Chapter 13
There was another pause in the conversation.
Bridie was enjoying catching up with Oliver, much more than she’d expected she would, but she couldn’t help thinking again about her embarrassing fight on stage.
She didn’t want to tell him about that, but then again, wouldn’t it be more embarrassing if he found out about it before she’d had a chance to explain her behaviour?
She was just about to say something when Oliver asked, ‘How’s your grandad? I remember you were very close when we were kids.’
Her throat tightened. ‘He’s … fine, I think. I haven’t spoken to him yet. I went to his flat, but he wasn’t in. Mrs Hughes, his neighbour, said she’d call me when he got back. But it turned out he was at the theatre.’
Oliver smiled. ‘I remember he always loved the theatre. I was actually wondering why you’ve moved back in with your parents instead of your grandad in London.’ He quickly added, ‘Don’t get me wrong, I’m so pleased you’re back.’
‘Thanks, Oliver. But yes, Grandad was my first port of call. As I said, I haven’t spoken to him yet, but my mum has. She let him know what happened, why I called round his flat when he was out.’
‘Oh, that’s good. At least he won’t worry.’
But he will, thought Bridie. And she hadn’t had a chance to speak to him yet.
Not that she wanted to. She just felt so embarrassed.
And she knew he’d be after her moving in with him.
She still felt that things had worked out for the best through her leaving London – even more so now she’d visited Aldeburgh and bumped into Oliver.
The only downside was living with her parents.
But she couldn’t see any alternative for the time being.
She frowned when she remembered the strange conversation she’d overheard between her parents about her grandad before she’d gone out.
One of these days he’s going to say something, I just know he is. And then her mum had told her dad to remind Bridie’s grandad of the promise he’d made to keep his son’s secret.
And most puzzling of all was her dad’s response: It’s not just my secret, it’s ours.
Oliver leaned forward. ‘You know, if living back with your parents gets too much, you could come and live with me.’
Bridie had been staring out of the window, lost in thought when she realised what Oliver had just said. She felt his hand close around hers.
When she looked at him, his eyes went wide. ‘Oh, I meant I’ve got a spare bedroom. You know, like flatmates, except I live in a cottage.’
Bridie didn’t know what to say.
‘Hello, Mr Williams.’
They both turned to see a young child standing beside their table, along with a sulky teenager following close behind, asking a woman who looked like his mum why they always had to go in there at the weekend.
Oliver said, ‘Hello, young man. Are you looking forward to joining your brother at secondary school next year?’
The young boy nodded his head.
‘Mr Williams,’ said the woman, approaching their table. She was staring Bridie’s way. ‘You’re normally sitting on your own when we come in.’
Bridie stared at the pretty young woman, thinking that it was a bit forward of her to say that.
‘Ah, I’ve got company this time.’
Bridie immediately saw their eyes drop to Oliver’s hand clasped around hers. Bridie moved her hand from under his.
‘I can see that.’
Bridie caught her tone of voice, guessing why she dragged her kids into the café every Saturday morning – in the hope of seeing Oliver.
A good-looking, kind, gentle man, who was single.
She didn’t see a wedding ring on the young woman’s finger.
Bridie guessed that if they were seen around together like this, there would be plenty of other single mums from the school feeling disappointed, thinking he was no longer single.
There was an awkward moment in which Bridie thought Oliver would introduce them. He didn’t.
‘Mum, are you getting me a hot chocolate?’ the small boy asked.
‘Oh, yes of course. Let’s find a table, shall we?’
‘I recognise her from somewhere,’ Bridie heard the sulky teenage boy say as they took a seat at another table.
Oliver had heard him too. ‘I wonder if he’s seen you in a show in London.’
Bridie gave them a sideways glance. She had no idea of their financial situation; perhaps they had the money to buy tickets for a show in London, and to pay the travel costs to get there.
She wouldn’t want to make assumptions that she couldn’t afford it just because she wasn’t wearing a wedding ring and might be a single parent.
She really hoped they had seen her in a show – as long as it wasn’t her last show. She hoped it wasn’t the other possibility that was making the colour rise in her cheeks – that the teenage son had seen her on social media.
‘How rude of me! I should have introduced you.’ Oliver went to get up.
Bridie reached across the table and grabbed his hand. ‘No, it’s fine, honestly. I’d really much prefer to keep a low profile if you don’t mind.’
Oliver sat back down. ‘That’s a shame. I was going to invite you to one of our drama classes. The children would love to meet a real stage actress. You’re such a role model.’
