Catching Up With Cuz

By Beej & Atonia

Lucy heard the bell on the door jingle as she bent over placing fresh muffins in the front of the tray in the display case. She looked through the glass of the case seeing a pair of jean clad legs.

“Be with ya in just a tic,” she said finishing her display she looked up again through the glass case to see a very handsome and familiar face staring back at her.

“Jeff!” she called out raising her head a bit too soon and dislodging a whole tray of chocolate chip cookies on the shelf above her head. Managing to back out of the display case she stood upright to the sound of laughter.

"Luce, is that really you?" Jeff managed to ask through his laughter. "Why haven't we bumped into each other before now? How long have you been at The Glen? Why didn't Andy tell me you were...you!!"

He nipped round to her side of the counter and helped rescue the cookies.

“Ta, sweet,” Lucy brushed her hair out of her face sliding the tray back in, “You can have the broken ones,” pushing several cookie bits into his hand.

“Now then a proper hello,” Lucy threw her arms around his neck and hugged him. “Oh Jeff it’s good to see you, the family is getting thin on the ground. Andy said you were here but I haven’t had time to track you down, how are you? Ah you look great Jeff,” Lucy was smiling ear to ear.

Jeff hugged his cousin back, making sure he didn't drop any of the cookie pieces. "A nice cuppa would go down well with these," he winked trying one of the bigger pieces. "I think I'll take a bag of these home, Luv. I guess you heard about Harry. I'm getting used to life without him, slowly, and I managed to make a bit of cash when I sold the old place, couldn't bear to live there without him," Jeff told her as he followed her out the back and watched as she put the kettle on.

"I've got a nice little place here now, saw it for sale in Coffs and managed to persuade the seller to dismantle and transport it here. You can't miss it...it's pink! I've also started seeing someone..." he added shyly.

 “Ah too sad about Harry, Jeff I would of come for the services but Mum is so scattered now she didn’t think to inform me until after the fact. So you moved house…literarily! Wow Jeff that’s great, Andy and I have a flat up here above the bakery.” Plopping a tea bags in their mugs she poured boiling water out.

“So,” she said moving over to her work table and sitting down, “sit and tell all Jeff…you’ve met someone?” He still wore that shy smile as he pulled up a stool.

Taking the offered cup and swallowing the cookie he was chewing on, he looked over at Lucy and smiled again.

"It's early days yet, Luce. You probably know him, or at least will have seen him around. His name is Steve Bindi, he's the ambo that works with Tom Young. He's really nice. He's gentle and kind, and he makes me laugh as well. His mum is quite famous. She's one of the top Aboriginal artists in the country."

 “I haven’t met him Jeff, but I saw him when Johnny Ryan fell down the steps, he came with Tom. He’s a good looking guy Jeff I hope it works out for you. I don’t know if Andy told you but we’re getting married as soon as we have time, I know that sounds crazy but our lives are that crazy. We do nothing but work, I’m beginning to feel like a dull girl ya know?"

  "Ripper! That's one date I'll make sure I'm available for. Who's walking you down the aisle, Luv?"Jeff asked hopefully.

Lucy grinned, “you seem to be the only male left in the family Jeff so I guess it’s you, oh that is if you’d be interested,” she watched his eyes light up. ‘As soon as Reverend Harris is back on his feet I’ll let you know a date. It’s not gonna be anything big and fancy ya know.”

"Oh good, that means jeans and a t-shirt then," Jeff grinned, ducking away from the playful slap Lucy aimed at him. "Seriously, Lucy, I'm honoured that you asked me. I'll make sure you have the best day ever."

“Thanks sweet, if you want to help me out a bit, get Andy over to Coffs to buy a suit he has nothing but jeans and tee shirts and I have a real wedding dress upstairs so his wardrobe ain’t gonna cut it.” Lucy pushed some more cookie bits in his direction from a plate on the table that held various disasters."

