“Ahhhh Simon!” Nick exclaimed a little too overzealously for some of those sat in close proximity who had first looked at Nick in annoyance, then at Simon whose cheeks had begun to redden before returning to what they'd been doing as if nothing had ever happened.
“I was beginning to think you were a no show.”
“Nick! Hi. I'm so sorry I couldn't find anywhere to park the blasted motor. No where has pay and display machines anymore, just signs to download and use a bloody app. I mean for pity's sake, by the time you've sorted out the sodding thing you could have done whatever it was you came to do and left again.”
“Well you're here now, no harm done. Apart from the parking fiasco all well and good? How's erm..” Nick slid a finger under the collar of his shirt and gave it a tug unable to disguise the unease that quickly washed over him as he forgot the name of Simon's latest squeeze.
“Annabel.”
Nick slapped his forehead with the palm of his right hand. “Annabel! Yes!” He exclaimed, once more a little too loudly for some who were sat nearby who flashed him more dirty looks for the second time in the space of a minute. Nothing like ingratiating oneself to the locals.
“Annabel's history.”
“Fantastic,” Nick replied quick sharp, like the word had been shot out by a cannon and not bothering to even try to conceal his pleasure as a smile then spread over his face.
“You didn't like her then I take it?”
“Well, I wouldn't say I…” Nick paused briefly, this time trying to be more choice with his words having seen the look of annoyance spread over Simon's face. “dis-liked her,” he said, finishing his short, brief sentence. The way he said dislike making it sound hyphenated.
“What was wrong with her?”
“Well you tell me if you're not together anymore oh brother mine,” Nick bounced the question straight back like a politician in Westminster.
“No you first,” Simon insisted like he was holding a door like a proper gentleman should for Nick to walk through first.
“Truth?”
Simon either thought about the answer for a moment or was already mentally preparing himself for what was to follow.
“Yes.”
This will be a true test of brothership Simon thought to himself. Did he really want to hear what Nick had to say? Probably not, but that doesn't kill you can only make you stronger.
Nick looked at the empty space on the table in front of his younger brother and sensing a possible out rose to his feet and stood by his side. “What are you having, you're making the place look untidy?”
“Tea. Please.”
“It's a coffee shop.”
“I'm sure they'll have tea. Oh and cake.”
Nick rolled his eyes. “What sort of cake does sir wish to partake in?”
“Nick, there's only ever one answer to that!” Now it was his turn to roll his eyes.
“Carrot!” Nick was just quick enough to dodge the foot aimed squarely at his shin and he walked off in the direction of the counter.
Simon watched as a young girl blushed and tucked strands of loose hair behind her ears, nodded and smiled at his brother who'd clearly not lost any of his charm. He came back and sat down empty handed.
“Don't panic, she's going to bring it over, she said something about public liability insurance and making sure customers don't throw hot drinks over each other.”
“Fair enough. You were busy avoiding telling me your thoughts on Annabel”
“Ah, you remembered. Pity.”
“Christ Nick I'm not Nanny.”
Nick chuckled to himself at the family in joke.
“Not yet but we'll all get there in the end.”
“Sadly you're probably right. So go on then spill the beans.”
“I think the kids call it pouring the tea now.”
“They probably don't have to wait because of public liability insurance.”
Nick chuckled again. He'd always marvelled at his brothers quick wit, he just wished that in matters of the heart he wasn't so quick to jump in.
“OK I'm going to repeat what Connie said but don't hold it against her. She'd say it to your face if you asked her so I don't want you think we're gossiping behind your back. You know we want what's best for you and it's not our place to interfere so we don't say anything.”
“I know, family motto, you've got to make your own mistakes.”
“And learn from them,” Nick chipped in for good measure.
“Well yes, quite.”
They were interrupted by the young girl who began to blush once more without any of them having even said a word. She placed the order down on the table and the brothers polite as ever both thanked her profusely and somehow her face turned even more crimson and she quickly toddled off back behind the counter.
“Not sure she's cut out for a forward facing role,” said Simon observingly.
“Sweet little thing. You'd lock her away if you were her father before some grubby little so and so gets his mits on her.”
Simon nodded his mouth now full of a fork full of chocolate cake which made him groan in approval.
“Nice?”
Simon nodded mindful even as an adult not to talk with his mouthful. Finally having swallowed it he followed up the point in question.
“So what did Connie Say?”
Nick took in a deep breath through his nose and exhaled the air slowly through his mouth.
“She said and I'm paraphrasing here, I don't remember it verbatim so do forgive me, that she was like a thousand piece jigsaw puzzle that came without the box and even if you managed to got most of the pieces in you'd never know if it was complete. Then something about there always being pieces missing that you couldn't put your finger on, a woman that would always have you having to pick up the pieces because she was broken or tryout to work out where you fitted in. You couldn't just be her missing piece to complete her because she has too many pieces missing. Or words to that effect. Sorry as I say I'm paraphrasing and well you know me I wasn't fully listening at the time anyway. It was after that dinner soiree we all had where we all had a little too much to drink.”
“Ahhhh yes that night,” Simon replied as the memory quickly came flooding back to him.
“Hmmmm,” was all that Nick could counter with and he took a large gulp of coffee hoping the caffeine might make him a little less worse after the diatribe he'd just delivered. It didn't work.
The two now sat in awkward silence. It was Simon who finally broke the silence and in doing so steered the conversation away from the awkwardness that had befallen the tiny space between them.
“Have you noticed its like sitting on the platform waiting for a steam train to pull off in here?”
Nick raised his right eyebrow, the top of his head lurched left as his chin rose right.
“Listen to the sound of the coffee machine. Pisssshhhh ticup.”
Nick pricked his right ear up which was nearest to the counter where it was located behind.
“That's not a bad impression you know. Yeah I get exactly what you mean.”
“Thanks.”
“Just remember if the whistle blows and I throw hot coffee over you I've got a nervous disposition alright?”
Simons turn to chuckle now. “Oh yeah you always did jump at loud noises.”
“Not just loud ones, any unexpected ones too, still do.”
“The girl behind the counter, she's not yours is she?”
“Not that I know of why?”
“Oh just because you've gone bright red in the face as well!”
“You're so funny. Anyway, changing the subject should I ask about…” this time he hadn't forgotten her name, he'd purposely left it out.
“No you're OK one day I woke up and it just dawned on me that she was like a thousand piece jigsaw without the box.”
With that Nick rolled up the napkin in front of him into a ball and threw it at his his brother and the subject wasn't brought up again. Instead they discussed more important topics like the second XI's chances in the upcoming season and when they'd finished they left the girl a large tip which made the poor thing blush again but not before a big smile had appeared on her face and the brothers felt better for their act of kindness. As for Annabel? Well I'm sure she found someone who wasn't as useless as Simon was, after all it was she that had ended things with him and not the other way around but Nick had given him an out and Simon was all too happy to use it.
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