CHAPTER TEN
As I went out to meet her, Ellie opened the van door and carefully slid her legs around, before using the door to haul herself into a standing position. She looked flushed and I wasn’t sure it was from excitement or the exertion.
‘We’re kicking a lot today.’ She patted her bump, looking happy but exhausted.
I smiled. ‘A footballer in the making?’
She chuckled. ‘Imagine. Zak would be pleased.’ Beaming, she indicated the colourful van with a flourish of her hand. ‘What do you think?’
I shook my head, still mesmerised by its sudden appearance. ‘I think it’s... gorgeous.’
‘I know. Sam’s done a great job on it, hasn’t he? It was just an old white van in its former life but it was headed for the scrapyard.’
‘ Sam did that?’ Sam was our friend Primrose’s partner.
Ellie nodded. ‘Turns out he’s a dab hand with a paint-spraying gun.’
‘And quite the inventor as well,’ I pointed out, admiring the cherry-topped cupcake sitting on the roof of the van.
‘I know.’ She smiled. ‘I saw the cupcake on ebay and Sam attached it.’
‘Wow. So how on earth did you find it? The van?’
She smiled. ‘I was talking to Primrose about my plan for taking the leftover bakes on the road and she must have mentioned the idea to Sam because next thing you know, he’s phoning me and asking me if I want an old van because his dad was retiring and didn’t need it anymore.’
‘Wow. So your super-entrepreneurial brain immediately pounced on the amazing serendipity of the situation and you decided you just had to take the café business in yet another direction?’ I laughed, shaking my head in admiration. ‘Despite the fact that you’re due to give birth in a couple of months’ time?’
She smiled sheepishly. ‘Precisely that. You know me too well. Yes, it failed its MOT because it’s rusted underneath, so Sam’s dad was happy to let me have it – and he also gave me the name of his mate, Fred, who’s a whizz at welding and getting rusty vehicles through their MOT.’
‘Gosh.’ I looked at her worriedly. ‘But you’re not planning on going out on the road and selling the surplus cakes yourself, are you?’
‘Er, no! Can you imagine? It would take me so long getting in and out of the van, the cakes would be stale by the time they got to the customers.’
I sighed with relief. ‘Well, thank goodness for that. So who...?’
Her face broke into a mischievous smile.
‘Well, you, of course.’
*****
I stared at her, not knowing quite what to think of this bold idea.
‘Me?’ I managed at last, as we walked over to the café and went in. ‘But I thought you needed me to help out here, in the café?’
‘Oh, I do. Absolutely. But you’d only be out driving the van one day a week... probably a Wednesday... that’s if you decide you want to do it, of course,’ she added hurriedly.
‘Right.’ As I slipped back behind the counter, my mind was turning cartwheels trying to imagine what driving a van around the countryside would be like.
‘Primrose was talking about starting work now that George is at nursery,’ said Ellie, leaning against the end of the counter, ‘so maybe she’d like to cover for you when you’re out on the road. But even if not, we can definitely work something out.’
‘Well . . .’
‘Have a think about it, okay? You don’t need to give me an answer now.’
I nodded, feeling a little surge of excitement inside at the thought of doing something completely different. ‘Okay. Can I let you know tomorrow?’
‘Yes, of course.’ Ellie beamed at me. ‘Right, I’m going to head over to the new house. I just wanted to show you the van. And pick up some iced ginger cake.’ She removed the dome from the plate containing the cake and lifted a slice with the tongs, placing it carefully on a paper napkin. ‘It’s my latest passion and if you can’t indulge yourself when you’re pregnant, when can you?’ Grinning, she leaned down to the napkin and took a large bite of the cake.
I smiled. ‘Absolutely. How’s things over at Bogg House? Have Mac and the crew nearly finished the renovation?’
She nodded, her eyes sparkling. ‘The kitchen island arrived yesterday. They’ve installed it and it fits the space perfectly, according to Mac. I can’t wait to see what it looks like.’
‘Moving day soon?’
‘Yup. The painters are in this week and then it’s all systems go! We’ll be settled in the new place in a couple of weeks.’
‘Do you want some help with the packing? You’ll have a lot to do.’
‘Aw, thanks, Katja. But Zak is insisting we get the removals guys to do the packing as well. They offer that as an extra service. He’s worried that if we do it ourselves, I wouldn’t be able to just stand by and watching him working. I’d have to get involved as well.’ She patted her baby bump. ‘I guess it makes sense, really, although I do resent having to pay extra.’
I chuckled. ‘It definitely does make sense. Zak knows you only too well. You’ve got the best reason in the world for just sitting back and letting everyone else get on with it.’
She crinkled her nose. ‘The only thing I’m worried about is Mum’s precious vintage china. She gave me quite a lot of her collection to display on our dresser. Actually, some of it is more than a hundred years old so it’s antique. I’m not letting the removals guys touch that. I’m going to pack it all up myself.’ She grinned. ‘When I can find the time to do it.’
‘I can help you.’
‘Would you?’
‘Of course. Just let me know when, okay?’
‘You’re a star.’ She clasped her hands over her chest. ‘Oh, Katja, I still can’t believe we’ll actually be living in that lovely old house. I walked past it for years wishing it was mine. And now it is!’
‘Apparently dreams can come true if you wish hard enough.’ I smiled ruefully, feeling overcome with emotion all of a sudden.
A wave of sadness was washing through me.
Richard and I had talked about buying an older property and doing it up, just like Ellie and Zak.
But that would never happen now.
I pasted on a cheery smile. ‘Hey, you’d better go and see how your new island looks. Send me photos, will you?’
She stuck up her thumb and went out to the van.
‘And I’ll let you know about the cake deliveries tomorrow, okay?’ I called after her.