CHAPTER THREE

I sat at a little café on the edge of a cliff. Clouds blocked out any view of the drop, if you looked over the edge. I could see as far as the horizon line, with the sun halfway up the sky. It was beautiful, and I had a rare moment of being too stunned to speak.
Alex had led me down the 3 wide stone steps, worn smooth and low in the middle from being constantly used. His house was like a small, beach cottage, all on the one level and shaped in a U, with the patio at the centre leading out to the main road.
From the pavement, I couldn't see any other houses. Just several fields, filled with long grass and wild flowers and bordered by the old fashioned stone slab walls covered in moss and delicate little flowers, like those you'd see in Cornwall. If this was heaven, I'd hate to be a cosmopolitan.
We turned right, and the road soon turned into a dirt track. Alex didn't speak as he walked slightly infront of me leading the way, allowing me to take in my surroundings properly. Eventually the track split into two directions; we could either keep following the road straight ahead, or go left and follow a path. I was midly surprised when Alex took to the left path without hesitating. I assumed he knew where he was going - he did live here afterall.
The path meandered down a slight slope, and Alex held back the occasional branch and prickly plant. Suddenly I looked up and could see right across the sea of clouds to the horizon line.
We walked right to the edge of the cliff, and leaned on the wooden fence that was the only thing separating us from falling. Could you fall to your death, in this life? What happened if you did fall from here?
You fall from grace.
I jumped, as a breaze whispered the words past my ear. Whipping my head round I couldn't see anyone else.
"Did you hear that?" I asked, breaking our comfortable silence.
"Hear what?"
"That voice.. it was like a whisper or something."
"No, I didn't hear anything." He looked at me for a moment, before looking back out at the view. "What did it say?"
"Oh.. nothing." I decided against telling him. I didn't want him to think me any weirder than I already was. "Probably just the wind." I looked away, feigning nochulance.
We'd continued to follow the new path along the edge of the cliff, parallel to the wooden fence that separated us from the sheer drop hidden by clouds. It was so peaceful here, no wonder Alex lived here. The sun was pleasantly warm on my skin, and a light breeze prevented it from getting too hot. And the view was spectacular. I couldn't help smiling to myself as we walked.
A small café came into view, that was built right on the edge without the fence to keep you at a distance. It had a nice, cosy look to it, with painted white wood walls, and lots of windows.
Inside it was all white-washed furniture, with lots of vases of flowers. It was so airy and light, from having windows on the three walls with a view, yet felt cosy and safe and welcoming. I imediately felt this was a place I could get used to visiting. We headed to a table that pressed right up the the glass of the window, with my chair facing the view, and Alex's with his back to it.
A woman appeared beside us almost straight away, startling me. "Hi, Alex," She smiled to him. She was small and curvy, with long blonde hair piled on top on her head, and the clearest peaches and cream skin I'd seen. But before I could envy her her perfect looks, and the smile she'd given Alex, she turned to me and that smile widened and turned warm. "You are exactly how I imagined you to be."
I was momentarily stunned. She seemed to radiate happiness and freindliness. Alex quickly jumped in, "Ah, Aurora this is my friend, Lucille. She owns and runs this café."
"Call me Lucy," She beamed at me. "I can not believe I am actually meeting you. I mean Alex talked about you so much it felt like I'd already met and known you forever, but to actually meet you, face to face. It's crazy!"
"Oh, uhm.. Thanks, I think." I looked across to Alex who was looking very uncomfortable, and raised my eyebrows.
"Okay, so, Lucy! Get us some toast or something, please?" He gave her a beseeching look, and she hurriedly dropped two menus on the table and rushed off to go deal with the order. Reluctantly he returned his attention to me, and somehow managed to look both indignant and sheepish at the same time. "Sorry about that... She tends to blabber on a bit."
I held his gaze for a moment, "Talk about me often, do you?" I pretended to inspect my nails, feigning disinterest.