Chapter 48
Chapter forty-eight
“Okay, so all I want you to do right now is to clear tables and get things into the dishwasher,” Georgia said to Imogen.
Robbie stood beside her in a matching T-shirt with Aston’s printed across the back. They both wore black aprons tied around their waists as well.
“I can do that,” Imogen said.
“Of course you can.” Georgia smiled. “Just watch Robbie and see how she does things and you’ll have the hang of it in no time.”
Robbie grinned at Imogen.
“If you arrive a bit early, you can get something to eat before your shift starts.”
“Mum says I have to stop eating for free.”
“It’s not for free…it’s part of your wages. Everyone eats at Aston’s.”
Imogen grinned. “Okay then.”
“So, everyone for a cup of tea before we let the hordes in?” Georgia pressed her hand to the urn and pulled away quickly. “All heated up and ready to go.”
“We’ll go outside and get the chairs down while it brews,” Robbie said, nudging Imogen towards the door. Before either could open it, Pippa arrived.
“Morning, eager beavers.” She smiled at them both as they passed by.
“Morning,” Imogen answered for them.
“Every table has four chairs,” Robbie instructed. “And you’ll spend all day moving them back into place as people keep adding them to other tables.”
“Easy enough,” Imogen said, pulling chairs off the pile and pushing them across the ground to Robbie, who shoved them underneath the tables.
“Once we’ve done this, we have to get the umbrellas up and the condiment boxes out, then we can get back inside and do the same with those tables. Everything needs to be done by 09.00, on the dot.”
Imogen mock saluted. “Yes, Ma’am.”
When they were done and returned inside, mugs of tea waited on a table, along with a plate of bacon sandwiches.
“Get stuck in, you two.” Pippa smiled and pushed the plate towards them. “You’ve done a great job out there.”
“It’s sunny, so it’s easy,” Robbie said. Turning to Imogen, she added, “When it rains, it’s horrible.”
“Yes, well, we can’t dictate the weather,” Georgia said. “We make do with what we get, though, and as long as we all work together, we’ll keep afloat.”
“And there’s always a discount for friends and family.” Pippa winked at Imogen. “Might want to tell your mums so they come here next time they meet for lunch.”
Imogen shrugged. “Oh, they don’t do that.”
Pippa pressed her lips together. “Oh, just a one off the other day then?”
Imogen frowned. “What day?”
“Tuesday, I think it was. I saw them at Banjo.”
“Oh, they didn’t say.” Then she remembered the conversation she’d had with her mum the night before. “They probably just needed to talk about me.” She caught Robbie’s eye—a shared look passed between them. “But I will tell them both…about the family discount.”
“That’s the spirit.” Georgia grinned. “Now, eat up.” She checked her watch. “Ten minutes till the world starts knocking on the door.”
With Pippa and Georgia distracted, Robbie leant closer to Imogen.
“Lunch together?”
“I know, but I think it’s because of something I said. Probably worried Mum, and she went to talk it out with Billy.”
“Is that something they do then?”
“I don’t know, I didn’t think so, but maybe they do…if it’s about me.”
“What did you say?”
“I just said I was kind of angry with them both for not fighting harder to stay together…that I wished I had a proper family, like you did.”
Robbie nodded. “Least yours are still here, though. I’d probably take split up if it meant I still had mine.”
“I know. Isn’t it awful how we always want what everyone else has? I’m not ungrateful, and I love them both, I just…well, you know what I think.” Imogen frowned. “They belong together. I don’t know why they can’t see it?”