Chapter 16 #2
‘He can be very shy and reserved. He was when I first moved in. He was really withdrawn and, clearly, I don’t know …
damaged by something. I’m guessing it was a past relationship as that ties in with what he said to you, the café funding and all that stuff, and where he’s grown close to you, he’s now panicking it might go the same way. ’
Milly sat, wide-eyed and blinking.
‘What?’ Ada asked, stealing another sip of Milly’s drink.
‘When did you become so wise?’
She pushed the glass back towards her friend. ‘I think you’ll find I’ve always been wise, thank you very much. That’s why I moved to Copenhagen and have been living my best life ever since.’
Milly had to accept that was true. Could she be right about Theo as well though?
Ada stood. ‘Come on, let’s go inside and get a drink. I’m gasping.’
The two of them marched into the café to find Theo back behind the counter putting finishing touches to some delicious pastries.
Where the two women had sat outside, passing tourists had decided to join them and a few of the seats were now busy.
Milly immediately leapt behind the counter, taking orders and making drinks.
After they’d been served, the three of them sat at a table and began to catch up.
Milly swapped to her normal glasses as Ada filled them in on the foxes she’d seen.
Theo was a little quiet but made conversation and was genuinely interested in Ada’s day-to-day life in the Arctic.
Eventually, the customers left, and Ada leapt up.
‘Theo! Have you shown Milly the space below deck?’
‘I have,’ he replied, a little surprised by the sudden change in topic.
‘You have? Oh.’
Milly and Theo exchanged confused glances.
‘Have you shown her the storage cupboard?’
‘No. Why would I have shown her that?’
‘Because she might have an idea for content from it? A behind-the-scenes-type thing? Don’t people love that sort of stuff?’ Ada turned to Milly for confirmation.
‘They do,’ she agreed slowly. ‘But not exactly—’
‘Come on. If Theo won’t show it to you, I will.’ Ada marched away and they both followed, Theo scrambling to get in front of her. Clearly, he wasn’t keen on Ada thrashing around his kitchen.
‘Ada, you can’t go invading my kitchen and preparation area. Wash your hands!’
Ada ignored him and moved to the back of the counter, to a door that Milly had noticed before, but hadn’t bothered to look inside because, as she’d suspected it was a small pantry-style cupboard and not of interest to anyone.
If she was desperate she could film some B-roll footage, but it wouldn’t be any good for anything else.
‘Come and look, Milly! I think people would love to see this.’
Milly wasn’t sure that was true but moved around to be next to Theo in front of the door.
Then, before she knew it, she’d been shoved in the back and was hurtling face first towards the shelves.
She managed to stand upright just in time for Theo to hit her back, his nose whacking the top of her head.
‘Ow!’
Suddenly the door slammed, and they were plunged into darkness.
‘Ada!’ Milly called, pushing against the door, but it wouldn’t move. ‘Ada, let me out. Now!’
No one replied.
Theo pushed the door too and though it moved slightly, there was no getting it open. They both heard a kerfuffle on the other side and when he tried again it wouldn’t move at all.
Milly’s mouth dropped open. ‘Ada, are you sitting in front of the door?’
‘Yes!’
‘Then stop it! Let me out.’
‘No can do, sorry. Not until you two have sorted out your stupid nonsense.’
‘What stupid nonsense?’ Theo asked, playing dumb.
‘She knows,’ Milly said, folding her arms.
‘About what?’
She rolled her eyes. ‘About the swim and us nearly kissing and the cooking festival.’
‘You told her!’ Even in the dark of the cupboard, with only a tiny bit of light shining through the gap in the doorframe, she could see his eyes widen.
‘Of course I told her; she’s my best friend!’
‘This is …’ He pinched the bridge of his nose. ‘This is horrible.’
A voice from outside cut into the heavy silence. ‘You should probably get talking before more customers come in, because I’m not moving until you do.’
‘But you can hear everything we’re saying,’ Theo said to the back of the door.
The space was so tiny they couldn’t move without touching each other. Milly saw every line on his forehead, the tiny crow’s feet gathering at the side of his eyes, the smidge of flour on the underneath of his chin and love for them all surged.
‘I’ll put my fingers in my ears,’ Ada said. ‘Or sing to myself.’ Suddenly Ada was singing a Taylor Swift song, badly, and out of tune. And loudly. Very, very loudly.
‘She’s going to scare off all my customers!’ Theo cried, pointing towards the door, forgetting how small the space was, and ramming his finger into it. ‘Oww!’
Milly hid her giggle as he caressed his finger. This was absolutely ludicrous and completely on brand with Ada. After all, this was the woman who enjoyed lying on snow-covered ground snapping photos of foxes.
‘Look,’ Milly said to Theo, ‘I know Ada, and she won’t stop until we bang on the door and tell her we’re done.’
‘Fine, then—’ He raised his fist to bang on the door and Milly reached out and grabbed it.
‘Wait!’
He stared at her, the confusion and frustration melting into something far gentler.
‘Maybe she’s got a point. Why don’t we actually talk? Given that we’re here and I – I have a few things I want to say.’
‘You do?’
‘Yes.’ She took a deep breath and saw the uncertainty on his face, but she had to continue for both their sakes. They couldn’t go on like this. ‘Listen Theo, I—’ She took a second to gather her thoughts. ‘I like you. A lot. And I – I need to know what happened the other night. Was it me? Did I—’
‘It wasn’t you.’ His voice was low and gravelly.
He pushed both hands into his hair, almost knocking over packets from the shelves.
‘Of course it wasn’t you. It was me. It is me.
I – I – Listen, I can’t talk about it all right now.
Not with Taylor Swift serenading us from outside but, what I can say is that my last relationship didn’t end well and I don’t know why it happened or how to stop it happening again.
And I don’t want us – you and me – to end up the same way. ’
‘What do you mean?’ She needed more information; more detail for it to make more sense.