making a mess of this, aren’t I? I had everything planned,” Ceri said.
“A bit, yes,” Mick conceded. “We need to talk, but not here. Tom will be by in a few minutes. Love the new hair colour by the way, and you’ve had it trimmed as well.”
“Yeah, Megan took off a couple of inches and coloured it. I went for more of a mid-blue after the darker purple, even though it’s supposed to be indigo.” He hesitated. “Umm, when you say that we need to talk, is that good or bad? Because often it’s bad, and I…”
Mick put his hands up as Ceri babbled. “Good, I hope. You know Pittsville Park, the café, Central Cross?”
“Yeah, I know it. The skate park isn’t far from there. I still haven’t taken you there to get you to have a go.”
“No, you haven’t, but I’m not sure I wouldn’t break my neck. You could show me some of your moves though, if you wanted.” Ceri stared at him for a moment. Mick continued. “Meet me there in a couple of hours, around nine, and we’ll have breakfast. A few things have happened since last week, and I’ve made a few decisions.” He noted Ceri’s puzzled expression. “Yeah, I know, me and decisions, but it’s a strange new world. Just meet me at the café, and I’ll explain things.”
“All right, I love a bit of mysterious intrigue as much as the next person. I’ll get going and see you in a couple of hours. I haven’t been to that café for ages. I might bring some bread to feed the ducks. There should be ducklings around at this time of year. We could go for a walk around the lake. It looks like it’s going to be sunny… if that’s all right with you, of course. Sorry, I’m babbling again, aren’t I? I’ll get going and see you later.”
“I’m looking forward to it,” Mick replied adding a wink. He couldn’t help smiling when Ceri nearly tripped over his own boots.
§ § §
A little while later, Ceri watched as Mick walked towards where he was sitting outside the café. He’d parked the bike some distance away, but he could still just about see it from where he sat. On the ride to the park, he’d tried to think of all the things he wanted to say, but in the end he’d decided to wait and see what Mick had to tell him. He was conscious of not railroading him. All his life, Mick had done what other people wanted, and Ceri could so easily have done the same as everyone else. However, he knew he wanted more from Mick, but it couldn’t be more than the man was prepared to give. So, no more plans, he’d just listen. Mick took the seat opposite him.
“Tea in the pot,” Ceri said.
“Great, yes I’d like some.” Ceri poured him a cup.
“I haven’t ordered any food yet. What d’you fancy?” he asked, handing Mick the menu. “I’m going to have a breakfast roll with bacon and egg.”
“Sounds good,” Mick agreed, after swallowing a few mouthfuls of tea. “I think I’ll have the same. Stay there, I’ll go.”
Ceri drank his tea as he observed Mick go inside to order, grateful it was a reasonably warm day, although the café did provide throws to put over your knees in cold weather. The tea was good—strong, as he liked it. He glanced around. The café was a timber building painted in green. A few other people also sat outside enjoying the early morning sunshine. To his left the gardens, stretched down to the upper lake. Perhaps they could walk down there later, or take the bike and park nearer, unless Mick told him they were over, but he’d said good, hadn’t he? Shit. Now he was even babbling to himself.
“I didn’t know if you wanted sauce, so I got some sachets of each. There’s a lot we don’t know about each other.” Mick put the roll in front of Ceri and sat down.
“Yes, I guess there is, but we know what matters, don’t we? Sorry, you said you’d made some decisions.” He took a mouthful of roll. It tasted good; he licked at the egg yolk that leaked down his chin until Mick reached over and dabbed it off with
“A bit, yes,” Mick conceded. “We need to talk, but not here. Tom will be by in a few minutes. Love the new hair colour by the way, and you’ve had it trimmed as well.”
“Yeah, Megan took off a couple of inches and coloured it. I went for more of a mid-blue after the darker purple, even though it’s supposed to be indigo.” He hesitated. “Umm, when you say that we need to talk, is that good or bad? Because often it’s bad, and I…”
Mick put his hands up as Ceri babbled. “Good, I hope. You know Pittsville Park, the café, Central Cross?”
“Yeah, I know it. The skate park isn’t far from there. I still haven’t taken you there to get you to have a go.”
“No, you haven’t, but I’m not sure I wouldn’t break my neck. You could show me some of your moves though, if you wanted.” Ceri stared at him for a moment. Mick continued. “Meet me there in a couple of hours, around nine, and we’ll have breakfast. A few things have happened since last week, and I’ve made a few decisions.” He noted Ceri’s puzzled expression. “Yeah, I know, me and decisions, but it’s a strange new world. Just meet me at the café, and I’ll explain things.”
“All right, I love a bit of mysterious intrigue as much as the next person. I’ll get going and see you in a couple of hours. I haven’t been to that café for ages. I might bring some bread to feed the ducks. There should be ducklings around at this time of year. We could go for a walk around the lake. It looks like it’s going to be sunny… if that’s all right with you, of course. Sorry, I’m babbling again, aren’t I? I’ll get going and see you later.”
“I’m looking forward to it,” Mick replied adding a wink. He couldn’t help smiling when Ceri nearly tripped over his own boots.
§ § §
A little while later, Ceri watched as Mick walked towards where he was sitting outside the café. He’d parked the bike some distance away, but he could still just about see it from where he sat. On the ride to the park, he’d tried to think of all the things he wanted to say, but in the end he’d decided to wait and see what Mick had to tell him. He was conscious of not railroading him. All his life, Mick had done what other people wanted, and Ceri could so easily have done the same as everyone else. However, he knew he wanted more from Mick, but it couldn’t be more than the man was prepared to give. So, no more plans, he’d just listen. Mick took the seat opposite him.
“Tea in the pot,” Ceri said.
“Great, yes I’d like some.” Ceri poured him a cup.
“I haven’t ordered any food yet. What d’you fancy?” he asked, handing Mick the menu. “I’m going to have a breakfast roll with bacon and egg.”
“Sounds good,” Mick agreed, after swallowing a few mouthfuls of tea. “I think I’ll have the same. Stay there, I’ll go.”
Ceri drank his tea as he observed Mick go inside to order, grateful it was a reasonably warm day, although the café did provide throws to put over your knees in cold weather. The tea was good—strong, as he liked it. He glanced around. The café was a timber building painted in green. A few other people also sat outside enjoying the early morning sunshine. To his left the gardens, stretched down to the upper lake. Perhaps they could walk down there later, or take the bike and park nearer, unless Mick told him they were over, but he’d said good, hadn’t he? Shit. Now he was even babbling to himself.
“I didn’t know if you wanted sauce, so I got some sachets of each. There’s a lot we don’t know about each other.” Mick put the roll in front of Ceri and sat down.
“Yes, I guess there is, but we know what matters, don’t we? Sorry, you said you’d made some decisions.” He took a mouthful of roll. It tasted good; he licked at the egg yolk that leaked down his chin until Mick reached over and dabbed it off with
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