Wake up and smell the coffee

"French coffee? When did we get a French Press?" Dustin's words almost made Marnie trip on her house shoe. As it was, her robe was not that old one she usually wore in the kitchen. This one was shiny black and oh so short.

"What are you doing up?" She looked at him hard as if he better get to his room right now, but of course he looked at her like a lost puppy that had no place to go.

Marco had his back turned to both of them. He was only in his sleep pants and was whipping eggs while they cooked.

"What?" Dustin started to ask a bitter question but took a seat at the little table in their small kitchen.

Marnie kept staring at him, wishing he was still in London. But evidently, that had been a dead end. Just as she suspected.

"Look, babe, sorry it didn't turn out to be anything, you know..with Felix." She bit her bottom lip, thinking he'd been hurt enough. "This is your cousin's friend Marco."

Marco didn't look too pleased that she mentioned Jama,

A few moments later they sat down to the egg scramble, toast and of course the French coffee that only Marco could make.

"We go way back." Marnie smiled as if she would just make it up. "I met him on holiday when..when..."

"You were in Paris?" There Dusty went all wide eyed and docile.

She looked at Marco who kept stuffing his face with toast and egg. Ever so often he looked at Dustin, but he never spoke.

Marnie was losing her appetite.

"No, I never went to Paris. I was with you." She swelled a frown. "Sorry."

She could tell she'd upset him. Dusty put his plate in the sink and went to his room.

"Why did, you, do that?" She looked at Marco.

"What did I do?" He looked at her as if he didn't even understand the question.

"You..you could have been nice to him." She fretted.

"I was nice."

"You, were silent." She clarified.

"I was hungry." He explained. "I ..I will make it up to him. Okay?" With that he ate the last piece of toast and went to do the dishes.