<strong><span class="bbc_u"> Delilah Brookes</span></strong><br/><br/><div class="quoteheader"><div class="topslice_quote">Quote</div></div><blockquote class="bbc_standard_quote">"Bonjour, Delilah! Bonjour, Mandy! Look how you're growing! Soon you will be having two of everything, no?"</blockquote><div class="quotefooter"><div class="botslice_quote"></div></div><br/>Mandy beamed, her missing front tooth a testament of Mrs. Marquette's declaration,  " Too fast I'm afraid.." Delilah said in a wistful voice as she followed Mandy to the counter.  Despite the early hour, customers were already lining up behind them, which wasn't surprising considering the mouth watering bouquet of aromas that got carried on the morning breeze, drawing people in like bees to honey.<br/><br/>After ordering their usual almond croissants, Delilah watched as Mandy skipped over to their favorite table right in the front of the store where they enjoyed people watching as the city came alive for another bustling and busy day.  She smiled at a dapper old man who had just strolled in wearing a fedora and carrying the daily paper in one hand, a cane in the other.   "That will be 10.75 mademoiselle"  Mrs. Marquette's chipper voice reclaimed her attention.   "Oh! I'm sorry..." With a quick smile she paid the woman, got her coffee and Mandy's juice and as she turned,  bumped right into a man standing directly behind her.  Luckily, her coffee only splashed the pages of his paper in which he'd been reading and not all over his clothes.<br/>" Oh My god!!  I am so sorry!"<br/><br/>She looked up at the man,  who was much taller than her petite 5'4" frame, as a blush stole across her cheeks.  It was hard to judge his reaction without seeing his eyes which were hidden behind a pair of dark, hip sunglasses.  But  as he shook out his coffee splattered paper she thought she saw the corners of his mouth curve upwards into what she only hoped was a smile yet had her holding her breath just in case.<br/>