Long Way Home

2. Theo

The morning rush soon subsided and I was left to make my own pancakes to make up for missing breakfast. Not to be big headed but they were the best pancakes I've ever tasted. I stole a look out of the front window and saw the snow coming down harder than ever.

I groaned, knowing mum wouldn't let me take the dogs out on the sled if it was snowing this hard. I drummed my fingers on the counter I was leaning against, keeping one eye on the weather at all times, begging for it to calm down.

"What's up, Theo?" Karl asked, leaning on the counter beside me. "Not enjoying the snow?"

"Nah, we were supposed to be taking the dogs out tonight. But the weather's too bad..." I mumbled.

He ruffled my hair with a greasy hand from working with the fryer. "Don't worry, maybe you can go out tomorrow?" He suggested.

"Yeah, maybe..." But I didn't sound too sure. Mum was working late tomorrow. I looked up as a stranger walked into the café. This place never got strangers, unless a new load of oil miners had been shipped in, but as far as I knew there wasn't one due for another three months.

Karl narrowed his eyes slightly as he saw the stranger. He took his order and passed it to me. Pancakes. I started up the frying pan again, flipping some more for the strange man.

I took them to him and set them down on the table. He looked up at me and flashed a broad grin. "Thank you, my boy!" He spoke in an English accent, probably from London or somewhere around that area. He wore clothes that showed off his wealth, designer winter wear that made him look broad-shouldered and well-mannered.

"No problem, Sir." I nodded and turned my back to leave but he grabbed my wrist, pulling me back.

He pulled me down so he could whisper in my ear. I couldn't hear what he said but after he let me go he pushed ten dollars into my hand. "Thank you very much Sir." I nodded and headed back into the kitchen.

Shoving my tip into my pocket, I took another quick look at the man through the serving hatch, hoping he wouldn't see me. He was tucking into his pancakes, dousing them with syrup without a care in the world, not noticing that both me and Karl were spying on him.

"Theo?" Karl whispered to me, taking me to the back of the kitchen. "What did he say to you?"

"I don't know." I said honestly as I hadn't heard what he'd said. "But he gave me ten dollars." I smiled slightly as I took it out of my pocket.

"The weather's getting bad Theo. I think you should get home." He said as the bell tinkled again. I looked out and saw Rebecca Barone walk in, sitting down at a table by herself. I felt my cheeks burn as I watched her shaking the snow out of her hair.

"Is that your girlfriend?" Karl asked, nudging me in the ribs with his elbow.

"No! Shh....don't embarrass me!" I quietened him, guiding him into the office at the back of the building.

I flattened my hair and grabbed a notebook off the counter as I walked over to her, trying to stay calm in her presence. "Hey Rebecca, want to order anything? You look like you could do with a cocoa."

She looked up at me with those chocolate brown eyes that made my heart beat ever so slightly faster than usual. A smile was fixed on her face and she nodded at me. "Just a cocoa please Theo. Want to join me?" She asked.

"Well, I'm running the whole place by myself today. But alright then." I retreated back into the kitchen, praising myself on my smooth talking and made two cocoas.

I noticed that the strange man was still in the café as I went to sit down opposite Rebecca but he was immersed in a newspaper. "The weather's pretty bad out there, right?" I asked as I passed her the drink.