Лилла Сомн – Coffee Stained Pages. Part 3 (страница 2)

The lucky charm in the form of a coffee dose and a flat biscuit for extra luck might actually work.

Hastily entering the Station, Amelia irritably shook the water from her hair and cloak, heading for Milo’s office.

He didn’t respond to the “knocking” signal… Weird. Not here yet? Impossible. Vanished? Hardly.

Not that she was upset about it; but yesterday’s banter with Kele came to her mind immediately. Milo’s gone. No one would vouch for Ami’s innocence now. Because there was no one around. It was so quiet… But there was no cause for alarm yet. Really. Ami herself was late today.

…If she’s at the Station and not in her bed still?..

Ouch! No, she’s not.

…Coffee-time then?

Definitely. She wouldn’t traipse around the floors, peeking into all the offices, to track down Milo lurking somewhere. She didn’t need anyone at all. Fewer people, fewer problems.

She would provide the documents to herself and work instead of the whole Station.

The Archivist sighed and headed to the coffee table where the promising bewitching call came from. But the nicely smelling coffee pot was hopelessly empty.

As was this Hall. As was her whole existence.

Amelia gazed forlornly around. Still no one. She sank down onto the little waiting bench in the Hall in despair.

She needed people actually. That was the problem. At least someone who could brew the coffee… This part was so annoying.

She must learn… how to witch. To gather the coffee beans. To grind them. To heat the coffee. To open sealed rooms. To bring light and warmth into them. And into her life in general.

She would be invincible then.

No feeling completely smashed by the melancholy every morning. No need for any doping. No need for people and all this communicating nonsense.

But it would be… never. And it was time to seek some help then. To get some coffee. To return to the shiny symbols. To bring back some meaning to her miserable, wretched life… once someone opened her workplace at least.

Voices sounded upstairs.

Two men were descending from the second level. Milo and… Dave.

– Milo. – The Secretary marched up to the boss with a serious air. – I have some problems… Work-related ones, this time. I can’t function outside the office. And without coffee. All I can do now is curl up here and sleep. But Laivy’s already bagged the best spot. Don’t fancy duplicating.

Dave gave a silent, understanding smile.

– Amelia. – Milo frowned pointedly. – I decline your request, because actually it’s part of your job to maintain my mood and efficiency at optimal levels by ensuring my uninterrupted access to coffee. Otherwise, the whole Station plunges into chaos. And your working conditions will become utterly unbearable. Believe me.

– Naturally… I’m demonstrating my complete incompetence here. – The Kantinian made an uncompromising gesture. – I did it before, and I’ll overcome my abilities if the entrance drape isn’t unsealed. So, considering chaos is my nominal working mode, it won’t threaten me. On the contrary. In a calm situation, I start generating it myself.

– I really want to get rid of you already… – Milo sighed, either pretending or genuinely meaning it, approaching the drape of her Archive and making those same incomprehensible, intricate passes.

– It’s mutual! It won’t be long anyway. And… My coffee? – Ami widened her eyes with naive innocence.

– No, that bit you sort out yourself. – He waved irritably.

– Heartless. – Ami snorted. – No concern for the real needs of the collective.

“Don’t you know when to stop joking?”

Not a clue.

“That’s why nobody likes you.”

I got used to it. I don’t bother to try anymore.

“He’ll just chuck you out now.”

– Focus on your job. – The Chief snapped and vanished behind his office drape.

The head service person clearly wasn’t in the mood for jokes.

Ami pulled a face at his retreating back and trudged into her dark cubbyhole.

– Let me… sort it out for you. – Dave offered softly.

– You’re so kind! Ta. Delighted by your attention, by the way.

– Ta. And. Ami… Don’t play with him.

Davin gave her an expressive look. Ami sighed dejectedly.

– I didn’t mean to! It came by itself… For me, his very appearance is as infuriating as mine is for him.

The officer shook his head disapprovingly, headed to the coffee place, took a pretty patterned pouch from under the table with the remaining beans, and poured them into a mortar.

Waiting for coffee was often better than drinking it. All those lovely mugs and witchy wonderful aromas. A breathtaking ritual.

To be fair… Ami could have done this part herself… And she would next time.

Could bring a usual lamp here also, by the way. Surely they had one on the Market here.

She wasn’t so helpless as her depressed mind suggested.

– That swamp ghoul either deliberately forgets my deficiencies at crucial moments… – the Secretary joined the colleague and continued her accusing speech. – Or enjoys flexing, maybe… See for yourself. When it’s patrols – I’m “useless”; when it’s fetching dawn coffee – suddenly “capable”! Oh, my cup! Wait a moment!

Ami dashed to her opened cubbyhole, instinctively slowing nervously at the entrance, then returning at speed. And back to Dave with her cup in a flash.

– Could you… brew it right in my cup?

She bounced a little with enthusiasm. Dave nodded.

– Don’t distract me, please… I mean… I’m not a top-notch witch, honestly… Even heating coffee is a bit of a challenge for me… Yes, I can. But you’ll just end up chewing bits of beans.

– Well, I’ll have breakfast after dawn then.

The Omillian unhurriedly tipped the crushed green beans into the mug, asked Ami to put it on the table, poured water over the coffee, and carefully took the cup in his hands, staring at it intently. He gave it back with a gentle smile. Amelia readily grabbed it.

– Thanks! You’re a psychosaver. Really. Confronting Milo and all my life on a lightly basis is not easy…

She took a big sip eagerly.

– You’re welcome. Everyone needs some help from time to time.

– Yes… So. What can I do for you in return? Can I bring something?

– I don’t have any cases to work on now. Neither a willingness to work this light. So. Have a nice light. Stay out of troubles.

He winked at her and went back upstairs to his office.

After watching him leave for a moment, Amelia impatiently turned her attention back to the fragrant drink in her mug. And, taking a deep breath, took another big sip.

Salvation. That was better. Much better.

It was a good thing she wasn’t happy here too. It would be easier to return to Kantine.

With a new understanding, a topic for her personal investigation, a new meaning of life and new plans. She could grab some beans and a bag of pastries also. As a meaningful souvenir. And the warmth and touching kindness she met here…

…It would last her a while.

Anyway… Things would never be the same again there for sure.

It would be a new type of interaction with an old environment. She wouldn’t tolerate what she’d once considered “normal”, at least, given that she simply couldn’t go back to living as before. The toxic Kantinian things would stay outside and wouldn’t touch the soul. A somewhat lonely but worthy life would be her goal.