The lady that runs the cafe is known by many of the towns people.
She's a mystery. She's closed off and private.
They whisper about her behind her back, they all think up extravagant stories for the reasoning behind her stony eyes.
She's not rude, nor unkind. In fact she's quite the opposite. She's known for her generosity and kindness.
But she keeps herself to herself.
Anna Sawyer works with her. Anna Sawyer is the closest thing to family she has.
'Hey sweetie, how was your weekend?' It's Monday morning and the brown eyed woman hangs her coat up and offers Anna a half hearted smile.
'Alright' Its her standard response.
Most people would have given up trying to instigate conversations with her but not Anna. Anna sees the pain in this woman's eyes. Anna knows that this woman is suffering.
She rubs Karen Roe's back as she joins her behind the counter and then Anna fills the void by divulging the goings on of her own weekend.
Karen smiles and laughs genuinely then. For a while she can live vicariously through her only friend. For a while she can forget about her horrible past that has her stuck, no longer moving forward.
It's a Thursday evening and he's been home half an hour. She's just got here to drop Jamie and his things off.
Jamie waves his hello to his uncle and then eagerly disappears into the front living room. Since his mother's death he's slowly learnt that things he once wasn't allowed to do, he now can. For instance, no video games after five had gone out the window. He no longer got shouted at when he jumped up and down on his mattress and his most favourite, as many chocolate biscuits as he liked.
'How was Jamie's session yesterday with Denise?' Peyton sets her car keys on the sideboard. She sets Jamie's things down on the floor and is lingering in the kitchen and attempting a conversation.
'Alright' He shrugs and that's all she gets. He's trying to tidy the chaotic mess that has become the kitchen since his arrival.
'Why're you so against him seeing someone?' Peyton wonders aloud.
'I'm not'
'Every time I bring up his sessions you shoot it down' She contends. 'His teacher really thinks it's helping. Don't you think it's worth it if it's helping him. It would be different if he didn't like it but he seems fine'
'A psychiatrist cannot bring his Mum or Dad back'
'No, but maybe they're helping him deal with it' She supplies.
'We're helping him deal'
'Yes but he doesn't fully comprehend that they're never coming back Lucas. On the occasion that he does speak about them, he talks as though they've gone away for the weekend. Unlike us, the psychiatrist can determine the best ways we can help him understand and get over all this trauma, only you never tell me what she says'
'They're full of shit okay?' His voice raises and he throws the dish towel on the work surface 'They don't make it better. They fill your mind with false hope. They lie and promise you things they can't keep.'
His outburst has him shaking and her eyes wide.
She's not scared of him. She's scared of his reaction, she's scared of what it implies. She gets the feeling that perhaps he can relate more to Jamie's situation than she ever imagined.
'Did you see someone when you were a kid?' She asks quietly.
'They tell you everything's going to be alright. They tell you that you'll be home again before you know it. They tell you it's just for a while. They tell you your Mum just needs a little break and it's all just bullshit'
'Luke' She takes his bawled fists in her soft hands, running her finger over his whitening knuckles. 'Hey, it's okay'
He's startled by her touch, startled by her soothing tone. Eyes jerk up to her concerned face and he takes a heavy breath.
They're silent.
'I was much younger than Jamie when I went into foster care' His voice is barely there but she hears loud and clear and her heart breaks. 'They told me it was just for a while. Until she got back on her feet. She never came and got me though. She never...' He shakes his head and her arms instinctively snake around his neck and she embraces him tightly.
'Luke' She breathes.
Her voice is soft, gentle and kind. It's caring. And it shuts him down. Completely.
He pushes her away.
She stumbles.
'Luke-'
'I should go see what he's doing' He cuts her off. He's already said too much, already divulged something he'd rather she not know and he hates that. He hates that for a moment he was so weak. He hates that he's just given her information to play with. He knows from experience that it's best to keep your past in your past. He can't handle pity. He doesn't want that. But as he walks out of the kitchen it's all he can feel. Her burning eyes with their pitying stare.
