The Four Sisters

Chapter 7

 Halloween was only a couple of days away, but Spencer hadn't decided on a costume. She was too busy making sure that the house was decorated, and the food was bought and safely put up away from Parker's always starving friends. 

   Spencer also had to work the day before the party which Parker thought was a travesty as she had to meet with the DJ she hired, and go buy all the alcohol by herself. Rose was there to pick up the slack though so Spencer didn't feel too guilty as she went into work. Actually work was a nice distraction from the chaos of home as the whole bottom floor and staircase was decked out in true Halloween glory.

  "Ma'am, may I have a cup of coffee?" Henry asked with a cheeky grin as he leaned over the counter. Spencer had been restocking the cups, and she hadn't even noticed him come into the store.

  "Oh, of course," Spencer said as she stood in her purple bat dress with her java bean apron over it. It was black so it went nicely with it, she thought. She paired it with a pair of Charlotte's pointy black boots. Erica called Spencer 'delightfully witchy.'

  "You look very cute in your bat dress," Henry said as he glanced around the quiet shop – there were only two other people there. Both on their laptops and writing away.

  "Cute?" Spencer raised her eyebrows.

  "Very pretty!" Henry clarified. "But cute too."

  She rolled her eyes, but she was smiling.

"  I'd like a regular large coffee," Henry said. "Black."

  "How manly," Spencer said mockingly as she poured it for him. "Are you too macho for anything else on the menu? No super sweet lattes with extra whipped cream?"

  "I do like those, but they give me a stomachache," Henry said as he reached for a straw and a few packets of sugar. "It might be the ridiculous amount of whipped cream you guys put on them or the bucket of syrup. I was addicted when I was younger."

  "Me too," Spencer said. "Coffee gives me the worst insomnia though so I can't drink too much of it, or I'm up all night watching documentaries."

  "You should call me next time! I love a good documentary fest," Henry said as he handed her some change for the coffee. She waved it away. "Oh no, I gotta pay."

  "It's fine," Spencer laughed at him. "I think I can manage one cup of coffee. That's for being so nice and bringing over all those toys for the cats the other day. I never got to thank you."

  "Oh, it's no problem," Henry said and almost looked embarrassed. "I actually brought them over 'cause I was hoping to see you, and you would appreciate my sweet gesture in person, but you weren't home so Victoria had to appreciate it. Which is fine, but I wish you'd been there."

  Spencer felt her face grow warm. "... I really wish you wouldn't look at me that way."

  "What way?" Henry asked as he stared at her.

  "That way," Spencer said with a bit of an embarrassed laugh.

   "... I'm sorry," Henry said, and he looked sheepish as he stood sipping at his coffee. "You're a very beautiful, interesting person."

  "Well, thank you," Spencer said; the straight-forward compliment making her throat feel dry and making her feel ridiculous for liking it so much. She felt like a silly old woman for being so taken aback by some young kid throwing lines at her. Hadn't she outgrown this kind of bullshit? Apparently not, she realized with an inward sigh.

  "How is the party coming?" Henry asked.

  "All set," Spencer said with relief. "Rose and Parker picked up a ridiculous amount of alcohol this morning. It barely fit in the trunk and the back seat of the car which is telling me this party is going to be a little out of control. I just hope the cops aren't called because that would be far too sad at this point in my life."