Globetrotter Ingrid gets a fabulous fresh start when her job takes her to Melbourne, Australia. Here she meets wise and sweet Oliver, who makes her forget she doesn't have a heart.
This successful stability prompts Ingrid to accept an invitation to...
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November, 2018
Despite it being Saturday morning, an uninterrupted trickle of customers crossed the Flat White Mozzie threshold, overwhelming the solo barista. Oliver decided to stay and help his brother after dropping Ingrid off at the dojo.
"Any plans for Christmas?" Matt asked, when they caught a rare break from frappés, soy lattes, and ice coffees.
Oliver diligently wiped sticky syrup stains off the countertop at the back, then washed the cloth and folded it on the edge of the sink. "Dunno yet, why?"
"Kauri invited us to spend the holidays in Queenstown. Hana's parents are coming, too. You and Ingrid are also invited, if you'd like to join us."
Oliver nodded to himself. "I'll talk to her about it. Queenstown is a lot of fun, I'm sure she'll be delighted."
Matt grinned. "I was counting on it."
"It's just such a relief." Oliver chuckled. "She's up for anything, I adore that about her. No jealousy attacks if I want to hang out with the lads, no obsessive questioning when I come back from a trip, straightforward answers when I ask her what she wants to do. No pressure to give up on me just to make her happy."
"Oh, you mean like a normal, reasonable human being?"
The brothers laughed.
"Yeah..." Crossing his arms, Oliver leaned back against the counter, pensive. "It's pretty fucking sad that so many of us are downright impressed by normalcy."
The blare of an approaching siren paused further thoughts on the subject. It was a rare sound in their quiet neighbourhood. Oliver looked up as an ambulance pulled into view, the siren now deafening. He straightened abruptly when it stopped in front of the dojo.
Matt followed his brother's panicked gaze and cursed under his breath. Oliver was rushing out of the shop, shouting for Ingrid. Matt ran to hold him back.
"Let's keep calm," the older brother whispered, "or we'll just get in the way."
Oliver gulped, his flight-attendant training kicking in. Nobody could keep calm better than a cabin crew supervisor responsible for the lives of hundreds of passengers in a flying tin can.
Except that calm crumbled when the EMTs emerged from the dojo with Ingrid lying flat on their stretcher. Hana trailed after them, casting a brief glance in her husband's direction before hopping into the ambulance.
"Shit," Matt mumbled.
"I'll get the car," Oliver said, his heartbeat thudding in his ears.
"You sure you okay to drive?"
Oliver steadied his trembling hand into a tight fist.
"Ollie..." Matt squeezed his brother's shoulder. "Let's take a few minutes. Focus on your breathing while I lock up. Remember, Hana is there with Ingrid. Whatever's happened, she's got her back."
