Chapter 18
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
@The Little Love Café: Today we are kicking off our new 7-day challenge #GIVELOVEGETLOVE We want to bring love back to The Little Love Café. We want to see your acts of love whether that be a bunch of flowers, box of chocolates, cute Post-it note messages in lunchboxes, breakfast in bed or a romantic mixtape. Take a photo and tell us about your act of love. The ones which make us say ‘aww…’ or smile will get a free coffee. Post your pics using the hashtags #LittleLoveCafé #Letsbringbacklove
I woke up before Lucas and Dad to put my social media promotion live.
By the time I open the café we’ve had a man tag us into a photo of his wife’s breakfast tray containing two poached eggs, toast, and a printout of cinema tickets to see her favourite film later. And a woman has tagged us with a photo of her husband’s sandwiches, which she’d cut into heart shapes: ‘A little surprise for him during his lunch break.’
Pam is busy unloading her cake delivery; Noah is at the coffee machine working on some drinks and I am heading back with an order for table two. They’re a couple who were pleased to tell me about how they split up ten years ago but had an unexpected reunion a year ago today in Thailand.
As I get back to the counter there’s a crash from the back of the café. I rush out to see Pam sprawled across the floor. ‘Don’t worry,’ she says, ‘the cakes are fine. It’s me. I’m trying to do too much, and I fell over my shoelace.’
I help her up and she brushes down her trousers.
‘Have you hurt yourself? Can I get you some water, a cup of tea or coffee?’
She shakes her head. ‘I’m fine. You are my customer, and I shouldn’t say this, but I would just like time to see my family and not have to spend day and night with my ex-husband. This business we created when we were together has become demanding and I’m working far too many hours.’ Her phone is vibrating in her pocket. She takes it out and groans. ‘I’m so tired.’
‘Pam, you’re worrying me,’ I say, giving her arm a gentle rub.
She looks at me with pink watery eyes. ‘Thank you for worrying about me.’
Once she goes, I return to the counter. ‘Pam fell over.’
Noah looks up. ‘Is she okay?’
‘I think she’s stressed. I do hope she’s all right.’
He points towards the Snug. ‘Will you go check on the couple who are in there? It’s Jon and Donna. They’re regulars. A bit of background, Donna has been unwell, and Jon is proposing.’
My initial reaction is to shake my head, but I remember Frankie’s face from last night. I must turn this place around and that means confronting my phobia of live marriage proposals. I stop shaking my head and nod. ‘Okay, will go now.’
Noah looks at me with a shocked expression. ‘Are you serious?’
‘It’s time to face my fears.’
He smiles at me. ‘I’m proud of you, Alice.’ I feel a fluttering sensation inside my chest as I head out the back to the Snug. I’m bracing myself for a couple gazing longingly into each other’s eyes. As I get nearer, I can hear the couple arguing. Inwardly I groan.
‘I am afraid we are going to have to leave,’ the man – Jon – barks. ‘She’s changed her mind.’
The woman – this must be Donna – arms crossed tightly over her chest, is scowling out of the window. ‘Jon, I need some space.’
‘Fine,’ snaps Jon, who is wearing a blue shirt and beige jeans. He gets up and storms off through the café.
I take a deep breath and go sit down next to the woman. ‘Can I get you a drink, cake maybe?’
She shakes her head and wipes away a lone tear. ‘I feel bad now. This sounds like I am being selfish and cruel, but I wanted the fairy-tale wedding, only it looks like my breast cancer has put a stop to that as well.’
Sitting back into the plush sofa I send her a friendly smile. ‘You two are Little Love Café regulars – aren’t you?’
The woman sits up and fiddles with her short red hair. ‘Yes, we used to be regulars. Then I got sick and couldn’t come for months. I’m Donna by the way.’
‘Alice,’ I reply.
‘Do you have kids, Alice?’
I nod. ‘Yes, Lucas, he’s six.’
