A fractured fairytale

8

The next morning, I managed to convince dad to stop off at a café on the way to school. I needed a coffee to stay awake during this morning's tutoring session. He came inside with me, wanting to say hi to the woman that owned the place we'd been going to since we were kids. She used to work for my dad but when my parents married, she went into early retirement and used the money to open her own little business.

It was a popular little place in the middle of town and at this time in the morning, it was packed full of people sipping coffee or eating their breakfast. The small bell above the door rang as I shoved it open and a few people glanced up at the sight of me and my dad, filling the entire doorway. Those that were regulars, however, didn't bat an eye.

"Fiona," I greeted with a grin, watching her tapping away at the till, somehow completely oblivious to our presence despite the fact we cast shadows across half the room. When she did look up, however, a motherly smile graced her face.

"My favourite customers," she beamed, her gaze flitting between me and dad.

I leant against the counter. "How've you been?" My dad asked her, stepping up beside me and turning to assess the place and the people like he always did. There were predominately old people, most of whom came as often as we did and therefore had become acquaintances over the years. Others were people on their way to work, stopping by to grab a drink to take away.

"Will you stop staring down my customers Logan!" she hissed, grabbing a tea towel and swinging it so it hit him on the back of the head. He turned back to her slowly, his eyes narrowed, and anyone else would've shit themselves but Fiona only frowned. "Don't look at me like that! You can't intimidate me like you can with everyone else, I've known you since your bed wetting phase."

I bit my lip to hide my smirk while his frown deepened. "I didn't have a bed wetting phase."

She scoffed and turned to me. "What can I get you Matty?"

I grinned, glancing at my dad from the corner of my eye before looking back at her. "Just a coffee please." With a nod, she turned away to start making the drink and I pulled my wallet out of my pocket.

It didn't take long for her to make the drink and when she turned back, I dropped a one-hundred-dollar bill on the counter. "No!" she snapped, snatching it up off the side and shoving it back to me. "Not a chance, I don't want your money."

I only laughed, taking the note back before reaching over and dropping it into the tip jar at the end of the counter. She scowled and went to reach for the jar but I shook my head. "Take it before I drop another one in there," I told her, grabbing my coffee and turning to leave. "Thanks for the drink," I called behind me.

My dad chuckled next to me, most likely at the scowl now on her face, but she kept quiet. When we got back to the car, I opened the door to an explosion of noise, cringing as all of my siblings yelled at each other. Chris and Vi were slapping away at each other, Em was crying, Alex was yelling and Jay could hardly control his laughter.

"Shut up!" my dad bellowed, making them all freeze. He met my gaze and rolled his eyes. "What the hell is going on?"

Every single one of them started to answer him, Chris and Vi both growing louder and louder as they tried to beat each other to the explanation. I ignored all of them, dropping into the passenger side seat in front of where Jay sat, still chuckling away. He always complained about how quiet it was when he went back to his moms but I couldn't understand why he was complaining – I'd give anything for a bit of peace and quiet.

And judging by the look on my dad's face, so would he.

He cut them all off and turned to Alex. "What happened?"