Growing Up and Other Tall Tales

Chapter 100

"Ice—"

"Shhh." Lyra hisses, clearly not looking at me

I open my mouth again and she smacks her palm over my mouth making me mumble despondently into her hand.

Then she whispers before her grasp slides down from my mouth and onto the counter. "Try the coffee shop, three blocks down."

"Isn't this against company policy or something? This is like, corporate sabotage. I could report you to your superiors." I demand

Lyra turns to me finally, grey eyes flashing murderously when she realizes that I am just beginning to not shhh. She calls out my order to Zeke who waves at me from the back. I nod at him before glaring at the employee of the month. She holds my stare before snatching me by the shoulder and pulling me to her. Breath hot on my neck, she points at a table near the window accommodating a couple.

"I did that." She murmurs gleefully and I make the mistake of turning my head to look at her

She is positively beaming. Her skin is aglow with accomplishment and a smile so breathtakingly wide expands across her face like a sunset. Trying not to move my mouth too much in fear of even brushing past hers and breaking the moment, I manage: "How?"

"Well, you see." She begins conspiratorially. "Do you remember me talking about Blanc?"

Blanc is the seventy year old lawyer who comes to the café around twice a week when the crowd is less and the music is slower. She is an avid believer of "love not being possible after thirty" and that hospitals should be some of the most hated places on Earth. But "Aiden, she's so lonely," and sometimes she'd stare at couples and smile wistfully to herself and "something in me just aches." I've smiled at Blanc a couple of times and she'd always smile and wave as though we have spoken before and believe it or not, my social circle does not entertain seventy year old lawyers.

"Vaguely." I shrug because far be it of me to admit that I listen to Lyra's ravings so closely

"So, last week, I made her this profile on an online dating site for—"

"Oh my God." I whisper and she covers her face with a laugh

"I know, I know. But she matched up." And then she pointed discreetly at them. "And they are having a great time." Her eyes go up to the clock. "They've been having a great time for three hours now."

That they are. I look at the happy couple. Blanc is turned away from me but if her gesturing hands and the way she's comfortably removed her heels are anything to go by, she is indeed having a great time. The man in front of her is laughing at something she is saying and then unable to control his laughter he holds up a shaking hand asking her to pause her commentary. Lyra looks so happy.

"The best part, though," she snickers a little to herself and then whispers to me. "He is a doctor."

I put the money down when Zeke comes up to the front with my drink. Lyra takes it, her eyes torn in between my cash and the couple before she groans to herself and makes quick work with the receipt. Lyra gives me the change but her hand pauses in mine when one of the waitresses approach the counter, removing her apron and gesturing to the back for a smoke break. Lyra nods. And she still hasn't taken her hand from mine, and I'll be damned if I'm the one letting go first. 

Blanc comes up, happily nestled into the gentleman smiling at Lyra looking younger than her.

"Having a good time, I see." Lyra smiles coyly and Blanc punches her arm

"You know, she is the one who made my account." Blanc explains, her voice soothingly familiar, to her slightly confused but still contently dazzled date.

"I've you to thank for then." He says smoothly before reaching for Lyra's hand. She gives her free hand while her other still in mine, for him to gentle kiss. Lyra looks over his shoulder and winks at Blanc.

"This is Aiden." She squeezes my hand

Startled, I shift to stand up right from lounging against the counter. The man shakes my hand too firmly before squinting at me.

"I saw your interview with Forbes." he says and Blanc peers at me too, "Impressive work, young man." he clutches my shoulder and squeezes it and I can feel Lyra rolling her eyes in my face and ego

"Thank you." I wave my hand dismissively and say

Blanc's eyes flitter to our interlocked hands and muses, "Yes. Impressive."

I turn to her, finally locking her in. "I know you. You called me that day. Lyra's car accident. That was you. The number on the hand."

Blanc's eyes twinkle and then she shrugs. "Don't know what you are talking about. But you know." And I know exactly just how much of what she is saying is shit. She smiles knowingly. "My memory isn't as good as it once was."

"And yet I hope you remember me." the man says smiling down at her

"Okay, okay, you guys are gross." Lyra says and pushes Blanc into her gentleman making them both laugh and then they start playfully chastising each other about splitting the bill. It takes them a whole five minutes to settle the payment before giddily swaying through the door.

"Sure, we are gross." Blanc calls out at Lyra who frowns confusedly in her direction before looking down at our hands