  "It'll be my pleasure. Stevo and I can get kitted out at the same time, so we'll all match. Any preference to the waistcoat colour? We can get it to match your flowers if you like."

 “Good I can count on you to take care of Andy and as for colors, I haven’t picked out anything yet but I know I want pink roses Jeff, so if you could find something to match. I’d want Andy’s to be white.” Lucy smiled, “I am so glad you came by bet you didn’t know you’d be planning a wedding, at least now I feel like it’s going to happen.”

 "It's a pleasure, Luv. Maybe I can set up a second business as part time wedding planner. Don't worry, we'll make sure Andy gets the best out there. We might be able to rope in Stevo's mum, she's fantastic at that kind of thing. As well as an artist, she's an interior designer and has a natural eye for detail. She's in Coffs right now."

 “Does she have a shop in Coffs cause if she does I’d like to look around sometime. We have nothing on the walls upstairs. We bought some nice furnishings but couldn’t agree on wall art so we quit. Andy was in an accident and got a settlement that’s how we are able to do what we have done.”

"Fraid not. She lives up the top end, but has been staying at Stevo's place. I'm not too sure when she's going home, but I think she'll be calling in here on the way up, she hates flying. You should come over to see some of her work. She fitted out Stevo's place and some of her original work is on the walls," Jeff smiled thinking of how good Stevo's place looked.

"Sorry to hear about Andy's accident. It's an ill wind isn't it. If I hadn't lost Harry, I woouldn't have a cent in the bank, but now I'm more than comfortable...bless his heart."

 “Well Jeff, think of it as Harry’s way of making sure you got a proper go of it after he was gone. You seem very impressed with Stevo’s mum, maybe I’ll get to meet her before she goes home.”

Lucy thought Jeff was much happier than he was the last time she saw him in the pub in Sydney when Andy had come in and thought Jeff was moving in on his territory. She smiled thinking of that encounter, that was what led Andy to the Glen and she followed. Funny how things work out now Jeff was here.

“Funny how things work out, who would have ever thought we’d end up in The Glen.”

"Yeah, small world, innit? And who would think that Andy would end up as my coz in law. That's a turn up for the books," Jeff grinned.

 A buzzer went off behind Lucy and she got up to remove loaves of bread from the oven. “Would you like a fresh loaf to take home Jeff?” she asked as she quickly removed them to a cooling rack. “My helper got washed out in the flood so if you know anyone looking for work in a bakery send them my way.”

"Ripper! I just love fresh, warm bread. I'll take a bag of cookies and a couple of banana muffins too if I can. Stevo has a sweet tooth," he winked. "If I hear of anyone who needs a job I'll point them in your direction.  If work wasn't so brisk right now I'd lend you a hand, but me books full to overflowinL, Luv."

Lucy smiled as she bagged up a dozen cookies, Stevo wasn’t the only one with a sweet tooth if she remembered correctly. “You make sure Stevo gets some of these cookies Jeff I remember you when we were kids in me Mum’s kitchen. It was the first place you went when Harry brought you over always checking out the cookie tins.” Lucy always had a soft spot for her younger cousin.

“This lot’s on me but when you come back you’ll have to come up with cash,” she grinned handing him his bags.

"Thanks, Luce," Jeff replied kissing his cousin on the cheek. "You're a star, an no worries, Stevo will get his share, and I'll make sure he gets the biggest muffin too, and I'll tell him you made them specially for him, keep him sweet."

 “You’re going to have to bring him round some time Jeff, I’d like to meet him,” she said giving him a quick hug. “And don’t forget now about getting Andy to Coffs for outfitting, I’m counting on you for that.”

"No worries, Luv, you know us Mitchell's, never let family down. I'll make sure to bring Stevo round next time he has some time off, he'll love ya as much as I do." Jeff smiled again at his cousin and headed towards the door.

“Bye Luv, “ Lucy waved him out the door and turned looking at her display case, she’d have to start all over again but she didn’t mind having Jeff nearby was a comfort, “what a turn up” she thought smiling.