Black Coffee (Tara's Dream)|Dearest Diary, - Book 1 (unedited)

IV

IV

"Aren't you glad that I convinced you to take the four bed room?" Troy asked me even as I led them into spacious the masionette that I was soon going to call home.

"Whatever!" I grumbled back turning around to take a seat on a cream coloured leather loveseat and Linda went on to chuckle beside me.

"Hi. I'm Linda. I believe we've not been introduced?" My head snapped to the side as I beheld the little traitor, a look of horror now grazing my eyes as she stood up to introduce herself to my ex. Troy shot me one look, one of those looks that said he was going to enjoy watching me squirm and then turned to address Linda while smiling, laughing probably, at the weird expression that was now gracing my features. Troy went on to set down little Briella so she could stand on her own two feet and reached out his hand to greet Linda with the annoying smirk still plastered on his face.

"Troy. Troy White I'm her daughter's father." He said pointing his left index finger at me even as I continued to shake my head in disbelief. "And this here is Briella...Our lovely daughter," the man continued to say to Linda, but this time his extremely smug look was directed to me. Unable to hold his gaze or retort with the obscenities that were now flooding my mind, I looked away irritated, just as Linda squatted on the carpet and began to prod little Briella.

"Hi Briella, I'm Linda. I'm your mum's friend." Briella looked up to my face and I knew that she was seeking my permission to interact. Despite my very intense moods, I managed a smile and a nod.

"Hallo," Briella finally waved back at the waiting Linda.

"That's a lovely doll you have there."

"Daddy got me." The little girl told her before turning her face to look at me again. "Mummy, I wan to see ma room." She told me.

"Okay," I nodded as Briella turned to tag at her father's hand.

"It was nice meeting you Linda."

"Likewise," Linda responded to Troy's comment as the daddy and daughter duo finally walked away and disappeared into the hallway.

"You have a really lovely family--" Linda started commenting, but I stood up right in the middle it and began to walk to the kitchen. I wasn't about to hear what she was going to say, especially when I knew that it had something to do with Troy. "I know what you are doing." She told me even as she followed me out into the kitchen.

"What? Making Lunch?" I opened the refrigerator and began to stare into it.

"No, avoiding me."

"I'm talking to you, aren't I?" I took out a bag of samosas and placed them in the microwave to warm. Linda however did not respond. Concerned, I turned around to face her only to find her staring hard at me with her own set of brown eyes.

"Fine, I just don't want to talk about it." I told her even as I reached up for the shelves above me to grab a loaf and a tin of margarine.

"Okay, but you do know that I am here for you, that is if you ever need anything, right?" I stopped what I was doing as I turned to her with a nod. "On another note..." she said, taking a step forward to pick up a curving knife for the fruit."...when am I going to get that first book?"

"I'll print up the manuscript and give it to you before you leave." She was referring to my very first children's book which I had just completed that morning. I had four more to go, but at the pace I was going, I was sure that I would beat their deadline and with enough time to spare. With Linda still cutting up the fruits, I turned back to the counter and took out some passion juice and biscuits from a lower shelf. I placed them on the counter and looked around before my gaze fell on Linda who was giving me a very quizzical look.