Part two of this episode (Note: the story came first, but I went a little 'off piste' with the picture so it doesn't exactly match the narrative.... Hey ho... Anyway i was having so much fun doing the pic that I got carried away ) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Joe shuffled into the kitchen in his vest and pants, a pint mug of tea in one hand and today’s paper in the other. He glanced up to acknowledge Silja with a good morning grunt, and that was when he noticed Uwe sitting very next to her and the arithmetic in his head came back with a big, glaring, red, underlined and in bold ‘4’. He stopped short. Uwe held his breath while Silja was lining up her arguments. A range of emotions dropped like tetris bricks into Joe’s consciousness. Although most of the bricks fit perfectly in the ‘… with extreme prejudice’ column that passed for Joe’s paternal instincts, they were easily overridden by past discussions with Kirsten on the subject of Uwe being with Silja. And, to be honest, Joe’s version of a discreet investigation into the young man had revealed that, on the whole he was fairly likeable… if a bit wishy-washy for his tastes. Consequently, Uwe’s respiration and whatever was brewing inside Silja were eased and disarmed by Joe’s simple reaction of a hearty sniff and a borderline polite ‘Mornin’. Joe then put his paper and tea down on the table and shuffled off towards the smell of recently made toast. Uwe and Silja exchanged hopeful looks and Silja gave Uwe what was supposed to be an encouraging shrug. They were both distracted by Joe opening and closing cupboards and muttering to himself about ‘never being able to find bleedin’ anything in this house’. Silja knew that at this time of the morning, before the soothing effects of Joe’s tar-like tea had taken effect, it didn’t take much to rile her employer. “What are you looking for Joe?” The cupboard doors continued to suffer. “Bleedin’ marmalade.” Silja rolled her eyes and stood up. “Let me do it for you. Here, you come and sit and chat with Uwe while I make you some fresh toast.” The looks on both their faces was exactly what Silja was going for. Hiding the mischievous smirk behind her hand she took over the toast making task while Joe had no choice but to shuffle slowly back to the chair and sit down opposite a speechless and possibly terrified Uwe. Uwe swallowed. Desperate to escape the bloodshot early morning gaze of one of the very men his parents had warned him to stay well away from, Uwe racked his brains for something, anything, to say. The fact that, behind Joe, Silja’s shoulders were shaking with suppressed mirth wasn’t helping. Joe, however, was used to this kind of reaction from some people. He accepted it, that’s just how it was, sometimes it was even useful. Not this morning though. This morning he just wanted to enjoy his tea and toast with the morning paper like every other morning. From the furtive glances over his head by the teenager, Joe figured out what was happening. Silja had set them up and Joe actually felt a little sorry for the pasty-faced chump across the table. “Just finish yer breakfast son. You’re safe. I don’t do conversation in the mornings.” With that he opened his newspaper and disappeared behind the events of yesterday. Shortly after, a plate of toast and marmalade was plonked down beside Joe and his hand appeared from around the side of the paper and took a piece. Still grinning, Silja plonked herself back down next to her boyfriend and a silent conversation of mouthed words and pointing fingers ensued. This was interrupted by Joe’s voice from behind the newsprint wall. "So where’s Kirsten and Annie? They gone out?” Silja ended the mime act with Uwe. "No. Actually she took Annie into the lounge so Uwe and I could have a bit of privacy.” Joe turned a page. “Did she now? Well that was nice of her.” “Yes, it was. Very nice of her.” There was a pause while Joe’s crunching on toast filled the silence. It stopped with a swallow. “Well, I suppose you’d like me to bugger off to so you two can…” “That would be very nice of you Joe. Thank you. Joe’s hand appeared holding forth an empty mug. “Make us a brew pet an’ I’ll see what I can do.” ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Uwe sat right on the edge of the blue and gold sofa. Kirsten relaxed in the matched armchair opposite. Joe stood warming his backside by fire. At his feet, Anneka sat in the hearthrug watching Uwe closely. As did Joe. The clock ticked rhythmically on the mantle by Joe’s now empty tea mug. It was the only sound. “She must be making a special effort for you.” Kirsten interjected into the ominous silence. Silja had gone to get changed, only fifteen minutes ago, but to Uwe it seemed like she had been gone for a lot lot longer. “Yes.” was the only word Uwe could find in his discomfort. The clock ticked some more. “So. ‘Ave a job d’you?” Joe’s question sounded more than interrogative, even stern, which took Uwe by surprise. He licked his dry lips and looked up at Joe. Where was Silja. “Umm Yes! I work in the family store…. Errr with my father…. I … Umm.” Just then the lounge door clicked open and Silja stepped through it. Salvation had arrived in the nick of time. Joe turned his head and his eyes bulged at the acres of flesh exposed by the scant clothing Silja wore. He drew breath to speak… “Oh what a wonderful outfit Silja!” Kirsten stole the conversation clean out of Joe’s mouth which remained open. “It is so you!” “Þakka þér fyrir! Oh, I’ll be back for Anni’s bathtime. Don’t worry.” Silja breezed over to Uwe and held out her hand for his. Uwe took it thankfully as he allowed Silja to whisk him out of the room. As the door closed behind the teenagers, Joe was still by the mantle, pointing at the door but looking at Kirsten, his mouth carp-like. “What?” Kirsten raised one eyebrow sternly. That was enough. Outside, a happy teenage couple walked hand in hand along the street toward the plaza and a rendezvous with Monika and Meike. Both grinning like, well... teenagers? “Man ! Joe is soo damned scary, Sil.” Uwe voice was thick with relief and the laughter that came with it was pure nervous energy. “How do you work in there?” “Ohh babes.. You just got ta know how to be working him, y’know? There’s a good time to talk with him and there’s other when you jus’ keepings outta his ways.” “Uuh huh, and If I did not know you better I’d say you let me hang up drying there a few times, hmm?” Silja turned in front of Uwe, making him pause as she reached up and hung herself around his shoulders. She kissed him. “You know me well enough, elskhugi. Anyway, it was worth it, hmm?” Silja grinned and kissed him again just as a tasty reminder of the night before. Uwe looked down into those glacial eyes. So full of vitality and excitement. His heart melted as the memory of looking down at her in the dim bedroom light last night, her looking up came back to him. Uwe smiled. “Yes...” They resumed their walk. Presently Uwe spoke. “Sil…?” “Uh huh?” “How on earth did Joe end up with someone like Kirsten…?”