Crazy connection

Mags

Chapter 2

Mags

“Where the hell is she?” “For goodness sake, she does this every time.” Mags is never on time for anything, and it’s annoying as hell!

Just then Carmel gets a call from Mags. “Hey Camel (an irritating nickname Mags has always called me since we were kids) I’m looking straight at you. I’m standing next to a bench near Costa”. “Can you see me?”

I look up scanning the station for Costa. There she is, holding two takeaway coffee cups in one hand and waving the other hand with her mobile vigorously to get my attention. I should have known she would be at a coffee shop. That girl can’t live without her daily dose of caffeine.

I walk hurriedly towards her. She has a huge smile on her face and it’s definitely a good sight to see. My sister is the best at making me forget my worries. I can’t stay mad at her and I run up the last few steps to give her the biggest hug.

“What the hell? I’ve been here standing around waiting for you for ages! What took you so long?”

“Sorry, I was 5 minutes early and thought I’d pop to Costa to grab us each a coffee. But with the social distancing still in place they were only letting one person in at a time, and the queue was so long.”

“Right let’s get a move on then, this amount of people around me is making me nervous.”

I grab Mags’ arm and we head toward the station exit.

“You make me laugh! You do realise were in London?”, “Wherever we go, it’s going to be packed, with people bustling all around.” Mags rolls her eyes as she says it.

We decide to head to Mags place so I can drop my bag and we can have a quick bite to eat. Mags is a vegetarian, something I’ve always wanted to do but never had the conviction to go all in. Mags is a way better cook then me though so that might be why. As Mags warms up her homemade butternut soup and toasts some malted wheat seeded bread.

“Hmm, GOD it smells good!”

I hear my stomach groan and remember that I’d skipped breakfast. With all the worrying of catching the train and meeting Mags, I didn’t realise how hungry I was until the lovely aroma of the spicy butter nut soup and the smell of that lovely bread toasting came wafting past my nose.. I literally can not wait to get stuck in.

“I love coming to visit you Mags, you know your the best cook in the family!” “Even if I could afford to buy all the lovely fresh, organic produce you buy, I’d never be able to cook these amazing meals.”

Mag smiles, “ you’re a plonka! EAT!”, she orders.

“This is so easy to make, a five year old could make it.”

We sit and eat in silence for a while. Almost as if we are both avoiding any talk about why I am really here. Mags breaks the silence, “SO, are we going to discuss what’s going on here? why you’re meeting up with Daniel after so many years?” She looks at me with her eyes slit and her sideways glance.

I can feel my face turning a little red as the heat rises through my cheeks. Thank goodness the soup is spicy and I can blame the blush on my cheeks on that. I’m not sure she buys it though, Mags knows me better then I know myself.

I give her a little shrug of the shoulder. “What was I supposed to say? he asked me to show him around?

You know me, I can never say no... I always feel bad after! Besides, it’s no big deal. I’m sure he’s all grown up and isn’t.... weird anymore”, I finish with a high pitched tone of concern.

I’m not sure I convinced myself with that explanation either, my face all crinkled up with uncertainty.

“Carmel!” Mags looks at me with her all knowing, accusation and glare in her eyes. “Let’s face it, you’re curious. You want to know what he’s like now, after all these years”, a little cheeky smile in the corner of her mouth.

I roll my eyes, “so! is there something wrong with that?”

Mags replies with the most irritating grin on her face. “There’s nothing wrong with that. Just make sure you’re careful, and drop him at the first sight of any weird or obsessive behaviour.”

I look at Mags with a fake, surprised face, “of course I will. I’m not a kid anymore. I’m a full grown woman who can stand up for myself. Besides I have you coming with to back me up. If he turns out to be weird straight off the bat, then we can just make an excuse and ditch him somewhere, come back here and never talk about it again.”

Mags holds her hand out, “are you willing to shake on it?”

I hold my hand out, we shake, and both burst out laughing.

“What time is it?”

“I said we would meet him at his hotels reception for six thirty”

Mags checks her phone, “it’s five, we better start getting ready to go or we’ll be late. It’s a way to go on the underground.”