But a second later, she turns her attention to Daisy, wiping her nose with some toilet tissue pulled from her sleeve. And I tell myself I’ve probably imagined the look that passed between us.
I walk back to the van with Fen deep in thought.
‘Are you all right, Molly?’
Fen’s question pulls me from the darkness in my head. ‘Fine. I…knew that woman. She’s my landlord’s receptionist.’
A look of concern creeps into Fen’s face, but I force a bright smile to head off any more awkward questions. ‘Gorgeous baby!’
She nods. ‘Daisy made me feel quite broody for a minute there. But only a minute.’
‘Motherhood won’t be happening soon, then?’
‘Give us a chance!’ She grins. ‘Rob and I only just decided to move in together, and finding a place that suits both of us is proving trickier than I thought.’
‘Really?’
‘Rob would prefer a place with a workshop attached, which sort of limits the possibilities. But we’ll get there.’
‘It must be fun, though. Looking at houses together.’ I smile cheerfully to counteract the wistful note in my voice.
She nods and a flush of contentment spreads over her face. ‘You know what? I don’t think I’ve ever been this happy.’ She grins. ‘But don’t tell anyone I said that. I don’t want to jinx it!’
As we travel back to my place in the van, I stare out of the window, thinking how incredible it would be to have a lovely, caring man like Rob by my side; someone who’d take you in his arms when things were bad and tell you that you’d sort it all out together.
My throat hurts just imagining this. But I shake away the fanciful image. Some people are meant to face life’s challenges on their own. What is it they say? What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. So the dark times must be character-building.
I’ll get my first pay packet from the café next week, and I’ve already earmarked a small amount to go straight into our ‘house fund’. We’ll be eating cardboard cereal for a time yet, but I’m determined to save every penny I can.
It might take a while, but I will get us out of this nightmare…
‘For attractive lips, speak words of kindness’
– Audrey Hepburn
CHAPTER TWELVE
Next day, when I walk into the café, Fen, Hope and Bertha are all clustered around a board on the wall by the servery.
Fen turns and smiles at me. ‘What do you think, Molly? I was up till two this morning working on this.’
I walk over and my eyes widen with appreciation. ‘Oh, it’s gorgeous!’
It’s in the same jolly style as the poster, with the words ‘Lemon Drizzle Days’ emblazoned across the top and some images of the cake each side. Beneath it, in slightly smaller lettering, are the words ‘Would you pledge a kindness for a slice of lemon drizzle cake?’
‘Aren’t we going for Lemon Drizzle Mondays any longer?’ I ask.
Hope shakes her head. ‘Marjorie decided that we’d better have the offer on every day – at least to start off with.’ She frowns. ‘I think she regards this as a desperate last attempt to drum up business. I don’t think she has much faith in it, to be honest.’
I groan. ‘Let’s hope we can prove Marjory wrong.’
Our first customer of the day is Bertha’s friend, Lottie Bing, who already knows all about it.
‘Right, I’ve got my pledge ready!’ She smiles around at us all. ‘Do I really get a slice of your delicious lemon drizzle cake for signing up to volunteer at the charity shop on the high street?’
‘You most certainly do, Lottie,’ smiles Hope. ‘And may I say what a fabulous pledge that is.’ She calls through to the kitchen. ‘Carrie? We have our first “act of kindness” pledge. One extra-large slice of lemon drizzle for Lottie, please.’
Carrie bustles out with the cake on a plate and presents it to Lottie, who’s busy writing out the pledge on a small card.
She catches sight of the cake and her eyes almost pop out of her head. ‘Oh my, do you have a doggy-bag? I think I’ll have to take some home with me for later.’
Carrie blushes and turns to Hope. ‘You did say extra-large?’
‘And I meant it. Our very first kindness pledge is definitely worthy of celebration. But I suppose we’d better go for normal portions after this, otherwise we might end up defeating the purpose!’
Lottie fastens her card to the board, after choosing one of the colourful drawing pins Fen has provided. ‘Pink to make the boys wink!’ she laughs, and Bertha remarks drily, ‘You’re showing your age there, Lottie. I don’t think I’ve heard that saying for at least half a century.’
‘Ah, well, all the best things make a come-back eventually.’ Lottie carries her plate and coffee over to a nearby table. ‘Ballroom dancing, for a start. And milk in proper glass bottles.’
‘Take That!’ calls Hope.
‘Bell-bottoms and ponchos,’ says Bertha. ‘And Polaroid cameras.’
‘Old Jamaica,’ puts in Carrie, emerging from the kitchen with a tray of fresh-baked cheese and thyme scones.
‘They’re bringing back rum and raisin chocolate?’ squeaks Lottie. ‘Oh, Lordy, my week has peaked already!’
Everyone laughs and Bertha murmurs in my ear, ‘That woman is amazing. She only lost Fred a few months ago and they were utterly devoted to each other. But she just refuses to show anything but a happy face to the world.’ She shakes her head. ‘I don’t know how she does it.’
‘She’s lovely,’ I agree. ‘The sort of person who lights up a room when she enters it.’
Bertha nods. ‘I keep telling her she should downsize instead of rattling around in that big old house herself. But she’s determined to stay there, with all her memories of Fred.’
I sigh. ‘That’s so sad. But so lovely that she actually found that special person.’
‘You’re right there.’ She shrugs and I catch a sadness in her eyes that I’m willing to bet isn’t just about Lottie’s widowhood.
‘Ron…he must think you’re special.’ It comes out hesitantly because I know I’m on dodgy ground here, but I just want to make Bertha feel better. ‘Not everyone is good at showing their feelings. Especially men.’
She snorts. ‘Ron wouldn’t know a feeling if it ran at him and tackled him into an arm-lock.’ And she walks off to sweep up some dead leaves that blew in when Lottie arrived.
*****
Later, during my afternoon break, I decide it’s time I took back Matt’s clothes, which I’ve washed and carefully ironed.
I walk into the studio and look around, but Matt is nowhere in sight. Then he appears from a room at the back of the shop, mug in hand.
‘Hi, there. What brings you here?’
I hold up a bag with the washed and ironed clothes in it. ‘I’m returning the outfit I borrowed. Thank you so much for saving my life that day.’
His smile crinkles his eyes at the corners, making my foolish heart race. ‘You’re very welcome, Molly. That was definitely a morning of firsts.’