Tea for Two

It's a New Dawn...

Sarah woke with a slow stretch, a yawn, and a crushing weight on her chest.  No, it wasn't the crushing weight of expectation.  Neither was it the dead weight of disappointment. Both of which she'd gladly left behind in New York.

No, this was physical. A weight she was familiar with, a weight she'd grown to love. A weight that was now licking her nose with a tongue that resembled warm sandpaper.

"Cosmo, please!" She smiled and opened her eyes fully."That nips wee man. You don't feel it, but my poor nose doesn't have fur! Well, not yet anyway. Give it time !" Gently she sat up, and the large, affectionate Ginger Tabby slid unceremoniously onto the bed beside her. 

For a moment, he looked at her reproachfully as he sprawled on his back, then just took lifes lemons and made his own lemonade. He lay sprawled like some rotund King and just lazily licked his paws.

Sarah laughed and rubbed his belly. Looking at the clock, she smiled. 8.30am. She wasn't due to start till 11. Since it was her first official shift, she was allowed the luxury of a short day, 11am to 3pm.  From then on it would be either 7.30am to 3pm or 10.30am to 6pm. Gemma and she would work alternates with Annie covering their days off and  holidays.

Holidays. As Sarah brushed her teeth, her mind flicked back to her last holiday. With Ty. Ty had been her best friend , ok her only friend, at Winkleman Martins Broking based at 1633 Wall Street, New York. In a dog eat dog world, Ty Goodfellow had proved to be a big puppy.  They'd started at the same time, been promoted at the same time, and Ty thought, fallen in love at the same time.

Sadly, as the bungled proposal one night in Mexico had proven, he was wrong.  She'd tried to be kind. She did love him, but she couldn't marry him. It wouldn't be fair. She wasn't planning on staying. He wouldn't leave the States. In fact, she'd never planned to stay. She'd told him that, after the first six months, she would go home eventually. Ty had hoped to change her mind.

They'd parted as friends. Ty went back to Wall Street and Sarah? She'd come home. To her parents, then to Annie. To find herself and maybe, just maybe, find someone to fall madly in love with.  The first was possible. The second? She just wasn't the type, but she lived in hope.

Looking around the kitchen of her little flat as she made breakfast, she was content.  It wasn't luxury. It was comfort, she decided. Yes, she had a built-in microwave. Yes, she had a coffee machine with those little coloured pods.  She didn't have anything a million other households didn't. What she DID have they didn't, was the crushing need to justify everything she bought.

To herself, to her friends, and most importantly for her, to her mum.  Thirty-odd and still that guilty little girl sneaking stuff in. All born of a  sound - and stubborn - Presbyterian work ethic.  Work hard, spend little, save lots, and dont be flash with the cash. 

She smirked, ah well, that kinda went out the window where her car was concerned. As she looked to the leafy suburban street below, she saw it. The only display of wealth she'd ever contemplated. A shiny black F-type Jag.  Not new, but new to her.  In London, she drove very little. It sat alarmed and tagged, just ready for the days when she had enough time to go to the East Coast. To go to the South West. Occasionally up North, home.

To just drive. Always a petrolhead, she'd reasoned she would never own an Aston Martin, but she could own a Jaguar so....

Turning away, she walked back through to the sitting room. It, too, was comfortable but understated. A couple of very comfy sofas, a coffee table, and a wall unit containing her Tv, as well as books, lots of books, and music from those long ago pre-Applemusic streaming days.

Pulling back the heavy curtains, the sunshine poured in, highlighting the dancing dust particles.  shecteally needed to vacuum, she thought with a prick to her conscience. Right on cue, Cosmo entered and sat in the patch of sunlight on the floor.  He proceeded to check over every part of his anatomy, washing it carefully.  Once he was done, he curled into a furry shrimp and slept.

Sarah watched him settle, feeling a modicum of peace. It would take time. She knew that. Time and a little TLC.
Or as Annie had said to her; Tea, Love and Cake. Well, she said to herself as she got dressed, the tea and cake were organised, the love? That would be much more difficult.  Or so she thought. 

Tom stood at the kitchen sink, washing the mug from breakfast. This was the last time he was going to do this. No, not wash his mug. He corrected himself mentally, put himself out there. If she wasn't there next time, he wouldn't put himself through it again.  She had called and apologised. Begged his forgiveness, and, being the soft hearted gentleman, he agreed. She'd promised.  She said she had feelings for him.  Said she would never let him down.

Now, as he got ready to go, he paused.  Was he really all that bothered? Sure, she was pretty, and yes, she loved Shakespeare and poetry and all that stuff. She knew all the Marvel films he'd done , the tv series, and even those wonderful early independent films. But there was something missing.   Something intangible.  Like ... the taste of cake in the seconds just before you eat it. How you expect it to taste, that marvellous anticipation made real.

He smirked and shrugged, putting the mug down on the drainers and drying his hands. Everything comes back to cake with you Hiddleston, doesn't it, he said.  It wasn't until a voice said, "I beg your pardon?" He realised he'd said it out loud.

Tom turned and smiled, a blush creeping over his cheeks.  "Nothing, sis, just thinking out loud."

"Please dont! You scare me enough without knowing what's going on in that miniscule brain of yours, brother dear."  The slightly younger woman stood, draining her own cup.

"Now. We HAVE to go get a present for Mum's birthday before you disappear off to meet Girlie, so get your coat love, you've pulled."

"Emma! That's so not appropriate! And her name's Sarah... I mean Susan. Susan. Yes. " Tom whined and Emma rolled her eyes as the two siblings fought to get out his door at the same time.  Emma smiled wickedly.

"Appropriate? I'll tell you what's not appropriate. A grown man of your age STILL not having someone to cuddle of an evening. And not even remembering her name."

"I do, it was just a skip if the tongue. And anyway, I have Bobby!" He cried indignantly.

"I meant someone who can speak!"

"Define speak?" He countered as he locked the front door. Emma said nothing, just hit him and ran down the steps.

"C'mon you! I have a train to get at 12.  We only have three and a half hours... three hours twenty-nine minutes... three oww!!"

Tom thumped her on the arm as he had since they were little.  If only he could find someone that challenged him as much as his little sister.

Maybe one day Tom, maybe one day. Until then, there was always tea and cake... and who the hell was Sarah?