Martha My Dear

Chapter 3

Brunch went by painfully slow.

The entire time I pretended like I was interested in Oliver throughout the morning to stop Audrey from nagging at me. Oliver had gone on talking about himself the whole morning so I don't think he had even asked one question about myself.

I knew Audrey meant well when she tried to set me up, she was worried about me being alone. Sometimes she just went a little overboard trying to help.

That afternoon I decided I would go grab something to eat before work knowing fully that my fridge hadn't a piece of food in it. It wasn't that I didn't love cooking or anything like that, but I didn't have much money to spare between my apartment rent and all other bills I had been drowning in.

I walked down to Clifton Hill, a road that was about a ten minute walk from my flat, that had one of the best little diners in London that was only a couple blocks away from the café I worked at. I went there pretty often considering it's convenience.

I was wearing my plain baby blue collared uniform work dress that cut off just above my knee. My hair was tied back tightly in a high ponytail and I had brought my small brown purse that hung from my shoulder to my waist.

Like usual, I ate my food by myself in a booth by the corner, silently observing the people around me with contentment.

"You look happier than usual." Wendy, the silver haired woman who was my usual waitress smiled at me knowingly.

"I do?" I noticed I was smiling as I began to speak.

"Yeah," she nodded staring at my grin.

"I don't think I've seen you smile this much since, well, ever." She replied with a slight smirk.

"Okay, lay off." I joked laughing slightly.

"What's got you so chipper? Did that blind date actually work out dear?" She asked, sitting down across from me.

"Oh, god no." I chuckled taking a sip of my water.

She gave me a look, wanting me to continue on.

"You'll think I've gone nutty." I shook my head grinning.

Her face became more serious as she cocked an eyebrow as if to say "try me".

"Fine, okay," I gulped.

"This dog almost got ran over by a car while Audrey and I were walking to the brunch, so I brought it to the address it had on it's collar and, it turned out to be, Paul McCartney's dog." I explained, whispering the last part and leaning in, realizing how insane I seemed as I did so.

She looked at me solemnly for a moment before completely breaking down into laughter. She fell back in her seat holding her stomach.

"You really got me there for a second." She laughed wiping the tears that formed underneath her eyes.

"Alright, laugh it up, I've got to go." I rolled my eyes standing up, reaching in my purse and placing the quid down on the table, slinging the purse on my shoulder then going to exit the restaurant.

"Oh come on." She called laughing before I got outside into the cool evening air.

The sun hadn't completely set yet which meant I wouldn't have to walk through the dark which was always a positive while walking through London alone at night.

I walked along the sidewalk through the busy city, the street lights just starting to turn on for the night and cars zooming by on either side of the road.

I looked both ways before crossing on the cross walk, hurrying as fast as I could wearing the flats I had thrown on.

"I'll see you later." I faintly heard a familiar Liverpudlian accent speak from far away. I stopped walking and tensed up immediately.