"Shut up or you're paying for your own pie."
She shuts up.
"Three coffees."I look at her to see if she's okay with coffee.Sometimes she wants tea.Crazy woman.She gives me a small nod.
When Conan has everything rung up, I hold my card up to the reader.
"So it's going well then?"Conan glances into the serving area where Simon and Ira are sitting by the table, talking about the painting hanging on the wall next to it.It's one of Atlas'.
I flick my hand in a so-so gesture."I believe he thinks I'm insane."
"Like everyone else then."
I scrunch my nose."He'll most likely lose his job this coming week, and he's worried.I don't think a relationship is in his frame of reference right now."
Conan gives me a sympathetic look."That sucks, man.I'm sorry."
I sigh."You don't know of any available jobs, do you?"
He shakes his head."Nah, times are pretty hard.We've noticed a drop in customers here too.I think people are holding on to their money a little tighter with each day passing."
"Fuck."
"I'm not too worried.The pack comes here regularly, so we'll stay afloat until it turns around again, but I imagine the humans are in for a few rough years."
I nod.I'll take care of Simon and Ira, but I don't think he is ready to accept it yet.
* * * *
Chapter 12
Simon
I look around the cozy little cafe and wish I could take Ira to these sorts of places more often.Everything is mismatched--chairs, tables, the cups I see over at the counter with milk and sugar, and there are price tags on everything, even the furniture.
On the walls, there are paintings, also with price tags, and I can see photographs across the room.Zahrah's perhaps.She's not what I expected.She's short, and while the jacket she wears is thick, I got the feeling she's a stocky woman, not overweight, but...strong, solid, compact.Her hair is long and dark, her eyes have the same weird shine Boris' have.Like something is hiding behind them.I shiver.
Maybe I'm going crazy.I focus on Ira."Do you like it?"I motion at the closest painting.It's of a summer garden, a white picket fence straining to hold in all the flowers, tomato plants, and pumpkin vines.Magical.
"Yes."Ira stares at the painting for a long time."It's...not real, is it?"
"Eh...I don't know.Maybe it's a real place, but the painter has added more plants than there are, or maybe it's made up."
"It's Maia's garden."Zahrah puts a tray down with three plates.One with Danish, and two with banana pie."Atlas might have exaggerated a little with how it looks like the plants are trying to break out of the fenced-in area, but not by a lot.Her garden is amazing."
"Boris' mother?"
I look around and find Boris over by the counter with the cups, pouring coffee.
"Yeah.She lives about a fifteen-minute drive straight into the forest."
"Is it where Boris grew up?"
"Uh-huh."She nods and places Ira's plate in front of him."His dad died when he was four or five, a car accident of all things."She says it as if it's unheard of.
"No siblings?"I speak in a lower tone now, since I don't want Boris to hear me snooping.
"No.I think Maia would've wanted more, but once you've met your soulmate, no one else will do, so she's never met anyone else."She gives me a sad smile."Luckily, she had Boris back then, or I fear she might have given up.It's hard to go on after loss."
