Black Coffee (Tara's Dream)|Dearest Diary, - Book 1 (unedited)

Chapter Thirteen.

"Lydia, How could you!" A disgruntled looking Linda cries out and the blushing bride to be has the decency to look away sheepishly.

We are at our favourite meeting joint seeping taking a milkshake or two. I stir my chocolate expresso milkshake and lick the rest off the straw before turning my eyes on the pair with a hint of amusement on my lips.

"And I thought we were friends! I treated you like a daughter and this is what you do to me?"

From the way Linda is going on, you'd think that Lydia's committed the most heinious crime there is, but no, all she did was keep quiet. Not at a murder trial that lead to the electrocution of the innocent falsely accused victim, but about her relationship status. From the way her lips are moving, I can tell that she's at loss for words and as much as I felt like strangling the annoying couple, I jump in to her rescue.

"Just let her be...the girl is too distraught to even answer you." A tell her disgruntled employer.

"Distraught? More of ashamed of her actions. I think a fitting punishment would be that she allow us to spoil her for the duration of the period." Linda answers me back and I raise my eyebrows at her.

"That's hardly a punishment!" I laugh.

"It is. Right now, she's dying to tell me that it is not necessary, but I am fashioning both her and David with their outfits for the Ruracio." Linda tells me with a wink that Lydia misses as she is still playing with her fingers on the table top.

True to form, immediately Lydia hears that, she snaps her head up and looks at us, her mouth open and ready to protest.

"See...I told you." Linda tells me and I laugh again. "She thinks that she's being modest, but I call it pride"

"How so?" Lydia asks her so called employer sounding every bit irritated.

"You're too proud to accept my gift." Linda replies and her assistant scowls back at her.

"You know, I've never thought about it that way, but it does make sense." I tell them and I mean it. I used to think that declining a gift was being modest, but in reality it was a form of false humility. I think back to what my father told me when Troy had gifted me the house and I shake my head with a silent laugh. Age did breed wisdom and it is refreshing to think that kind of knowledge is universal. Wether you're tacked away in a small town Australia or in a big city in Africa, it's all the same. Wisdom that is.

"She's got you there, Lydia. Just let us spoil you and all will be forgiven." I add, this time directing my remarks to the grumpy and harassed looking assistant. In response, Lydia draws out a defeated sigh and bows her head with a pout on her lips.

"Fine!"

"Great, where should we start?" Linda claps hands in excitement and what I am sure is a smug smile attached to her face.

"I saw a shop with some great African print dresses around that corner." I tell them pointing out of the restaurant.

"Even better. On your feet Lydia!" She says standing up. "Time to get you all dolled up!"

Lydia  groans besides us and I pat her back with a laugh. She frowns at my smile and turns away, looking so miserable you'd think that we were planning her funeral.

"Cheer up!" I encourage her.

"Why? I am beginning to regret..."

"Not telling us?" I cut her off and she glares back at me.

"No. I regret ever telling you two anything. I should have waited until we got married and then you'd know from the rings!" She snaps back and I mimic a look of horror.