Rest and Be Thankful

"See if you dare to remove the color bar!"

Startled, Rob turned his head guiltily to find Var standing behind him with his waist down.Her hair, as fiery as a fire engine, was made into a honeycomb shape, and the skirt with sleeves and narrow waist in the 50s showed the whole twisting water dragon on the left arm.The demure little collar of the dress contrasts strongly with the swathes of green and teal ink—overall, she is War, a charming woman with a flashing Christmas reindeer bobbing hairpin.

"I was just adjusting it," Rob lied, turning around and fiddling with the blue lacquer glued to the shiny green wreath.Mike Bray started singing "It's Starting to Look Like Christmas Break" again.

① Look a Lot Like Christmas, by Michael Bublé.

"You don't," Var said coldly. "You've been complaining about the decorations all day."

Rob gave a dry laugh.Of course she was right.He wished he could at least rip the colored bars off the coffee maker while she was going to the bathroom.Even took off the snowman wind chime at the front door.Var was adamant that removing the ornaments on the eve of Epiphany would bring bad luck, but Rob had grown tired of it.Not that he's an out-and-out cheapskate - he loves stripes and Christmas trees and looks forward to the big event as much as anyone else, but now, four days later, the excitement has passed.The angel perched crookedly on top of the tree, and everything looked a little sad.Fluffy and redundant.Everything recalls the glaring fact that Christmas often disappoints these days, no matter how exciting the foreshadowing.Friends eat dinner together, give presents and take them home.One sips eggnog before a late-night movie.

"What's wrong?" Var interrupted his thoughts.Her concerned expression contrasted with the gleaming reindeer antlers on her head.The lights above cycle from red, to green, and back.Rob hopes no customers have epilepsy.

"Oh, nothing," he said. "I'm just - distracted." He pulled the corner of his mouth in her direction, and the smile was far-fetched to himself.

"You really shouldn't bother with the decorations," Var said. "You need something to cheer you up."

"What do you mean?" Rob protested. "I'm so happy!"

"That's not what I meant," she said softly. "It's just — I know it's tough this time of year. Because of Andrew."

"Andrew died in November, not Christmas," Rob pointed out calmly.

Four years ago in November, to be exact.This year, Rob's way of remembering is by walking along the long coastline, also realizing that he has grown used to Andrew's departure.

Realized that he was no longer in pain.

But letting the grief go is hard.For a long time, it has dominated the rhythm of his life.

His answer didn't seem to satisfy Var.She frowned and opened her mouth to say something else, but froze when she saw the person behind him.

"Oh my gosh, you'd never guess who was walking toward the door—" she murmured.He was about to turn around when she grabbed his sleeve. "No, don't look back, he's coming in, look here." When the front door opened and closed, the snowman's wind chime rang cheerfully.

"Who is it?" Rob asked in a low voice, pulling out his grasped arm.Sometimes she makes too much of a fuss.

"Cameron McMorrow!" Var hissed, her voice inaudible, her blue eyes giving him a meaningful look. "Can you believe he has the guts to come here?"

Cameron McMorrow.

Rob's stomach sank, and he had this familiar reaction every time he saw Cameron.Even now, months after it had happened, the circumstances that had led to their last quarrel still upset him.Rob is not in good shape, and he knows it.If Varar wasn't entirely to blame, she still had to bear some responsibility.

Now he glared at her. "Be quiet," he said menacingly in a low voice, and she gave her a look that was half annoyed, half ashamed.Both know that Rob and Cameron's quarrel was caused by Var, and while she meant well, it doesn't quite make up for her actions.

"Anyway, I won't bring him tea and water." She muttered, pursing her lips, and pouted violently.

"Okay," Rob replied. "I'll come. You go and see the kitchen for a while."

"Okay, you're the boss anyway," she snapped back, turned away, and disappeared through the kitchen doorway, swinging her spotted skirt.But Rob wasn't fooled by her feigned anger - he reckoned she was glad she had the chance to get away.

Rob sighed and returned to the cafe lobby.It was a quiet day, with only half the tables occupied, but Cameron McMurrow didn't look for a new seat - he made his way to a young lady sitting in the far corner.She arrived here a few minutes ago, and then kept fiddling with her phone, as if she was waiting for someone.

Obviously waiting for Cameron.

