6. Rosa
6
ROSA
J ust over a week later, Rosa walked up to The Garden Café. Three weeks in, September was glorious in Cornwall. The trees around the village and in the surrounding fields blazed with tones of red, orange, and yellow. Summer was fading while autumn crept in with cool, crisp evenings and the rustle of leaves underfoot. The days still clung on to the last lingering warmth of summer, but the change in the air was unmistakable.
When she reached the gardens surrounding the café, she let herself in through the wooden gate and wandered around, admiring the apple and pear trees heavy with fruit and the blackberries, ripe and shiny, that grew in abundance on the bushes. Beneath the fruit trees, the grass was abundant with windfallen fruit the breeze had shaken from the branches or that had dropped under its own ripened weight. Some of the apples and pears had split, attracting insects to feast on their sweet fruit while others lay bruised but intact.
The flower beds were fading, but there were patches of colour where dahlias and chrysanthemums still bloomed. In the raised garden beds, pumpkins ripened — orange, pear-shaped, and yellow—while local farm pumpkins and squashes filled crates outside the café. Locally grown organic potatoes, carrots, parsnips, and onions were also for sale. Rosa noticed the small cardboard containers on a table ready for customers to fill with blackberries, apples, pears, and plums so they could take them home to enjoy the season’s harvest.
When she went inside the café, the delicious aromas of coffee and pumpkin spice, of pastry and melted cheese struck her. Her stomach grumbled, and she knew she’d be taking something back to the shop for lunch for herself and Vinnie.
Small gold vases filled with corn stalks, dried lavender, and autumn leaves decorated the tables, and candles and pinecones adorned the windowsills. Behind the counter, the specials menu boasted a range of autumnal treats, including spiced butternut squash soup, cheesy leek and potato pie, apple and Cornish cheddar pasties and honey roasted root vegetable salad with a wild garlic pesto. Her mouth watered, and she wished she could sample everything on the menu. Alongside the main dishes was the dessert menu, and while she waited to be served, she browsed it, her appetite growing. Should she order apple and rhubarb crumble with custard, pecan pie with rich, golden crusted clotted cream, or spicy gingerbread with thick cream cheese frosting?
‘Hello there.’ Pearl Draper smiled at her from behind the counter, her short hair held back from her forehead with a gold scarf decorated with hedgehogs, her dark red crocheted jumper over a damask vest top. Her hazel eyes twinkled, and Rosa thought not for the first time that Pearl looked decades younger than her seventy-odd years. ‘What do you fancy today, Rosa?’
‘I’m not sure. It all looks so good.’
‘An autumnal feast, right?’ Pearl gestured at the kitchen. ‘Ellie has created some crackers this month.’
‘She definitely has.’ Rosa nodded. ‘I think I’ll have to try the cheesy leek and potato pie.’
‘Would you like that with salad or beans?’
‘Baked beans?’
‘Yes. They’re organic and we make them here.’
‘Oh go on then. That’s the ultimate comfort food.’
‘It is indeed. And how about to drink?’
‘What would you recommend?’
Pearl frowned. ‘To go with your lunch, I’d suggest the ginger tea. Will you want a dessert?’
Rosa laughed. ‘I’m tempted but I feel like I’m being greedy. Perhaps I’ll have my lunch then take dessert to go because I want to take something back for Vinnie too.’
‘Sounds like an excellent plan to me.’ Pearl nodded.
Rosa paid and located a vacant window table. She pulled out the chair and hung her jacket over the back, then sat down and got out her phone. She habitually scrolled through it, then flipped it over on the table and gazed out the window.
The colours of the garden were enchanting, and she watched as a squirrel hopped across the grass, picked up something, then turned it over in its small paws. Liking its find, it tucked it inside its mouth and jumped to the nearest tree, then darted up into the branches. Birds fluttered around, settling on the bird tables and feeders, tucking into the seeds and nuts that Pearl had put out for them. Fallen leaves carpeted the grass, and someone had swept piles against the hedges for recycling as garden waste.
‘Here you go.’ Pearl appeared with her drink, then returned with her food.
‘Oh my goodness, that looks amazing!’ Rosa licked her lips.
‘Enjoy!’
Pearl walked away, and Rosa gazed at the plate of steaming food. The beans, mixed in size, were coated in a rich homemade tomato sauce, and a golden cheese topping covered the leeks and potatoes. She was going to want a nap after she’d eaten it all.
Half an hour later, her belly full, she went to the counter and ordered a few things to take away, then she put her jacket back on and left the café. The air seemed cooler than earlier, but she knew it was probably because she’d been inside the café’s cosy interior. She’d paid for a box of blackberries, so she filled one up and tucked it into the paper bag of goodies she’d bought, then strolled along the path and out of the garden gate.
