Snowstorms and Scandals

Chloe

Chloe kicked the back of her shovel and cursed it as she out it away for what felt like the hundredth time this week. She glowered at it and then she glowered at the snow, her true enemy. Would it ever stop? Corran was under siege from the weather right now.

She had to trudge through it again to go to work. Stella had closed the tea shop for a few days but as everyone got stir crazy, she opened it again. She had told Chloe she didn’t have to come in if she didn’t want to but Chloe was feeling cooped up too. Tea was hot at least, and something to do for the few brave souls who were out and about.

Chloe headed out the front but the wind practically blew her back to the house. Shivering she reconsidered her route. It would be sheltered if she waded through the drifts in the trees behind the house, and a shorter path.

“Fuck it….” She muttered and retreated back around the side of the house.

As she climbed up a small hill she heard something, something like a person in distress. It was hard to make out in the howling wind but it definitely sounded like someone moaning in pain. If someone was injured out here, they’d be frozen solid in minutes.

Chloe looked around frantically and in a break in the blinding snow noticed two figures to her right. One appeared to be on the ground. Maybe the other person was already helping them. She took a few careful steps closer and was about to call out before she gasped in surprise. They were far from in distress. Chloe cringed and then rolled her eyes. Really? In a snowstorm? Really?!

It was a man and a woman. The man was the source of the moaning and was standing. The woman was….well kneeling. They took no notice of Chloe.

“You’ve got to be kidding me….” She muttered, trying not to watch. She shot them one last look as she hurried off and then had a shocking revelation. The man was familiar. He was Patrick Morton, a local massage therapist. His girlfriend, or so Chloe thought, was Michelle Davis, the artist. The pair had come into the tea shop so many times and she enjoyed talking to them as regulars. But the woman on her knees had short pink hair and not Michelle’s characteristic dreadlocks.

The rest of the walk was spent in confused revulsion. At least it was a distraction from the weather. She stomped the snow off her boots as she entered the tea shop. Stella was delighted to see her.

“Chloe you made it! I’ll pour you a cup you poor thing! Thank you for coming in. Are you OK…you look….”

“Annoyed? Flabbergasted? You are NOT going to believe this one Stella.”

Chloe realized she had raised her voice and lowered it towards the end, noticing customers. Amy Lee Owens looked up curiously at Chloe. Her mother Lucy Lee was in her own world. They lived right around the corner but Chloe was still taken aback Amy had brought the poor old woman out in this gale.

Stella turned to face her with great interest as she approached.

“What is it?” She implored.

Chloe gestured with her still gloved hand “Out in the woods behind my house I heard what sounded like someone hurt. Turns out it was two people getting it on….in THIS weather!”

Stella glanced in the general direction Chloe had referred to and then swung her head back around with a puzzled expression “A little cold for hanky panky outside. Did they look…homeless? Or teenagers maybe? I mean you’d think even in a car would be preferable…”

Chloe huffed “None of those. It was….” She lowered her voice a little further “Patrick Morton…more of him that I wanted to see. I hope he freezes his nuts off.”

Stella did not keep her voice down in her reaction “And Michelle?! They have an apartment for god’s sakes.”

Chloe shook her head and whispered “Not Michelle.”

Stella’s mouth formed an O and she stood digesting this information.

Amy sidled up to the other side of the counter “I wasn’t trying to eavesdrop, but are you talking about Patrick Moron and Candy Crush?”

Chloe looked momentarily affronted at the interruption and then had to giggle “Candy Crush? Because of the pink hair?” She darted a glance at Stella “No offence.”

Stella chuckled “None taken.”

Amy scoffed “Her name is Candy. You haven’t had the joy of meeting her I see. Piece of work that one. And yeah I think he and Michelle broke up and this is the rebound. Su Li told me they were causing trouble in the Good Fortune last week.” She looked back to check on her mother and then tuned back in to Chloe and Stella. Lucy had dozed off in her chair contentedly.

Stella had turned to include Amy in their now conversation triangle.

“So what did they do in the Good Fortune?”

Chloe leaned in, starting to feel a little overheated with her winter gear still on.

Amy snickered “Well first Candy offended Chef Wan…you don’t want to do that.” Her smile faded “Seriously. He’ll do stuff to your food. He served some time you know. I heard a rumour he poisoned someone.”

Chloe’s eyes went wide and Stella shook her head in disbelief “No…no way. I mean he’s an odd man…but no.”

Amy persisted “An odd man with a temper and the means to exact revenge.”

“But why would Su and Tao hire someone with that kind of criminal history? They run a tight ship over there and they’re both so kind.” Stella reasoned.

“Kind is the issue.” Amy refuted. “Wan is Tao’s cousin too…I think second or third maybe. Family is very important to them. Amber Lee is Tao's sister. Keep it in the family.”

Chloe winced “I’ll make sure I say my thank you loud enough for him to hear when I get take out again. Yikes.”

Stella refocused the discussion “How did she upset Chef Wan? And what else happened?”

Amy seemed to be searching her mind before she spoke “I don’t think Su explained that part. You’ll have to ask her. But after that, they snuck off and did it in the bathroom….real loud too. Right during the lunch rush.” Amy put her hand to her head dramatically but then couldn’t help but crack up after.

Stella’s jaw dropped and then she had to laugh too. “They’re a town menace it seems.”

Chloe couldn’t bring herself to laugh after what she’d seen and just rolled her eyes again “Stella, you should make people come get a key to use the washroom here. Think about it. If that’s their thing……ugh…” She stalked off to hang up her coat and get an apron. Behind her, Amy and Stella were still giggling,

The last thing Chloe heard before going right out of earshot was Stella joke “I’ll have what she’s having.”