Chapter 15
The rest of the week passed in a blur of customers, cake and coffee, and by the time Lauren closed up for the evening on Friday, she was exhausted.
Myriam had come down to help her through the busy afternoon period, but Lauren had let her go back to her packing as soon as the café had quietened down again.
Mindful of her mother’s exciting trip, which was starting tomorrow, she didn’t want to be responsible for wearing her out beforehand.
Lauren knew she was being overprotective, but it was a difficult button to stop pressing.
Myriam was more than able to take care of herself these days, and since a FaceTime with Gary earlier in the week, Lauren knew Myriam would be in safe hands, even if something did go wrong.
But she was a worrier by nature and found it increasingly difficult to get out of that mindset.
‘It’ll be good for both of us to have a little bit of time apart,’ Myriam kept saying. ‘You need to stop thinking about me all the time and start having some fun of your own.’
‘I know,’ Lauren had replied, dutifully, every time.
But it was easier said than done. She was flat out at the café every day, and while the space was small, there was still plenty to do.
By the time she shut up shop at the end of each afternoon, she was good for nothing else other than a quick dinner and a FilmFlix episode or three.
Even then, she often woke up in the wee hours of the morning, stiff and cold on the sofa.
Determined not to do this on her and her mother’s last night together, Lauren had prepared Myriam’s favourite – moussaka – and bought a bottle of alcohol-free sparkling Chardonnay for them to have with it.
Neither of them drank much, and Lauren knew that her mother probably wouldn’t want to drink the night before her voyage.
‘Mum? Are you home?’ she called as she pushed open the dividing door between the café and their maisonette.
There was no reply from upstairs. Locking up the door, Lauren flipped on the oven in the kitchen and then headed up the stairs towards her mother’s studio.
She was about to mount the concertina stairs when she caught sight of her mother standing by her bed, an array of outfits and shoes scattered all over the duvet.
‘I thought you’d have everything packed away by now!’ Lauren called as she walked into Myriam’s room.
Myriam didn’t reply. A prickle of concern worried the back of Lauren’s neck as Myriam took a second to turn around.
‘Everything all right, Mum?’
Myriam nodded, but her expression was uncertain. ‘Yes, darling. A little nervous, I suppose.’
‘That’s only natural.’ Lauren gave her a hug.
‘I know…’ Myriam shrugged out of Lauren’s embrace ‘…but I don’t want to keep being defined by this bloody condition of mine!’ Myriam clenched her hands together; the hands that she fought so hard to regain the use of. ‘Is it wrong that I just want to be – oh, I don’t know – someone normal?’
Lauren couldn’t help but laugh. ‘Mum, the last thing anyone would ever call you is normal!’
Myriam joined in the laughter. ‘I suppose you’re right. Perhaps I should be glad of that.’
‘And, as you said, Gary is going to look out for you on this trip. Not because he thinks you’re not up to it but because he likes you, Mum.
I mean, really likes you. Try to remember that.
You always told me you weren’t going to be defined by that car accident and now is your chance to really prove that, not just to yourself but to all those people on the cruise who are going to benefit from your knowledge and your creativity.
You’re going to smash it, Mum. I know you will. ’
They shared another hug. ‘Whatever did I do to deserve a daughter like you?’
‘Something terrible, I bet,’ Lauren replied dryly.
‘And what about you? Did you manage to make any plans for when you have this place to yourself?’
Lauren shook her head. ‘I’ll have enough on my plate without factoring in any extra stuff!’
‘Oh, darling.’ Myriam’s face softened. ‘You work too hard. Don’t be afraid to shut the café for a day or two if you need to. You deserve some time off as well, you know, and you can always get Cathy in to do some extra shifts if you want a break.’
Cathy Brown, a friend of Lauren’s from school, was always keen to help out at the café.
She currently did Wednesdays and Fridays, so that Lauren could focus on her baking, but was keen to step up.
With December bringing a seasonal uplift in trade, Lauren knew she could probably get away with offering Cathy a few extra hours.
‘I’ll think about it.’ Lauren gave her mother another smile. ‘But you just focus on having a great time. You’ll be so good at teaching, and this is a great opportunity to enjoy yourself and inspire other people.’
‘I hope you’re right.’ Myriam turned back to the riot of colours and material on her bed. ‘Now, I think I better decide once and for all what it is I’m taking with me, or Gary will be at the door tomorrow morning and I’ll still be putting things in the suitcase!’
Lauren thought about offering to help her mother choose but then thought better of it. Myriam got irritated about being micromanaged, which was a lesson that Lauren had learned over the years. Better to leave her to it and get on with sorting dinner out.
Forty-five minutes later, they were both tucking into a delectable moussaka. ‘I hope the food on the cruise is going to be as good as yours!’ Myriam said between mouthfuls.
‘This won’t be a patch on what you’re going to get.’
‘Who knows? Perhaps, by the time I get back, you might have found someone else to cook for!’
‘Not unless Gerard Butler comes wandering in through the café door!’ Lauren giggled. ‘Although, with Finn Sanderson living just down the road, anything’s possible, I suppose.’
Myriam raised an eyebrow at her daughter.
‘Never discount anything in this life. All those years ago, I wouldn’t ever have imagined that mine would have taken the turns that it has.
And you know what? I wouldn’t change any of it.
It might not have been the most conventional or the easiest of paths, but I’m thankful for every lesson it has taught me along the way.
Most of all, darling, I’m thankful for you.
’ Myriam reached out a hand and gave one of Lauren’s a squeeze.
‘I’ll miss you while I’m away, but you can be sure that I’ll be making the most of every second. Perhaps you can try to do the same.’
Lauren grinned. ‘Yeah, because Norwegian rivers have nothing on the view from the café’s window!’
Myriam’s eyes twinkled. ‘Depends on what, or who, you’re looking at.’
Lauren shook her head and focused on her food.
Her mother’s view on the world was always quirky, sometimes surprising and never dull.
She knew she ought to try to be more like her, but it was difficult when she was working all the hours God sent.
All the same, as she stacked the plates into the dishwasher later, she wondered if Myriam was right: maybe she should ask Cathy to cover some extra shifts over the next couple of weeks.
If nothing else, it would mean she’d get the chance to do some Christmas shopping.