Chapter 314: After Yoga
Tuesday, January 31st, Afternoon
They stepped out of the shala and turned down the street. All three were women, young women, tall and dirty blonde; the third and youngest had raven locks. They walked down the streets bundled up from the unseasonably cold weather and had a rolled-up yoga mat under their arm. Slowly, they came to a corner.
"Where are we headed, Aunt Angela?" Nomi asked.
"I figure we have a bit of time to kill," Angela said.
"So, what are we doing, Mom?" Jess asked.
"I figure we'd get something to drink, talk, and relax," Angela said.
"Okay," Jess said.
"Thank you, Aunt Angela, for allowing me to come along," Nomi said.
"You're welcome, Nomi, anyway it's good to be out," Angela said.
Angela stopped and looked at the window of a small café. She looked it up and down; finally, she nodded and pushed the door open. The café had the name Fire and Ice Café on the door. Jess and Nomi followed behind Angela. Once inside, Angela looked around, which reminded her of the café her mom-owned, where she worked during high school.
The college-age woman behind the counter looked up at Angela and the girls. The woman behind the counter straightened up and plastered a smile on her face. "Welcome, have a seat anywhere; I'll be right there with the menu," she said.
"Thank you," Angela said and guided Jess and Nomi to a table.
The waitress came over and handed out the menus to the three women. "Hello, welcome to the Fire and Ice Café; I'm Lileas; I'll be your server. Can I start you with anything?" she asked.
"Thank you, I'd like to have a cup of coffee," Angela said.
"How about your girls?" Lileas asked.
Angela looked at Nomi and Jess, "So, what would you like?" she asked.
"I'll have a hot chocolate," Jess said.
Nomi nodded, "Me too," she said.
Lileas wrote down what they wanted. "Will there be anything else, or do you need more time?" she asked.
"We could use more time," Angela said.
"I'll get your drinks," Lileas said and walked away.
Angela smiled and looked at Nomi. "I hear Grandpa Lucas has had you out at the River Court," she said.
Nomi nodded, "Yes, every weekend, we spend a few hours shooting around," she said.
"How's your fade away?" Jess asked.
Nomi shrugged, "I guess it's coming along," she said.
"Is basketball the only thing you're doing?" Angela asked.
"I like watching Sawyer play her video games, and Grammy Brooke likes to show me her work," Nomi said.
Angela nodded, "Do you enjoy what Grammy Brooke shows you?" she asked.
Nomi shrugged, "It's okay; I like being under the hood with Grandpa Lucas when he works on the cars," she said.
Angela smiled, "Those are good skills to have," she said.
"That's what Grandpa Lucas says," Nomi said.
Angela chuckled. Jess looked across the table at Nomi. "What number do you have?" Jess asked.
"I have number ten in rec league," Nomi said.
"What number would you like to have?" Jess asked.
"I'd like to have Sawyer's old number," Nomi said.
"What's Sawyer's old number?" Jess asked.
"Forty-three," Nomi said, "She wore it before she had to give up basketball."
"You're close to your Aunt Sawyer?" Angela asked.
Nomi nodded, "Yeah, she even sometimes lets me play with her on her video games," she said.
Angela nodded, "Your dad did the same thing with her," she said.
Nomi nodded and looked across the table at Jess. "What number do you like?" she asked.
"I'd like to wear twenty-six," Jess said.
Nomi nodded and looked at Angela. "Were you close to my dad?" she asked.
Angela nodded, "You can say that," she said.
"I miss my dad," Nomi said.
Angela nodded, "It's okay to miss him," she said.
Jess nodded, "I miss my dad, too," she said.
Angela put her hand on Nomi's, "He'll be back soon," she said.
Lileas came back with their drinks. "Have you decided if there would be anything else?" she asked.
"I'll have pecan pie if you have any," Angela said, "Girls, get whatever you want."
Nomi nodded, "I'd like a slice of chocolate cake," she said.
Jess nodded, "Can I get a small side salad with vinaigrette dressing on the side," she said.
"Okay," Lileas said, "Will that be all?"
Angela nodded, "Yes," she said, and Lileas departed.
Nomi looked at Jess. "That's weird," she said.
"I wanted a salad," Jess said defensively.
Angela nodded, "Jess, you didn't have to get a salad; you could've gotten ice cream, pie, or something," she said.
"I wanted a salad, Mom," Jess said.
Angela nodded, "Okay," she said and made a mental note to talk to Karen about it.
"So, Aunt Angela, are you excited for tonight?" Nomi asked.
Angela made a face, "Yeah, I guess I am," she said with a shrug.
"I'm happy that you came home for this," Nomi said.
"So am I, Nomi," Angela said.
Lileas came back with their plates and passed them out. She smiled and looked at Angela. "Hey, you're Angela Scott," Lileas said.
"I've been accused of that," Angela said with a laugh.
Lileas nodded, "They're honoring you and your team tonight at the high school," she said.
"Yes, I believe you're correct," Angela said.
"Man, I wish I could be there to see that, but I have to work tonight," Lileas said.
"They'll probably post it on the website," Angela said.
"It's not the same," Lileas said.
"Okay," Angela said with a shrug.
"You'll get to see my niece Ragan cheering tonight," Lileas said.
"Okay," Angela said and nodded.
"Can't-miss her; she's the only cheerleader with red hair," Lileas said.
"Let me guess, a Burke?" Angela asked.
Lileas shook her head, "No, her mom was a Kelly," she said.
"Okay, which Kelly?" Angela asked.
"Not the ones that own the Murphy Land," Lileas said.
"Okay," Angela said.
Nomi looked at Jess, "This happens to you too?" she asked.
"Sometimes," Jess said.
"When I'm out with my parents, it happens," Nomi said, "But not as much as it happens when Maeghan's out with her dad."
"That's got to suck," Jess said.
Nomi nodded, smiled, and started to eat her cake. Jess took the hint and started on her salad. Lileas left them alone, and Angela joined the girls with eating her pie.