It's a Friday afternoon.
'Do you wanna go visit Anna JimmyJam?' Peyton proposes. They're walking hand in hand down the sidewalk.
Jamie smiles up at her.
He's happy.
He's got a gold star on his sweatshirt that indicates his good behaviour throughout the day.
'Can I get a chocolate muffin?' He asks excitedly.
'Sure' She agrees, swinging his arm as they walk toward the enticing smell of the cafe on the corner.
It's warm inside and the bells jangle happily as they enter.
'Anna!' Jamie runs ahead, yanking on the older woman's dress as he reaches her, making sure to alert her of his presence.
'Why hello darling, how're you today?' Anna lifts him up onto the stool and kisses his head.
'Look'
'Wow' Anna fusses over him and his gold star. 'Do you know what you deserve?'
The little boy looks up at her with shining blue eyes.
'A chocolate muffin' She declares theatrically.
Peyton shakes her head and smiles as they interact. She doesn't interrupt, allowing Jamie to tell her mother all about his day.
'Hi Karen' Instead she greets the woman behind the counter.
'Hi sweetie' Karen squeezes her hand. She bestows great love for her friend's daughter. She held her when she was born. She looked after her when Anna and Larry required a break from the strains of being a parent. She loves Peyton dearly. 'How're you getting along?' Her brown eyes flicker to the little boy sitting in her cafe and her heart aches. She daren't get too close. She can't.
'Okay. He's doing so well, considering everything'
'That's good' Karen busies herself and avoids taking too much notice over the laughing little boy. 'He, he's settling in well with his, his uncle then?'
Peyton watches the happy child. She rolls her eyes as her mother gives Jamie not one but two chocolate cakes.
'Sorry what did you say Karen?' She diverts her attention back to the older woman, her smile apologetic.
Karen shakes off her apology. She's struck by the look in the blondes vivid green eyes. She's seen Anna look at Peyton with that exact same stare. It's the look of a mother. It's protection. Nurturing warmth. It's unconditional love.
She licks her lips 'His, his uncle is, is finding his feet as a parent?'
Peyton's eyes narrow as she watches Karen's shaky movements. 'Are you okay Karen?'
The older woman's eyes jolt up and she nods vigorously. 'Of course'
Peyton isn't convinced. She's not convinced one little bit.
'I, I was wondering if you could pass something on for me actually' She falters. She rubs her flour covered hands on her apron.
Peyton's lost. The desperation in her voice has her nodding though. She would do anything for this woman. She's as good as family as far as Peyton's concerned. 'To who?'
'To, to...-'
Her sentence is cut off though. Jamie has slid from his stool and is hurrying to the door and Peyton's head automatically jerks after him. It's inbuilt in her. She's constantly got an eye on him. To begin with it had been a matter of must not want. But now, she was no longer doing what she could for Jamie Scott merely for her deceased friends. It was more than that. She had this innate need to care for him. She opens her mouth to reprimand him for running off.
'Luke!' His sing song voice greets happily. 'Look at my star!'
Her mouth closes because it's Lucas and Jamie is safe.
'See' Jamie's little finger prods at the golden sticker but Lucas doesn't look. He takes the little boys hand and without a single word marches him right back out of the door. The bells jangling angrily in their wake.
Peyton's brow furrows and without any hesitance she dashes after them.
She's none the wiser about Karen's intriguing request but it'll have to wait because her feet are carrying her toward the little boy that has well and truly stolen her heart.
'What's wrong?' Peyton exclaims. They're all back at the Scott residence and she's completely confused.
'Nothing'
She frowns. 'Hey Jamie why don't you go pick out a film? We'll come in and watch it with you in a minute'
The child's face lights up. 'You'll stay for a while?'
'Sure' She's not sure she'll be so content in doing so after the conversation she's intent on having with Lucas.
Jamie hurries out of the room excitedly, leaving them alone.
'Speak to me'
'What?' He busies himself with sifting through junk mail that's addressed to his deceased brother and sister in-law. The brother he never new he had.
