If You Love Me, Get Clean

Chapter Forty Five

March 2017

Birds of a feather, we should stick together,
I know I said I'd never think I wasn't better alone
But I knew you in another life
You had that same look in your eyes
And I don't know what I'm crying for
I don't think I could love you more
I'll love you 'til the day that I die

"I bet you a fiver that bloke is planning on coming over here before he leaves."

Jenny nods her head in the direction of the till. Alice turns to glance. A tall blonde man is stood waiting for his coffee at the pick up end, and realising he's been caught staring, the gentleman whips his head away to focus on the display boards.

"That's an unfair bet," Alice says, sipping her green tea. God, she misses coffee. "He's definitely gonna come over. I'm not taking that."

"Never know. He might chicken out."

"Nah, we both looked, he thinks he's got a shot."

Jenny thought on that for a second then hummed. "True. Wonder if he'll bring us anything over. Not quite the same as when we're in the pub and get a free gin and tonic, but we can't do that for a while," she gives Alice a faux frustrated glare. "So inconsiderate of you."

"My deepest apologies. Heaven forbid my husband and I want to start a family."

"Apology not accepted."

"I expected as much."

Jenny chuckles. "You know I'm happy for you, right?"

"'Course. You just show it with sarcasm," Alice says, smiling over the rim of her cup. "I'm sure my kid will get plenty of tips from you as they grow up."

"Does that mean I get to be godmother?"

Alice screws her face up. "Not really our sort of thing. Seems like a waste of money and time if you don't really believe in all that, doesn't it? Besides, Sherlock barely managed to become a godfather himself, couldn't even say his one line on time. Can you really imagine him stood at the top of a church through the whole process and not saying anything offensive?"

"Yeah, fair enough. He managed to get through your wedding service, though."

"Half way through he asked the registrar if she could 'move things along and get us married already', not sure that's the best example."

Jenny snorts, swigging back a mouthful of her coffee at the same time, choking. Alice bursts out laughing while Jenny grabs a napkin and wipes the table from her minor spillage. "He was eager. That's supposed to be a good thing."

Alice shakes her head, grinning widely. "What about you and Claire? Wanna gain all the legal benefits of married life?"

She tips her head, pondering it. "Not sure. We've not really spoken about it. Maybe give it a few more years, anyway."

"Fair enough. How come you want to wait?"

"You can't say a word. Took you two like, what? Sixteen years from your first snog to get married?"

Alice has to concede to her point. "There were other factors in our way though, to be fair."

"Yeah, tomayto tomahto."

"Not sure you used that expression right."

"Whatever."

Out the corner of her eye Alice can see the gentleman from the till walking over. Empty handed, that's a shame. Jenny was right, does lack the pros of being in a bar. He stops next to their table. Clears his throat.