Chapter Text
“Isabela, coffee, now.” Marian Hawke mumbled as she stumbled into The Sirens Call, her favorite local coffee shop. Isabela, the owner, laughed as she handed Hawke her usual. Light and sweet with a shot of vanilla. Hawke held the cup between her hands and inhaled deeply.
“Really Hawke, you’ve been back in classes for a month. You can’t be exhausted already, and you’re supposed to drink it darling not inhale it.”
“I know, but I always like to smell it first. Let my brain know the goodness is coming soon.”
“What did you do before I opened this place?”
“Suffered.”
“Ha, just for that you get a free scone.”
“This is why I love you. Marry me, we’ll run away together and open a café in Orlais.”
“You know I could never settle down. Besides what would poor Merrill do if we left her and ran way to Orlais?”
“Come with us, she’s small enough to fit in a carry on.”
“Tell me you’re not bringing that up again? I was drunk and no one believed me when I said I could fit into a duffel bag.” Merrill said as she walked in.
Isabela raised an eyebrow and looked to Hawke for confirmation, who smiled and nodded. She laughed and handed Merrill her green tea.
“How do you always know what I want before I do?”
“Because I’m good at what I do kitten. You always want green tea early in the week. You start to crave chai when Wednesday rolls around and if it’s been a rough day or you have a final you always get the double shot macchiato, with almond milk.”
“How about the three of us move to Orlais and live in sin?” Merrill asked taking her first sip and smiling.
“How about you two worry about graduating and then we can talk about living in sin.”
“That’s still two years away; I want to think about sin. Don’t make me think about class. I have to do my practical today and I broke my last three hollandaise sauces.” Hawke moaned nibbling on her scone. Chef Athenril had called her out in front of the class after the last one and forced her to explain what she had done wrong.
“Hawke you have managed to make a four course feast for us in my studio kitchen. You can do this; you have the talent you’re just over thinking it.”
“It’s the chef! She knows my uncle Gamlen. He sold her a bad batch of oysters and she has never forgotten it.”
“How does she even know you’re related?”
“He was drunk at the Rose going on about how my mother asked him to keep an eye on me while I’m at college. She put two and two together and once she realized I was from Ferelden she figured it out.”
“Oh sweetie I am so sorry.”
“It’s my own fault. She wanted me to go to Denerim University and be close to home. My first pick was Culinary Institute of Antiva. I only applied to Free Marches because she thought it would be nice to still have family close by.”
“Yes but if you went to Antiva you never would have met me.” Merrill said patting her on the shoulder. Their meeting had been purely by chance. Hawke’s first roommate had been a disaster. The girl spent her first week crying in the bathroom when her boyfriend didn’t text her good morning and would make phone calls to him at 3am demanding to know where he was. She applied for a roommate transfer and was told there were no additional rooms and she would have to wait until the next semester. Yet fate was smiling that day because as she was leaving Merrill burst into the office demanding a new roommate. Hers had nearly burned the dorm down when she forgot to turn off her hot plate.
“And you wouldn’t be here every morning begging me for caffeine like some slattern.” Isabela said with a wink as she passed them each a second cup. Hawke put a ten on the counter and she and Merrill left to face the day’s classes.
***
October had come through Kirkwall and chased away the warmth of summer. The last of the leaves had turned and painted the ground in reds and gold’s. Hawke kept her unoccupied hand warm by stuffing it into her pocket. She had been spoiled by the afternoon classes of her first semester, even more so by the evening ones. When she had enrolled in her second year she had been flabbergasted to find that her practical kitchen courses were only taught at seven in the morning.
Sirens Call had opened towards the end of her first semester. Isabela had planned to open at the beginning of the school year in order to take advantage of the influx of students. But there had been some hang ups with her business partner leaving with half of their investment. But she had persevered and when she opened just weeks before midterms she suddenly found herself with a large crowd of hapless students all in desperate need of caffeine. Hawke and Merrill soon became her most loyal customers and a friendship developed between them quickly.
Hawke was pulled out of her musings by the chirping of her cell phone. She pulled it out and found a text from her sister.
Bethy 6:45 am
Remind me again why I love mother…….
Hawke laughed, the twins would be graduating in the spring and she knew all to well what their mother must be like. Leandra Hawke was a good mother, sometimes a bit too good.
Hawke 6:47 am
The day has barely begun what could she have possibly done?
Bethy 6:48 am
Carver had pamphlets for the military and police academy in his room. She’s freaking out.
Hawke 6:48 am
I have to get to class, call me later this afternoon
She thought for a moment and sent another text
Hawke 6:50 am
What did I tell you about leaving evidence?
Carver 6:51 am
She decided to clean my room. Beth told you?
