Annie caught sight of him as he leaned against the building staring across the street. His head held dejectedly as he lifted it and looked again. Maybe she had been too familiar trying to touch his forehead and that's why he hadn't come in today. If he suffered from acute shyness, he wouldn't have liked her doing that.

Annie recalled the first day he had come into the café. It looked like he had to force himself to enter. She smiled and couldn't believe it had only been two days ago because she hadn't been able to get the image of his sad green eyes out of her head. How she would love to take off those ugly glasses and mess up his hair. Annie chuckled as she thought about dressing him in a black shirt and modern jeans to match his light olive skin tones. She'd change his glasses to a pair which suited his features and strong jaw line.

"What are you grinning about?"

Annie jerked out of her reverie. She hadn't realised she had been smiling. "Nothing. Can't a girl feel happy?"

Ruby huffed and joggled her head towards the vacant booth. She indicated the man across the street. "Happy weirdo didn't come in, hey?"

"Not true, Ruby. In fact, I'm hoping he comes back because I think he might need a friend."

"You are one stupid white girl if you got him set in your sights." Ruby walked away shaking her head. "Why I wouldn't be shocked if he was one of them which talks to aliens."

*

Ruby was worried about Annie and her interest in the newcomer, who she hoped never, came back in. Since the day Annie started work at Ruby's, a year ago, she had shown a soft caring side to any who looked desperate. There had been times when Annie had paid for their lunches herself. She made phone calls to varying charities to find them a bed to sleep in.

It didn't matter if they were men or women, black, white or Asian. Annie had no prejudice. Ruby always made jokes with her about it and she always slipped in a subtle warning here and there.

This one scared Ruby. She watched him lurking on the footpath across the road. His interest in Annie seemed too intense for a man who had only been in twice. Ruby wondered if he had followed Annie before or if he had been stalking her for weeks.

"What's the matter with you, Roobs?" Gus cocked his head at his wife as she moved slowly around the kitchen in thought.

"I'm worried about Annie."

"Why, what's happened." Gus flipped over the piece of fish he was grilling. He tossed some salad on a plate then looked back up at Ruby. "Is she spending all her money buying some poor bugger a meal again?"

"No. It's more than that. We had a strange one come in two days ago. She seems to have latched her focus on him immediately. Even given him a nickname. Green Eyes."

Ruby chuckled, and then turned serious. "Yesterday she thought he was sick and did the usual Annie thing. You know, tried to see if he had a temperature because he was sweating. Anyway, he went all weird. He wouldn't let her touch him. After she told me I watched him. He wouldn't take his eyes off her and today he's across the street staring in. I'm sure he's watching Annie. I'm thinking he's a nut case. She thinks he needs a friend. I'm not sure what to do about it."

Gus flipped the piece of fish onto the plate, and then gave her a cuddle. "Maybe she's right and he might just need a friend." He leant down and kissed her on the lips. "I remember another man who needed a friend oh... about twenty-seven years ago. This pretty little dark-skinned cherub chose to be it. Even went against her family I'm told." He grinned. "I've heard it worked out just fine. In fact, I was told recently that they run this homely little café down in the city. The talk is it's a haven for some."

Shoving him on the shoulder, Ruby said, "Stop with the smooth talk. It sure won't be a haven for one big oaf of a cook, if he burns that piece of prime steak or lets the fish get cold."

Chuckling, Gus lifted her in a bear hug. "We'll keep an eye on it, Roobs. I'll get Sid and Harry to do some watching. Walk her to the bus for the next week or so and see what happens. Okay."

Taking his large sweaty face in her hands, Ruby kissed him hard. "I heard that couple still love each other heaps and it works because she's the thinker but he's the doer."

Patting her on the backside, Gus put her on her feet. "Get outer me kitchen woman before I have to close it down for the day due to a tumour in me groin. And get that bloody meal out to Mal before he complains again." His body rumbled with humour as he watched her go.

Gus then went to the servery and leaned out. "Sid," he called. "You got a minute, mate?"

As Sid nodded and got up from his table Gus looked out of the window to see the man Ruby was worried about. He was leaning against the wall of the building across the road.

"What is it, Gus? You need someone to wash up?"

"No." He used his egg flip to point. "See that man there. I need you and Harry to keep an eye on him. Ruby has got the worries on about him. Thinks he might be stalking Annie. Can you and Harry walk her or follow her to the bus for the next week. Don't make it obvious. You know how Annie is. Ruby thinks she's too interested in this one and well... I don't like to judge but she's anxious is all."

Sid winked, "You got it, Gus. We'll be tight."

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