The Camden Tales

47 - Eurydice

-=₪ November 1929 ₪=-

Jetty Restaurant / Margate / 1.34pm

A young waitress carrying two cups of coffee placed them with a heavy hand on a table occupied by Louis and Anna, then departed like a ghost without a word or smile. Not even Anna's happy attempts to thank the waitress seemed to reach her.

The couple chuckled to one another nervously by the curt customer service before returning to their silence. Louis glanced out the window. The wind outside was brisk, and the ocean waves were choppy. They had both worn warm coats on their walk to the small circular cafe, the memory of which had Louis promptly reviewing his actions. On arrival, he had been sure to hold the door open, take Anna's coat and hang it, then held the chair for her when she sat. Happy with his reviewed conduct he enjoyed the shelter and warmth the small cafe provided.

Anna watched Louis in his thoughts, or more precisely, studied him. Her eyes followed his strong jawline, brow, and cheek bones. Every angle of his face appeared to have been chiselled by the gods. She enjoyed the deep dimple from his cleft chin and his smooth lips. He had good skin and dark eyes and black hair, which was short, thick, and healthy, and although 23 years young, he was manly in every way. His shoulders were so broad that he was the same width as the table at which they sat, his muscles so big that his shirt looked as if it would tear apart at any given moment, especially should he decide to raise his coffee cup for a sip. What she enjoyed most however, was even though he looked like an aggressive giant, he was in fact very gentle, agile, nicely spoken, and compassionate.

He had a boyish charm which often caught her off guard and made her giggle. She liked that he was shy and unsure, it made him different from the other men she typically came into contact with, making Louis everything they weren't and to her nothing could be more attractive.

As she sat smiling at him, he looked and caught her staring, he liked it. He could feel his cheeks turning scarlet as he blushed and coyly smiled back.

"Thank you, Louis, for invitin' me 'ere. If ya hadn't of asked, I think I would've." she admitted, tucking some of her dark silky hair behind an ear.

"Really? You would've?" he asked astonished.

"Ya, course." she grinned.

He instantly took a moment for himself, looking down at his coffee cup he tried his best to hide his face as he grinned and chuckled. But she could tell his smile was wide, he couldn't hide it, and it filled her with happiness. For the first time ever, Anna felt liked for being Anna and not for being anything or anyone else.

"Is it something you would want to do again?" he asked.

"Yes, definitely." she confirmed, nodding emphatically.

This time his wide, toothy grin was shared directly with her. Butterflies burst and fluttered around her belly as she witnessed his beaming face.

If that wasn't a sign that she liked him too, then he didn't know what would be. She did want to go out with him, and she would like to go out with him again, so now all he wondered was if she might want a kiss with him. He very much wanted to kiss her and had wanted to for a long time.

He had been taken with her the very moment she arrived at the house. Anna had been kind from the start and appeared impressed by him and his achievements. She had smiled and talked with him without judgement, and it had been easy and fun. He had never experienced that before. Now he sat opposite her, she liked him, and he liked her. He believed that if God struck him down right now, he would die a very happy man.

"You do know what I did before I came 'ere? To Margate I mean?" she asked, keen to stop any horrible situations later.

"Yeah, I know, and I don't care. Really, I don't. Ya do what ya have to, don't ya? Alfie told me that."