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After an emotional goodbye to Cole, Emmy phones to let me know they are on their way to pick me up. I only have to wait a few minutes before Emmy’s car stops in my driveway with Hayleigh reaching forward from the backseat to beep the horn.
“Come on, you sexy, glowy bitch! The fake margaritas are calling our name!” she shouts out of her window, and I’m thankful for not having any neighbours too close by.
I climb into the front of the car and put my seatbelt on, and all three girls are looking at me. I pull down the visor and check the mirror, paranoid that there is something on my face. When I confirm there isn’t, I twist as far in my seat as my giant stomach allows. “Okay, what’s with the weird staring contest?”
Emmy and Daisy start laughing as Hayleigh holds out her hands. “That’s five each you owe me.” Then she points at me. “Yougot some this morning.” She smirks at me like the cat who got the cream as my cheeks blaze.
“Let’s not all gang up on the pregnant lady. Like you said, the fake margaritas are calling our names.” I smile sweetly at her as she whoops.
“Iknewit! God, I have a nose for these things.”
Emmy looks in her rearview mirror, wrinkling her nose. “Hayleigh, sweet, that sounded wrong.” Then she glances my way and, not quite at all, fake whispers, “She’s going through a sex ban at the moment. She’s kind of like a dog in heat…” She yelps and trails off when Hayleigh pinches her arm. “Ouch! Bitch.” We all dissolve into laughter as Emmy drives us to our destination.
I've been craving a burger and fries all day, so the girls have taken us to a smokehouse that serves the best cuts of meat. We sit in a booth close to the bar and pick up our menus. I’m deciding what to have, arguing with myself on whether I want a beef or chicken burger, when someone clears their throat.
All four of us look up to see our server, waiting patiently with his notepad and pen. He has the emo look going for him, a hint of eyeliner to make his baby blues pop. His black hair is short and spiked ever so slightly, and he has more wrist bands than any other person I have ever seen.Hello Emo Heartthrob!
“What can I get you ladies?” His voice has a northern twang to it.
“Uhm…we’re not quite ready yet.” Emmy, utterly oblivious to his unmistakable charm, politely lets him know.
He laughs. “That’s fine.” He looks around as if checking that the coast is clear. “How about some magic while you decide?”
We all look at each other as Hayleigh bursts out laughing. “Is that a euphemism?” She snorts.
He rolls his eyes. “No, smart arse. Real, honest magic.” He seems so genuinely excited, I can’t say no, so I nod and roll my hand for him to carry on.
“Okay, take this orange.” He gently throws the orange to Hayleigh, who catches it. “Look at it, make sure there are no marks on it.” He nods to her, and she scrutinises it before nodding back. “Okay, now throw it back to me.” She throws him the orange, and he places it on the table.
He takes out a pack of cards and shuffles them about before fanning them out and holding them out in front of Emmy. “Pick a card.” He smiles at her, and she closes her eyes and picks out a card. “Now look at your card and show your girls.” He dramatically covers his eyes and gives us his back as Emmy shows us she has the eight of hearts. He turns back around. “Now I want you to hand me the card face down.” She does as he asks, and he takes the card from her, then rips off one corner before handing it back to her. “Keep that to one side.” He winks at her and takes the piece of card in his left hand, and with his right, he picks up the orange.
Holding them both out, he focuses on me. “Now say the magic word.”
For some reason, I blush and blurt out the first word that comes to mind, “ABRACADABRA!”
“I was thinking more of ‘pretty please’, but that will do it.” He smacks his hands together, and when he brings them apart again, the orange is nowhere to be seen.
Hayleigh’s mouth is open wide, but she soon recovers. “Fuck off. Where did that go?” We all look around but can’t see the orange.
He scoots into the booth right next to Daisy. “Look in your bag, beautiful.” He winks at her, and she blushes, but does as he asks – and wouldn’t you know it? She pulls out the orange.
Did he pull that from his arse?
He plucks it from her hand, holding it up. “Now for the magical part.” He stands back up and reaches into his back pocket, producing a knife.
“I’m just going to cut around the orange.” He slices around the orange and then twists each side, pulling it apart. When he does, we notice something in the centre of the orange rolled up tight.
“If you tell me that is the fucking corner of the card, I am going to lose my ever-loving shit!” Hayleigh shakes her head in disbelief as he hands the half with the piece sticking out to Emmy.
“Pull that out and show your girls what it is.”
She carefully pulls out the rolled-up paper inside the orange and then opens it to see the eight of hearts. Her mouth falls open. “Oh my god, that's freaky…how…what…huh?” He laughs at her stuttering and takes the piece and the card, and perfectly matches them together.
Suddenly, a man’s voice bellows from behind Anthony, “Anthony! Stop harassing the customers with your magic tricks and get back to work.” Anthony the magician winces ever so slightly.
“Okay, now can you please order something before my boss kicks me out?”
