Adriana's Corner

Chapter 35

I wrap the hounds-tooth check coat tightly around me and try to pick out a familiar face among the crowd in the airport. I'm surprised that I'm so awake considering the lack of sleep on the plane. I let out a sigh and look around the crowd of faceless people again wondering how long I'm going to be here.

"Nina!" A voice calls out over the chaos. I turn in the direction of it and smile. Lukas Harrington smiles back making his way through the crowd, a head above most, dressed to sell. "Nina Merelize...look at you." he says stopping in front of me with his disarming smile, square shoulders and perfectly stable dark hair. "Not even a glimpse of an estate agent left on you."

I laugh and we greet each other with a kiss on both cheeks.

"As opposed to you who still looks the part."

"You think? The tie's not too much?"

"Mmm..." I screw up my nose, "I little bit, yeah. No man should wear pink no matter how manly he thinks he is...unless your wife picked it out."

"No, No. All me. Consider it gone." he says back, "Now, let's get out of the place shall we? Carla has dinner on the go and you look like you need a drink."

"When do I not?" I ask as Lukas picks up my suitcase.

***

I miss Tasmania. Not even twenty minutes after landing and I'm already homesick. That's got to be saying something. It's late evening and it's drab. Rain will occasionally fall and then it will stop as though it can't make up it's mind. I want to be in the sun, on my deck, looking at my garden, drinking Miles' coffee.

If only he could make my coffee and travel . . .we'd both be happy then.

Maybe.

"Flight knocked your will to live out, hm?" Lukas laughs. I drag my eyes away from the water trickling down the car window to Lukas.

"Oh, no, I think it's the change in scenery. Summer in Tassie and Winter here."

"I see. I apologize on behalf of the British Empire then. How long are you here for? A week?"

"Yep. Just to sort out all the boring things, then I'm back off. I left things up in the air back in Tassie and want to get back before they all land."

"This is the café?" he asks briefly looking at me.

"Yes. My new baby. Was looking at all the plans on the way over and I'm excited all over again but I'd rather leave now than when all the work is being done."

"Fair enough. You sound excited about it."

I smile and nod.

"I am."

I look back out the window at the rain, grimacing at the feeling of home sickness. I'm now less worried about this being enough time to sort things out, now I'm worried it's going to be too much time. The week will drag. I can just tell.

***

Carla Harrington reminds me of a mouse.

I remember thinking this at their wedding but meeting her again has confirmed these thoughts. She's minuscule. So minuscule in fact that I wonder how she managed to fit twins in her stomach. They must be midgets, surely.

It's as I'm thinking these things, that I realize I've been chewing on the same piece of meat for a good minute, just staring at the salt shaker blankly in thought.

"You alright there Nina?" Lukas asks, clicking me out of my trance. I look back up at the two concerned people and I nod, swallowing the well chewed meat.