‘Role model – me?’ She shook her head.
‘Oh, yes. Don’t be so modest, Bridie.’
Bridie stared across the table at Oliver and shook her head. She caught the teenager staring at her across the room. She thought, I have to tell Oliver.
She opened her mouth to do just that, when he said. ‘I know.’
‘Pardon?’
‘I know it’s going to take time to get over what happened.’ He lowered his voice. ‘Your fiancé cheating on you. I understand. The last thing you need right now is a room full of lively teenagers bombarding you with questions.’
All with mobile phones, thought Bridie. It would only take one of them to find her on social media and the game would be up – they’d all know.
Bridie reached over and put her hand on his arm. ‘Yeah, I really can’t face that right now.’
‘I shouldn’t have even suggested it.’
Bridie could just imagine the teenager across the café on his phone, showing his mum the embarrassing episode.
She dared to look his way only to discover he wasn’t on his phone.
He was drinking a hot chocolate and bickering with his younger brother.
She breathed a sigh of relief, but even so, she wanted to go.
She hadn’t finished her coffee, but she gathered her handbag and remembered the carrier bag full of the pup’s treats and toys.
‘You’re leaving?’
‘I thought I’d pop into Cobblers Yard like you suggested. I’m looking for a present for Dad’s retirement.’
Oliver had half risen from his chair. He looked at Bridie.
Bridie said, ‘It’s all right. Stay and finish your coffee. Besides, you won’t want to drag around the shops with me.’
‘But I would, honestly.’
The woman was back as soon as she saw Bridie rise from the table. ‘Mr Williams, would have a spare moment? It’s about Jamie’s music lessons.’
‘Oh, er …’
Bridie looked at the young woman. Even though she knew her game, she seemed nice enough, and she was pretty. The last thing Bridie wanted was for her to get the wrong idea. ‘It’s fine – I was just leaving.’ Bridie even offered the woman her seat, pulling it out for her.
‘Oh, thanks,’ she said, sounding surprised.
‘No problem.’
As Bridie headed down the stairs, she heard a chair scrape, and Oliver say, ‘Can you give me a moment?’
The next thing was Oliver’s voice behind her as she stepped outside the shop. ‘When will I see you again?’
Bridie turned around and caught the young woman turning in her chair to look at them.
Oliver said, ‘I’ve enjoyed catching up. It rather takes me back.’
Bridie smiled. ‘It does me.’ She said, ‘Come to my dad’s retirement party.
’ It was selfish of her, but now her fiancé wasn’t on the scene, she’d feel the odd one out without a plus one, even though it would just be family there.
She ignored the voice in her head saying that she’d be giving her parents the wrong idea.
‘Your mum has already invited me.’
‘Oh, yes, you told me.’
‘But I much prefer the invitation from you.’ Oliver said, ‘I didn’t want to wait until the party, though, to see you again.’
Bridie looked at the café. ‘Well, I know where you are at the weekend.’
Oliver grinned. ‘I pop in and have a coffee here on a Saturday too. Say, around eleven?’
‘All right,’ Bridie said smiling.
‘It’s a date then.’ He quickly rephrased. ‘I meant …’
Bridie grinned. ‘I’ll see you Saturday.’
She watched Oliver rejoin the young woman and was just about to leave when she remembered the rolls.
Bridie narrowed her eyes, wondering if she should still buy them, and decided she would.
But she wouldn’t mention Oliver when she took them home.
She wanted to see how long it took for her mum to ask if she had happened to bump into him.
Walking up to the counter, she waited in the queue, watching Oliver attentively chatting to the young woman seated in her chair. She suddenly felt a pang. That had been her and Julian once, sitting in coffee bars in London, with eyes only for each other. And now all that was gone.
She looked at Oliver and thought that it wasn’t fair if she met him on Saturdays.
It was lovely catching up, and reminiscing about the old theatre, but all that was in the past. Perhaps Oliver had a chance with the woman he was talking to.
She didn’t want to get in the way. Just because her life was messed up, she didn’t want to mess up her friend’s lives too.
By the time she left the shop with the rolls, she was feeling more miserable than ever.
Oliver had a life here, friends of his own, and a potential girlfriend.
Bridie didn’t want to get in the way of all that.
‘This isn’t my life,’ she said to herself as she walked out of the door, casting a glance back at Oliver and the young woman, who were still deep in conversation.
Bridie had already decided she wouldn’t be turning up there next Saturday morning – but she knew who would be. She eyed the young woman one last time.