Gingerbread Coffee

My mother use to tell me as a child that I would go bald if kept pulling on my hair so. Sadly with the way things are going she might be right. Even as I think about this my fingers find their way through my short black hair. Annoyance quickly filling my body as I realize this.

Things have been stressful lately-especially with Cecelia. I knew that uprooting her from our home and trekking half way across the world would be hard on her but even I had to admit she was being a pain. Cecelia always did things through and through, if she was going to be a pain she was going to make my life a living hell.

Food fights, running away, and the much dreaded call about the fist fight she got into was only the start. I never knew six-year-olds were so violent! I never taught Cecelia to raise her hand in anger, and yet there she was in Pandora's office because she gave the UnSeelie prince a black eye!

I wished I could say she had no clue how much trouble she was getting me into, but that would be a lie; she knew exactly what she was doing.

With Emmy in the hospital and Cecelia on last strike I was a complete mess. Now to top it off I had to go snooping around Gabriel's things looking for Arya's contract. It's not that I didn't like Arya, but I had better things to worry about than someone who willingly handed their soul over to that seedy character.

I should be chivalrous and full of southern charm, but after so many years a guy can start to loose his patience a bit. I'm lucky my sense of humor is still intact!

Sighing to myself I twirled my spoon in my cup of coffee. The hectic mid-afternoon lunch rush allowed me to think alone at my table. I had been sitting at this table for over an hour just relaxing and trying to sort things out in my head, I needed a small break and after finding this cafe in a nearby town I was more then willing to play the part of the American traveler. If anyone came up and asked me a question I would pretend like I had no clue what they were talking about.

Simple, rude, but simple at the same time. Closing my eyes I laid my head on the table in front of me, rolling my shoulders I tried to calm the frustration that was growing.

Annoyance piled up filling me as I felt a poke on my shoulder, turning abruptly I almost let out a snarl stopping just in time to see Lucy staring back at me.

Lucy's green eyes held a quizzical look about them. Her lopsided smile showed surprise to see me here. Her slender arms wrapped around my shoulders giving me a large hug before signing something my eyes missed.

Pushing down my anger I asked her to sign it again, nodding she did.

'Found our secret hang-out?' she signed quickly her mouth opening in a silent laugh, as she pointed towards a presence I had not noticed: Alissa?

Or at least I thought it was the Ice-Girl... She was almost unrecognizable with the amount of foundation, and baggy clothing on.

'Your hang-out? I've been coming here all week,' I signed laughing at her, and slightly wondering how she got to the cafe in the first place.

It was no where near walking distance.

'I've come here every day, the Latte is to die for,' Alissa added after she put her drink down on our table. I caught sight of car keys dangling off of a chain around her neck.

'So what have you guys been up to?'

'You know the usual: parties, sex, drugs, underage drinking,' Lucy signed with a slight roll of her bright green eyes, and a flick of her light brown hair.

'So: ballet, book club, and chemistry two homework?' I signed laughing at Lucy's joke.

'I think he's on to us!' Alissa added smiling wickedly to her new friend.

I watched as both girls took an exaggerated sip out of their beverages.

'You really love that Latte don't you Alissa?' I could not help but laugh out loud as I watched her practically drink half of the mug in one sip.

'This is the only cafe in a hundred mile radius that serves gingerbread latte's year round, of course I am coming here!' she added exasperated at my stupidity, I only laughed somehow I think this conversation was just what I needed.