HeartBreaker | Book 1

Jeremy's Favour

                   

Chapter Twenty-Two

Jeremy's Favour

It's Monday and I'm 15 minutes into my lunch break, sitting on the table by the window of Brioche café, waiting for Desirae to arrive. 

Since Saturday, it's felt like her and I have reached a deeper level in our relationship; so deep that one would call it a legitimate friendship.

And I know she feels it too even though she's never said it, but it's never really something you say, it's something you feel, a type of energy that lights up your insides.

Who would've ever thought that me, Chris, would have a friend? A legitimate person who I care for and cares for me?

There's something about her that makes me... happier, my footsteps seem lighter on the ground and I feel as if I'm not being followed by a constant dark cloud.

Desirae walks in and beams as she approaches my table.

"Morning, Chris!"

"Desirae, it's 1:26PM," I chuckle and she does the same.

"I slept all morning, my sist-... I mean, my daughter, wouldn't sleep last night, she's got a cold,"

"You don't have to hide anything from me," I chime in,

"Neither do you," she smiles.

She takes off her jacket revealing her orange t-shirt, I'm relieved to see no signs of bruises anywhere on her arms.

I look down at my hands, just so she won't catch me staring.

"Massage her forehead," I say not looking up,

"Huh?" says Desirae in complete befuddlement.

"Molly, her cold; massage her forehead and it'll get her to calm down and go to sleep... it always used to work for Madison," I say finally looking up at her and smiling.

Desirae looks at me appreciatively and smiles, "yeah, I'll give it a go. Thank you Chris."

I look up at the counter, looking for the sweet old lady who owns the café, but she is nowhere to be seen.

"You're sitting by the window," comments Desirae biting into her pie,

"Yeah, I figured it was a nice day, why not y'know?" I answer honestly and Desirae nods.

Though I often sit in the dark corner of the café, sitting in the table by the window where the sun shone through seemed right.

Every few minutes I'd look back at the counter and expect the old lady to show up, but there's no sign of her; despite this place being an above-average café, it doesn't have the same aura when she isn't present.  

I hesitate to leave without seeing her, but I've got to get to work soon and Desirae finished her lunch.

Desirae offers to walk me back to work and I'd feel like a fool to decline.

She strides beside me with her eyes closed and her head back, swaying side-to-side as the sun kisses her skin.

I look at her adoringly, she reminded me of a weeping-willow tree being blown in the wind, she embodies what it is to be a free spirit.

She finally opens her eyes and looks at me as we walk along the not-so-busy footpath.

"Hey, have you ever looked at a picture or an artwork and it reminds you of something you've never experience or someplace you've never been?" she asks.