anything but creepy. It was cute—small and compact, situated on a steep hill. We did a loop around the village and stopped at a pub to grab a few beers before dinner. We ordered two Leffes and headed to the roof. This was the second time I'd drank Leffe on the roof with Cayden.
"I haven't had Leffe since I had it on your roof. I forgot how good it is!" Cayden said, starting into his pint with a grin on his face.
"Really? I drink it all the damn time. I love it." Every time I find a bar with Leffe on tap I feel like I've won the lottery.
"I can't wait for you to meet my sister and my friends tomorrow. Are you nervous?"
I had wanted to meet his sister all along, but he was the one who was hesitant about it. He wanted to keep me all to himself. I was only there for four days, so he wanted to have as much me and him time as possible. But something changed his mind and now he decided we'd all meet at a pub to watch the USA-England World Cup Game.
"Not too nervous. I'm excited! Will Topher be there?"
"Yeah, he'll be there. And my sister and her boyfriend Nate, and my mates Anthony and Will. You're going to love them."
"I just hope they love me!" Truth was, a was a little bit more nervous about being the only American in a British pub during the big game. Those Brits are crazy about their "footy."
I was so glad I'd get to meet everyone, though. Because if Cayden came to visit me you better believe I'd parade him around, introducing him to everyone I know and probably even some people I don't.
We finished our beers and he went down to buy our second round. I was still full from lunch, so I wasn't sure how I was going to fit another Leffe in there, especially when I knew he planned on taking me out for a big Indian dinner once we left the bar. Maybe I needed to burp. I tried to muster up a big burp while he was away, but I couldn't force it.
Hours later we were still on the roof, chatting away. I'm still amazed that we've talked almost every single day, multiple times a day for almost a year, yet we can still sit here and talk for hours on end. My biggest fear was that I'd fly to London and find out we ran out of things to talk about. But I didn't see that coming anytime soon. I had a decent buzz going from my two giant cups of Leffe, which I managed to fit thanks to a couple unexpected burps. Yes, while Cayden was sitting there. Well, I never said I was a princess.
He downed a third while I considered unbuttoning my jeans. How was I going to even pretend to be hungry enough for dinner?
"Ready to go?" He said as he pushed his chair back to stand.
"You betcha!" Not even kinda.
I didn't even get to walk off many calories before dinner because the restaurant, Raj, was just around the corner. I had never had Indian food before I moved to NYC and discovered an all-you-can-eat Indian buffet below Maleah's new apartment in the Upper East Side. One night we ate so much we left looking 8 months pregnant, and she named our food babies "Poojah."
The waiter knew his order and he ordered chicken tikka masala for me (I picked it out). The waiter brought these giant crispy cracker things and four different dipping sauces. After three bites, I was stuffed. So I had 10 more (the sauces were just too damn good). Then he brought out the samosas I thought I wanted. I forced one down. I took a few deep breaths and readjusted in my chair. If I sat up a little more, I didn't feel as full. When my meal arrived, I could only manage three or four bites and then I was down for the count. I imagined the button launching off my jeans and into his dish. I pushed my plate away.
The waiter came back and looked offended I didn't eat my meal. "Would you like anything else? Maybe a drink on the house?"
Cayden said yes while I begged no. If I tried to force one more something into my belly, the night would not end well.
The waiter brought two small glasses of what tasted like Baileys. I knocked it back in one gulp to end the torture.

---

We walked to the train holding hands, the conversation still flowing.
"Damn, the next train doesn't come for 25 minutes!" Cayden said.
"It's all good. We got this."
We grabbed two seats side by side and laughed and talked while the minutes flew by. At one point I laughed so hard I was sure I'd pee my pants right there in front of him at the train station. Not cute. Speaking of not cute, I tried to imagine how I was going to feel sexy enough to mess around with him when we got back. A belly full of Indian food isn't exactly an aphrodisiac.
Cayden patted his belly, looked at me and said, "It will be a miracle if we have sex tonight."
I laughed.
"Glad we're on the same page."

The only miracle that took place that night is that the button on my jeans stayed intact.