He shrugged as he was getting up, glancing down at her, "I think we are.  I'm going to get me some, at least until they tell me otherwise," he replied with a smile, always jovial, this one.  He offered his hand to help her up and then turned to follow the crowd, not urgently, but as if he could easily wait another hour to get some of the meat.<br/><br/>Julian was cutting and passing the meat out to each of them while the other two continued to slice more from the split.  The women were served first, then the men, but when Julian saw Tommy and Valla come forward, an almost unsaid cue was sent out.  The men who were waiting stopped and let the two of them through.  Julian smiled as he handed a slice of the roasted meat to Valla, "I apologize that we do not have proper plates, but we make do with what we have."  The plate was wooden and rough, barely circular and quickly cut, but it was better than holding the hot slab of beef.  Tommy was obviously going to be last in line, but he waited patiently, keeping an eye of Valla.