Chapter 39
Chapter Thirty-Nine
VANESSA
“Ihave to confess that I really just know Barcelona in detail from its bakeries,” said Vanessa to her brother as they left the apartment block and headed into town.
“You make that sound like a bad thing.” Carl smiled. He definitely had a bit more colour in his cheeks. “When I was studying in Leeds all my references were pubs, so, you know.”
Vanessa laughed. It was good to be with someone who knew her so well. She was glad he’d sought her out when things had gone wrong at home. She was fed up with being thought of as the flaky one of the family, and it started right here, with Carl.
“So I’m on a bit of a mission to see if I can find the best coca in Barcelona.” Vanessa waved a small notebook at her brother. “It’s a kind of bread made from an enriched dough. Usually it’s sweet, but not always.”
“I see.” Carl furrowed his brow. “But why coca specifically?”
“Well, gran left me a family heirloom.” Vanessa slowed her pace so she could talk comfortably to Carl.
“That recipe book I told you about the other day? Well, it’s clearly been through several generations of women in our family.
There’s a missing page, though, for a specific coca recipe.
I want to know what it was and if the recipe is special in some way. ”
“I see.” Carl looked around him, taking in the sounds and the colour of the gothic buildings. “Wow, it’s beautiful here. So different to Birmingham.”
“You can say that again,” said Vanessa. “It’s been the perfect antidote to everything. Gran challenged me to a bit of a reset, and I’m genuinely giving it a go.”
“But?” Carl could hear the underlying doubt in Vanessa’s voice.
“Here – this is La Ramblas. It’s the iconic wide street right in the heart of Barcelona.
” She gestured to the huge central pavement section, with a carriageway for traffic on each side.
They crossed over into the middle and walked through, stopping every now and again when they reached an assortment of stalls selling wares.
“Ooh, is that a bakery stall?” Carl pointed.
“Yes,” exclaimed Vanessa. “I’m not avoiding your question, by the way. Let’s get some coca and take a seat somewhere. I’ll explain where I am with things.”
“Wow, this is delicious.” Carl’s mouth was full, and a crumb fell out as he spoke. “What’s that spicy flavour?”
“Probably star anise and lemon zest – a classic flavour combination,” said Vanessa.
She took a bite. It was definitely one of the better ones she’d tried.
“There’s something else there as well. I can’t quite place it.
Perhaps a tiny bit of cinnamon? I’m not sure.
We’ll be cooking a load of these next week for Saint John’s Eve.
Traditionally they bake Coca de Sant Joan on the twenty-third of June to mark midsummer. ”
“Well count me in,” said Carl, his voice clearer now he’d swallowed his mouthful. “As long as you don’t mind me staying until then?”
“Of course not.” Vanessa put her arm around her brother’s shoulder.
“You can stay as long as you like.” She sighed.
“Which brings me onto my own problem. I promised Gran I’d make a go of this business – opening a Spanish cafe in Birmingham.
But I’m going to be honest, every time I look at another set of premises I might be able to use, they leave me cold.
” She picked a piece of glace fruit from the top of her sweet bread and popped it into her mouth thoughtfully.
“Did you promise her that you had to do that specific thing? Or was it more general than that?” Carl swung his right foot onto his left knee.
“I guess she wanted me to stick at something, to commit to something. What kind of person would I be if I broke a promise I made to a dying woman?” Vanessa huffed out a breath.
“And you know, I think she was right. I’ve flitted from thing to thing, relationship to relationship.
Part of me wonders if maybe I’m doing that now.
I’ve met Joey and she seems amazing, but I thought Chloe was amazing once, too. ”
“And Stacey before her, and Parminder…” said Carl.
Vanessa took her arm from Carl’s shoulders and elbowed him in the side. “Oi! There’s no need to rub it in.”
Carl laughed, rubbing his side. “But, at some point, don’t you think you will meet the right person and commit to them?”
“Hmm.” Vanessa took a final bite of her coca. It melted in her mouth, and she closed her eyes as she savoured the taste.
“And look, I committed to Gem, and look at me now.” Carl gestured to himself.
“There are never any guarantees. Obviously, I don’t know Joey or what’s happened between you, but my sense is that she matters to you, if the fact that you’ve now checked your phone seven times in the last twenty minutes is anything to go by.
I’ve never seen you like that about a woman before.
” He laughed. “It’s usually them banging down your door asking why you’re not replying to their messages. ”
“I sort of hate the fact that you may have a point. But I still wonder about how on earth it could even work. Joey seems to have run away to Seville on a ‘work trip’,” Vanessa used air quotes, “but I increasingly think she’s freaking out.
And everyone knows long-distance relationships don’t work, in spite of the lesbian urge to hope against hope that they will. ”
“My goodness,” said Carl, “you are very glass half empty today. She really has gotten under your skin, hasn’t she?”
Vanessa put her head in her hands. “I know. I hate it.”
Carl put a comforting hand on her back.
“And I am aware of how selfish I’m being, obsessing about my love life when yours has just gone up in smoke,” she said from between her fingers.
“Ah, it’s ok. To be honest it’s quite a nice distraction.” Carl sat back on the bench and stretched his arms along the back. “I mean, I feel sad about it all, of course I do. But it’s good to remember there’s more to life than me and Gem and our breakup.”
Vanessa’s phone pinged. She immediately pulled it out of her pocket and sat up straight. “It’s her!”
It wasn’t a long message, but it was from Joey: “I’m sorry I’ve been a bit incommunicado. It’s nothing you’ve done. I’ve just been freaking out a bit, but it’s my stuff, not yours. I’m back tomorrow – let’s talk then. xxx”
Vanessa let out a long breath. That was a relief. It didn’t make everything ok, but at least she had confirmation that she hadn’t imagined it.
Carl peered at her phone, and Vanessa angled it so he could see for himself. He grinned and gave her the kind of hug that only a brother could.
Vanessa’s voice was muffled by his shoulder. “You’ll find someone – you’re lovely.”