Read Online London Harmony: Flotilla by Erik Schubach - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Erik Schubach
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some sort of attic with grand dormers, but the stairs stopped on the third floor. I saw a door at the end of the hall and nodded to myself, it must lead to the stairway to the attic.
Paya knocked on Stephanie's door, and a moment later the woman opened it. I had to hide a grin, she looked adorable in her barista's uniform, complete with name-badge and green apron. She smiled widely at us and then seemed to blush and look down, nervously tucking a loose strand of her curly hair behind her ear when she saw me.
She said, “I'm terribly sorry to have bothered you Paya, I just... I didn't know who to call. I can't lose my job, you've just got us set, and I didn't want to blow it all.”
Paya was quick to say, “It's no bother...”
She looked back at me and asked, “Is it Muscles?”
I shook my head, my eyes not leaving the frazzled woman. I think I said something like, “Not a bother at all. Happy to help.” I was a little distracted in chastising myself as I realized my crush was still there, as strong as ever as I realized I had truly missed the woman. Yet I had only met her just the once.
She caught me looking at her, and I covered by looking past her to see the children at the little kitchen table eating cereal. My smile grew.
Paya said, “Well then we best be off, I'll give you a ride, no need to be walking in this soggy weather. Ange will sort out the rugrats.”
The mention of my name made the kids look up from their sugary and colorful cereal. They squealed and hopped down to come running over, Nat calling out in excitement, “Auntie Kanga!”
Wil parroting her, “Anie Kanga!”
They hugged my legs as I beamed an overly amused smile at them over the nickname they bestowed upon me, reaching down to hug them to me. “Hey, little Roos.”
I ruffled Wil's hair and looked at Steph who looked chuffed. I said toward the two women, “I got the tiny ones, you need to scoot before you are late.”
She nodded and reached out and gave me a quick hug. “You're an angel, really.” Then she knelt and said to the children, “Angie will be your babysitter today, would you like that?”
They cheered, which made me smile. She straightened up their shirts and smiled as she stood. Then she said to me, “Natalie needs to be at Gosling Primary in an hour. Her lunch is in the sack on the counter. She needs to be picked up at half past two. I'll be home just after four.”
She looked as if she were asking too much, but I was truly happy to do this for her. Besides, I loved the little roos. I chuckled as I pushed past her into the flat, a child riding each leg. “Stop fussing, it'll all be brill, trust me.”
She paused, exhaled and relaxed, shooting me another smile as her eye ticked. Then she nodded, grabbing her coat from a hook by the door and turned to stop short at a put out looking Paya. The dark haired woman asked, “What? No, hug for me? Just for the 'angel'? I think you're playing favorites.”
Steph shared a resigned grin with me and then hugged Paya as she said, “I swear Miss Doshi, sometimes you're more of a hug slut than Zil.”
She gave each child a kiss on the cheek and started to lean toward me before catching herself, it was an ingrained routine from years of marriage. She instead gave me a grin and then looped arms with a smug looking Paya and started down the hall to the stairs.
I started closing the flat's door and paused as she called out, “My mobile's number is on the fridge with the emergency numbers. Spare key card is on the counter. I have...”
Paya shushed her as I tried to fight off a chuckle. “She's got this Steph. The munchkins aren't made of spun glass.”
I watched their heads bob down the stairs then closed the door after they were out of sight.
I looked down at the kids who were still attached to my legs and lifted the one that Wil was riding, and I shook it a little, saying, “Come now, let's finish your cereal before it gets soggy.” They hoped off an headed to the
Paya knocked on Stephanie's door, and a moment later the woman opened it. I had to hide a grin, she looked adorable in her barista's uniform, complete with name-badge and green apron. She smiled widely at us and then seemed to blush and look down, nervously tucking a loose strand of her curly hair behind her ear when she saw me.
She said, “I'm terribly sorry to have bothered you Paya, I just... I didn't know who to call. I can't lose my job, you've just got us set, and I didn't want to blow it all.”
Paya was quick to say, “It's no bother...”
She looked back at me and asked, “Is it Muscles?”
I shook my head, my eyes not leaving the frazzled woman. I think I said something like, “Not a bother at all. Happy to help.” I was a little distracted in chastising myself as I realized my crush was still there, as strong as ever as I realized I had truly missed the woman. Yet I had only met her just the once.
She caught me looking at her, and I covered by looking past her to see the children at the little kitchen table eating cereal. My smile grew.
Paya said, “Well then we best be off, I'll give you a ride, no need to be walking in this soggy weather. Ange will sort out the rugrats.”
The mention of my name made the kids look up from their sugary and colorful cereal. They squealed and hopped down to come running over, Nat calling out in excitement, “Auntie Kanga!”
Wil parroting her, “Anie Kanga!”
They hugged my legs as I beamed an overly amused smile at them over the nickname they bestowed upon me, reaching down to hug them to me. “Hey, little Roos.”
I ruffled Wil's hair and looked at Steph who looked chuffed. I said toward the two women, “I got the tiny ones, you need to scoot before you are late.”
She nodded and reached out and gave me a quick hug. “You're an angel, really.” Then she knelt and said to the children, “Angie will be your babysitter today, would you like that?”
They cheered, which made me smile. She straightened up their shirts and smiled as she stood. Then she said to me, “Natalie needs to be at Gosling Primary in an hour. Her lunch is in the sack on the counter. She needs to be picked up at half past two. I'll be home just after four.”
She looked as if she were asking too much, but I was truly happy to do this for her. Besides, I loved the little roos. I chuckled as I pushed past her into the flat, a child riding each leg. “Stop fussing, it'll all be brill, trust me.”
She paused, exhaled and relaxed, shooting me another smile as her eye ticked. Then she nodded, grabbing her coat from a hook by the door and turned to stop short at a put out looking Paya. The dark haired woman asked, “What? No, hug for me? Just for the 'angel'? I think you're playing favorites.”
Steph shared a resigned grin with me and then hugged Paya as she said, “I swear Miss Doshi, sometimes you're more of a hug slut than Zil.”
She gave each child a kiss on the cheek and started to lean toward me before catching herself, it was an ingrained routine from years of marriage. She instead gave me a grin and then looped arms with a smug looking Paya and started down the hall to the stairs.
I started closing the flat's door and paused as she called out, “My mobile's number is on the fridge with the emergency numbers. Spare key card is on the counter. I have...”
Paya shushed her as I tried to fight off a chuckle. “She's got this Steph. The munchkins aren't made of spun glass.”
I watched their heads bob down the stairs then closed the door after they were out of sight.
I looked down at the kids who were still attached to my legs and lifted the one that Wil was riding, and I shook it a little, saying, “Come now, let's finish your cereal before it gets soggy.” They hoped off an headed to the
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