On her walk down to the village, she stopped and gazed out at the sea, shimmering gold in the afternoon light. She could hear a wood pigeon calling and somewhere out at sea an engine hummed. Being here in this perfect location was creating a sense of peace in her soul that she couldn’t recall ever feeling before. She suspected people often talked about peace but seldom felt it, and she wanted to hold onto it while she could. She breathed in the briny air and held it in her lungs, then slowly released it, thanking the universe for bringing her to Cornwall, even if the route had been painful. At this point in time, she was where she belonged, and this brought her comfort. Yes, she had been through pain, but she was here now and the way ahead would hopefully be better than the way here had been.
She started walking again, her thoughts straying to her aunt who would have loved to come back to Porthpenny. They’d enjoyed holidays here when Rosa was younger and her aunt had loved the village and the surrounding countryside. They’d stayed at a local caravan park and at a rental cottage, and each holiday had been magical in the way that childhood holidays often are. She had memories of the sun on her skin, sand between her toes and the taste of salt on her lips. Of pony trekking and swimming, of clotted cream teas and lazy hazy days that made her heart ache for times gone by. They were times she would never possess again, but that would always remain in her heart, just like her aunt would.
Thoughts of her aunt, who had remained single for most of Rosa’s life, made her think of Christopher and she found herself walking towards his home. The thought that he spent a lot of time alone had been on her mind, and she couldn’t bear to think that he was lonely. He hadn’t said as much, but he had lost his wife, his best friend and partner, and he must feel lonely sometimes. She would go to see if she could do anything for him and update him on the books of his she’d sold so far. She had the information in a folder she could access from her phone and she hoped Christopher would be pleased with the amount of money he’d made.
Outside his house, she sent Vinnie a message to say she wouldn’t be long, then she knocked on Christopher’s front door. The confusion when he opened the door that was supplanted by a wide smile made her chest ache and she was instantly glad she’d come.
‘Hello, Rosa. To what do I owe the pleasure?’ he asked as Bobby rushed out and circled her legs.
‘I’ve been to the café for lunch and I thought I’d stop by on my way back to the shop.’
‘How nice!’ He smiled.
‘Oh … Also, I brought you a few things. They sounded too good not to try.’
His eyes went to the paper bag, and his smile widened. ‘Well, in that case, I’d better get the kettle on.’
As Rosa followed him through to the kitchen, she sent out a silent apology to Vinnie. She knew he had a lasagne in the fridge for lunch that his mother had made for him, so he wouldn’t starve, and she’d go back and get him some more café goodies later on. For now, though, Christopher needed them more than Vinnie.
In the kitchen, she sat down and got the goodies out of the bag, then she made a fuss of Bobby. He rolled onto his back for her to tickle his belly, then he pawed at her legs so she lifted him onto her lap where he curled up and dropped off to sleep.
‘He likes you,’ Christopher said as he set two mugs of tea on the table. ‘He doesn’t do that with many people, so he must trust you. That’s good.’ He nodded as if something had been on his mind, but he turned and went to a cupboard, got out two plates and brought them to the table along with paper napkins.
‘He’s lovely.’ Rosa stroked Bobby’s soft fur and his small silky ears and he grunted in his sleep.
‘He’s a loyal little companion. I um … The thing about being left alone now is that I worry what will happen to him when I’m gone.’
‘Don’t say that! I’m sure you have years ahead of you yet.’
Christopher cleared his throat. ‘Maybe. But I want to sort everything out so I can relax, you know? Clearing the house as much as possible and putting plans in place just in case … for when I …’ He let the words hang in the air and Rosa sucked in a shaky breath. Yes, she knew, her aunt had been the same. Some people took out life insurance and funeral plans in their thirties and forties, but some people couldn’t bear to think about a time when they wouldn’t exist in the world. Some people found peace knowing their relatives wouldn’t have to worry about funeral plans and costs; others preferred to believe they would eventually write a will, and often never did. It was difficult, but Rosa knew that for her aunt, with it being just the two of them, it had been important for her to know that Rosa would have a simple time of it after she’d gone. She’d been a stickler for organisation and so when she had passed, Rosa had known what she’d wanted and everything she’d had was left to Rosa in a very clear and concise will.
‘I understand,’ she said softly. ‘My aunt was the same. She worried about leaving a mess for me and so she had everything spelt out in her will and after she passed, while sad, it was straightforward.’
‘My niece deserves the same,’ he said as he sat down opposite her. ‘And so I shall sort it all out. However, as far as Bobby is concerned, I do worry. I’ll ensure funds are available for him, so whoever adopts him after my death won’t have to worry about veterinary bills or similar costs. Isn’t that right, Bobby?’ He gazed at the dog, his eyes filled with love.
Rosa’s throat was aching now, and she opened her mouth to speak, but her vision blurred.
