A story about a young girl named Everly Mae Hartweck, who lives with a mother that doesn't care for her. Little did she know that she would soon be living with her English teacher of 24 years when she makes an escape out of her household.
"You're a right dolly, the snow is pretty, as you" he complimented me. I blushed.
"Thank you," I said gratefully. I held out my tongue to catch a snowflake on it and daddy looks over at me and smirks. Then we reach his car, sadly. I pout because I don't get to play in the snow.
"Don't be a mad doll, we can play the snow after we have breakfast" he suggests. I immediately stop pouting and get in the car. I shiver, it's freezing in here.
"Doll, " Ezra says, capturing my attention "take this." Ezra hands me a red blanket.
"Thank you daddy," I say putting the blanket on me. But wait, daddy must be cold too. I throw the other half of the warm blanket on Ezra.
"Thank you Mae," he says to me.
"You're welcome daddy," I say to him. I drop my head on Ezra's shoulder and wrap both my arms around his right one.
Ezra starts driving through the falling snow, illuminated by the twinkling white fairy lights wrapped around every tree. I watch the early birds walking through it all and staring at it in amusement. I breathe out in content. My life has gotten so much better since Ezra has taken me in. Usually, I would wake up to my mom yelling at me for something I didn't do and fall asleep to complete utter silence since my mom went out to get drunk every night. That's over now, I remind myself.
I sit back and let my mind do whatever it wants for the rest of the drive. Ezra starts slowing down the car by a small, cosy breakfast place called 'Kitty Cafe'. He goes around the car and opens my door. He interlocks his hand with mine, he looks like he is in pure happiness as well. He leads me into the cafe that smells like peppermint and , duh, coffee. I exhale as we feel the gust of warm air hit us. Then something brushes up against my left leg, causing me to jump.
"Look down," Ezra says, grinning widely. I did as tell and I saw a chubby grey-haired cat at my feet.
"Aww," I say, picking up the little kitty. That is why it is called 'The Kitty Cafe' I realized. I start saying cute words of affection to the fuzzy baby in my arms.
"I knew you would like this place," Ezra says triumphantly to me.
"Yes I do, I love it daddy," I say to him.
"Good, " he says "Now what would you like to eat doll?". I thought for a moment.
"You pick for me daddy," I tell him.
"Then you don't get to complain if I pick wrong" he warns me. I nod my head 'yes' at him. He scans the menu for something to eat, then it is our turn.
"Hello, what would you like to get," the lady at the counter asks flirty to Ezra.
"One coffee, one peppermint tea, and two French toasts please," Ezra says, ignoring the lady's flirting attempts.
"Do you need anything else?" she asks, looking at Ezra and blinking her eyelashes. Ezra looks at me to see if I want anything else. I nod 'no', setting down the cat I am holding. Ezra finishes up and we sit down at a table by the window.
"Doll?" Ezra asks.
"Yes?" I respond.
"Would you be happy living with me long term?" he asks seriously "I just feel like I have grown attached to you and I don't want you to leave me." My answer comes right away.
"Yes!" I say "I would love to live with you longer."
"Thank you, Mae, you have no idea how much that means to me," he says, then hugs me. I breathe in deeply enjoying his minty scent. He strokes his fingers through my hair. Then we finally pull away after awhile.
"Our secret?" he asks.
"Our secret" I promise him. He sighs in relief.
The waiter comes over to our table and sets our food down, Ezra thanks her and pays her. Ezra asks me about my life and I ask him about his. Apparently, his family is rich, he is 5'11, and he is writing a book. I told him about my dad, love for school, and how I hate Lofthouse cookies.
"How can you not like them?" Ezra asks, offended.
"They are just disgusting," I say plainly. He scoffs and dismisses the argument. I continue petting an orange tabby I picked up. Ezra holds out his hand for me to hold I grab it and walk out of the cafe and into the snow. Ezra pulls me closer to him by placing an arm around my waist. I wrap my arm around him and rest my head on his chest as we keep on walking.
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Authors note Are any of you guys going black Friday shopping today?
