Something Missing - ONC 2024 (EDITING)

Chapter 11 - Heavenly Desserts

'Let's go to the dessert lounge over there. It only shuts at 1am. Then we can talk properly. Are you OK with that?' Subeera spoke in a London accent. She pointed to a cafe with a shiny black storefront which said 'Heavenly Desserts' in pink neon lighting. It was just before 9pm but felt much later.

'Sure,' Rita said, the apprehensive feeling growing inside her. She felt a few drops on her clothing. The air was cold and damp; worst holiday ever, she found herself thinking. They walked away from the underground station. There weren't many cars on the road behind the station and a fox ran across the street.

'If anyone would understand, it would be you,' Subeera gulped. 'This place looks quite busy. I'm guessing we can sit here without being noticed.' Rita followed her inside as she walked to a bench near the back. The floor and walls were black and shiny, and the sofas and armchairs were made of soft red leather. Impossibly gorgeous, stylised desserts, cakes and ice creams were laid out on a glass counter. The revolving disco ball on the ceiling and soft 80s style music took Rita back to a time when she was younger.

'I'll get a matcha latte and a baklava fudge cake,' Subeera said. 'What do you want, Rita? I'll get this.'

'I'll get some peppermint tea and a dark chocolate chip cookie,' Rita said, although she really didn't feel like eating. Subeera paid, grabbed a spoon from the counter and they went to sit down on a soft, crimson sofa at the back of the shop. Although Subeera had been so keen to talk, Rita observed that her body language now indicated nervousness. She kept licking her lips and sat up unnaturally straight.

'What's up?' Rita said.

Subeera took a deep breath. 'So. I might as well come out with it, I'm in enough trouble as it is. Where do I begin?' When the waiter brought the drinks and cakes, she grimaced and then just stared at them as if they were artifacts from Mars, shook her head and stirred the latte meaninglessly with her spoon. 'Why do I always order this stuff? I'm trying to lose weight.'

The baklava cake was much bigger than normal restaurant cakes, had thick layers of icing, and looked deadly. Rita took a glance at the other customers. A group of men were sat by the window, engrossed in conversation. A young couple feeding each other ice cream. A group of teenage girls.

'So,' she said eventually. 'Given what we dealt with last year, and as you aren't working in the Met, I guessed you would understand.' Suddenly, Subeera looked as if she was going to cry. She took in a gulping breath, and when she spoke again, it was in a bitter, harsh tone. 'It was so stupid. The whole thing was so stupid. From start to finish. I can't believe it.'

'What happened?' Rita said.

Subeera hesitated, and then said, 'My 17 year old niece went to a Palestinian protest two months ago. As I was in the area, I met her and picked her up as the protest ended. Afterwards, we went out for a meal together. The irony is, I actually told her to be careful about going to such events.'   

'I'd actually forgotten about it, until today, when I got called into a disciplinary and learned that someone had emailed my boss with the photos. If I was him, I'd definitely think it looked bad. She was wearing a Palestinian flag t shirt.' Subeera took a deep breath, then laughed bitterly. Guessing what was coming next, Rita felt her stomach churn.

'I mean, I get it, but for fuck sake, why shouldn't she have worn something like that,' Subeera gulped. 'It's so bad, Rita. I could lose my job. They think I was there. One guy at work is now demanding to look through all my social media accounts to check that I haven't said something problematic.' Suddenly her eyes were shining with tears.

'You didn't go, you just met her at the scene once it finished,' Rita said, keeping her voice gentle.  

Subeera nodded. Suddenly, she was crying. 'All I've done the last year is bury myself in work so I didn't have to think about it. I've been battling with myself, it's felt so wrong, not even being able to make a stand because of my job...and just today I learned my family in Gaza have been killed.'