Chapter 32
32
MINNIE
After Gino had finished speaking to Dario in the office, Minnie had watched as he’d begun his rounds of the restaurant, chatting animatedly to his guests, serving them drinks and generally whipping up the party. All the while, she could see the strain behind the forced smile on his tired face.
Sonya had joined her while Gino was away, and then Eric had taken her place. She’d been shocked to bits when he’d charged in the door. He’d spotted her immediately, then given her a brief kiss, and said, ‘I’ll be back over to see you, Mum. I just need to have a quick chat to Ailish first.’ He was off before Minnie could say a word. Just as well really, because if he’d given her a chance to speak, she’d have issued a stern warning that he’d better not be here to upset anyone. Especially Ailish or Emmy. As it was, he seemed to be the one who’d ended up having his feathers ruffled.
She’d watched him go over and speak to Ailish and Emmy, and then he and Ailish had gone off to have a tête-à-tête in the alcove. As that conversation ended, Sonya had left to rejoin her grandson, so Eric had taken her place across from Minnie, but, to be honest, he wasn’t much company, too preoccupied by what was going on over at Ailish’s table. He’d yet to divulge what had been discussed and Minnie didn’t like to pry. She’d find out later from Ailish, and then report back to Henry to keep him in the loop.
By the time Gino had finally made his way back over to her, there were more pressing matters to attend to. Minnie had checked her watch and cursed in a voice that only Henry could hear. Damn, she was running out of time. It wouldn’t be long until they would start getting ready for the countdown to the bells, although, strangely, Gino wasn’t showing any signs of kicking off the preparations.
After Gino, polite as ever, had welcomed Eric and chatted to him for a few minutes, Minnie had cleared her throat. ‘Eric, dear, I wonder if you wouldn’t mind leaving Gino and I for a few moments. There’s something rather private that I’d like to discuss with him.’
Well, Eric’s eyes had been like saucers, and she could tell he was wondering what secrets she had that she didn’t want him to hear. Rich, really. This was the same boy who had been a secret smoker for years in his teens. And also the man who’d had an extra-marital affair and hoodwinked them all.
When he’d left, she’d immediately tried to get a gauge of whether they’d have time for the conversation she’d been planning to have with Gino all night.
‘Do you have to start preparing for the countdown to the bells, Gino?’ He’d usually be organising the music, making sure everyone had drinks, checking the microphone, preparing what he was going to say.
To her surprise, he’d shaken his head. ‘No. I’ve asked Carlo to do it tonight. He’s the only one in our family with something to look forward to this year.’
Minnie had, quite frankly, felt her sympathies begin to waver. Gino was here. She was here. But Henry and Alicia were not and she was quite sure that if either of them was given more precious time on this earth, they certainly wouldn’t be spending it brooding like this.
She’d been about to point this out, when he’d launched into a long, blow-by-blow account of the discussion he’d just had with Dario, and Minnie had put her own agenda to one side yet again to listen to him, despite the sand in the egg timer of today running quickly to the bottom.
And yes, her heart had ached for him when he’d recounted his response to Dario’s suggestion that they sell up, and she’d seen the emotion and the pain he had at the prospect of letting everything go. But then, she’d swayed back to her earlier thought about Henry and Alicia. That was true loss. Everlasting. Permanent. This? There was life after this, if the man could only see it.
‘And do you know what Dario had the audacity to say?’ he’d ranted, his Italian accent always thicker when he was speaking with passion. He hadn’t even given Minnie a second to respond. Not that she had any idea anyway. ‘He said that Alicia would agree to selling!’
Full of ire, he’d slapped the table when he said that, causing many people around them to glance over. Minnie had felt her cheeks burning and it fired her on. She hadn’t had a near-death experience at the shops this morning, then spent all day preparing to come here, only to fall at the last hurdle of her mission. But first she had to de-escalate his temper down to a point where he’d listen, and begin to try to pave the way for what she had to say.
He’d opened his mouth to resume his rant, but she’d put her hand up to stop him and uttered a sharp, ‘Gino!’
His surprise at the gesture had been evident by the way he seemed to swallow his words and lose his train of thought.
