{"id":611,"date":"2011-09-13T06:00:17","date_gmt":"2011-09-12T19:00:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ravenoustales.com\/?p=611"},"modified":"2013-09-27T16:54:25","modified_gmt":"2013-09-27T23:54:25","slug":"roast-chicken-with-an-apology-on-the-side","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/ravenoustales.com\/?p=611","title":{"rendered":"Season 4: Episode 2"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>The sharp smell of coffee filled the air at Di Bella\u2019s roasting house in North Melbourne, exploding through the doors and windows so that passers by – only early morning joggers or dog walkers at this hour – would stop for a second, mid stride, to close their eyes and inhale the distinctive scent, each silently vowing that they would come back and treat themselves after the next kilometre or two. Because it was still early, the Saturday morning breakfast set hadn\u2019t descended on the popular establishment, leaving Mia and Willow to enjoy their pre-market caffeine fix in a leisurely fashion. The first week of spring had failed them spectacularly, the weather still reminiscent of mid-winter and the girls were huddled inside, warming themselves after their short walk to the cafe.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere the fuck are the flowers and spring leaves,\u201d growled Mia, uncharacteristically grumpy, pulling her coat tighter around her chest and warming her hands on the latte glass. \u201cAnd why they fuck is it still so fucking cold?\u201d<\/p>\n

Willow raised as eyebrow as she sipped on a perfectly crafted flat white. She was the only one who had picked up on Mia’s irritability, which had come on right after Ana’s wedding and didn’t seem to be abating any time soon. Today, despite her unique aptitude towards morning chirpiness, Mia had been particularly snarly and cranky since they had left the house thirty minutes earlier.<\/p>\n

\u201cSomething the matter, dear?\u201d asked Willow, a healthy dollop of sarcasm in her otherwise serious tone.<\/p>\n

Mia sighed. \u201cSorry. I\u2019m just cold and tired and\u2026I don\u2019t know. Just a bit\u2026over it all.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOver what all?\u201d<\/p>\n

Mia opened her mouth as if she were about to say something, but then thought better of it. She absently stirred her coffee, making swirls in the crema, then licking the spoon.<\/p>\n

\u201cOver what all?\u201d repeated Willow.<\/p>\n

Mia wasn\u2019t exactly an open book. She rarely spoke about her feelings or what was going on in her personal life, which was frustrating for her friends when they could see that something was the matter. They knew better than to push her though, having learnt that under pressure she became a vault for emotional tension. Over the years they had expected some kind of explosion of pent up energy, but it never came. It wasn\u2019t normal; it was just Mia.<\/p>\n

This time, however, Willow had an inkling about what was bothering her. She had seen the exchange between Mia and Johnny at the wedding; an exchange similar to one she had witnessed many years prior. Ages ago, when they had all first met Mia, Willow had sensed a tension – no, not tension\u2026a curiosity – blossom between Mia and Johnny. They had circled each other for a very short while, kind of like shy teenagers, before getting on with their lives. It was lucky; Johnny – with his extensive experience of the opposite sex – would have eaten poor, naive Mia alive.<\/p>\n

But Mia wasn\u2019t the young, innocent girl that she had been back then and Willow wondered if anything had happened between the two of them.<\/p>\n

\u201cIs this to do with a boy?\u201d she asked gently.<\/p>\n

Mia looked up from her coffee, her face going red. \u201cWhy do you say that?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI just wondered\u2026well, I thought I saw something at the wedding\u2026that\u2019s all.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSomething like what?\u201d asked Mia, suspiciously.<\/p>\n

\u201cSomething like\u2026Johnny making googley eyes at you.\u201d She tried to keep it as light and playful as possible, but she saw immediately that she had stepped over the line.<\/p>\n

Mia\u2019s face closed over and she refused the meet Willow\u2019s eye. \u201cThat\u2019s ridiculous!\u201d<\/p>\n

Willow shrugged. \u201cOk.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI mean, me and Johnny\u2026that\u2019s crazy.\u201d She paused. \u201cRight?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you say so.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re just friends. Just like you and Johnny.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mia went even redder. She\u2019d momentarily forgotten about Willow and Johnny\u2019s past. It wasn\u2019t something that any of them ever talked about – just one of those things that happened and was forgotten as a folly of youth, stored in the annals of time.<\/p>\n

\u201cNot exactly like you and Johnny,” she stammered. “I mean\u2026we\u2019ve never\u2026we\u2019re just mates.\u201d<\/p>\n

The lady doth protest too much<\/em>, thought Willow wryly, momentarily distracted by trying to remember which Shakespeare play she was internally quoting. Hamlet? Macbeth? She shook her head, bemused. All those years of English literature had obviously done wonders. She wouldn’t push Mia anymore, she decided. Mia got flustered whenever she was questioned about anything to do with men, whether she was involved with them or not. Maybe I\u2019m reading too much into it, thought Willow changing the subject.<\/p>\n

