Espresso

Surprise

"What do you have planned for today then? It had better be worth closing the shop for," Ellie said, walking down the road with her arms linked with Robin's.

The street was quiet as they headed towards the row of shops around the corner from their home, only a few people hurrying for the bus and the odd parent leading children like ducklings to the park. A babysitter had turned up a couple of hours after the coffee shop had opened and within fifteen minutes, the blonde had got Ellie out of the door.

"Well I've been trying to come up with a good present for you for ages but you seem to have everything already."

Ellie laughed and squeezed the blonde's arm.

"Seriously, Christmas this year is going to be a real issue," Robin smirked. "Anyway, I talked it over with your Dad's lawyer friend and I decided that this would be the best present for you."

They had come to a stop in the middle of the high street, people going about their business all around. Between a florist and a charity shop was an old building that looked almost Tudor in style. It was slightly wider than the other shops on the street and had been boarded up for a couple of years.

"I'm very confused," Ellie muttered. Her eyebrows soon jumped at the sight of a set of keys in Robin's hand.

"Why don't you go and take a look?"

The brunette took the keys from Robin's hand and unlocked the door. It creaked open, the old hinges moaning at having to open the heavy wooden door. Inside it was like an old pub; there was a counter and multiple tables and chairs. Some of the upholstery had faded with the sun having come in through cracks in the wooden boards, but the wooden frame of the space remained magnificent.

"Please don't tell me-"

"I've bought it."

"Why on earth would you do that?"

Robin's grin started to falter as quickly as Ellie's concerns were growing. "I thought that seeing as though the coffee shop was doing so well and had won some awards, we could expand it. And besides, Bailey can't grow up in a flat that small; it's not fair to him."

The brunette sat down on one of the dusty chairs and put her head in her hands. "Both are valid reasons, but something this big should have been discussed, Robin."

"Look," Robin muttered, taking her wife's hands into her own as she sat beside her. "With you having your heart on the coffee shop being redecorated and organising your Dad's birthday party, I figured this would be a nice surprise for you." She tucked some of the brunette's hair behind her ear and gasped when she saw Ellie's cheeks were wet.

"It's my Mum's shop as much as it's ours, and you know that," Ellie said quietly.

Robin's hand met the brunette's cheek and she wiped away a tear with her thumb. "I'm sorry, Ellie. I'm really sorry I didn't talk to you about this."

"It doesn't matter. We need to be getting back for rush hour or we'll miss out on the London commuters." Ellie stood up and brushed the dust off of her jeans, pushing the keys into Robin's hands. She opened the door and took a deep breath as she was met with the passersby on the street.