Break All Ties

The ding of the café bell bought me a sense of comfort that morning as I ducked my head beneath the low lights. At a table beside the window I spotted a familiar face and smiled.

Ava was here.

This was kind of our thing. On Thursday mornings, we made sure to meet up every week for tea and breakfast before going about our day. Sometimes, our weeks were hectic. This meet-up was non-negotiable. It helped us to keep up and stay together. And- though neither of us would say it aloud- it was comforting to know we weren't the only ones pretending things were alright.

"Morning Charlie," Gina- the café owner- said. "What can I get you this morning?"

"I'll have the usual if you don't mind."

"I don't mind at all." She scribbled something down in her notepad without looking. Her dark eyes were still set on me. "Is everything alright Charlie?"

"What?"

"You look a little out of it."

I felt a little out of it. I'd showered in a daze, tugging my uniform on in the same reverie. At this point, I couldn't even remember whether I'd locked the door or not. I always locked the door. Paranoia ran high in me.

"Bad night of sleep. I'm fine though. Thanks for asking."

I liked coming here for Gina too. She reminded me of my Mum.

She was a big woman, with rosy cheeks and greying hair. She always smelt like homecooked food. I don't know. Something about her made me feel like I was at home.

"Ooh, Charlie- whilst you're here, will you take this over to Katia for me?" She handed me a small cupcake. "I promised her last week she could have one if she finished her eggs."

"Will do."

I headed over to the table, where Ava sat with a toddler on her lap. Katia Lynch was the newest addition to our little makeshift family. Three years ago, Ava realised she was pregnant with the baby of one of the most revolting men I'd ever met. For the first two months of her pregnancy, there'd been a lot of uncertainty. In the end, she went through with it.

As far as the two of us were concerned, Katia Lynch was not the daughter of mafia leader Alfonzo Rossi. She was never going to meet the man.

When I approached, Ava glanced up and smiled full heartedly.

Life outside the mafia suited her well. Her hair wasn't that limp mess of ginger it had once been. Now, the curls were back full force. Her skin looked healthier. Not to mention the part about meat on her bones. Three years ago, an anatomist would've had a field day with her.

"Morning Charlie. Sleep well?"

"Don't you start too." She huffed and rolled her eyes. In truth, Ava looked as troubled as me. "Katia. Gina gave you this."

Katia looked like her Mother, to both of our relief. She had her Mother's wild ginger curls and brown eyes.

"Cupcake?"

"Yep. Cupcake."

"Look Mummy, cupcake."

"I can see that sweetheart."

I sunk down in my chair across from them, feeling the exhaustion catching up to me.

"Okay," Ava said with a pointed look. "Enough of this. Tell me what happened."

I blew a strand of blonde out of my face. Apparently, I hadn't been paying much attention when I did my hair this morning either.

"It's nothing. Really."