The Cloud Baby

The weather outside was indeed frightful. Snow fell down as ice-cubes and the wind appeared so strong, it had managed to rattle the coffee shop so much that the windows creaked. The streets outside were dead, also. Nobody was around, literally no-one. And really, we should have closed the coffee-shop a few hours ago due to the lack of customers, but none of the workers here – including me - wanted to face the cold. I genuinely think there’s a possibility we’d die if we did.

Pulling my eyes away from the large window, I moved them over to the clock that sat overtop the cash-register. 12:33. I groaned and took a seat at one of the empty tables, pulling out my phone and scanning through the multiple text-messages on my phone. My mother and older brother had left me text after text and it seems that I also have multiple missed calls. I shouldn’t have ignored them, but what else was I supposed to do in this scenario? I knew why they were calling and I was too scared to face it.

I’m acting like a child, big deal! I’m barely an adult anyways.

“You look troubled.” My friend and co-worker, Raine came and sat in front of me. I lifted my head from my phone and nodded, burying my head into my hands. “Come on, spill.”

I shook my head. “It’s a long story.”

“Aurie, have you seen this place? I literally have nothing to do so our time here, looking at that weather, is long so... you may as well get on with it.”

I chuckled and flicked my finger up the screen of the phone, my head hurting from the constant reminders of the time from my brother, Noel. The all-capital-letter text messages from my mother didn’t help settle my nerves either, and in fact only made me want to ignore my phone more. So I turned the bloody thing off and looked up to the red-headed girl sat in front of me.

“It’s my family.” I told her. “They won’t stop trying to get a hold of me.”

“Ah, that sounds like a real big problem.” She chuckled. “Seriously though, what’s the big deal about that? They love you. Tragic.” I rolled my eyes and she laughed.

“It’s not that. It’s the reason that they’re trying to get in contact with me that’s the problem. I’ve have an appointment at half-twelve.”

“A bit late, aren’t you?”

“Yeah, I am. But what else am I supposed to do about it? The snow outside is awful.” I shrugged, looking back to the window. “I can’t go out there in that. I’ll die of hyperthermia.”

“Was it an important appointment?” She asked with an accusatory eyebrow raised.

“I guess you could say so.”

“But really, you should have gone?” She then inquired, and I furrowed my own eyebrows at her.

“Probably...” I trailed off. “But why-“

“Then you should go, Aurie.”

“But I don’t want to go.”

“Yes, you may not think so but I know your Mum and Noel.” She said sternly. “They’re not very forceful people and for some reason, they really think you should go to this appointment. Perhaps you should go. Sort whatever mess you’ve got yourself into fast. It’s only an appointment, it’s not like it’s going to ruin your life, is it?”

I debated over it for a moment, thinking of all the outcomes of going to see Dr Jones. He’d been a family doctor for years and my mum instantly booked an appointment after our intense conversation yesterday. And honestly, going to see Dr Jones was probably the best thing to do right now – The right thing to do – but I didn’t want to face reality just yet. In fact, the way I was feeling right now, I didn’t want to face reality at all.

“I don’t know, Raine—“

My words suddenly died out at the bell above the entrance to the coffee shop rang out. A tall, handsome man suddenly walked in with electric blue eyes and raven-coloured hair that was sprinkled with fresh flakes of snow. His presence consumed the room, stealing the attention of all the six people in the shop; mine included. It was an atmosphere I’d been in before, his cologne was also a smell I knew incredibly well and that smirk – I’d seen it multiple times over the night we’d shared together over two months ago.

I knew him.

“You know what?” I suddenly whispered over to Raine, hiding my figure behind hers as the new customer scanned his eyes over the room. “I’m actually going to go.” I told her. She didn’t seem to pick up on my newly found discomfort and instead beamed at me with a nod.

“Good on you, Aurie.” She grinned, standing up and dusting off her apron. I quickly followed suit. “Let me know what happens.”