She’d gently removed the napkin that had been on her lap, and placed it rather delicately in front of her, sending the subliminal message that the banging of tables was not acceptable. Then she’d waited until she felt his blood pressure may have subsided from ‘explosive’, before speaking in a firm but loving voice.
‘Gino, first of all, I warn you that you may not like all that I have to say, but please stick with me because it’s very important and I truly think you need to hear it.’
He’d said nothing, but he hadn’t disagreed, so at least that was something.
‘First of all, I have to tell you that I feel Alicia would indeed agree to sell the restaurant if there was no viable alternative and if she felt it would release pressure on you or your sons.’
His eyes had narrowed, and she could see he was about to interrupt her, so she’d put her hand up again to make it clear that wasn’t an option. Two thoughts had struck her at the same time. The first was that there was something quite energising about speaking her mind like this. The second was more a feeling than a thought. In the place in her mind where she saw Henry, now she could imagine that she saw Alicia too. Her friend had been in the very fabric of these walls, and now Minnie had an unequivocable sense that Alicia was listening in and that she would be standing behind Minnie now, hands on hips, telling her to do what must be done.
Now, time had caught up with them. Dario had given the ten-minute warning and Nicky had passed out drams of whisky for the toast. As midnight came almost upon them, Minnie knew she had to get to the point.
An air of anticipation was sweeping around the room, and behind Gino, she saw Carlo prepare to climb back up onto the chair for the final countdown, the way his father had done for over fifty years. It was now or never. And Minnie Ryan wasn’t giving up.
‘Gino, the thing I’ve come to understand since losing Henry is that time moves on. And if you’re so busy clutching on to the past, then all you do is destroy any chance for a happy future. I know how much you love this restaurant, but it’s time to let it go. And I say that as a friend who loves you and wants the best for you too. And as the wife of a man who viewed you as a brother.’
There was a split second when she wondered if he was going to storm off and leave her sitting there alone, but, of course, he would never do that because, for all his temper and his stubbornness, he was a good and decent man.
Her gaze met his, and the tenderness and love in his eyes told her that her words were hitting home.
‘Gino, the reason that I came here tonight, was because, before he died, Henry asked me to do something for him.’ Minnie almost gasped, as the act of mentioning Henry’s death threatened to steal her breath.
An internal monologue began to calm her heart and encourage her to go on. It was Henry’s voice, as always, that she heard. Come on now, Minnie, you know you can do this, ma darling.
Her greatest love. Last year, they’d danced the night away in this very room, and only two days later, his heart had failed for the first time. The skill of the paramedics had brought him back to her, but only for a bittersweet evening. That’s when he’d beckoned her close and told her what she must do if the heavens were to claim him.
‘Go to Gino, ma darling. And tell him…’
The memory of Henry’s words was interrupted by Carlo, who was now banging a glass with a spoon and calling for hush.
‘Ladies and gentlemen, it’s almost midnight…’ A roar of excitement made the floor tremble. ‘So if you’d all like to grab your drinks, I’d like to say something…’
Minnie forced herself to carry on, all too aware that if she didn’t do this now, her words would be drowned out in the chaos. From the chair beside her, she lifted the box that she’d collected from the jewellers this morning.
‘Before Henry passed, he asked me to have this made for you. And he asked me to deliver it to you tonight, with a message…’
Once again, she was back in the hospital, holding Henry’s hand, listening to him say. ‘Wait until next New Year, ma darling, because I’ll want you to be strong and to be ready to laugh again.’
So, here she was…
‘I’d like to propose a toast,’ Carlo was saying now. ‘To the wonderful people who would tell us every year about how they danced in the street outside this restaurant on the first Hogmanay it was open, because there were no customers inside. And how the music brought them friends that would last all of their lives.’ Carlo held his glass high. ‘To my father, Gino. To my mother, Alicia. Who created this world for us. And to all of you for sharing it with us.’
Another deafening roar of appreciation shook the room and as soon as it was over, Carlo checked the clock, and then beckoned to his audience.
‘Friends, let’s say goodbye to the year behind us and welcome the wonders to come. Please raise your glasses and count down with me.’
Everyone in the room did exactly as he asked, beginning with a rousing chorus of, ‘Ten…’