Chapter Twenty Xeraphina

XERAPHINA

Tilly and I step up to the vast steaming hot buffet adorned with many types of seafood and other meats like steak, chicken, and pork. Each section remains warm to prevent contamination with salmonella, and my stomach rumbles.

“I’m gonna gain a hundred pounds tonight. Look at all this food, Xeraphina,” Tilly yells over the music with a huge grin on her face, as she reaches out and clutches a plate and silverware. “This is freaking fantastic!” she says, clutching a pair of tongs and placing a whole cooked king crab onto her plate. Her eyes widen in delight as she notices a bin down the way of oysters on the Half Shell, being kept cool in a bin full of ice. “Oh goodness, I’ve got to have some of those,” she says, scurrying off.

Taking matters into my own hands, I reach for the tongs that Tilly left behind. With a swift motion, I transfer a succulent lobster onto my plate. Not stopping there, I make my way to the next station and grab a mouthwatering 16 oz Ribeye, placing it be