Page 8 of Sassy & Sixty

Rosie blinked, trying to process the string of words that had just assaulted her ears. "I'm sorry, did you just order me coffee or summon a demon?"

The table erupted in laughter, drawing curious glances from nearby patrons.

When it was Rosie's turn to order for Julie, she felt a bead of sweat form on her brow. "Um... she'll have a... oh, bollocks. Can I just point at something on the menu?"

The barista, to his credit, maintained his professional demeanour, though Rosie could have sworn she saw the corner of his mouth twitch.

"How about a Unicorn Frappuccino?" he suggested kindly. "It's... colourful."

"Perfect," Rosie said, relieved. "One of those, please. And maybe a shot of whiskey for me?"

As the barista moved away to prepare their drinks, Emma leaned in conspiratorially. "So, ladies, now that we're all acquainted, let's get down to the good stuff. Who's got the best ex-husband horror story?"

"Oh, don't get me started," Catherine groaned. "Richard - that's my ex - he's an army officer. Emphasis on the 'officer' part. The man can't so much as butter his toast without barking orders."

"At least he butters his own toast," Julie chimed in. "My Tom - well, we're separated, not divorced yet - he once called me from the next room to ask where we keep the forks. We've lived in the same house for twenty years!"

Lisa shook her head sympathetically. "Men. Can't live with them, can't legally feed them to the pigs."

"Not that you've checked, of course," Emma said with a wink.

"Of course not," Lisa replied primly, then ruined the effect by adding, "Hypothetically speaking, it's the teeth you've got toworry about. They don't... I mean, I've heard they don't digest well."

"What about you, Rosie?" Julie asked, wiping tears of mirth from her eyes. "Any ex-husband tales to share?"

Rosie hesitated, fiddling with a napkin. "Well, Derek and I... it's complicated. We're separated, but he's been making noises about wanting to reconcile."

"And do you want to?" Catherine asked gently.

Before Rosie could answer, their drinks arrived - a kaleidoscope of colours, textures, and aromas that looked more like science experiments than beverages.

"Good grief," Emma exclaimed, eyeing her monstrosity of a drink. "I think mine just winked at me."

Julie poked at her drink with a straw, watching in fascination as the colours swirled. "I'm not sure whether to drink this or hang it in my gallery."

As they cautiously sampled their concoctions, pulling faces and swapping sips, Rosie felt a warmth that had nothing to do with her 'extra hot' coffee.

"You never answered the question, you know," Lisa said softly, nudging Rosie's arm. "About Derek."

Rosie sighed, staring into the depths of her bizarre coffee creation. "Honestly? I don't know. We were together for so long, it's hard to imagine life without him. But at the same time..." she trailed off, struggling to find the words.

"At the same time, you can't help but wonder what else is out there?" Emma finished for her.

Rosie nodded, relieved that someone understood. "Exactly. It's like... I've been 'Derek's wife' for so long, I'm not sure I remember how to just be 'Rosie' anymore."

"Oh, honey," Catherine reached across the table to squeeze Rosie's hand. "We've all been there. When Richard left, I didn'tknow how to do anything for myself. I mean, the man had been choosing my clothes for years. Can you believe that?"

Julie nodded emphatically. "I get it. When Tom moved out, I stared at the washing machine for an hour because I couldn't remember how to use it. He'd always done the laundry."

"See, that's the thing," Lisa interjected. "We get so used to being one half of a couple that we forget how to be whole on our own. But let me tell you something, ladies - we are not half of anything. We are whole, complete, fabulous women."

"Hear, hear!" Emma raised her ridiculous coffee in a toast. "To being whole, complete, and fabulous!"

As they clinked their glasses together, Rosie felt a surge of affection for these women she barely knew. They were all so different - Emma with her irreverent humour, Lisa with her polished exterior and hidden mischief, Julie with her artistic soul, and Catherine with her endearing mix of anxiety and warmth. Yet somehow, they fit together perfectly.

"You know," Rosie said, surprising herself, "I think I'm going to tell Derek no. About getting back together, I mean."

The table fell silent, all eyes on Rosie.

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