Let Them Eat Cake !

Across The Divide!

She looked up at the sign,

'Let Them Eat Cake'

Proprietors:

Nick Dance
Steve Bailey

Her hand visibly shook as she pushed a strand of loose faded, red, now greying hair behind her ear.
Adjusting her owl glasses she inhaled deeply, the tremor in her breath was making her whole body shake.

Did she want to do this? No!

Did she need to do this? Yes!

Corinne didn't want to face the wrath of her only son again, the hatred in his eyes as he'd let rip at her at the wedding had scarred her heart.

But she needed to do this, she needed to tell him how sorry she was even if he sent her packing her mind would rest knowing she'd done the right thing, even if it was years too late.

****

Claire looked up from what she was doing as the door opened, "Good Morning, welcome to Let Them Eat Cake, how can I help you?".

Claire knew some of the backstory of Nick and Steve but wasn't intimate with the details so was clueless as to who had just walked into the shop.

"Um I'd like to speak to the proprietors if possible?".

Corinnes breath caught in her throat, "I'll see if they're free, would you give me a minute please!", the girl smiled as she knocked on the workroom door.

"Oh hey Claire, something up?", Nick was working on some roses while Steve was cutting letters for a birthday cake.
"There's a lady to see you both", Nick and Steve looked at each other in confusion, they didn't have any consultations booked for the day.

Setting aside their work they followed the girl through the door out into the shop.

Nick, wiping his hands on his apron didn't see Steve stop suddenly right in front of him and bumped straight into his back "Steve, what the fu........?", coming to his side he followed the mans eyes set firmly on the woman standing the other side of the counter.

"Mother....?".

Nick signalled to Claire to give them some space so she went off into the workroom to do some tidying, or whatever she could find to do.
Nick grabbed Steves hand holding him close as the woman spoke.

"Steven, Steve, honey......."  her voice was hoarse as Steve just stared at her with a sneer on his lips.

"You have no right to call me that NO RIGHT!......get out".

Steve was fuming at the sight of the woman who'd caused so much pain, Nick grabbed his arm, turning him to face him he pulled the shaking man into a hug.
"I think you best leave Corinne", Nick said flatly, holding Steves head into his neck as the man hung on to him like a limpet.

The woman nodded sadly, taking a piece of paper from her bag she slid it across the counter, across the divide between her and her son.

"Please..... Steve........ honey, this is my number........ please?!".

The womans eyes were pleading, looking at Nick she smiled a watery smile, "it's nice to meet you Nick and for what it's worth, I am sorry!", she turned and left the shop closing the door silently.

"Claire, would you mind packing up the bits in the workroom and minding the shop until close, Steve isn't feeling too good", Nick called out as he pulled away and led Steve up the stairs to the sanctuary of the flat, Claire calling up behind them that it was no problem and she'd see them tomorrow.

****

Chloe, Zak, Hugo, Nick and Steve sat in silence in the living room as Steve twirled the piece of paper round and round in his fingers, scrunching and flattening it over and over until it began to go soft.

"Maybe we should give her a chance?" Chloe said, Hugo nodded, eyes closed he sighed, "Chloe's right Steve we should at least hear her out, she deserves that I guess?!", he looked over at Steve.
Nick was holding him, Steves head pressed into his chest, eyes closed.

"Think on it Steve ok??".

As the family left the flat they met Sasha coming in to the shop "are they ok?" she questioned, Zak sighed "go on up Sasha they could probably use a friend", she nodded and headed up the stairs.

"You know Steve, you should talk to her at least, you'll never be free of this otherwise".

Sasha sat next to Steve placing a hand on his knee, "you've got me, Chloe, Zak, your dad, and you've got Nick, she can't hurt you anymore unless you let her ".

Her words made perfect sense Steve knew that, passing the piece of paper to Nick he said, "would you call her please, I don't think I can, tell her I will see her but not just yet".
Nick kissed his forehead "of course I will, I'll do it tomorrow ok?".

"Sash can you lock up please? I'm gonna stay up here with Steve, there's nothing urgent to do today".

"Sure thing, Jase will be here soon, you do what you have to do".