‘I apologise.’ Christopher shook his head. ‘You came to visit with delicious baked goods and here I am upsetting you. I am so sorry for the loss of your aunt and for bringing back sad memories.’
‘No … It’s not… that.’ Rosa coughed. ‘It’s seeing how much you love Bobby and thinking of him having to manage without you.’
‘He will find another mum or dad to love him.’
‘But he … he loves you.’ Rosa said the words and realised she sounded like an innocent child with no idea of the harsh realities of the world. She had never been that child; her father had abandoned her and then she’d lost her mum so young. ‘I mean … I can’t bear the thought of him not having you.’
‘Rosa … It’s a big ask, but do you think you would…’ He shook his head. ‘No. It’s too much to ask.’
‘If you want to ask if I would take care of him should anything happen to you, then yes I would. In fact, I would be honoured to care for him. Of course I would. But nothing is going to happen to you for a long time and so we don’t need to worry about that.’
‘Of course not.’ Christopher smiled, but there was something in his eyes that suggested he thought otherwise. ‘Now shall we eat this feast because it looks incredible?’
‘It’s all for you,’ she said. ‘I had lunch already.’
‘I couldn’t possibly eat all this. Please have some of the desserts, at least?’
‘OK then.’ Rosa shrugged and giggled. She hadn’t eaten dessert at the café, planning on trying some of the ginger cake when she got back to the shop, so now she helped herself to a slice while Christopher nibbled on a cheese and apple pasty then ate the crumble and clotted cream from the recyclable pot Pearl had packed them in.
They washed the food down with more tea and Christopher chatted about his niece in Canada and what he knew of her life there and Rosa listened, aware that having someone listen was probably nice for him. Plus, she found him fascinating, his deep voice and genteel tone, the way his eyes glossed over when he recalled a detail and how dimples appeared in his cheeks when he smiled. He must have been a handsome man when he was younger and she wondered what he had looked like and what his wife had been like too. Had they fallen in love, had eyes for no one else? Had theirs been a devoted marriage with no cruelty or heartbreak, the kind that only lucky people found?
‘Ah, look at me, wittering on,’ he said, shaking his head. ‘I apologise yet again, Rosa. You have been very kind allowing me to take up so much of your time.’
‘I’m enjoying myself,’ she said.
‘But you have a shop to run and I’m an old man taking up your afternoon. Please don’t lose sales because of me.’
Rosa glanced at the clock and realised she’d been there for over an hour. She would need to get back to the shop, but she could spare ten more minutes. ‘I will have to get back so Vinnie can take his lunch break but first let me tell you about the books of yours I’ve already sold.’ She got out her phone and opened the folder, then talked him through the numbers and was pleased to see his brows rise and a smile play on his lips.
‘That’s an excellent start,’ he said.
‘Would you like me to transfer the money to a bank account or to send it another way?’ she asked.
‘Oh no, I don’t want the money,’ he said.
‘But it’s yours. Of course you need the money.’
‘I thought that I’d like to donate it to the local animal rescue sanctuary and, perhaps, if there’s enough, to the village school literacy fund. I know they’re always trying to raise money for the children, so how about you split it between the two?’
‘That would be very generous of you, Christopher,’ she said. ‘Are you sure?’
‘I’m sure.’ He smiled. ‘Now you should head back to work. But thank you so much for visiting. I can’t tell you how much it means to me and to Bobby.’
As he pushed back his chair and stood, she noticed him grab the edge of the table and grip it, a whisper of pain crossing his features. His body seemed to hesitate, as if every movement cost him more than he would ever let on.
‘Are you all right?’ She set Bobby down gently in his basket, then went to Christopher’s side, but he nodded and held up a hand.
‘Absolutely fine, dear. Just a twinge of arthritis. All to be expected when you reach your nineties.’
Rosa paused for a moment, yearning to ask if he’d seen the doctor but not wanting to pry. She touched his arm. ‘If you need anything, you have my number. Please call, anytime.’
‘You are very kind, Rosa. Thank you again,’ he said with a smile. ‘And Bobby says thank you for the cuddle.’
Outside the front door, Rosa turned and looked at Christopher. The urge to hug him was strong, but she didn’t know how he’d take it, so she gave a small wave instead and he waved back. As she walked along the path and out onto the pavement, her throat was tight and her eyes stung with tears. She had a feeling that Christopher wasn’t telling her everything and despite knowing him for just a short time, she was already very fond of him. People could be lonely whatever age they were. She’d been there, but to be elderly and lonely was deeply sad. She would befriend Christopher and help him with whatever he needed. Her aunt had always taught her to reach out if people seemed in need of support and it was something Rosa had always done, even when her own heart had been broken into a thousand tiny pieces.
And as for little Bobby, the tiny dog had already won her over, so she would be there for him too. Come what may…