\u201cHave you managed to hang out with Sarah at all?\u201d<\/p>\n

Mia looked relieved. \u201cA bit. She\u2019s really keen to start Pilates, so I\u2019ve been showing her some basic stuff. I like her.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, me too,\u201d said Willow. \u201cShe\u2019s really down to earth.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWasn\u2019t it amazing that she found Ana\u2019s brooch!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know! So lucky.\u201d Willow paused and grinned at Mia. \u201cI don\u2019t know that Ana is super keen on her though.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mia rolled her eyes and laughed. \u201cAna takes a while to warm up to everyone<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat she does,\u201d said Willow joining in her laughter. \u201cCome on,\u201d she said, slinging her huge bag over her shoulder. \u201cShall we hit the markets before the hoards arrive?\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

They wandered slowly through the fruit and vegetable stalls, carefully selecting the freshest produce as they went, Willow chatting to the stall owners as though she were a long-lost relative.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have a brilliant idea,\u201d said Willow, stopping suddenly and grabbing Mia\u2019s arm. \u201cLets make a huge feast for lunch, and spend the rest of the day eating and drinking too much.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you\u2019re offering to cook, I\u2019m not going to say no,” replied Mia with a chuckle. “What were you thinking?”<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat about roast chicken stuffed with lemon, thyme, garlic and….Rosemary? I\u2019ll do some smashed potatoes and beans and then\u2026 let’s just get some cheese and dried fruit for desert?\u201d<\/p>\n

Mia\u2019s tummy gave a loud rumble at the thought. “Sounds perfect!”<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

They left the markets, shopping trolley and bags heaving with fresh fruit and vegetables, meats, cheese and bread. Mia wondered momentarily how she would ever be able to live anywhere that wasn\u2019t near the markets; they were so spoiled for incredible food choices. As they were crossing Victoria street, Willow\u2019s phone rang from somewhere in the depths of her handbag.<\/p>\n

\u201cAh crap,\u201d she said, digging through the gigantic bag – affectionately nicknamed \u2018the tardis\u2019 by her friends – to try and answer it before it rang out. \u201cHere, hold this,\u201d she said, thrusting a bag full of gourmet cheese at Mia.<\/p>\n

\u201cHello\u2026hello\u2026\u201d she said breathlessly, managing the catch it just before it stopped ringing.<\/p>\n

There was a pause on the other end. \u201cWillow?\u201d<\/p>\n

She know that voice and immediately stopped in her tracks, her voice becoming cold.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh. Hello.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s Robert Fortescue.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know. What do you want.\u201d She was trying to be cool, but her voice was sharper than she had intended.<\/p>\n

Willow was still furious with Robert: She was angry that he had spent weeks wooing her, pestering her for a date when she wasn\u2019t interested. When she finally relented and agreed to dinner, he had dispelled her initial opinion of him and had been charming and courteous and interesting and handsome and\u2026 oh, so many other wonderful things. But then, just as the night looked as though it were about to get a lot<\/em> more interesting, he had\u00a0 got up and left, without so much as an explanation or a follow up phone call.<\/p>\n

Nothing.<\/p>\n

Nada.<\/p>\n

She hadn\u2019t heard a peep from him in weeks, and even though she’d had a wonderful time with him, was damned if she was going to do the chasing this time. He was just like all the rest of them: Never considering how his actions might affect other people –\u00a0 and Willow was done dealing with guys like that.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow are you?\u201d he asked, his voice stilted.<\/p>\n

\u201cFine.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh. Ok. Good.\u201d<\/p>\n

He paused. She could hear him expel a deep breath.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think I owe you an explanation,\u201d he began slowly. When Willow didn\u2019t respond, he continued. \u201cWillow, what I did that night, leaving like that, it wasn\u2019t because of you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Here we go, thought Willow. The it\u2019s-not-you-it\u2019s-me speech.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou are the first woman that has made me feel anything since Vanessa – my wife – died. I panicked. I didn\u2019t know how to deal with it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

Robert cut her off. \u201cNo wait, let me finish. I like you Willow – really like you – and I want to try this again. I can\u2019t promise that I\u2019m not going to\u2026 freak out occasionally, but I think that you an amazing woman and I hope that you\u2019ll give me a second chance.\u201d<\/p>\n

Willow\u2019s mouth opened and closed a few time, but no sound came out: A North Melbourne sidewalk goldfish.<\/p>\n

\u201cThink about it,\u201d said Robert after a while. \u201cAnd Willow. I\u2019m sorry.\u201d<\/p>\n

He hung up before she had a chance to respond.<\/p>\n

\u201cWho was that?\u201d asked Mia.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was Robert,\u201d said Willow. \u201cHe wants to see me again.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mia nodded slowly. She’d seen how hurt Willow had been by this guy only a few weeks earlier – even though Willow would never admit it. And so soon after Carlo had trampled mercilessly on her heart. No one deserved that twice in a row, especially not Willow.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat are you going to do?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d said Willow. \u201cI really don\u2019t know.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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