From Tokyo With Love - A Norman Reedus Fanfic Romance

Chapter 1 - Another Fine Mess

OLLIE

"Ohhhh  dear, Stanley is going to be pissed"  I groaned, earning a strange look from the elderly Japanese lady sitting at a nearby table.

I say strange as I'm actually sitting on my lonesome.

Yes  😳

I'm one of those people who talk to themselves. Not only in their heads but out loud as well. Though sometimes, the verbal train of thought is totally unintentional. And occasionally inappropriate as well.

I blame Stanley. It's all her fault for my little quirk. And this is one of those times when it's chosen to reveal itself.

Twisting my lips into an embarrassed smile I incline my head towards my observer in apology. Receiving an amused smile in return.

It's only because I'm a bit scattered. For the third time since I sat down, the board is flipping over to show all arrival times. Except now? Every 'delayed'  flight is updating one by one to display a new 'cancelled'  status.

It appears Tokyo is now closed until further notice.

***

I've been working at the University of the Arts for the last three weeks.

After fond farewells to the staff this morning, I dropped my bags at the new Ryokan. Then caught the train out here to Haneda International Airport.

And this is where I've been sitting for the last four hours. Drinking copious cups of tea and catching up with some work on my tablet. All while waiting for Tess's plane to fly in from Melbourne, Australia.

Maybe I should explain a bit here. Before you look at me in total confusion and ask, 'Who the hell is Tess and WTF happened to that Stanley guy?' 

Please, allow me to introduce myself....

- Olivia Hardy

- nineteen years old

- computer nerd extraordinaire

- self-employed

- also from Melbourne, Australia

But everyone calls me Ollie....obviously.

Mum died when I was two. A couple of years after that, Dad and I moved from our small country town to a house in Melbourne's suburbs.

Right next door to....the Laurel's.

And from that point on the Laurel's and the Hardy's became the running joke of everyone in our neighbourhood, including the postman.

We became one big happy family. As Aunty Pat and Uncle Reg (aka the Laurels), basically adopted Dad and me.

They also had three teenage boys and one nine-year-old princess. Who appointed herself the best friend of her little country bumpkin....yours truly.

So naturally, she got the nickname 'Stanley'.  Yet we're the total opposites of our famous namesakes.

Tess is brash, loud and takes temper tantrums to new heights. She's also tall and lushly curvy. Her blonde hair is cut short as a pixie's. And her bedroom eyes combined with naturally red Betty Boop lips turn grown men into dumbstruck, quivering mounds of jelly.

I'm the quieter of the duo. Not really because I'm shy. It's more that I can never get a word in edgewise. I learnt very early on, how to time my conversational contributions with Tess's intake of breaths.

Rare occurrence but necessary....eventually. Even for Tess.

The breathing that is.

It's also why I blamed Stanley or rather Tess earlier on. For speaking my thoughts out loud. Because sometimes? It's the only chance I actually get to hear my own voice.