Part Seven

The café had been unusually quiet for a Saturday afternoon. Normally all the tables would be taken and she'd have a steady line at the counter full of customers waiting to be served. Saturdays usually flew past but that afternoon had resulted in only a couple of tables being filled with families and an old man reading a newspaper at the counter. It was match day and they were always normally quiet with the football grounds right round the corner.

There was a tinkle from the bell and Rae turned around to serve her customer. It was a young girl, about 10 years old and Rae frowned as she looked at her.

"What are you doing young lady?" She asked. "Where's your Mummy or Daddy?"

"I'm nine not five. My mums in the car and wants me to come and get cake." She shoved out her hand in which held a crisp five pound note clutched tightly between her fingers.

"Ok… What would you like?"

The little girl took some time as she looked over the cupcakes sitting proudly in the glass display cabinet. She pointed at the two cupcakes she'd decided on and Rae popped them into a cupcake box, smiling at the little girl as she handed them over.

"There you go sweetie! Hope you enjoy them." She said.

The girl threw Rae a cold look, her brown eyes giving Rae an uneasy feeling in her stomach and charged out of the café. Rae watched the girl as she darted across the road without giving a single glance at the oncoming traffic, making Rae's heart jump into her throat. The girl hopped into a car which had a blonde lady at the wheel, a pair of large black sunglasses propped on the tip of her nose which seemed unnecessary for a late October afternoon. They sped off, almost leaving dust in their place.

Rae's attention was soon distracted by the door being thrown open and a frantic Izzy running in with a screaming baby in her arms.

"Rae! Thank fudge you're here!" Izzy squealed, her eyes alive with panic.

"You ok?" Rae asked, coming out from behind the counter.

"No - there's been an accident with Chop and he's in the hospital… I need to go… The boys are with his parents for the day but I can't take Sven… Will you look after him?" Izzy asked.

She didn't wait for answer.

"Thanks hun, I'm just so worried." She shoved Sven into Rae's arms and handed her a bag of which Rae presumed held all of the baby's things.

With that Izzy fled the café, her ginger hair flowing behind her. Rae stared at the boy in her arms and Sven stared back at her. His ginger hair was starting to twist into curls and he had Chop's strong nose. His big blue eyes watched Rae very carefully before filling with tears and opening his mouth to start another screaming fit.

"Hush, hush." Rae pleaded, rocking him on her hip.

Twenty five minutes passed but it felt like three hours; the café had emptied quickly with the families passing Rae sympathetic smiles as they made their way out.

"UGH. Why won't you just shut up?" Rae moaned at Sven as he continued to cry in her arms.

Sven was nothing like her sister had been when she'd been born; for a while Rae had been the only person who'd been able to settle her sister, her mum often giving up and shoving the baby in with her at night time. Rae had tried everything with Sven but she was at the end of her wits.

"God, if you send me help right now I PROMISE I will go to church once." Rae bargained with a God she didn't believe in.

The door tinkled and Rae spun round, her eyes narrowing as Finn's frame filled the doorway.

"Deals off." She grumbled.

"Y'alright?" Finn asked.

Rae watched him suspiciously. He seemed less sure of himself this time, like he knew that he was skating on thin ice. He bit his lip as he smiled awkwardly. Sven had turned oddly quiet as he stared at the newcomer; it was short-lived and the café was soon filled with the the sound of wailing again.

"Oh no!" Finn's face fell as Sven cried his heart out.

Rushing forward, Rae almost forgot everything as he took Sven into his arms and did some weird rocking thing, immediately making Sven fall silently in awe at the man who'd known the secret way to make him stop.

"How did you do that?!" Rae exclaimed, equally as in awe as Sven.

Finn shrugged, "I've had practice."

"What do you mean by that?" Rae asked and Finn looked at her with doubt in his eyes.

"Finn. Why are you back?! What's going on?" Rae raised her voice.

"Ok…" Finn whispered, not looking at her but staring at Sven who was falling asleep in his arms. "…I'll tell you."