"Rydych yn gwybod Dydw i ddim yn hoffi te."

“Ydw,” Sioni answered. “Wrth gwrs. Dim o de, ‘te.” He really did know she didn’t like tea. He just more or less automatically asked. But the fact that she answered in Welsh was half of the question answered. Oh not the question he had asked, but the one his whole presence demanded an answer to.

"Though Charlie might like a biscuit if they have something hard enough for her to chew on."

“Cutting her teeth is it?” Sioni asked. If Siarli was teething, he knew what to get. What Mamgu gave the young mums in Llanmad, to quiet their fractious tinies in the shop.

"I want a biscuit!"

“Is that a fact?” Asked Sioni straight faced.

"You're not allowed biscuits."

“There you are, Cariad. I can’t get you one, see?”

"But I said I was sorry!"

“Ah, well, but your mami said no, so you’ll have to be a good girl and wait.” He certainly wasn’t going to take Graces side against her mother. At least not directly.

"I'm fine, Sioni. Really I am."

“Fine. I’ll get the chocolate and see what they have for Siarli to chew on.” He paused as he turned to go, laying his hand softly on her shoulder. It was the first time he’d touched her for a year, and his heart lurched as he took in the closeness of her. Somehow, outside, it didn’t seem to matter. Now, in a little island of silence in the ocean of clatter and talk of the café, he was hit by a demanding urge to take her in his arms.

“Won’t be a sec,” He said softly and gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze.

Standing by the counter giving his order he forced himself not to look back at them. Up until he touched her, it had been like a game. Well, it had been the same old game as ever. Now it took every bit of control he had just to order the drinks and wait patiently until the tray was put before him, and the money had been paid. Now he realized it wasn’t fun, to pretend any more. He wanted Siarli, and he wanted Grace, and most of all he wanted Esperanza. His Esperanza.

“Are you alright?” the counter girl said. “Only you looked…”

“I..No. I’m fine, really,” He said to the girl, recovering himself somewhat. He smiled. “Just remembered that I’d forgot something I want to do, like.” He picked up the tray. “Don’t you worry, though. I’ll get it done, right enough.”

He was smiling when he got back to the table and sat down the tray: two steaming mugs of chocolate, a dish with two Maria biscuits on it, and two Chelsea buns.

“They had a two for one offer on the buns, like,” He said putting both the chocolate and a bun in front of Grace. “I can’t manage both myself, so…” He winked at Grace and settled into his chair.

“Well, here’s cozy, now, isn’t it?” He smiled at Esperanza and picked up his mug. “And in case Grace forgets to say it, thank you Espi. Thanks for letting us have this little treat. It means a lot.”

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Not Getting Any Younger