Hawke 6:52 am
Duh, be with her when she calls me later. Gtg
***
Surprisingly the events of the morning did nothing to hamper her success in class that day. She made a perfect hollandaise and for once Athenril had only praise for her. The five hour lab went by like a flash and when she turned her phone back on her happiness sputtered out fast. Five missed calls and a string of texts all from her family.
She listened to her mother’s voice mail and cringed.
“You knew about this didn’t you? This is just like what happened when you applied to Antiva behind my back. Honestly you think that the three of you would realize that nothing gets past me. I always know what my children are up to. I can’t believe you would encourage him to keep something from me? Why do you do this? Do you think I am like this because I don’t love you? I just want to see you all safe and happy and home damn it. Call me!”
Leandra had not taken the death of her husband well. When she finally recovered from the shock of losing the father of her children she had become fiercely protective of them. They had all been given lectures about safety, strangers, and any other random acts of destruction that could befall them. When Hawke got her license she had to deal with phone calls every hour checking on her where abouts. Carver was taking the brunt of it though. He was the only boy and the youngest by minutes. He looked so much like their father that it was a wonder that their mother didn’t lock him up just to make sure no harm ever befell him.
“Hi mom.”
“Marian.”
“I didn’t put him up to it. But I didn’t exactly discourage him from keeping it a secret.”
“I know I can be a bit over bearing. I just don’t want to lose anymore family. You understand that right? My parents died when the twins were barely a week old and I never see my brother. With you gone off to college and them soon enough. I just want one of my children to want to stay here, with me.”
“Mom I’m going to say this only because I have miles of safety to protect me and I know you can’t hit me over the phone. Its time you had a boyfriend.”
“Marian!”
“Ok ok I’m joking. But really mom the twins are going to be eighteen in a few weeks. Don’t you think maybe its time to loosen the strings just a little bit? I mean has Bethany even said where she plans on applying?”
“No she won’t tell me anything anymore. Neither of them will. I’m not a bad mother; I just want what’s best for all of you.”
“Mom remember that talk we had when I applied to Antiva? I told you that I was afraid to even mention it to you and how upset you were? You’ve gotta rein it in a little bit. We’re not leaving you forever you know?”
“It’s hard Marian. I barely had your father and you are all I have left of him. I just don’t want to be alone in this house for the rest of my life while my children go off and live lives that don’t involve me.”
“Please mom for all our sakes join a book club, a knitting circle, yoga, please anything. The empty nest phase happens for all mothers. You don’t want to be like Dulci do you? Last I heard the DeLauncet kids won’t even come home for the holidays if they can avoid it.”
“All right, just can I at least protest him joining the military?”
“I’ll give you that one.”
“Thank you. How have your classes been?”
“Not too bad. I managed to not break my hollandaise this time.”
“That’s wonderful sweet heart. I guess I should probably let you get back to whatever it was you were doing.”
“I was going to indulge in my afternoon coffee fix.”
“You really shouldn’t drink so much caffeine. It’s a wonder you can even sleep.”
“Love you too mom. Bye.”
“Very funny, good bye dear.”
Hawke smiled as she hung up the phone, she clicked through the texts from her siblings and figured she’d just call them later that day. She had put out most of the fire; they would need to finish the rest on their own. She was about to put her phone away when it chirped again.
Anders 12:45 pm
Coffee break already?
She looked around but didn’t see him anywhere. Anders did that to her constantly. He never just yelled hello or came over, he always sent the sneaky spy texts.
Hawke 12:47 pm
Where are you hiding now? You could just join me.
Anders 12:48 pm
And spoil the fun of watching you whip your head around trying to find me, never in a million years. Sirens call?
Hawke 12:49 pm
Of course I have an hour until my next class, meet me there?
Anders 12:50 pm
Wish I could but I have physical therapy, have a double and tell Bela I’ll pay for it
Hawke 12:51pm
You don’t need to buy me things
Anders 12:52 pm
And you don’t have to do late night cram sessions with me, but you still do. Have a coffee on me birdie :P
Anders was in his third year in the culinary program, and in his fourth year at FMU. He had originally come in on a full hockey scholarship. The star goalie of Kinloch High he had a bright future ahead of him. Until the final game of the winning season when an opposing player slammed into him as he tried to block their shot. FMU had won, but Anders would never play again. Hockey season was both exciting and excruciating when he was around.
She opened the door to Sirens Call and heard her phone chirp again as she made her way to the counter.
Merrill 1:00 pm
Please tell me you’re getting coffee?
“Hey Bela, I’ll take my usual and I’m gonna need a Merrill perk me up. Also throw in some of those cookies. Oh and Anders said this one is on him.”
Hawke 1: 01pm
One double shot with almond coming up, meet you in the quad.