Twice Over

Chapter 121 - Commerce

commerce
noun
1. the activity of buying and selling, especially on a large scale
2. (dated) social dealings between people

Dressed in a pair of charcoal collot pants with a bodysuit under a creamy crochet knitted crop top, I managed to make it into the car before nine thirty. I was alone today, no assistants, no drivers. I was driving myself. I have my license, and as you've probably figured out from being run over by my own car in my past 'timeline', I have driven myself around a lot. I can drive and I can drive well. But I hate it. It was something that I noticed that I avoided a lot lately, either from laziness or from fear of hurting or getting hurt in possible accidents or something, I wasn't sure. Probably all of the above. So that is why I am now forcing myself to get used to driving again.

Because, you never know when horrible bad habits become life threatening.

I arrived safely at Posh Mall just as Teresa's text arrived asking where I was situated. I found a park, got out and locked the Jeap up, then made my way into the mall.

"I need coffee, a bagel, then pumpkin pie with spiced cream and a blueberry biscuit." Teresa took a hold of my arm, almost scared the bejeezes out of me. I patted my chest to calm my beating heart down as Carlie took a hold of my other arm.

"Coffee and mocha cake, should be somewhere in this big old mall that serves pumpkin pie at this time of the year." Carlie followed Teresa's habit of including me in their conversation half way through without any greetings or salutations. I gave myself a mental shrug, smiled and joined in.

"Random fact. Did you know that neenish tarts were first made in Australia in the early 1900s? Will your coffee and pumpkin pie shop sell neenish tarts?" I asked with a wide smile, holding onto both the twins arms as I directed them to an escalator in the middle of the mall. We rose on the moving stairs as I explained what neenish tarts were.

"No, seriously? How come I've never heard of these neenish tarts? I love lemon flavoured cream and chocolate." Carlie took a hold of the arm-train and began pulling us up moving stairs. "Quickly, I want to see these tarts."

The coffee shop that the twins were originally wanted to go to didn't sell pumpkin pies, nor neenish tarts so we diverted our hunt for lemoney and spiced goodies towards a little used cafe in the corner of a block of sports goods shops and footwear. It sold coffee, lemon honey tea, mocha, pies, tarts and much more. It served all of our various needs.

I loved spending time with Teresa and Carlie. We chatted while we ate and drank. They updated me on their plans to move to Australia in the new school year to be with their father. Their mum had just started a new relationship and it sounded like it was becoming awkward for everyone involved. The twins were keen for a fresh start with their father. Both the twins bragged about what their father had managed to build for himself since their parent's divorce many years ago. I think they were looking forward to the new beginnings in a new place with their father's power and influence.

Thinking back to my own rebirth, I could totally understand exactly how they felt.

"So, how's university? How is your apartment and your new, ah... cafe?" Teresa moved the conversation towards me and my happenings.

"Tea house, and yes, I'm super busy." I replied, as I finished up my lemon honey tea.

"Yeah, just a little!" Carlie rolled her eyes at me.

"Hey, no fair. I've been planning on taking over the world since kindergarten. This is just the next step in my plans for world domination." I remarked with exaggeration.