{"id":997,"date":"2012-05-15T06:00:38","date_gmt":"2012-05-15T13:00:38","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ravenoustales.com\/?p=997"},"modified":"2012-05-14T12:28:06","modified_gmt":"2012-05-14T19:28:06","slug":"season-6-episode-5","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/ravenoustales.com\/?p=997","title":{"rendered":"Season 6, Episode 5"},"content":{"rendered":"

Rice Crispy Forgiveness
\n<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Willow wandered through The Lanes, slowly meandering past the quirky stores, buskers and street merchants, selling everything from crazy hats to candy. She liked Brighton a lot. In many ways, it reminded her of Melbourne. The way people dressed, the food they ate, the weather. You could even order a better-than-decent flat white from any number of Australian or New Zealand baristas that had seemingly taken over the coffee making trade here. In and around The Lanes, vintage clothing shops were outdone only by an abundance of cafes, stocked with delectable fresh cakes, salads, soups and breads. It was Willow heaven.<\/p>\n

And today, the sun was shining and people were smiling. She\u2019d slept well and only shed a small number of tears for Robert. All in all, it was pretty close to a perfect day.<\/p>\n

Almost.<\/p>\n

If she could only shake the feeling in the pit of her stomach that she had lost her two best friends. She assumed they were both still in London. She\u2019d heard nothing from Mia, but Ana had tried calling a few times. Willow hadn\u2019t picked up the phone. She needed a few more days to get her head around what had gone wrong before she could face them again; start making (or receiving?) apologies. The whole situation was discombobulating, to say the least.<\/p>\n

She felt her phone buzz in her handbag.<\/p>\n

Number withheld. She toyed with the idea of not answering it, but decided to be brave. What if it was her parents trying to reach her? Besides, if she didn\u2019t want to speak to the person, she could always pretend the line was bad and hang up.<\/p>\n

\u201cWillow, thank christ! I\u2019ve been trying to reach one of you for days!\u201d<\/p>\n

The voice was familiar\u2026 oh shit. Johnny.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cHello? Hello? I can\u2019t hear anything. I\u2019m going to have to hang up. It\u2019s a really bad line,\u201d she lied.<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t you dare,\u201d he said, his voice stern. \u201cRemember, I know all your tricks for getting off the phone.\u201d<\/p>\n

Busted. \u201cEr\u2026Hi Johnny.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere the hell have you been? I\u2019ve tried calling Mia and Ana about a thousand times, but Mia\u2019s phone is disconnected and Ana isn\u2019t answering.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mia had insisted on changing her number as soon as they got to the UK. \u201cToo much emotional baggage with this one,\u201d she\u2019d said lightly. Willow and Ana hadn\u2019t understood at the time.<\/p>\n

\u201cIs Mia with you? Can I speak to her?\u201d Johnny said urgently.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh come on Willow, I need to talk to her. I need to explain\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not sure where Mia is,\u201d Willow said as gently as she could. \u201cBut I suspect she\u2019s somewhere in London.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLondon? What the fuck\u2026?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, we all came over as part of our trip.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat trip?\u201d Johnny sounded genuinely perplexed.<\/p>\n

Willow sighed, realisation dawning. \u201cMia didn\u2019t tell you we were going, did she.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo. She did not.\u201d Johnny\u2019s voice was stony, hurt.<\/p>\n

After they\u2019d booked all the tickets, Mia had offered to tell Johnny and a bunch of their other friends while Ana and Willow sorted the logistics. Everyone had popped past to say goodbye and wish them well. Everyone, except Johnny.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know what he\u2019s like,\u201d Mia had said, laughing. \u201cProbably shacked up with some girl and forgotten already that we\u2019re going.\u201d
\nWillow hadn\u2019t thought much about it after that. Too much else to do.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat the hell is going on Willow?\u201d Johnny said. \u201cI\u2019ve been going crazy since that weird phone call last week.\u201d<\/p>\n

The phone call to Johnny. The source of all their problems. Willow explained as best she could what had happened; how what was meant to be a celebratory breakfast had turned into a cat fight, with some pretty wild admissions and accusations.\u201cIs it true?\u201d Willow said. \u201cThat you\u2019re getting married?\u201d<\/p>\n

Johnny hesitated. \u201cIt\u2019s a long story. One that I need to explain to Mia first, OK?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOK.\u201d Willow understood. \u201cYou really love her don\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, I really do.\u201d<\/p>\n

She could hear the goofy grin in his voice.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

After she hung up the phone, Willow had the desperate urge to be by herself. The Lanes were packed with the lunchtime crowd and she wandered slowly towards the Brighton seafront, wanting nothing more than to look out over the ocean and get lost in her own thoughts. Although the sun was out, there was a cold wind, licking at her hair and giving her goosebumps. She watched as it caught the choppy ocean, sending white spray through the air. Her head was reeling and, before she could stop them, fat tears started rolling down her cheeks. Why had everything come to this? It was meant to be a fun trip, a way for her to forget and move on. Not a way to screw up everything else in her life. She rubbed her nose on her sleeve, sniffing loudly.<\/p>\n

\u201cExcuse me.\u201d<\/p>\n

She turned to see and elderly gentleman, dressed in an old fashioned suit and tie, complete with hat, holding out a handkerchief to her. In his other hand he clutched a square Tupperware container.<\/p>\n

She sniffed again. \u201cI\u2019m OK, thanks.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve got another one,\u201d he said. \u201cTake it. Please.\u201d<\/p>\n

