The Coming | The House of Voices #2

Twenty One - Café

Café

Darren:

The clinking sounds of forks and knives against ceramic plates met Darren’s ears as he stepped into the café where he’d arranged to meet October and Parish. October had phoned him last night after dinner to apologize for hanging up on him so abruptly earlier and to set up a meeting. She’d told him not to press himself and to pick a time that was convenient, but he’d been desperate to see them and make sure that they were alright that he’d immediately gone over to the nurse’s station and asked Patty to rearrange his schedule for the day so that he could meet them first thing in the morning.

Looking around the busy room he saw that the teens hadn’t arrived yet and moved towards the back of the café where he spotted an empty table.

The pair showed up ten minutes later, both slightly flushed and out of breath, as if they’d run the entire way. Darren took this to mean that, wherever they were staying for now, it was close by. As Parish leaned against a wooden beam and tried to even his breathing, October uttered something, clutching her side and making a face. Darren watched as Parish laughed at whatever October had said and then froze, spotting him sitting at the back over the top of the girl’s head. He jerked his head towards Darren and October turned to face him.

They’d both lost weight, Darren noticed, Parish more than October. It was understandable, he supposed. It wasn’t as if they were getting three straight meals while trying to keep a low profile. Despite the weight loss, they looked healthy and possessed a glow that he hadn’t seen in either of them when they’d been in Abercoster’s. They looked lighter, as if they weren’t carrying so many personal burdens on their shoulders. What had brought on the change, he wondered. Leaving Abercoster’s, or finding people who wanted to help?

“You’re early,” October observed, slipping into the chair by the window opposite him. Parish dropped into the empty seat beside her. “Ordered yet?”

Darren shook his head. “Not yet. I wasn’t early, you two were late.”

“Only by like five minutes,” Parish argued rubbing a hand against his face, still evidently sleepy.

“Ten,”

“We sort of overslept,” October said, apology covering her tone. Darren didn’t fail to notice the funny look that crossed Parish’s face as he stared at the tabletop. “We didn’t realize how much we’d missed sleeping on a bed.”

Darren laughed. “I’ll bet,” he said, calling the waitress over. “Did you guys have breakfast?”

October shook her head. “Didn’t have time. We woke up, showered and ran here as soon as possible.”

After a second’s consideration, Darren decided to check if his suspicions were correct. “You ran here? Do the people that are helping you live close by?”

Her hazel eyes were narrowed at him when she responded. “Yes,” she said mildly. “They do.”

The note of finality in her voice was unmistakable and Darren knew she would not say more on the subject. The girl was clearly determined to keep him out of this particular loop and while he found it touching that she wanted to make sure he didn’t get in any more trouble, he also found it annoying. He just wanted to know they were safe.

Beside her, Darren saw Parish raise his eyebrows in question apparently unsure as to why October was being tight-lipped suddenly. Darren expected him to question her but was disappointed when, after she glanced up at him, Parish twisted his mouth in a confused but consenting manner and looked away from her.

It was Darren’s turn to frown in confusion. To his eyes, the girl had communicated nothing with her look, but apparently being on the run together for four days had made October and Parish more understanding of each other’s minds. Darren didn’t know how he felt about that.