The Family Home by Sophia Spiers

Author:Sophia Spiers [Spiers, Sophia]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2024-06-20T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty-Four

I enter the bustling café and spot Nic sitting at a small table in the far corner by the window. She’s looking out, absent-mindedly stirring a long spoon into some sort of green super juice. It looks like bile and turns my stomach. A waitress with two side buns like Princess Leia and various tattoos on her arms approaches, precariously holding a tray filled with more colourful juices. Even though I attempt to make space for her, she barges past, knocks into my shoulder, almost spilling her cargo. I apologise, even though it’s not my fault, and she grunts something back which sounds like, ‘Watch where you’re going.’ I’m about to say something when I notice Nicole staring in my direction.

I negotiate my way through the tightly packed tables and wave to Nicole, mouthing hello. But although she’s looking straight at me, she has a vacant look and seems a million miles away. She looks troubled.

My thoughts turn to Vinny. The dark cloud from the night before hangs low. His hand on mine, telling me how he feels a connection, but not explaining why and what it is. A thickness coats the back of my throat. I gather my emotions and plant a smile on my face.

I can do this.

‘Penny for your thoughts,’ I say, standing next to her.

‘Golly, I didn’t see you there.’ She straightens up, is poised again. Her hair tied in her signature high ponytail, her big, made-up eyes have black, cat-like flicks at the ends, her lips are glossed, her smile is now broad.

‘This café looks nice,’ I lie, taking my seat and placing my phone on the table.

The exposed bricked walls are adorned with poor-quality Banksy rip-offs, the aluminium tables and chairs are flimsy and cheap, every table is decorated with a fake rose in a miniature vase, the music is deep House, like we’re in a lounge bar in Ibiza. The clientele is a mixture of young Hoxtonites and ‘yummy mummies’ huddled together with their Mamas and Papas prams, babies aboard, munching on rusks and biscuits. The staff are young, trendy and full of attitude, and the overpriced menu is written up in cursive on the chalkboard.

‘It’s great in here,’ she gushes, her face now animated. ‘You should try their quinoa salad. It’s to die for.’

‘Yum, sounds scrumptious.’ I haven’t the heart to tell her that I’m actually craving a full English fry-up and for some unknown reason, a long, slow drag on a real cigarette.

The waitress that barged into me approaches, producing a pencil from behind her heavily pierced ear. She flicks the page of her sustainable eco-friendly brown notebook.

‘Yep?’ she asks, looking over her exposed tattooed shoulder at the counter behind her, towards her heavily pierced and tattooed buddy at the till.

‘Eve. You should also try this juice. Spirulina and kale.’

‘Another time maybe,’ I say, smiling while my stomach churns. ‘I’ll have a double espresso for now.’

The waitress actually snarls at my order.

‘Need caffeine for the hangover,’ I say.

Princess Leia waitress scribbles it down and walks off.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.