Deck the halls (A Hayffie Xmas story)

September (1)

September

Effie wakes up early on a fine mid September Saturday morning.

She still has to get used to her brand new apartment, above her brand new shop.

To her brand new life.

She had opened her tea house/ dressmaker workshop, The Capitol, a week ago, with the help of her best friend Portia, and so far it has been a hit! Their customers loved her pastries and drinks, and the concept of buying tailor made clothes or bringing some to be mended while taking a nice cup of tea had immediately seduced them. It was just what she wanted it to be, a bubble of relaxation in this otherwise quite serious town.

It's their first day off since the opening and she wants to take a break and go have walk outside, take a look at the town. She had been truly living here for a week but she never had the occasion to visit with all the fuss around the new shop.

She knocks at Portia's door to ask her if she wants to join her, but her friend only looks at her like if she's crazy with her eyes still half closed and slams the door at her face. She laughs as she gets down the stairs leading to the back door.

Once she is outside, she takes a big breath of fresh air. The sky is blue with a few remaining white clouds, the air is warm and still humid from the rainy night. The sidewalk is still wet and she has to avoid the little puddles to protect her brown suede boots and the hem of her jeans. It's still warm enough that she can walk outside with a simple blouse and her thin burgundy leather jacket.

With her sunglasses on the nose, she makes her way through the small center of the town, with its red brick buildings and white painted doors. She sees a few little shops that catch her eyes and meets several of her customers who greet her cheerfully. Some even stop her to talk for a few minutes. Everybody seem nice and welcoming around here.

After all this walk and chit-chat, she feels the need for a good cup of coffee and spots the only diner of the town, right next to the little public park, The Hob.

She remembers this diner from the first time she had come here years ago. She had been on a 'road trip' with her -now ex - boyfriend, Seneca, and they had stopped there for lunch. She had had the best coffee of her life there. And the owner had been quite agreeable to look at, albeit quite grumpy and rude, so it had been a nice bonus.

She makes her way there, wondering if the owner had changed since this trip. It had been... what? Four years ago?...

She enters and sits at the counter. The owner comes and he is the same tall blond man she remembered. Only a little older and less... neglected.

"What do you want sweetheart?" he asks without even glancing at her.

"A cup of coffee, please." she answers with her whitest smile, "And I'll ask you not to pet name me." That last part has the merit of making him finally look at her. She however didn't expect him to gauge her with a lifted eyebrow and narrowed eyes.

"You can go and make your own coffee sweetheart. I ain't serving the competition." he grumbles turning his back at her and going back to his previous occupations.

"What?" she gasps. She had never encountered someone so rude in her entire life. Well twenty-eight years are not a life time but it's long enough.

"You heard me, you can make your own coffee, get out of my place."

"I'm... I am not competition! What are we? Children?" He doesn't answer her and goes back to his kitchen.