Abaddon

part 4: unexpected

Callie's POV:

I picked up mum's medicine from the pharmacy. I swear if she keeps going out every single night, I'll be spending all our money just on ibuprofen.

I've been working in the cafe for a few hours now and still no sign of Anwir. It's been a fairly dull day just doing the same thing that I've done for the past two years.

I take orders, clean tables, have a chat with some customers, serve food and drinks, give the bill and still no sign of him.

I really can't see myself doing this job for much longer. I want to do something with my life. I want to explore countries and go on adventures. I want a life, and I'm so terrified I won't get the life I dream of.

I've still been thinking about what I'm going to do with my future. I could look for jobs in the city and try rent a flat. I'm just too worried that my mum will make that impossible to happen.

What I don't want is to be living with my mum when I'm 40, still working at a small town cafe and having no freedom. Maybe she would understand. Surely she doesn't think I'll stay with her forever. Right?

I plan to talk about it with her soon- I've been saying that for a while now. "Soon" is an easy word to say when you're trying to avoid doing something. I'm not saying I'm scared of my mother but I am scared of her reaction. She could react in a million different ways and not many of those ways are good.

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It's starting to near closing time now in the cafe and I'm losing all hope of getting answers tonight. Why would he show up yesterday and tell me things about my dad's life but then not turn up to explain?

Leslie had to leave early tonight so I'm in charge of locking up. Anwir hasn't shown up and I feel an empty pit in my stomach. Why didn't he show?

I turn off all the lights and lock the door to the cafe. It's dark and cold outside and I really don't want to walk all the way home.
I start making my way up the long path that leads to my street.

As I'm walking, I pass the bench that's become my favourite spot in the past two weeks.

When I pass the bench, I see a figure sitting on it. I'm about to keep walking when I notice the jacket that the figure is wearing. It's hard to see in the dark but the lights of the town and city make me see that it's the exact same jacket I took from Anwir to hang up yesterday.

It's outrageously fancy deign is hard to miss.

I start to approach the bench slowly, slightly worried that it may not be Anwir. It will be embarrassing if its's not him.

I clear my throat to speak, "Anwir? Is that you?" I ask.

"Good evening Miss Lewis, beautiful view here do you not think?" He says turning his head to me, showing that it definitely is him.

"Why didn't you come to the cafe tonight? And how did you know I would find you here?" I ask him.

"Always so many questions child" he says.

"Well, are you ever going to give me answers?" I question him, "because it's really not nice to give hope to me that I could find out more about my father's life, only for you to not even bother showing up tonight and explain yourself" I say not realising just how frustrated I am.

"I'm here, aren't I?" God dammit he's so good at never actually acknowledging the important parts of what I say to him.

"Yes you're right. You're here. Not at the cafe like I thought you would be. I jumped with excitement all day every time that stupid bell rang on the cafe door because I thought it would be you walking through the door, but it never was" I tell him. He looks down at his lap as though he feels bad for making me wait so long.