Oh no, not him again!

She places the cappuccino on the counter

and accepts the woman’s correct money

with a distracted smile. 

It is Monday morning after an eventful weekend

that was both ecstatic and disastrous

in equal measures

and now here was the reason in her queue waiting to be served. 

She would have got her assistant to serve him

but had just sent her on her break;

also she needs to work at this second branch of her business

until it is up and running as well as the original.

 

“I’m so sorry,” he says as soon as he reaches the counter.

“I really did have to leave when I did. 

My granddad got taken to hospital, and it was serious...

and you looked so peaceful I didn’t want to disturb...”

 

“Is there something you wish to buy?” she asks.

“Um yeah – OK, I’ll have a latte, but darling, don’t be like that. 

We were good together, weren’t we?”

“I thought so, but then I met your girlfriend.”

 

A puzzled frown is his response.  “The girlfriend I don’t have?”

“Well, she had a key to your apartment so what else am I think?”

“AH!  Now we have it!” he erupts.  “You met my auntie!

I told you she may come to clean.”

 

“Your auntie?” she cries

 then laughs with incredulity. 

“You expect me to believe that leggy blonde is your AUNTIE?” 

More people enter her shop and she recollects professionalism.

“That’ll be two pounds 80.”

 

With a hurt expression resembling that of an abandoned puppy,

he pays and leaves with his latte.

Once she has indulged in another chuckle at his expense,

she continues serving with an increasingly heavy heart...

 

Later in the day, she serves three females

in what looks like a family group

but is amazed to see that one is the leggy blonde,

the supposed auntie! 

And then it dawns on her, the family resemblance...

 

“You really should give my nephew a break, love,”

says the young aunt. 

“My dad was taken ill. 

He owns the building you were in

and I have a flat in between.

Oh and meet his mother and his sister.

My sister here had him when I was only ten.”

 

Of course he could have set them all up

but laden with boutique bags

they are obviously on a girly shopping spree together

and were too much alike

and too much like him for this not to be true.

She hardly knows what to say...

 

Closing her coffee shop for the day

there he suddenly is waiting for her outside on the pavement.

“Darling, we have to talk,” he says with urgency.

 

“Yes,” she agrees,

“today you told me a story that was so ridiculous

it just has to be true.

 Come back to mine.”

 

His eyes suddenly transform

from dejected puppy status

to dancing with joy.

And watching him, her heart melts

she knows she has made the right choice.

 

Yes, of course she had been right in saying no more toyboys for her

but maybe this one deserves a second chance...