'Come on Luke, your behaviour back there. It was hardly normal, I don't think it's that unreasonable to want to understand what was behind it?'
He doesn't verbally answer. He stops rifling through the post to look at her. Her eyes are firmly on the packet of popcorn she's discovered abandoned at the back of a cupboard. Haley James Scott always had popcorn for movie night.
He doesn't answer.
The blue packet is placed in the microwave and she turns the dial to two minutes. It hums into action.
'Karen owns the cafe' She drops in casually. Only it's not casual at all.
His eyes scrunch into an indifferent squint.
'Yeah?' He urges when she doesn't elaborate.
'Yes, a Karen Roe'
Lucas falters, his mask slipping as he looks at her.
Her eyes venture from the buzzing microwave to take in his reaction.
'Is, is she...do you know her?' It's the only conclusion she's come to. He has to know her.
He blinks and then he's shaking his head like she's crazy and turning away.
'What? You just marched us back here Lucas like you were possessed. I took Jamie in their to see my Mum as a treat for being good in school and then you come storming in and yank him out. Do you think that's normal?' She feels the need to point out his irrational actions. She doesn't want to push him. She knows pushing him never seems to get her anywhere but he doesn't tell her anything and she knows she's not the most open of people but he knows a hell of a lot more about her than she does him. She want's to know everything about him. 'A relative?'
'Peyton' He snaps, his hands shushing her.
The segments of corn begin to pop loudly in the microwave.
She bites her tongue but she can't help herself, her mind is working overtime and she's spewing out something that's been bothering her for the last few days. 'Someone rang here the other day, when I was here with Jamie' She walks to the fridge door and retrieves the scrap piece of paper in which she'd scrawled a number down. Above it, her loopy handwriting clearly reads Susan Rang. He watches in a daze 'Who is she? she wanted you to call her back did yo-'
He snatches it before she's finished her sentence. Crumples it in his hand. Tosses it into the bin.
'If she rings again you can tell her I'm not fucking interested'
'Lucas' She scolds because Jamie's just in the other room and she doesn't want him hearing words like that.
He grips the side board and she looks at him sadly.
He thinks he's upset her and he sighs heavily.
She's not upset with his treatment of her. Sure she's upset that he won't let her in but she's upset for him because this, whatever this is, is clearly upsetting him.
'I'm sorry' He mutters. 'I'm being an ass'
'A little bit' She teases. She's standing next to him now and her hand is on his shoulder.
'She's nobody'
'She's clearly not nobody' She disagrees gingerly.
He looks into her eyes. 'It doesn't matter who she is. She's just an interfering woman trying to do her job. But I'm not interested'
'What happened today?' She tries instead.
'I'd just rather you didn't take Jamie in there'
'But why? Have you got a problem with my mother?'
'Of course not' He snaps irritatedly.
'Luke my mum's worked there since I was little-'
'It's not about your god damn mother Peyton' He growls.
'So it is Karen' She states. Her brow folds over her eyes as she desperately attempts to get to the bottom of what this is all about. 'You do know her'
'No I don't. I've never seen her before in my life so just quit it alright'
The microwave dings, signalling the popcorn's completion and simultaneously ending their conversation.
His fingers wrap around her little wrist and tug her out of the way.
She gasps but his abrupt movement is successful in silencing her.
He opens the expanded paper bag and a cloud of steam escapes with the scent of popcorn.
Peyton wordlessly holds a bowl out and he pours the contents in.
'I should go' She says quietly.
'You can't' He answers with irritation. 'You promised him you'd watch a film' He doesn't like it when people break promises. He won't let her. She's not allowed.
He steps back and gestures to the hallway.
She swallows and looks down at the warm bowl in her hands.
She has no choice. He's right. She'll stay and watch the film.
She bites her bottom lip as she walks ahead. She just wants to run away. She doesn't like the angry glare on his face. She's crossed the line and she fears her badgering for information will have just made him even more closed off. Regardless, she knows one thing. She's not letting this go. She'll discover his secret one way or another.