“Will do.” I agreed and quickly dashed off to the cloak room round the back of the cash-register, somehow not being seen by my somewhat ‘acquaintance’. I was just about to throw on my coat when Raine quickly popped her head round the corner.

“There’s a really hot guy asking for you at the till.” She said and my stomach plummeted. “I told him you’d be right out.”

Gee, thanks Raine.

I gulped. “Okay.”

She winked and disappeared from sight, leaving me and my rapidly beating heart alone.

Come on, Aurelia.

Taking a deep breath, I left the cloak room and took my place at the till, deciding to keep my head down and my eye-sight set on the floor. Avoidance was always the best escape route out of awkward situations right?

Wrong.But I was hoping it would work this one time.

“What can I get for you, sir?” I asked politely, just as I did with other customers. It was incredibly difficult keeping up the act already as his scent immediately wafted my nostrils. He smelt like man. That’s the only way to describe it. Strong, sexy and incredibly manly. It was overpowering and memories of our night together flooded back all at once; his grip, his lips, the way he looked at me. I couldn’t stop the blush travelling up my neck.

I waited for him to give me his order, to speed up and have this encounter done and over with as fast as possible. I’ve never done well in awkward situations. Like ever. I was bound to stutter sometime soon and I don’t think I could bare the embarrassment.

“Sir?”

“Are you not going to look at me, Aurie?” His voice was like silk, wrapping around me and drawing me to him. It was just as I remembered, perhaps even better. The blush then returned. “I’d say I don’t bite but we both know that’s not true.”

Carefully and hesitantly, I raised my head to meet his insanely gorgeous eyes. They sucked me in straight away. I knew I wouldn’t be breaking eye contact anytime soon. “What do you want?” I asked bluntly with a glare.

“That’s one way to greet a friend.” He grins, his dimples making a mouth-watering appearance. “You wound me, Aurelia.”

“We’re not friends.” I quickly said, folding my arms over my chest. “We slept together, that’s it. We’re barely acquaintances.”

“Are we not?” He smirked. “I’m sure you know my name off by heart by now, seeing as you used it quite a lot over our last encounter.”

“What. Do. You. Want. Posidon?” I said slowly and he raised an eyebrow.

“I want a conversation. With you. If you would be so kin-“

“No.” I flat out said. “Now, are you going to buy something or not? Because you can only stay if you buy a coffee.”

“Fine.” His jaw clenched. “I’ll have an espresso.”

I nodded and began to make the drink, picking up a small mug and placing it under the coffee machine. My one night stand continued to annoy me from behind the register.

“We really need to talk, Aurie.” He said and I rolled my eyes. “It’s important.”

“What could be so important that you need to talk to me about? Last time I checked, you apparently didn’t want anything to do with me considering you’d walked out before I’d even woken up. Oh, I got your note; real classy by the way.”

He sighed. “Look, I’m sorry. I didn’t know what else to do at the time. I had somewhere to be and you looked so peaceful sleeping. I didn’t want to wake you up so I left you a note and—“

“A shitty note.” I cut in.

“Yes, a shitty note. But that’s beside the point, Aurie. I need to talk to you.”

I placed the espresso on the counter and ignored the pleading look he gave me. “That’ll be three pounds.”

He handed over the money, knocked the coffee-shot back and placed it back on the counter. “Stop avoiding the situation Aurelia, I know.”

I froze, the empty coffee cup in my grasp.

He couldn’t possibly...

“Know what?” I played dumb and he seemed to take this on. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“I think you do.” He placed both hands on the surface that separated us and leaned forwards so our faces were only inches apart. “I know your secret.”

My heart rate increased. “What secret?”

“Or should I say our secret to be exact, huh?” He cocked his head to the side.

“This is classed as harassment.” I declared, attempting to pull back but Posidon’s hand caught my waist over the marble-surface just before I could back up too far away from me. I tensed as his hand slowly moved from my waist, travelling left until it rested over my stomach. I looked down at his hand in complete and utter bafflement.

“I know your pregnant, Aurelia.” He said. “And I know that it’s mine.”