Chapter 1：To Marry the First One You Meet. (1/2)

The morning of a good day should start with good coffee. That's right. Well, with a double americano, to be exact. Emily was fortunate that the best coffee in town was made across the street from her house. All she needed was to leave the house, run some fifteen or twenty meters - and here it was, her beloved ”Nefertiti”.

This cafe was not crowded with visitors in the early hours. Nice atmosphere, friendly staff - everything created a feeling of coziness and warmth and set you in a positive mood.

And this day would have started just as great if Emily's favorite place had not been taken. She was already mentally accustomed to consider the far table by the window her personal territory, but today some couple took a fancy to it.

They did not look like the locals, and they looked rather rumpled, but even the Siamese twins would envy with what persistence the couple clung to each other.

Emily sighed. So be it, let the doves coo, but you will need to ask the manager to make some piece of paper warning that the table is reserved. For this, she is even ready to pay an extra couple of bucks, which, frankly, she wouldn't consider as spare money. But what can't you do for your own comfort, right?

”As usual,” she smiled at the barista, who responded with an even more benevolent smile.

”That's all right. After all, that table is not signed with my name,” the girl joked, already anticipating how she would compensate for a small nuisance with a large portion of her favorite coffee. But the morning, apparently, decided to present the girl with a run of bad luck.

From Emily's bag, the sound of a violin began to sound with increasing force. Vivaldi's ”Winter” would be wonderful if it did not remind of who was calling. The girl took out her phone and stared painfully at the display. Grandma.

As much as Emily loved her grandmother, that love did not extend to calls at eight in the morning. Because in case of something important, her grandmother called her only once a day, strictly at three o'clock. At other times, the calls were ”just to talk,” and for a whole year already the topic of these conversations was the same.

The girl closed her eyes and mentally counted to three. Does she really need to answer? I will say that I was in the shower and did not hear the call, she thought. However, if she does not answer now, then she can say goodbye to the opportunity to enjoy her coffee. When it came to such a trait as perseverance it was certain that Emily's grandmother was a Jedi. And Emily more and more often wanted to join the dark side but was restrained by the fear of offending the old woman. [1]

”Yes, granny,” she answered resignedly.

”My dear, why did you leave so early yesterday? Kevin was upset,” the old lady began, not caring about the morning greetings.

Emily sighed. Kevin was the grandson of her grandmother's friend. These two wonderful women, out of nothing to do, decided to set her and the guy up on a date, and already discussed what names their common children would have. To Emily, it was like the desire of the breeders of a rare breed of dogs to mate two innocent individual pets.

Kevin adapted to the situation and did not particularly resist. And, as Emily realized, she didn't interest him much. But her grandmother's apple pies, on the other hand, caused a great interest in him.

Yesterday there was another meeting of ”future newlyweds”, and Emily, referring to urgent matters, ran away at the first opportunity. She was sure that Kevin was not upset with this outcome of the evening. In the end, he got less of her and more of the pie.

Something had to be done about it.

”Grandma, please, no more dinners with Kevin,” Emily tried to speak softly and subtly so as not to frighten the old lady, ”And no more pies either. So much baking is bad for your body shape.” She hoped the last argument was valid.

”Well, I'm sorry, dear,” the woman answered in a ”special” tone, and Emily knew that the morning would be completely ruined. ”I have no other eligible free men at hand. And you, by the way, will soon be thirty! There won't pass much time to blink an eye when you will be thirty-five!”

”I'm twenty-seven.”

”It is today! And what will happen tomorrow?! Maybe Kevin is your last chance not to end up an old maid! I care about you!”