The box in my arms overflowed with all the things I liked to keep on my desk. My stapler, tape dispenser,Union Jack pillow, Doctor Who desk calendar, my large assortment of pens and copy of Walt Whitman's Leaves of Grass. I hit the lift button and it came quickly. The doors opened; Luke stood with a paper cup in his hand.

"Hey Ali!" He said, oblivious to the fact that i was holding a large box.

"Um hi..." I squeaked. The lift stopped and I pushed past him to get out first. I dropped the box on my desk and plopped into my seat. Tom was standing in front of the windows, his hands clasped behind his back looking into the sky. I stood next to him trying my best to see the same sky that he was seeing. My eyes darted back between him and the sky. "Any good clouds out there?"

"What? Oh um, that one looks kind of like an anglerfish."

"An anglerfish?" I looked at him. He looked at me and cracked a smile.

"Yeah. The big, toothy, lightbulb thing from Finding Nemo."

"No sorry, I'm not really into species of fish."

"Okay. Well that needs to change. Now." He moved away from the glass, pulling out a piece of white paper and a pen. He began to draw something, when he finished he pulled away and held up the paper. A cartoonish figure was drawn. He was right, it was big, toothy, and had a 'lightbulb'. "Do you see it now my dear? An anglerfish is one of the most loyal creatures in the ocean. The males stay with the one female they choose for their entire lifetime."

"That is quite romantic." I said looking up at him.

"Oh, look at my two little lovebirds." Luke said shaking his head. I felt my face turn red an I looked at my shoes. "Relax Ali..."

"Um, can you go to the coffee shop down the street and ask for Lily? They should know who you are."

"Okay." I grabbed my purse and made my way out of the building. The sky was cloudy like it always is. It began to sprinkle which soon turned into a down pour and I was drenched. I turned into the shop and went up to the cash register. It was a very small shop with large plush velvet chairs and threadbare carpet. The room was dimly lit, just light enough to cast a shadow on the floor. "Um, is there a Lily here?" I asked the teenage girl sitting behind the register. She was small with raven black hair and red streaks and piercings all up her ears. Her hair was pulled up in high pigtails and she was clad in black. She looked dreadfully bored as she cracked her gum.

"Yeah, she's in the back." She said not even looking up at me.

"Okay." I stopped, waiting for her to get up but she didn't budge. "Can you go and get her for me?" I said hearing the annoyance rise in my voice. She finally got up and trudged to a small, dark room behind her. A tiny and elderly woman came from the back of the room. Her hair was cut just before her shoulders and the lines were soft and smooth across her face.

"You must be Tom's girl!" She exclaimed throwing her arms around around my neck.

"In a way." I said smiling. She let go of me and pulled me back into the room she had just come out of. I sat down in a small plastic chair. "I think Tom sent me to pick something up."

"Oh yes." She turned to the girl. "One earl gray tea, two raw sugars, extra hot and double cupped. And a blueberry scone." She said very quickly. "That's what he likes so if he ever needs a pick me up come here and it will cheer him right up."

"How do you know so much?"

"I am his auntie! Didn't he tell you all about me? Oh what will I do with that boy?"

"No, he isn't but I will make sure to ask him."

"Oh my gosh! I am just so excited to get to know you! I have to tell you this. When Tom was little. He loved to run around with nothin' on him. His cute little cheeks runnin' all over the place. But this one time he was probably 4 or 5 I went in the kitchen where he was supposed to be waitin' for his lunch and he was gone. Zip, just gone. So I ran all over the house lookin' for his little naked butt. Turns out he was in my neighbors yard. They had left the back screen door open and he ran in there sky-lark naked and stole some of their freshly baked chocolate chip cookies." She let out a huge laugh and I couldn't help but join her. Her demeanor was infectious and I immediately wanted to stay for hours. I could imagine Tom running around as a kid completely naked. (God that sounds wrong). The girl had brought the cup and bag. "Well you best be goin' then. Tom will only drink his tea boiling hot." We were both still giggling like teenage girls.

"Thank you so much." I said finding my way out of the room.

"No problem. And if he ever bored you come over. I've got a big room that-a-way full of books. Tom told me how much you like to read."

"I will. Thank you again lily." The bell rang as the door shut behind me. The rain was still pounding so I tried my best to cover up Tom's cup and scone. I ran back to the building trying to wipe my face clear of any makeup that had run on my face. The lift stopped and I busted into our office. Tom stood still by the windows.

"How much did she tell you?" He asked. Luke was missing, leaving us alone.

"Just how you used to run around naked and steal your neighbors cookies." I chuckled and so did he.

"She always tell people that." He shook his head.

"It's okay. I think it's quite funny. Earl gray, two raw sugars, extra hot, double cupped. Oh and a blueberry scone." I rattled off just as she had.

"She always knows."

"You told her how much of a freak reader I am."

"Yes I did dear. I tell her everything. She is like my mum." He said sipping the tea.

"What about your real mum?" I asked. He took another sip.

"Both my mum and my dad were killed in a freak accident after I was born." He paused looking up at me with tears glazing over his bright blue orbs. "Did she tell you she was my aunt?" I nodded my head. "She adopted me. I don't know where I would be now if it weren't for her."

AUTHORS NOTE:
Awww... I love this chapter! I hope you like it!

Love ya!
DFTBA!

~Trixxiee