Happy Birthday
Amy's cheerful whistle died off as soon as she was Dom sitting on the front step of Agariste. She sat down next to him, dwarfed to a degree by his long legs that had been folded up, with his knees easily reaching his chin. She placed a hand on his leg and smiled awkwardly, hoping to encourage him to talk.
"Aunt Esme's sick." Dom bluntly stated, not looking at his friend. "She has been for a while. That's why they went on holiday; to go visit her family and give her a chance to relax while she still can travel. Eleanor's got holidays coming up soon, but Uncle Albert has decided he has to be with Esme and look after her. Mama and Papa offered to help, but Esme's such an independent person that people fussing about her would make the situation worse. So basically that means it's going to be just the two of us, as Charlotte's more likely to make excuses seeing as Albert won't be here to yell at her."
"Couldn't we get Ollie to help out?" Amy asked, as Dom shook his head in disagreement.
"Charlotte would blow her top. She already thinks it's favouritism that I work here." He sighed and rested his forehead against his knees, wrapping his arms around his legs at the same time. "Three of us could manage business, but two will be pushing it..."
Amy put her arm around Dom and gave him an uncomfortable-looking one armed hug. "I'll talk to Albert about haring someone else, don't worry." She rested her head on his shoulder. "I'm sure Lou knows a person who we can give a job; I'll ring her later today. Everything will be fine, don't worry about this place. I bet your Uncle will be happier that you're not falling to pieces over this whole situation." Dom reluctantly murmured in agreement and turned to look at Amy, but got distracted by something colourful sticking out of her bag. He reached over and pulled out the bright paper, bringing a small box out with it.
"Box?" He muttered in surprise. "Box box." Was his own answer. He picked it up and opened it to reveal two small objects. He examined the piece of paper first before studying the old fashioned key. "Why do you have a key and a coupon from Paulie Parrot?" He asked while placing the items back in the green box.
Amy sat back properly and put the box back in her bag. "Because it's my birthday, Dom." Dom straightened up and apologised, but Amy waved his words away. "I never told you when my birthday was, so you weren't to know. I guess I'll have to call Ruby about that coupon and tell her about my tattoo idea, eh?" She smiled and stood, holding her hand out for the shop's keys. "I guess today's the day for phone calls, don't you?" He handed her the keys and she walked inside, leaving him on the step. Suddenly a trumpet's wail blared through the open door, which finally made Dom smile. As the shop's stereo played the blues as loudly as possible, the workers set up the tables and prepared for the customers, both hoping it would be a slow day.
"Aunt Esme's sick." Dom bluntly stated, not looking at his friend. "She has been for a while. That's why they went on holiday; to go visit her family and give her a chance to relax while she still can travel. Eleanor's got holidays coming up soon, but Uncle Albert has decided he has to be with Esme and look after her. Mama and Papa offered to help, but Esme's such an independent person that people fussing about her would make the situation worse. So basically that means it's going to be just the two of us, as Charlotte's more likely to make excuses seeing as Albert won't be here to yell at her."
"Couldn't we get Ollie to help out?" Amy asked, as Dom shook his head in disagreement.
"Charlotte would blow her top. She already thinks it's favouritism that I work here." He sighed and rested his forehead against his knees, wrapping his arms around his legs at the same time. "Three of us could manage business, but two will be pushing it..."
Amy put her arm around Dom and gave him an uncomfortable-looking one armed hug. "I'll talk to Albert about haring someone else, don't worry." She rested her head on his shoulder. "I'm sure Lou knows a person who we can give a job; I'll ring her later today. Everything will be fine, don't worry about this place. I bet your Uncle will be happier that you're not falling to pieces over this whole situation." Dom reluctantly murmured in agreement and turned to look at Amy, but got distracted by something colourful sticking out of her bag. He reached over and pulled out the bright paper, bringing a small box out with it.
"Box?" He muttered in surprise. "Box box." Was his own answer. He picked it up and opened it to reveal two small objects. He examined the piece of paper first before studying the old fashioned key. "Why do you have a key and a coupon from Paulie Parrot?" He asked while placing the items back in the green box.
Amy sat back properly and put the box back in her bag. "Because it's my birthday, Dom." Dom straightened up and apologised, but Amy waved his words away. "I never told you when my birthday was, so you weren't to know. I guess I'll have to call Ruby about that coupon and tell her about my tattoo idea, eh?" She smiled and stood, holding her hand out for the shop's keys. "I guess today's the day for phone calls, don't you?" He handed her the keys and she walked inside, leaving him on the step. Suddenly a trumpet's wail blared through the open door, which finally made Dom smile. As the shop's stereo played the blues as loudly as possible, the workers set up the tables and prepared for the customers, both hoping it would be a slow day.