With a big smile on her lips, the girl stood up to greet Cameron, walked to his open arms, hugged him tightly, rocked back and forth, and pressed a big kiss on his cheek.She was only a few inches shorter than him, a slim girl in skinny jeans.Half of her dark hair was grown to sweep over her chin, and the other half was nearly shaved.She is fashionable and beautiful.still young.

Realizing this, Rob felt a strange pain.

When she left Cameron's arms, the girl's expression was very vivid, her white teeth gleamed in her smile and conversation, and her eyes were filled with a happy smile.Rob wished he could see Cameron's reaction to the smiles, but the man turned his back.Rob could only see Cameron's tall, broad-shouldered figure and his dark, neatly brushed head, which was revealed after the gray wool cap had been torn off.

Cameron McMurrow's hair is a little too short, Rob thought aimlessly.Hair as thick as his should be grown longer.Rob ran a hand through his shaggy hair.Longer than Cameron's, but may feel firmer to the touch.

There are also some white hairs on the forehead.

He'll be 40 next year - isn't it scary just thinking about it?

Rob sighed and watched Cameron take off his winter coat, throw it on a useless chair by the table, and sit across from the chattering girl.Rob was watching him so intently that Cameron couldn't look away in time when he turned his head to glance over.

The eyes met, and Rob immediately turned his head to look aside, embarrassed at being caught.Even when he turned away, his mind was still remembering the fleeting glimpse of Cameron's face, and the strange cautious expression on his face.

Rob didn't expect this.I thought it would be the obvious hostility.

When he looked at Cameron again, he and his companion had already begun to study the menu.Rob waited for a few minutes, settled a table, cleared and wiped down the newly vacated table, and walked slowly over to take the order.

The two were engaged in a conversation when he approached.

"The thing is, you're about to become a hermit, Cam," the girl said earnestly.

Cam.Rob thought it suited him.

"I didn't."

"You have! You need to go out and have some fun. When was the last time you went to bed?"

Rob cleared his throat. "Hi," he said. "Are you ready to...?"

Cameron's head jerked around. "Oh hi. Sorry, I didn't see you here, uh, Rob."

His stammering greeting left Rob a little bewildered.He hadn't expected things to be this peaceful since their last chaotic confrontation and the ensuing cold war.But maybe Cameron just wanted to be polite in front of the girl.Rob glanced at her and saw that she was watching with great interest as the two exchanged a stiff hello.

Rob cleared his throat again.Gosh, could he sound more unnatural? "Nice to meet you, Cameron." He smiled briefly, trying to make a tentative welcome. "Have you had a good Christmas?"

"Cameron?" Before the man could answer, the girl asked hurriedly. "My God, Cam, I thought only Mommy called you that!" She looked at Rob, her eyes jumping. "Seriously, that's what he's called around here? Cameron?"

Rob opened his mouth and closed it again, not knowing for a moment what to answer.He looked to Cameron - or Cam - for guidance, but the man just slumped his shoulders deflatedly, staring at the table as if waiting for the ax to come down.

Rob didn't know what to say.The truth is, Cameron McMorrow is rarely spoken to, let alone called, by locals.After he and Rob had a big fight, Cam stopped coming to the cafe.He also stopped going to the Stag on Fridays.Every time he was mentioned, locals shrugged and commented that he was "a loner".

But Rob can't do that to Cam - who is she?elder sister? --so.

"Uh," he said carefully, casting a sneaky glance at Cam. "He never told me he was still called 'Cam.'"

Done.It's not a lie, right?

He felt an absurd pleasure when he saw Cam lift his eyes from the table and look slightly more relaxed.

"I can't believe he didn't tell you!" the girl exclaimed. "He's always been called 'Cam'. Our mum has called him that since he was a baby - she's Italian but insisted on giving us Scottish names, right Cam? I guess she's trying to fit in with dad Side—the McMorrows." She smiled brightly at Rob. "My name is 'Eli'."

Yi, Li.She popped two syllables, in a short, quick Glaswegian way, like Cam's.It's strange that the same accent can make two people sound so different.Ellie has the unrestrained, easy-going quality Glaswegians are known for, while Cam is a more sedate, tough-guy style.

"Ellie is a good name," Rob said with a laugh.He glanced at Cam to see that the man's body language—shoulders leaning slightly toward the gold-leaf window—expressed his desire for Rob to leave.

