regina is eating chicken francaise with the people she is related to. they are in an italian restaurant. all of the waiters are wearing red and green cumber bunds. there are tiny candles in yellow glass cups on the tables. zachariah is shoveling pasta into his mouth with his fingers. there is a butter-stain on his blue ed hardy t-shirt. this makes regina feel embarrassed. she begins to cut her chicken into bite-sized squares.

 

susan asks regina how her chicken is. regina says that it is fine. susan asks regina if she would like wine with dinner. regina reminds her mother that she is fifteen years old. rachel says that she would like wine with dinner. regina reminds rachel that she is nine years old.

 

susan asks a waiter to put grated parmesan cheese on her chicken francaise. this makes regina feel annoyed. the waiter is young, and has gray eyes that are attractive and a patch of acne under his jawline that is not attractive. he stares at regina longer than it is polite to stare at a stranger. he asks regina if she is the girl from that movie. as regina opens her mouth to say no, she isn't, susan smiles at the waiter and begins to tell him about regina's upcoming movie, little miss darkness.

 

susan is speaking very loudly. this makes regina begin to feel distraught. everyone in the restaurant is staring at regina. regina is smiling and nodding in what she imagines is a gracious manner. she wants to smash her empty wine glass against her forehead and slit her wrists with the broken pieces. the waiter is still grating cheese onto susan's chicken francaise and staring at regina. regina wants to tell him that he has put too much cheese on her mother's food.

 

a young girl approaches regina and asks her to autograph a white cloth napkin from the restaurant. regina has to borrow a pen from the waiter because she does not have her own. this makes regina feel childish. regina signs her name on the napkin and the girl's mother takes a picture of the exchange. regina is distraught. susan is now telling the woman at the next table about regina's upcoming movie, little miss darkness. regina wants to leave the italian restaurant. regina wishes she didn't exist.

 

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