"Ye maw told me auwar Bayani's back from doon South! An' wi' a new burd at 'at? Emma, is it?" Dee called from the kitchen, as Princess stocked the morning's pastries before rush hour.
"Emily!" Princess called back.
"Oh, an' whit dae we think of her?"
Princess had to blink excessively to ease the urge to scrunch up her hands and attack her eyes in a fit of bother as her contacts soaked up all the moisture. It was the 31st of October, which meant it was compulsory for everyone employed at Dee's Upon the Railway to dress up.
Everyone being the tall total of Princess, Dee and Angus.
With such a thin wardrobe, Princess had picked the easiest costume and worn all black along with red contacts. Today, she was a blood-thirsty vampire.
A blood-thirsty vampire with itchy eyeballs.
Dee came waddling from the kitchen with her sparkly witch's hat and a stuffed black cat, her familiar, pinned to her shoulder. She even wore striped tights and a velvet purple dress, which looked terribly comfortable.
"Ma eyes envy yer bonnie dress, Dee." Princess said, sliding the glass door closed to the pastry display.
"Whit? How?"
"They'd much rather be wearin' that than 'ese , torturous contacts," she groaned.
Dee let out a huff.
"Ah didnae tell ye tae tortcha yeself! Ah jus' said dress-up!"
"Ye ken ah only dress-up tae go t' bed."
Dee rested her fists on her hips and tried not to smirk, but her lips gave way. Princess's head snapped around.
"No' like 'at! Ye ken whit a mean! Ma silk jammies ur the best things ah've got."
Dee snatched the silver oven tray from Princess's hands and shook her head.
"Prince ye need a jo, hen, or a burd---whitever and whichever way ye swing."
Princess crossed her arms over her chest, watching Dee waddle back into the kitchen.
"Ah dinnae swing." She called out. "An' ah dinnae need a lad! Ah need---"
Princess cut herself short as she stared hard, down at the Scottish tea cookies. Her recent visit to Old Aberdeen invaded her thoughts.
"Ah dinnae ken whit ah need..." She finally mumbled.
Dee poked her head around from the kitchen and watched as Princess tidied up the already tidy row of packaged shortbreads on the counter. The other baker, Angus, poked his head around too, from behind Dee. Angus was a lean---and much older than Dee---gentleman, who towered over her like the spent lamppost from The Old Street Lamp. Picking up the unusual silence coming from the kitchen, Princess turned around to find an audience. Angus quickly cleared his throat and pointed a bony wrinkly finger to the pastries on display, and with his characteristically croaky voice said,
"Eh pastries ur all oot."
To which Dee slowly turned her head round to him with a face saying, "Ur ye a pure goon?" Angus's eyes flitted from Dee to Princess to a crack in the wall.
"Anno," Princess said slowly. "Ah put them oot."
Angus nodded. And before vanishing back into the safety of the kitchen he muttered, "Reit, ah'll prep eh rest."
Princess blinked and turned to Dee.
"Where yees spyin' on me?" She asked.
"Whit wis Emma like?"
YOU ARE READING
Princess & Dee's Upon the Railway
RomancePrincess, a newly graduated medical student, grapples with the prospects of her future; of her childhood dream and of what her mother expects from her. All whilst unexpectedly finding love in the most ordinary of places. (Spice-free version.)