"Well, Cam," said the girl. "Are you going to... introduce me to your friends?"

"My friend..." Cam stopped the car and cleared his throat. "Oh—Rob. Yes, this is, uh, Rob Armstrong. He's the café owner." He looked at Rob apologetically. "This is my sister, Ellie."

"Nice to meet you," Rob smiled at her.Once you know, you will find that the two are indeed very similar.Cam and Ellie have the same olive skin, the same dark eyes and hair - probably inherited from their mother.Both were tall, straight, and good-looking, a charming pair that couldn't resist the brilliance of ragged jeans and rotten boots.

"Nice to meet you too, Rob," Ellie responded briskly. "This place is amazing. The cakes look amazing. Homemade?" She was friendlier than her brother, Rob thought wryly.In those few minutes she had smiled as much as Cam had in a year.

"Yes," Rob replied. "The manager, War. She's an amazing baker. She's actually running the place most of the time—I just drop by every now and then."

"Oh yeah? Then what do you do the rest of the time?"

"I'm into art."

Eli's eyes were fixed on the wall of the cafe, scanning the dozen or so canvases hanging on it. "Then these are all your works?" She turned to Rob, who nodded. "Oh my god, it's all beautiful. I love your use of color."

She sat in her chair and turned around to carefully admire the oil painting closest to them.Just a simple painting, two huts at dusk.The white walls almost glow against the hazy, dim mountain line and violet sky.Most of the pictures were painted in purple and black in various ways, with just a few splashes of bright color—a yellow line on the roof cornice, spots of cinnabar red in the corners of the glass.

"Thanks," Rob replied politely. "This place is like my little informal gallery, although other pieces of my work are also exhibited elsewhere along the travel itinerary."

Then he found Cam frowning at the painting, as if it was annoying him.Rob felt his anger build up, until Iri laughed and drew his attention back to her.

"Leave Cam alone," she said. "He stares when he's thinking." She poked Cam's arm. "Is that you?"

Startled, Cam turned his head. "What?" He seemed dazed.Yili snickered, and he shook his head slightly, not caring, then met Rob's eyes, and compared his thumb to the oil painting. "Where is Cudlogan Bay?"

Rob feels an unaccountable joy as Cam recognizes the scene in the painting.There is nothing particularly noteworthy about the landscape he painted.It could be anywhere on the coast—there are hundreds of little houses like the one in the painting—and he took a tricky angle that most people are not familiar with.

"Yeah, that's right," he admitted, unable to hold back the corners of his mouth. "It's taken from the cliffs on the hillside behind Beckering."

"Yeah, I can see that. I ride there sometimes," Cam said. "Sometimes I sit on a cliff looking out to the ocean. You'll often see seagulls playing in the bay. I even saw a few otters once." Their eyes met, and Cam's cheeks flushed slightly, as if not Be careful of revealing too much.Then he cleared his throat and looked at his sister. “It is a very nice attraction.”

Eli just raised an eyebrow.She looked like she wanted to laugh, but Rob couldn't.The thought of Cam sitting alone on a cliff looking out to the ocean makes him a little—it makes him a little sad.The thought is disturbing.

Equally unsettling was a small, sinister voice in the back of his head, guessing how good Cam was if he could ride up the steep Beckylin.

What would the muscles on those long legs look like?

Rob cleared his throat. "You guys," his voice hinted to change the subject, "Have you decided what to order?"

"Oh yes! I want a brie and bacon panini," Ellie said immediately. "And a large cappuccino. Oh, and one of those chocolate cupcakes that's out there—they look amazing."

"They're really cool," Rob winks in agreement, then turns to Cam. "And you?"

Cam didn't look at him. "Er—have a flat white. I've had it."

"What do you mean?" Eli asked, frowning. "You knew we were going to have dinner together. I called you long in advance."

Cam blushed. "Sorry," he said vaguely. "I can't wait—I'm hungry."

"No problem," Rob said, slipping the menu back into his pocket, but he couldn't help but wonder if Cam just didn't want to spend the money here.

"Well," Ellie said as Rob collected the menu, "it's nice to finally meet one of Cam's friends here."

Rob hesitated, and then he managed a smile, an unnatural, insincere one.But still smiling.

"It's nice to meet you, too," he said.

Then he turned and went into the kitchen to let Var prepare the dishes.