She rubs her temples. ‘We have five kids and sometimes I feel like my head is going to explode. Last night the two boys had a stomach bug, so Jon and I were up half the night. This morning, our eldest daughter informs us over breakfast she wants to go on the contraceptive pill; our other daughter has been caught skipping school; and our little girl fell over the dog and hit her head. Then Jon proposes. I am exhausted and the last thing I want to do is get soppy. We can’t afford a big wedding because I haven’t worked for months due to my illness, and we stupidly cancelled our insurance policy three months before I got diagnosed. So, things are tight.’
She sighs and picks at a piece of fluff on her top. ‘I just wanted to get married somewhere nice and special. I suggested we wait for a bit.’ Her face has lost its scowl, and I can see the hint of a smile on her thin lips. ‘Sorry for downloading all that. I feel better now.’
‘I totally understand,’ I say. ‘Blimey, you have had your hands full.’
Donna laughs. ‘Poor Jon probably hates me now.’
‘How long have you and Jon been together?’
Fiddling with a gold heart on her necklace, Donna looks wistfully out of the window. ‘When we were kids. He used to pull my pigtails at school. I tried dating others, but Jon’s face never left my mind.’
‘I’m sure you both need time to cool off.’
Donna sits up straighter. ‘The kids have been on at us for years to get married. When I got sick, it was all they spoke about. We’ve never had much money though for a big wedding, so we are going to go to the registry office and then for a quiet meal in a restaurant on Friday. That’s all we can afford. Receptions are expensive. I just wanted something a bit more memorable where I can wear a nice dress and maybe feel a bit special.’
My eyes wander over the mini flower wall behind Donna’s head. It is then my next idea pings into my brain. It’s mad and both Noah and Frankie will say no, but we are in desperate times. Donna and Jon have a story to tell about love. ‘Have your reception here.’
Donna flicks her head towards me. ‘We couldn’t afford to hire this place. Jon and I don’t have much to spend on our day.’
‘You will be our first wedding reception and if you let us use your story on social media, I will let you hire it for free.’
Donna puts her hands to her mouth.
‘It will just be posh cupcakes and coffee or tea though. Is that okay?’
‘Oh my God, Alice, we would love to have our wedding reception here. We could take pictures of us against the flower walls or outside on the beach.’
Jon appears looking sad. Donna jumps up and hugs him. ‘Yes, I will marry you next Friday.’
‘What?’ Jon stares at Donna. ‘I came back in here for another row.’
Donna turns to me. ‘Alice has offered for us to do the reception here, with no hire fee.’
‘Really?’ He looks at me and I nod.
‘What about a dress?’ He turns back to Donna.
It’s then I remember the wedding dress which is hanging up at the back of my wardrobe. Remarkably it survived my drunken night on the camp bed. ‘What size are you, Donna?’
‘Twelve to fourteen – why?’
I take a deep breath. ‘I have a wedding dress which might fit you. It’s a long, A-line, ivory gold number.’
Donna’s eyes water. ‘Really?’
Feeling inspired I put my arm around Donna. ‘Yes. Let’s get you both married.’
After swapping contact details and agreeing timings plus a night for Donna to come to Dad’s to try on my dress, they leave holding hands.
Walking through to the café, I feel high as a kite. Noah’s mouth falls open after I tell him about what I have just organised.
‘For free?’ He looks like someone has given him a fright. ‘You do realise this is a business and we are supposed to make money?’
‘Noah, they will still pay for drinks and cakes. Look, I have a good feeling about this. If we can get their story on social media and how we have stepped into help them I think it will help turn public opinion. The challenge for us is that it’s next Friday.’
His blue eyes widen. ‘We are having a wedding reception here next Friday?’
‘Yep.’
He looks around the café. ‘I don’t want to spoil your plan, but we have one stressed-out cake supplier and there are only us two working here. How are we going to make a wedding reception happen?’