The Four Sisters

Chapter 5

  "So is Taylor the love of your life?" Parker sarcastically asked Charlotte on Monday morning at breakfast as the sisters all sat around and enjoyed the scones that Spencer made for them before work. She was getting some extra practice, and the girls were taking full advantage.

  "Leave her alone," Spencer said easily as Charlotte sipped at her coffee and looked melancholy.

  Charlotte went out on a date with one of Parker's friends that weekend. She went out with Taylor the beautiful boy with messy blond hair and bright blue eyes. He was gorgeous, and he eyed Charlotte every time he came over to visit Parker and Rose. He finally asked Charlotte out, and she happily said yes.

  Parker wasn't thrilled as she didn't want her friends hitting on her younger sister, but Charlotte was nineteen and her own person. That didn't keep Parker from being annoyed though.

  "We just went out with some friends," Charlotte said with a shrug of one small shoulder as she sat curled up in her chair. "It wasn't a date, date. Well, I thought it might be, but he was flirting with other girls all night."

  "I told you about him," Parker said. "Didn't I say he'd do just that? He likes to flirt with younger girls and then ignore him. He'll be calling you again soon and acting like you're the love of his life. He's into mind games. At least you didn't bang him."

  "Of course I didn't," Charlotte said and made a face at her sister. "I wish you wouldn't be so freaking smug about it. It was just a date. And you barely know him yourself! He just tends bar at that shitty place you guys like to go to after work. I love how the whole world is your friend just 'cause you talked to them a few times."

  "He helped me move," Parker said. "That makes a friend!"

  "Well, he helped Charlotte move too so he's her friend as well," Spencer said. "And they just went out for drinks together. That's all." 

  "Exactly. I don't see the big deal," Charlotte said as she reached for another scone. "I only said yes because he asked me anyway. Then he acted like I wasn't even there! What is wrong with guys? Why are all the ones I go out with complete assholes?"

  "Like I'd know," Parker said with a snort of laughter. "Spencer? Do you know what's wrong with guys? Can you remember the last time you had a date? Was it this century?"

  Spencer smacked Parker on the leg which just made Parker cackle even louder.

  "I don't know, Parks. I think at my age my memory is starting to go," Spencer said with a smirk.

  "Sad," Parker said as she happily took the last scone off the plate – the biggest one. "We might have to put her down, Char."

  "Hilarious," Spencer said and snatched the scone right out of Parker's hand. "I'm taking your scone for that."

  Spencer gave it a big bite, and Charlotte grinned as Parker sputtered with indignation. Spencer was glad Charlotte seemed in a happier mood as they finished breakfast, and Spencer said goodbye to her sisters as she set off for her second day at the Java Bean. Her stomach was full of scone that she hadn't even wanted, but she had to make a point. 

  Spencer liked her job at the Java Bean. It was stressful learning how to make the assortment of drinks they offered, but she was quickly catching on. She had a great boss named Matilda, and she was always in and out of the place. She was teaching Spencer the ropes and keeping an eye on her for her shifts for the first two weeks. Spencer liked all of her co-workers too. They were younger than her, but it didn't matter.

   It was a quiet coffee shop, and the reason that Spencer liked it when she first came across it. They had a whole wall of books that people could borrow as long as they put one of their own on the shelf first, and Matilda owned a gigantic orange cat named George that was named after George Harrison from the Beatles. He wasn't supposed to be in the shop, but he would sometimes sneak down the stairs from Matilda's apartment and walk on the tables to the amusement of the customers.