She hesitated but then took the crisp white linen square, pressing it to her eyes.<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you mind\u2026?\u201d he gestured to the seat next to her, sitting down when Willow shook her head.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t mean to intrude, but I couldn\u2019t help noticing how sad you looked.\u201d His voice was very proper, with a hint of northern England.\u201cI thought perhaps you needed someone to talk to.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s nothing,\u201d Willow said. \u201cJust a\u2026a silly fight.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAh.\u201d He nodded wisely. \u201cBoyfriend?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTwo best friends, actually,\u201d Willow said.<\/p>\n

He nodded, staring out to the horizon, seemingly lost in his own thoughts.<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you from around here?\u201d Willow prompted after a while. It was weird enough taking the old guy’s hanky. She didn\u2019t need him vaguing out on her too.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m from Northampton,\u201d he said. \u201cBut I\u2019m meeting my son, David, here today.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe lives around here?\u201d<\/p>\n

The man hesitated. \u201cI\u2019m not sure, actually. I haven\u2019t seen or spoken to him in twenty years.\u201d He shook his head sadly. \u201cWe had a fight and he left. I was too proud to follow him, to apologise for my part in it. An now\u2026now I don\u2019t even know if I\u2019ll recognise him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Willow looked awkwardly at her feet, scuffing her shoe on the ground. \u201cI\u2019m so sorry to hear that.\u201d<\/p>\n

The man looked wistfully at the horizon again, before pulling himself together. \u201cOh, now look. I\u2019m being very rude.\u201d He peeled the lid off the Tupperware container resting on his lap and offered it to Willow. \u201cRice Crispy Treats.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI haven\u2019t had those since I was a kid,\u201d Willow said smiling, and taking one of the pieces.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey were David\u2019s favourite,\u201d he said. \u201cI found the recipe in Mary\u2019s cookbook – God rest her soul – and thought that I\u2019d make them for him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sure he\u2019ll love them.\u201d She took a bite. They were overly chewy and a bit too sweet. \u201cVery good,\u201d she said, smiling encouragingly.<\/p>\n

He blushed proudly. \u201cI\u2019m not much of a cook, but these didn\u2019t seem to hard.\u201d He pushed the container towards her again. \u201cHave another, there are plenty.\u201d<\/p>\n

Willow took another out of politeness, resting it on her knee. \u201cDo you mind it I ask you a question,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cFire away.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat made you get in touch with your son again?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHis wife sent me a letter,\u201d he said. \u201cI didn\u2019t even know he\u2019d got married! Imagine that! She gave me their phone number. \u2018Just in case\u2019, she said.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd you called him?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd I called him.\u201d He leant towards Willow. \u201cMy advice,\u201d he whispered, putting the lid back on the Tupperware container. \u201cPick up the phone. Whatever you fought about, it can\u2019t be bad enough to ruin a friendship, can it?\u201d<\/p>\n

Willow took another bite of the rice crispy square. \u201cNo, I guess it can\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDad?\u201d<\/p>\n

Willow and the gentleman looked up. Standing a few feet away was a younger man – a couple of years older than Willow – dressed in jeans and a shirt. The old man pushed himself off the chair staring at the younger version of himself.<\/p>\n

\u201cDavid.\u201d It came out as a whisper. He put his arms towards his son, tears in his eyes. \u201cDavid!\u201d<\/p>\n

The man walked forward and fell into his father\u2019s arms. \u201cDad!\u201d<\/p>\n

They embraced for ages until the old man pulled away, reaching inside his pocket for more handkerchiefs, handing one to his son and dabbing his eyes with another. Apparently he\u2019d come prepared.<\/p>\n

\u201cDad, there\u2019s some people I want you to meet.\u201d<\/p>\n

David turned and beckoned to a woman and a small girl who were standing a couple of meters away. The little girl approached slowly, hiding behind her mother\u2019s legs.<\/p>\n

\u201cCome on,\u201d said her mother. \u201cDon\u2019t you want to say hello to your grandfather?\u201d<\/p>\n

The little girl shook her head and hid further behind her mum.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell now,\u201d the old man said, bending down and peeling the lid off the Tupperware. \u201cWhy don\u2019t you have a look in here? There might be something for you.\u201d<\/p>\n

The child peered cautiously into the box, staying as close to her mum as she could. Her face lit up. \u201cRice Crispy treats!\u201d she squealed.
\nShe detangled herself from her mother\u2019s legs and gave the old man a hug before filling her fists with as many of the sweet squares as she could manage. The old man turned and winked at Willow, before putting his arm around his daughter in law. The family started walking slowly towards the pier, all talking and laughing at one.<\/p>\n

Willow looked down at the handkerchief still in her lap, picking it up and wiping her eyes again.<\/p>\n

It was time.<\/p>\n

She puled her phone out of her bag. As soon as she did it started ringing. It was Mia.<\/p>\n

Weird<\/em>.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s like you read my mind,\u201d Willow said. \u201cI was just about to call you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh Willow!\u201d Mia sounded like she was crying. \u201cSomething terrible has happened. It\u2019s Ana.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Rice Crispy Forgiveness Willow wandered through The Lanes, slowly meandering past the quirky stores, buskers and street merchants, selling everything from crazy hats to candy. She liked Brighton a lot. In many ways, it reminded her of Melbourne. The way people dressed, the food they ate, the weather. You could even order a better-than-decent flat […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_s2mail":"yes"},"categories":[218,1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/ravenoustales.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/997"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/ravenoustales.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/ravenoustales.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/ravenoustales.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/ravenoustales.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=997"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/ravenoustales.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/997\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1001,"href":"http:\/\/ravenoustales.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/997\/revisions\/1001"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/ravenoustales.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=997"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/ravenoustales.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=997"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/ravenoustales.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=997"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}