A/N Thanks for the reviews – I really appreciate hearing from you! Since several readers wanted this to continue, here's at least one more chapter – a longer one.

Physical Readiness Ch 7

Harry and Ruth barely noticed their tired muscles and strained joints as they approached Nature's Bounty Café fifteen minutes later. It appeared to Harry to be a highly popular destination, with the average patron significantly younger and fitter than he. "Probably eat yogurt and granola and go on cycle tours, too" he thought, until the gentle squeeze of her hand on his arm reminded him that he was the one with Ruth.

The freestanding building housing the restaurant had a widened area of sidewalk in front that had been made to look like an enticing courtyard. Underfoot lay brick in gently swirling patterns; the outdoor seating consisted of a dozen small, round tables. The tables were separated by large planters which held trees with profuse, low-hanging foliage, creating umbrellas of leafy green seclusion for the diners. The door was flanked by more planters; this was like entering a natural oasis on a city street.

Harry and Ruth approached the open French doors uncertainly, but were immediately welcomed by a friendly and relaxed young person, gender indeterminate due to spiky blue hair, multiple piercings about the head and face, and odd, loose clothing which obscured the body beneath. "Your first time here?" asked the youth. "Yes," smiled Ruth, "and I love it already!" as her delighted eyes took in the high ceiling, forest of greenery, many private tables in various sizes and quirky décor.

"Welcome! You'll just want to go through that archway – you'll see a counter where you place your order. Then sit wherever you like! Enjoy. I'll be around if you need anything," said the youth.

"How can I have missed this place all this time?!" Ruth enthused. "I so hope the food is good!

"Well, it does smell good in here," Harry allowed, "although the maitre d' was a bit unexpected. I like the ambiance, though..."

"Hmmm, several interesting options, in fact," Harry mused, looking at the large board behind the counter. I might try that grilled steak on mixed grains with vegetables – it's not prime rib and potato, but…."

"I can't decide between the sesame salmon in a bok choy boat or the ahi tuna over greens…" Ruth pondered. "Which one do you think is bigger?"

After choosing drinks from the surprisingly tempting array of healthful- sounding concoctions, they took the tall, frosty glasses from a very pleasant but spectacularly strange- looking cashier (this time a cascade of orange and green hair from a central stalk apparently sprouting from an otherwise cleanly shaven head) and went in search of the perfect table. Although both would have enjoyed sitting outside, they agreed that discretion would be better served at a table hidden in a back corner.

"I saw you pick up the nutritional information card at the counter. Shall we review our paperwork?" Harry asked, but pointed out that it was a bit late for that, as they had already ordered meals without any consultation at all to Daphne's plan. "Oh, never mind for now," Ruth agreed. "Let's just relax and enjoy this place. I could look around here for hours. It's very soothing, isn't it? And I'm too hungry to concentrate, anyway."

Harry enjoyed the opportunity to really look at Ruth while she was completely enthralled with her surroundings. He would happily eat cold boiled haggis every night, he thought, if it meant he could spend the evening with Ruth like this.

"I like your workout pants" he said, out of the blue.

She turned her attention from the wall carvings above and behind her to look at him, startled. "What?! My workout pants? Errr… I don't know quite how to respond to that," she said.

"They're nice and bright and shiny," he teased. Relieved, she replied "Thank you! They're almost new – only 2 decades old!"

"Yours, however, seem to have gotten much more use than mine, I would guess" she said before pausing. "Were you wearing lavender underpants?" she amazed herself asking, "because…errr… there was a little threadbare patch, and I tried not to look, but…I couldn't help seeing lavender. You don't strike one as the lavender-undies type, really, do you?"

"I certainly hope not!" sputtered Harry, laughing. "My daughter, Catherine, gave me a purple jumper for Christmas last year, which I imprudently laundered with some undershorts. Hence the lavender. I have, in fact, a good dozen more just like those! And socks and t-shirts, too!"

"I see," teased Ruth with eyebrows raised as high as possible just as the food arrived on a huge round metal tray that might have been an oriental gong in a former life.

Their plates were piled high with very generous amounts of food. "It may be healthful but I'm relieved to see that it's also plentiful!" Harry said.

There was very little talking for a few minutes, as they concentrated on eating the delicious food they had ordered. "Mmmm, mine is really good," Ruth said, "Is yours?"

"Who would have guessed that an enormous pile of rabbit food with a few strips of steak could be so incredibly enjoyable?" Harry agreed. "Good job you spotted this place," and paused eating.
"Thank you for inviting me here, Ruth. I can hardly believe I'm saying this, but contrary to all expectation I have really enjoyed this whole evening." Harry said softly with a gentle look on his face.

"Me too. You have bulgar wheat on your chin," Ruth barely managed to enunciate around her mouthful of salmon with a small sprig of leafy greens protruding from one corner of her smiling lips. She reached over and gently brushed the grain off of his face, her fingers lingering just a moment longer than necessary. "Errr…sorry… there, it's gone" she said, suddenly feeling self conscious.

As their hunger began to abate, the pace of eating slowed. Ruth reached into her handbag and pulled out the paperwork that Daphne had given them. She scooted her chair closer to Harry's so that they could share the same page, then adjusted her plate and glass so that she could continue to eat but leaving space for the papers between. "OK, let's see. Here's the nutritional information for Nature's Bounty's menu, and here," pointing to Daphne's paperwork "is where our intake should be…. Look at that! Your dinner was spot on for what she recommends. Mine was about right, too. And we're not even suffering!"

"There certainly seem to be dozens of tempting options here – shall we come again and try something different next time?" Harry asked.

"You know, I think we probably should." said Ruth, sharing a happy smile with Harry, both enjoying the notion that this could become a regular event.

"But for now, let's think about lunch tomorrow. Your usual corned beef sandwich and crisps do NOT appear to be listed on Daphne's list of healthful suggestions! Why don't I see if I can find a vetted sandwich shop with something a bit more healthful – there are several that already deliver to Thames House. One of them must have some better options…."

"Well, alright, but I may need supervision to guard against cheating. I have a long history of being totally incorrigible!" Harry agreed with a boyish grin.

"I can assure you that I will be monitoring your every move." Ruth flirted, to Harry's delight, then disappointment: "Speaking of movement. Much as I hate to go, I think we should probably head home – I'm feeling a bit stiff and sore after sitting here, and I may try to get in early tomorrow to catch up…."

"I'm afraid that you're probably right. Perhaps we've done enough walking for today, though. Let's have a cup of coffee while we wait for my driver, and I'll drop you home?" Harry suggested, pulling out his mobile, waiting for Ruth's nod.

"I'll get the coffee while you call." Ruth said, rising with a small groan from the table as he dialed. "I feel like an ancient crone…" she mumbled under her breath as she turned toward the counter.

Ruth almost didn't hear his "My kind of crone!" but looked back just in time to catch his eyes running admiringly up her body and blushed happily.

They sat silently in the back of the car, feeling awkward recalling the things they had said and done this evening. Neither was sure what had allowed them to feel more relaxed in each other's company, but the wonderful ease seemed to be wearing off.

When they arrived at Ruth's home, Ruth jumped out of the car and briskly said "Thanks for the ride, Harry, see you tomorrow!"

"Wait," Harry instructed his driver as he got out and caught up to Ruth as she approached her door. "At least let me see you safely to your door..." He leaned in toward her as she unlocked her door and growled softly near her ear "I shall have to make a concerted effort to overcome the fact that I wear lavender undies, won't I? G'night, Ruth."